Belgium's largest sewer manufacturer switches to cement-free Geoprime by Betolar

Press Release
29.3.2023

Belgium's largest sewer manufacturer switches to cement-free Geoprime® by Betolar

• With a 78% reduction in CO2 emissions compared to traditional cement-based concrete

Tubobel Group, Belgium's largest manufacturer of concrete sewer tubes, will switch to using the Geoprime® solution developed by the Finnish material technology company Betolar. Manufacturing cement-free sewer tubes produces 78 percent less CO2 emissions compared to traditional cement-based concrete.

"We are the first concrete manufacturer to introduce precast concrete tube products made entirely without cement to the Belgian market. The Geoprime solution enables significant reductions in CO2 emissions. The green transition and responsibility for emissions are today’s issue. We must be actively driving the change in the industry", says Tubobel Group CEO Evert Lemmens.

Tubobel's first cement-free product group is sewer tubes. In terms of its properties, the Geoprime solution used in the products corresponds to the concrete mass produced using traditional Portland cement. The properties of the round unreinforced concrete tube achieve the structural strength that is required for various underground water and sewage pipelines and road culverts. 

"We haven't needed to compromise at all on product features. Cement-free concrete has the same or even better properties as traditional concrete. Geoprime's solution provides concrete with excellent resistance to chemical stress, for example, against sulphate stress in the soil. The durability and service life of the cement-free solution has been ensured by profound tests", says Lemmens.

Tubobel's annual production is 200,000 tons of concrete or precast concrete products. The company will gradually move to manufacture the different concrete product groups with the completely cement-free solution. 

"The opening of Tubobel is significant for the entire construction product industry in Europe. What is possible in Belgium is also possible in other European countries. Concrete production can be changed to low carbon as standardization progresses. Functionality has already been demonstrated in several precast products such as sewer tubes", says Betolar's Chief Commercial Officer Ville Voipio.

Betolar has several ongoing development projects, the goal of which is to bring cement-free, low-carbon solutions to the construction industry for building applications, such as partition walls and load-bearing structures.

Betolar Plc
Communications

About Betolar

Betolar Plc is a Finnish materials technology company that offers the production of sustainable and low-carbon concrete with the Geoprime solution. The solution converts industrial side streams into a cement substitute.