Grayson has secured ISO 14068 carbon neutrality certification, moving from PAS 2060 to the more demanding international standard that requires quantified emission reductions and independently verified offsets. The company has invested in on-site solar generation, battery storage and lower-carbon logistics, and developed site products such as the recycled aluminium G Board mortar board, designed to replace multiple timber boards over a bricklayer’s career and remain fully recyclable. Building on its earlier Zero Waste to Landfill status, Grayson is among the first UK construction suppliers to meet ISO 14068, giving contractors stronger assurance on embodied carbon claims.

CSIRO is running independent testing and verification of materials used in Australian road line markings, focusing on retroreflective glass beads and binder systems to maintain night-time visibility and durability on high-speed motorways. Materials Performance team leader Money Arora oversees laboratory assessment of bead size distribution, refractive index and coating adhesion against strict specification criteria before products are approved for use. The work directly affects pavement marking design life, maintenance intervals and performance under heavy traffic loading and UV exposure, especially on multilane arterial and freight routes.

Housebuilding slowdown has pushed Ibstock’s first-half revenues down 15.1% to £164m, with profit before tax swinging from an £8m profit in 2025 to a £27m loss in 2026, despite clay brick revenues only falling 8% to £118m and concrete revenues £44m, down 11% like-for-like. Brick volumes declined by less than the market average, supported by February price increases and a temporary energy and fuel surcharge introduced in June. With major upgrades to its manufacturing network largely complete, Ibstock plans to keep flexing capacity, inventories and costs, targeting stronger adjusted EBITDA in H2.