<b><b>A Mortar Industry Association survey says that builders are increasingly using factory mixed mortars. Housebuilder looks at the reasons behind the trend</b></b><br><b>The trusty building site mixer may become a thing of the past as ready-to-use factory-produced mortars take an increasing share of the housebuilding market. A report prepared for the Mortar Industry Association (MIA) shows that site-mixed mortar now makes up less than 25% of the 2.5 million cubic metres-a-year British market. Ready-to-use wet mortars are taking 35%, while semi-dry lime:sand mortars have 31% and dry, silo mortars nearly 10%.</b><br><b><b>controlled conditions</b></b><br> MIA chairman Neil Beningfield expects factory-produced mortars to take a further 30% of the volumes currently being mixed on site. &amp;“Beyond all else, it is a question of consistency and quality,&amp;” he says. &amp;“An operative with a shovel cannot hope to meet today&amp;’s high specifications time after time in the same way that can be achieved with mortar produced under controlled conditions, using precise weighing and calibration equipment.<p></p><p> &amp;“There have been a number of very costly mortar failures arising from material that has been poorly mixed with low cement content.&amp;”</p><p> He adds: &amp;“Certainly the major construction and brick working specialists have come to realise that factory mortar can in …