BASF Launches MasterEase: A Revolutionary Admixture Range for Low-Viscosity Concrete

• New MasterEase product range for superior rheology of high performance concrete
• Low viscosity and concrete mix stability facilitate pumping and placing of concrete
• Optimizes the concrete mix design and allows reduction of CO2 footprint

Dubai, UAE: 5 July, 2015 – As a global leader in concrete admixtures, BASF’s Master Builders Solutions® experts have developed a new generation of polymers bringing a significant improvement in the rheological properties of concrete, to be launched in the market as MasterEase.

Advanced concrete mixes often demonstrate a higher viscosity due to their low water contents. Although having a high level of workability, the concrete often appears harsh, sticky and therefore difficult to pump and process. This is especially true for engineering concrete with low water/cement ratios optimized towards having a low environmental impact.

BASF’s MasterEase, a new admixture range developed for low-viscosity concrete, was presented at the ERMCO (European Ready Mix Concrete Organization) Congress in Istanbul on 4-5 June.

With the new technology, plastic viscosity can be reduced by up to 30%, which results in a substantial reduction of pumping pressure required to pump the concrete on the construction site. Placing and finishing of the concrete is much easier, faster and hence more economic than using standard concrete.

“The new admixture technology enabling these properties is being made available globally under the brand of MasterEase,” explains David Bowerman, Regional Business Segment Manager for Admixture Systems and Cement Additives in the Middle East, West Asia, CIS & Africa. “Ease in MasterEase stands for easiness of mixing, pumping, placing, leveling and finishing of concrete. After pioneering concrete technology with market leading products like MasterGlenium and Master X-Seed we are proud to present another groundbreaking innovation from Master Builders Solutions to the concrete industry”.

Flexible and adaptable with improved workability retention
Concrete producers and users benefit in many ways from the new technology: It is flexible and can be adapted to challenging situations such as temperature variations. Moreover, the high level of rheology and workability retention minimizes the risk of jobsite addition of water. “This is a real added value for the contractors in terms of concrete durability,” explains Jan Klügge, Head of Marketing Ready Mix Europe. “The concrete is easy to place, trowel and pump. Utilizing this concrete saves time and cost in every single construction project, it improves the utilization of the transportation fleet and equipment and reduces the wear of mixers, pumps and pipelines.”

The new technology is particularly suitable for concrete mixes which are optimized for advanced engineering properties and sustainability: The Green Sense Concrete concept from Master Builders Solutions. High strength concrete with low water/cement ratios, as well as mixes with higher levels of secondary cementitious materials, reduce the CO2 footprint and are easier to produce and place. This helps engineers and investors to improve sustainability ratings of their projects.

Julian Pritchard, General Manager at BASF Construction Chemicals UAE LLC, remarked on the solution said: “As the local government, corporations and environmentalists lobby for green building practices and sustainability, MasterEase comes to the region at an excellent time. The Middle East economic landscape presents several opportunities for such solutions. With the on-set of mega-events, and its growing infrastructural needs, there is now a greater need for safer and greener solutions. When applied to concrete designed for local climatic conditions, MasterEase elevates the quality of diverse construction projects without neglecting the environment.”

Starting in Europe and the Middle East, this technology will be globally available as MasterEase 3000 series for ready mix and site mix concrete applications.