Concrete offers more diversity and flexibility than many people realise. It is not just a fast and cost-effective building material, it is much more interesting and special. It is an ancient material, the name coming from the Latin word "concretus" (meaning compact). The widespread use of concrete in many Roman structures is why they survive to the present day. The amount of concrete used worldwide is twice that of steel, wood, plastics and aluminum combined. Concrete's use globally is second only to water.
Because of its widespread use, concrete does has significant environmental impacts, but concrete recycling materials into the mix of concrete is also an area of development (see our Eco-Element range). Once in place, concrete offers very effective energy efficiency over the full lifetime of buildings.
Concrete is strong in compression and adding reinforcing steel provides great tensile strength. Different strengths of concrete are used for different purposes. Accelerators, pigments, plasticisers and other additives provide certain characteristics that can't be achieved in a plain mix. Good mixes ensure that concrete retains its properties in the long-term. Being able to pour concrete is what makes it such a versatile material. It can be as serious or as fun as you want it to be. Modern techniques mean that photographs can be etched into concrete surfaces, allowing high quality logos and text to be included on finished products. Concrete comes in many colours and can be textured to imitate wood, brick or even fabrics. But ultimately we believe concrete is at its best when it is allowed to be itself.
Want to learn more about concrete, its properties and capabilities? We offer training sessions and tours at our production facility by pre-arrangement.
