We’re No NERDS! – Constructors Secure £8m Backing

HBPW’s Senior Partner, Paul Withers, is playing his part in helping to commercialise a pioneering concrete, that has just raised £8m in venture capital and which could be key to revolutionising construction methods across the world.
 
In 2020 a technical presentation by the Institution of Civil Engineers inspired Rob Hibberd and Alex McDermott to take up the challenge of developing the use of Graphene, an allotrope of carbon, as an ‘additive’ to concrete. The aim was to radically improve its mechanical and other properties.

They set up Nationwide Engineering Research and Development (NERD) and formed a cooperative alliance with Manchester University’s Graphene Engineering Innovation Centre (GEIC). Senior Partner at HBPW, Paul Withers was asked to become a non-executive director.
 
‘Concretene’ was born and trademarked, promising a reduction in the enormous output of carbon dioxide required to make concrete – perfect for the construction industry’s Net Zero ambitions.
 
Now, with a series of live building project applications already up and running, London-based venture capitalist, LocalGlobe, has invested a significant £8M, as a seed funder, to take research and development to the next stage.

Paul Withers takes up the story. “First and foremost it goes without saying that everyone is excited by this amazing development.
 
“Rob and Alex took the bold decision to invest their considerable construction knowledge, organisational expertise and the resources of their building and civil engineering contracting business, to prove the potential of exploiting Graphene Enhanced Concrete.
 
“Everything began in the laboratory ‘test tube’ so to speak, however, real world industrial applications were needed to demonstrate Concretene’s graphene enhanced capabilities.”

A floor of a building at Amesbury’s Southern Quarter Gym was used as the world’s first live trial of graphene enhanced concrete, to try out an experimental formulation of Concretene. Paul Withers  led the engineering and construction details for the pioneering project.

Subsequent analysis of results and performance provided a glimpse of the enormous benefits that could be achieved through the use of Concretene and, with the incorporation of Graphene, the significant performance gains possible.

Only tiny quantities of graphene are required each time, with a volume mix ratio of as little of 0.009%.  Concretene used in real construction projects was up to 30-50% stronger than standard concrete. Subsequent lab tests showed strength gains that surpassed 100%. As a result, the volume of cement required can significantly reduce without impairing performance.

Further projects followed, notably a suspended concrete floor to support an ice-skating rink at the Mayfield Centre in Manchester, with yet more success. Foundersof NERD, Robin Hibberd and Alex McDermott, originally established the company to develop their ground-breaking concrete technology.

“We understand how the construction industry designs and uses concrete,” said Robin.

“From the outset, it was clear that Concretene had to be non-disruptive and align with existing codes and standards so, by using revolutionary nanomaterial technology, developed with our partners at the GEIC, we have been able to create a brilliant new product that is easy for the industry to adopt.”

Robin Klein, co-founder of LocalGlobe added: “Graphene offers huge potential across industry and with Concretene, the teams at Nationwide Engineering and GEIC have unlocked this potential in a way that could transform construction and physical infrastructure.”

“We are all grateful for LocalGlobe’s support,” added Paul Withers. “It is envisaged that this funding will enable us to develop not just one concretene butmultiple concretenes, each for use with a specific application: a series of unique combinations carefully developed by chemists, cement chemists, me as a practising engineer and Robin and Alex as expert contractors.”

More than 50 clients across transport, construction, energy, and government bodies have signed up to use Concretene for upcoming projects.