Mayor Kraham Announces Partnership with KLAW Industries to Use Recycled Glass for Stronger, More Sustainable Sidewalks

City Using Local Firm’s Concrete Mix to Lower Carbon Emissions from Infrastructure Upgrades

(BINGHAMTON, N.Y.)—Mayor Jared M. Kraham on Tuesday announced the City has begun a pilot program to use a more sustainable, stronger concrete mix using recycled glass manufactured by KLAW Industries, of Binghamton, for its sidewalk and curb upgrades.

“Since its founding in 2019, KLAW Industries has made waves across the country with its innovative cement replacement product that’s stronger and better for the environment,” said Mayor Jared M. Kraham. “By switching to KLAW’s product for municipal curb and sidewalk projects, we’re reducing the City’s carbon footprint and supporting a growing East Side business.”

Founded by graduates of Binghamton High School and Chenango Forks High School, KLAW Industries uses a patent-pending process to turn recycled glass into a high-quality partial replacement for cement in concrete mixes. Cement is the leading contributor to embodied carbon in most concrete.

KLAW’s product, named Pantheon, allows concrete producers to use 20 percent less cement in their mixes, preventing approximately 1,000 pounds of carbon dioxide in every truckload.

“These projects are proof of the City's commitment to supporting local companies and deploying cost-effective, sustainable materials,” said KLAW Industries Co-Founder and Chief Operating Officer Jacob Kumpon. “This would not be possible without the support of our local businesses, especially Barney & Dickenson, Taylor Garage, and Torto Construction, who continue to push this innovation forward.”

The City of Binghamton began using KLAW’s product in its sidewalk and curb projects this summer. The switch comes at no cost to the City.

KLAW Industries is located in a 6,000-square-foot facility at 75 Griswold St. in Binghamton.

Last year, KLAW Industries won the Binghamton Business Plan Competition sponsored by the Binghamton Local Development Corporation (BLDC), SUNY Broome’s Entrepreneurial Assistance Program (EAP) and the Koffman Southern Tier Incubator. The company used the $5,000 cash prize to help scale its process at its new Griswold Street location.

Since then, KLAW has won entrepreneurship competitions across the country, including the MIT Solve Youth Innovation Challenge and the Heartland Competition, which awarded the company $100,000 for first place.

The City of Binghamton upgrades dozens of curbs and sidewalks each year, mostly on streets that are being milled and paved. Much of the work is to make intersections and crosswalks ADA accessible.

In 2022, curb and sidewalk upgrades in the City are estimated at $1.7 million.