Afrisam Powers “Green” Building Movement

A major focus point for AfriSam’s Centre of Product Excellence is its ongoing product development geared at using downstream materials such as slag which is well known for its ability to enhance the performance of readymix concrete. Slag is a by-product from the blast furnace iron manufacturing process, and when used in concrete it can substitute up to 80% of the Portland cement in the mix design. Not only is the country’s leading concrete materials producer enhancing the sustainability traits of its operation by using this industrial by-product, it is also significantly lowering the CO2 footprint of its cement making activities. Mike McDonald, manager of AfriSam’s Centre of Product Excellence, points out that while the use of cement is only limited by the imagination, about a ton of CO2 is emitted into the environment for every ton of pure cement that is produced. Only a small percentage of this can be offset by traditional methods such as planting new trees.