Interviews / 11/4/2025

Mapecube’s steady rise in the USA: performance, sustainability, and market readiness

How Mapei’s Mapecube admixtures are driving low-carbon innovation and performance in the U.S. concrete industry.

Interviewees

Gerald LaPier, Claudio Genoria, Andrew Fulkerson,

Mapei Corporation’s Concrete Admixtures division

Three representatives from Mapei Corporation’s Concrete Admixtures division discuss the growing success of the Mapecube range, part of the CUBE system, highlighting how it supports low-carbon concrete production, enhances performance with blended cements, and meets evolving sustainability targets across the local construction industry

From left: Gerald Lapier, Claudio Genoria and Andrew Fulkerson

Mapei Corporation has recently seen a significant increase in sales of Mapecube admixtures across the U.S. market. In your view, what have been the key factors behind this success?

Gerald LaPier: More specification requiring sustainable concrete solutions are the main driver. As well, the salesmen are finding additional value propositions to propose Mapecube solutions such as cement reduction to reduce cracking and as a finishing aid by adding water to a mix but keeping the same strength.

Claudio Genoria: The key factor here is sustainability in the construction industry. Recently, there has been an increased specification of carbon footprint limits, which translates into low-carbon concrete (LCC) mixes with an increased use of supplementary or blended cement. While the use of blended cements complies with the objective of reducing CO₂ emissions, it has, on the other hand, challenged the industry with higher water demand and more rapid slump loss. CUBE system technologies enable higher water content without negatively impacting the ultimate performance of concrete.

Andrew Fulkerson: One of the many drivers for the success of the Mapecube admixtures in the United States is the training and education of the industry members as well as our internal sales representatives. With the completion of the required ASTM C494 testing, this has allowed for Department of Transportation Approvals in States such as Colorado, Illinois, and Texas. You couple that with the strong sustainability message that the American Cement Industry is promoting, it is clear why the use of Mapecube admixtures has increased and will continue to do so.

Which specific technical advantages have customers appreciated the most? Can you share how these admixtures have helped them overcome relevant challenges in concrete production?

Claudio Genoria: The CUBE technology is being used as an insurance of performance, no matter what type of cement blend or cementitious replacement. Also, it is used for more radical applications, like for instance the Roosevelt Library in North Dakota, where strict ranges of carbon emissions were specified for the construction materials. And all in all, the CUBE system makes for a higher concrete performance, faster development of strengths, more durability.

Andrew Fulkerson: Customers have seen Mapei and the Mapecube range of products as a resource to solve problems they have incurred with the increased use of Portland Type 1L cement. The Mapecube 60 and Mapecube 60W admixtures offer superior strength enhancement when used with Type 1L cement. We have even conducted testing to showcase the reduction of up to 50 lb. (22.68 kg) of Type 1L cement and achieving higher compressive strengths. This is a strong message to projects requiring EPD (Environmental Product Declaration) or a large sustainable impact.

In which segments or geographic areas of the U.S. market do you see the greatest potential for Mapecube’s technical performance to be fully leveraged?

Andrew Fulkerson: Once we have domestic production of Mapecube 1 in the United States, we will see a major push into the precast market segment where similar challenges with cement performance and technical requirements exist. I feel that we can still increase the use of Mapecube 60 and Mapecube 60W in the ready-mixed concrete segment as well.

Claudio Genoria: Everywhere where superior performance and low CO₂ emissions are needed, CUBE is the right solution for our customers. Especially well established, national companies have shown interest in developing sustainable solutions, while more and more commercial projects are guided by the goal of sustainability and carbon budgets.

Gerald Lapier: Next, we will target the precast segment with Mapecube 1 once it is produced domestically in the USA. Mapecube 1 allows concrete producers to reduce costs to cure concrete using heat sources while lowering their impact on the environment.

Mapei Corporation manufactures admixtures for concrete in several plants across the USA.

Looking ahead, how do you envision the role of Mapecube evolving in the American market over the next few years? Are there emerging trends you’re particularly confident in?

Gerald Lapier: I’m hoping for the next generation of CUBE system admixtures to provide further strength development as the cost of cement is declining. The lack of supplementary cementitious materials could provide further penetration of CUBE solutions for cost reduction.

Andrew Fulkerson: As the market learns more of the chemical features of the Mapecube product offering, I feel that there is a wide array of uses and advantages to the US concrete producers.

Claudio Genoria: While Mapei is growing its presence in North America's concrete industry, with a footprint that now extends from coast to coast, CUBE system is a key offering. The goal of sustainability is here to stay, and we need to provide ever more effective solutions. We are now looking forward to enhancing the Mapecube GEO technology, which will enable us to maximise the use of slag in concrete to the extent that we will be able to manufacture geopolymer concrete with only slag and no clinker. This will give us a competitive edge in our pursuit of sustainability and innovation.