New Zealand construction achieved a major milestone with a factory floor being poured using concrete featuring entirely manufactured sand from Kayasand.
Factory owner ADP prioritised minimising the environmental impact of the new factory, which included sourcing sustainable materials and reducing carbon emissions. This led to ADP collaborating with Kayasand to source manufactured sand.
“Even their innovative process of washing the sand without water fits with APD’s ethos of doing good from the ground up. There’s no need for tailings or sediment ponds,” APD chief executive officer Neil Prime said.
Factory floor slabs are among the most complex concrete applications. The sustainability and low emissions specifications of the APD pour were only possible because of the high-quality engineered sand used in the concrete.
Kayasand’s engineered sand is made by precisely controlling the shape, size and consistency of the sand grains to make it specially for concrete. The company has conducted concrete trials using 100 per cent engineered sand that have delivered a 24 per cent increase in strength and a reduction in cement of up to 15 per cent.
Conset Construction general manager Alan Ross said the company was thrilled to lead the pour of this concrete made with 100 per cent manufactured sand.
“Not only is it the first commercial pour of its kind, it’s high stakes,” he said. “Maintaining a consistency in the mix to ensure a good quality floor is essential.”
Concrete plays a fundamental role in construction due to its strength, durability, and versatility. As urbanisation and infrastructure development continue, demand for concrete is set to grow.
Kayasand chief executive officer Bram Smith said innovation and new approaches are needed to ensure sustainable alternatives and lower-carbon solutions.
“Sands that are precision engineered for performance are the future,” Smith said. “They give us much better control of the outcome and are more environmentally sustainable than natural sands.”
“The APD pour is a prime example of this, and signals engineered sand is ready for use in every concrete project in New Zealand.”
The innovative Japanese technology in Kayasand plant and equipment is already used in over 300 plants across Japan, China, India, and Australia. A typical plant is capable of producing 150,000-600,000 tonnes of concrete sand annually.
Kayasand currently operates two plants in Waikato, New Zealand and Sydney, Australia and expects to have at least 15 more by 2030.
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