GRAPHENE INNOVATOR VERSARIEN LAUNCHES FUTURISTIC 3D PRINTED LIFESTYLE PODS

Versarien, the Forest of Dean-based advanced engineering materials group, has launched a “Lifestyle Pod” to showcase its first 3D printed concrete product made with Cementene, Versarien’s grapheneenhanced cement.

This is a milestone project for a 3D-concrete printed product with a graphene additive. The pod’s wall design shows the level of detail, flexibility and precision that can be achieved with 3D-concrete printing.

While the pod building might be appropriate for wealthy western countries, Neill Ricketts, CEO of Versarien, said that the buildings, and the graphene-enhanced concrete out of which they are made, could be easily adapted to house refugees. “They take very little time to build, can be constructed on-site, and have excellent insulation properties,” he said. “We have already been in touch with the government to see if they might be of interest.”

This construction innovation comes at a time where sustainability in the sector has never been more under the spotlight.

The industry accounts for around eight per cent of global CO2 emissions and would be third for emissions in the world if it were a country, behind only the US and China. Since fewer materials are needed to achieve the same structural performance as ordinary concrete, incorporating graphene into concrete can enable faster completion of buildings, reducing costs and the carbon footprint.

The Bart Ingredients Co opens new £15 million Bristol production facility as more people cook at home

Herbs and spices specialist The Bart Ingredients Co has opened a £15 million production facility in Bristol.

The business has been moving its operations to the new 167,000 sq ft facility at Severn Beach after rising demand saw the business outgrow its factory in Bedminster.

In its most recent financial results, The Bart Ingredients Co. saw turnover rise 33 per cent to £40 million as the pandemic lockdowns encouraged more people to cook at home.

The new facility is more than double the size of its old factory and has been developed to help significantly enhance the sustainability of the business’s operations.

The whole of Bart Ingredients’ dry goods business will be housed at the facility, reducing carbon emissions associated with stock movement between sites and warehousing, improving operational efficiency.

Two fully automated high speed production lines have been installed to increase capacity and efficiency.

David Collard, CEO, said: “This is a major milestone for The Bart Ingredients Co. Our new facility will be central to delivering our growth plans. This incredible investment is a company first.”