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PRECAST CONCRETE ELEMENTS120 CPI %u2013 Concrete Plant International %u2013 3 | 2025 www.cpi-worldwide.comOne year after launching Pirrouet%u00ae, the first CO2-negative facing brick on the market, Vandersanden officially opened the first Pirrouet factory in Lanklaar. Not only is the Pirrouet brick sustainable and environmentally friendly, but the production process is also CO2-neutral. The green electricity that powers the factory is largely generated by its solar panels and windmill. Pirrouet uses residual streams from the steel industry contributing to a substantial reduction of up to 80% of primary raw materials and significantly reducing waste.Investment of 32.5 million euros for CO2-neutral production processThe new factory employs 26 people and has an area of 8,000 m%u00b2. Annually, the facility produces up to 20 million Pirrouet facing bricks. There is also an opportunity to expand the plant, doubling the production capacity to 40 million bricks per year. Vandersanden has received a European subsidy of 2.2 million euros for this project, with a total investment of 32.5 million euros in the factory. The European grant program falls under %u201cHorizon Europe%u201d, which supports the installation of the necessary equipment and further research into CO2capture and reuse. Johan Deburchgrave, CEO of Vandersanden, commented, %u201cWith the opening of this new factory, we can now produce Pirrouet bricks on a large scale. This is an important step in increasing our joint ecological impact. We are extremely curious about the beautiful projects this will create, and there are already many promising initiatives in the pipeline.%u201dAbout VandersandenVandersanden is a Belgium family-run company producing producing facing bricks, pavers, brick slips and provide solutions for fa%u00e7ades and streetscapes at their nine factories in Belgium, the Netherlands and Germany. Vandersanden is not only one of the largest, but also one of the most sustainable brick producers in Europe. Craftsmanship, co-creation, innovation and sustainability are the keywords of their approach. One-year CO2-negative Pirrouet facing brick Exactly one year ago, Vandersanden introduced the Pirrouet facing brick, which, thanks to a unique carbonation technology, absorbs 60 kg CO2 per ton during curing. The facing brick is not fired but cures with CO2 derived from plants within energy-intensive industries, resulting in a solid, limestone-like structure. With a production capacity of 20 million bricks per year, the factory can remove 2,280 tons of CO2from the air annually. This is equivalent to the CO2 absorbed by 114,000 adult trees per year. Together to Zero: Vandersanden's new Pirrouet factory MCT Italy S.r.l., 06084 Bettona, ItalyVandersanden opening ceremony, Lanklaar, Sept. 17, 2024 Plant flyover