Basalt fibres: lighter, longer-lasting and low-carbon concrete

70% less carbon emissions

Compared to steel-reinforced concrete, basalt fibre-reinforced concrete offers significant advantages. First, carbon emissions are reduced by 70% because the fibres are not subject to corrosion and because the volume of concrete required is reduced. Secondly, basalt fibre reinforced concrete lasts much longer, up to 100 years compared to 50-60 years for steel. Finally, concrete constructed in this way is lighter, making it easier to transport and install than steel reinforced concrete.

Fiber Elements employs 16 people and is currently working on several pilot projects. Although it has raised €2.6 million (US$3.03 million), its goal is to ‘prove the technology in real construction projects,’ as founder and CEO Wolfgang Fiel explains. That’s why the start-up, which has moved to pre-industrial production on an industrial scale, now supplies leading precast concrete manufacturers in Austria, Germany and Denmark. In addition to its collaboration with precast concrete manufacturers, the company also develops custom products with industrial partners to accelerate the adoption of its technology. “Our goal is to generate revenue early, not just rely on funding. That sends a strong message to the market: there is real demand for what we do,” explains Wolfgang Fiel.

The company states that, as the construction sector is critical in terms of safety, sustainability and compliance, it is engaged in a continuous process of testing and validation, but that this process enables it to progress.

Promoting the emergence of a new generation of building materials

Fiber Elements plans to double its workforce by mid-2026, both in terms of engineering capacity and production labour.  The start-up is also seeking to position itself in the composites industry more broadly. Its fibres can reinforce a wide range of materials, including loam, an ancient building material that is making a comeback thanks to sustainable architecture. There is one thing that all the projects Fiber Elements chooses to participate in have in common: sustainability. “What ties it all together is the purpose: decarbonisation. We won’t apply our fibres to outdated, high-emission materials. We want to enable the new generation of building materials and make them stronger, lighter and more durable,” says Wolfgang Fiel.

Fiber Elements has plans but remains realistic: “We don’t see ourselves as changing construction overnight. But with every pilot, every project and every partnership, we are proving that our approach works, and that it can scale,” concludes Wolfgang Fiel.