Re-Con: Mapei expands its line for sustainable concrete

Mapei will be at Ecomondo, the expo for the circular economy to be held in Rimini from the 6^th to the 9^th of November (Pavilion C4, Stand 18), and will be presenting its new products from the RE-CON line, specifically developed to meet the growing demand for sustainable concrete for a more responsible building industry, with more awareness of our ecosystem and dwindling non-renewable resources.

In fact, the RE-CON line offers operators from the building sector a complete range of products specifically developed to produce concrete that contemplates the use of recovered and recycled aggregates from demolished buildings, as stipulated by the MEC for the Building Industry (Minimum Environmental Criteria) introduced by Ministerial Decree on the 11^th of January 2017, but also for the production of concrete with aggregates containing clay and for the recovery of waste concrete resulting from production process.

RE-CON ZERO EVO is just one of the products from this particular line: a two-component powdered product for recovering all leftover concrete from mixer trucks. Thanks to this solution, leftover concrete is transformed into aggregate, with no waste, that may be used to partially replace natural aggregates when mixing normal concrete, or directly as is to make embankments or sub-layers.

Two new solutions for mixing concrete made with aggregates containing clay and/or recycled aggregates from demolition work have also been added to this technology: RE-CON AGG100 and RE-CON AGG200.

RE-CON AGG100 is an absorption-inhibiting liquid admixture which, when used in combination with a super-plasticising admixture from the DYNAMON line, allows for better control of the increased amount of water required when using recycled aggregates and/or aggregates containing clay, bringing the water/cement ratio back to within design limits.

RE-CON AGG200 is a super-plasticising and absorption-inhibiting admixture. Thanks to its combined action of reducing the amount of water required and controlling its absorption rate, it allows the extra water needed when using recycled aggregates and/or aggregates containing clay to be reduced, bringing the water/cement ratio back to within design limits.

To summarise, using products from the RE-CON line has the following advantages:

• technological: the use of recycled aggregates and/or aggregates containing clay, in compliance with MEC specifications, without affecting the quality of the concrete produced;
• environmental: less waste that would normally be sent to landfill sites, fewer natural resources extracted and processed, production of concrete with a high level of environmental sustainability;
• economic: elimination of costs incurred to dispose of leftover concrete.

As part of the calendar of events during the expo, on Wednesday the 7^th of November Mapei will be participating in the workshop organised by ANEPLA – Associazione Nazionale Estrattori Produttori Lapidei ed Affini – National Association of Extractors and Producers of Stone and Similar Materials – on the “Circular Economy applied to extraction and mining activities: by-products and alternative raw materials and solutions for the recycling of aggregates”, with a presentation on the recovery of leftover concrete and products from the RE-CON line.

Founded in 1937 in Milan, Mapei now has 87 subsidiaries, including the parent company, 81 production facilities in 35 different countries in 5 continents, a forecast turnover for 2018 of €2.5 Billion and 10,000 employees around the world.
The foundations for the success of the company are specialisation in the world of building by offering certified products and systems to meet the requirements of clients and market demand; internationalisation to be more in tune with local needs and to reduce transport costs to a minimum; Research and Development, which receives the most support from the Company in terms of both investments and human resources.