| 61 CONTRACTING Mix Up Concrete peterfell.co.nz 0800 4 A COLOUR T T Kelly Deeks Lower carbon concrete without compromises Eco-Cem is produced from ground granulated blast furnace slag, a byproduct of steel manufacturing. “You get a denser, harder wearing surface. In a lot of applications, it performs better than standard concrete.” As demand grows for more sustainable construction materials, Mix Up Concrete is building momentum with its lower carbon concrete option Eco Max, with the business focused on reducing embodied carbon without compromising performance or cost. Mix Up Concrete offers two main concrete types, a conventional general-purpose mix made from Xtra-Cem (GP Cement), and the lower carbon Eco-Max mix, made from a blend of Xtra-Cem (GP) and Eco-Cem blend. Eco-Max Concrete incorporates Eco-Cem and Xtra-Cem cements in varying proportions depending on project requirements. “Replacement levels typically range from 10 percent through to 65 percent, so engineers and builders can balance strength, durability, finishing requirements and sustainability targets on a case-by-case basis. Eco-Cem is produced from ground granulated blast furnace slag, a byproduct of steel manufacturing. HR Cement manufacture Eco-Cem at their Mount Maunganui Plant into a fine powder suitable for concrete production. Independent concrete plants are increasingly working with HR Cement because of its neutral supply model, which treats all customers equally rather than prioritising larger corporate accounts. Mix Up Concrete Tauranga and Rotorua provide concrete mix designs to the commercial, residential and civil areas of the construction industry. The Eco-Max concrete range is designed to significantly reduce embodied carbon compared to standard general purpose concrete mixes. “Standard GP Cement is around 850 kilograms of embodied carbon per tonne, while Eco-Cem is 150 kilograms per tonne. Low carbon concrete has been widely used internationally for decades, particularly in Europe, but New Zealand adoption has only accelerated in the past two to three years as sustainability expectations increase across the building sector. Cost has often been seen as a barrier, but in practice the price difference is minimal. “It is often just a few dollars per cubic metre. Once people see that, it becomes an easy decision. Beyond carbon reduction, Eco-Max also delivers practical performance benefits including reduced shrinkage, improved surface hardness and increased durability, making it suitable for high wear environments such as council projects, residential and commercial floor slabs, and marine exposed structures. “You get a denser, harder wearing surface. In a lot of applications, it performs better than standard concrete. Mix Up Concrete also supplies engineered foundation solutions through its BaseRaft system, covering TC1, TC2 and TC3 applications, with PS1 engineering approvals typically turned around within 48 hours to support construction timelines. The combination of low carbon materials, technical capability, and independent supply partnerships is positioning the business for growth as the industry transitions toward lower emission construction materials.
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