Top formulation trends in construction for 2025-26

According to our customers, these are the megatrends that will have the highest impact in 2025-26 based on different regions¹

Q. Which key product groups will be essential in formulating for the upcoming trends?

A. Additives play a crucial role, not only in improving worker safety during manufacturing but also in promoting a healthy future. These include materials with low to zero VOCs to meet indoor air quality standards, as well as specialised cellulosic ethers, modern plasticisers, and shrinkage-reducing agents. Looking to the Green & Circular trend, using alternative fillers, such as crushed aggregates, instead of river sand is essential to avoid depleting endangered resources.

Q. What opportunities and challenges do you anticipate?

A. The use of alternative materials like crushed and dune sand presents opportunities to reduce reliance on traditional, non-sustainable resources. This shift allows for more sustainable solutions, helping the industry move towards a greener future. The different particle size distributions in these alternative sands will create challenges in achieving the desired rheological properties, as it can affect pumpability, pourability, and overall mechanical performance. Tailor-made additives, including custom plasticisers and other rheology modifiers, can help address these challenges and ensure consistent performance.

Q. What specific hurdles might arise in developing sustainable formulations?

A. As cement is the main driver in achieving climate goals, the dry-mix industry will need to increase its use of supplementary cementitious materials such as fly ash and calcined clays. These materials require performance-enhancing solutions, such as additives like calcium aluminate cements and innovative seeding technologies, to meet the specific needs of composite cement.