Progressive Planet (PLAN) has announced the development of Gladiator SCM, its second supplementary cementing material, and the filing of a US provisional patent application for its composition. The company has also begun the process of trademarking the Gladiator SCM name in both Canada and the United States.
The name Gladiator SCM pays homage to Roman concrete, famed for its durability and strength — exemplified by the nearly 2000-year-old Pantheon dome in Rome, which remains the world’s largest unreinforced concrete dome.
Gladiator SCM is composed of multiple materials, including PozGlass, and was designed to leverage PozGlass’s beneficial properties while incorporating other, more abundant materials than post-consumer glass. A sample has already been provided to a global cement company for evaluation following the patent filing.
The new material was invented by Progressive Planet team members Steve Harpur, Dr Doug Brown, and Michael Carrell.
In addition to this innovation, Progressive Planet has appointed Dr Gerhard Albrecht, a world-renowned polymer scientist, as a scientific consultant. Dr Albrecht, who holds a PhD in polymer science from Friedrich-Schiller University Jena, brings over 30 years of experience in cement chemistry and admixture technology, including more than 100 patents and 30 scientific papers from his tenure as Vice President at BASF.
Dr Albrecht will focus on tackling challenges related to the increased water demand associated with cement replacement using pozzolanic materials. His expertise will support Progressive Planet’s mission to advance greener, high-performance cement formulations.
“I’m thrilled to be joining a world-class team at Progressive Planet and to see the next generation of cement products hit the market,” said Dr Albrecht.
“With the imminent opening of our Calgary-based C-Quester Centre of Sustainable Solutions, I am delighted to focus on commercialising Gladiator SCM while collaborating with Dr Albrecht as we continue to create novel cementing materials designed for strength, longevity, and sustainability,” added Dr Doug Brown.
