Dust-free hybrid pigment sets new standards in black coloring of concrete

The demands placed on modern concrete products are constantly increasing. In the area of coloring in particular, there is a conflict between design expectations and technical limitations. Deep, stable black tones have been gaining importance in gardening and landscaping for years. With Grapa Riserva GP ETD, Harold Scholz & Co. GmbH presents a dust-free pigment granulate that opens up new perspectives in precisely this area of tension. The hybrid character of the pigment combines carbon black and iron oxide, creating a system that combines previously conflicting properties in a single product.

Hybrid pigment as the answer to real challenges

Carbon black is considered the gold standard for deep black shades, but in the concrete industry it repeatedly shows limitations in terms of long-term stability. Iron oxides, on the other hand, offer consistent color stability, more pronounced polarity, and better physical embedding in the cement stone. Grapa Riserva GP ETD pursues the approach of optimizing these characteristics and combines the relatively high color strength of a very coarse-grained blue-tinged carbon black with the mechanical and chemical stability of a premium black iron oxide. Even at first glance, it is clear that the hybrid structure is more than the sum of its components.

GP technology: targeted color development in heterogeneous mixing conditions

A special feature of the pigment is the so-called GP technology, which optimizes color development in concrete. The interaction between the pigment surface, cement paste, and aggregates is optimized; this function has already been established in practice by the continued success of the premium granulate Bayferrox 365 GP.

ETD technology: efficiency gains through rapid dispersion

At the same time, ETD technology ensures very rapid decomposition of the granulate during the mixing process. The fact that a deep black pigment disperses completely within short mixing times is not generally a given with carbon black systems. Grapa Riserva GP ETD was specially developed to prevent clumping and spotting and instead ensure even distribution in the concrete in order to avoid color differences and guarantee short mixing times, even with fine aggregates.

Areas of application and visual quality

The color effect of the pigment has a characteristic blue tint, which is valued as a sign of high color depth in the concrete industry. This is particularly true in applications and forms where clear lines and strong contrasts dominate.

The main areas of application for Grapa Riserva GP ETD include gardening and landscaping products, paving stones, wall systems, and terrace slabs. Even in urban environments, the pigment allows for designs that are both durable and visually striking.

Technical expertise and application-specific development

Scholz combines many years of pigment development and experience with plant engineering expertise – a combination that is particularly crucial in the development of hybrid pigment systems. Continuous advances in granulate and dosing technology have resulted in products such as Grapa Riserva GP ETD, which fit seamlessly into modern production environments while setting new standards in color quality.

Grapa Riserva GP ETD shows the direction in which concrete technology-oriented pigment technology is developing: the combination of premium iron oxide and specially optimized coarse carbon black with GP and ETD technology has resulted in a pigment granulate that not only creates an impressive visual effect, but also delivers the technical reliability that is essential in concrete plants.