Displaying items by tag: Holcim US
Holcim US buys 10 Hyliion electric trucks
26 May 2022US: Holcim has commissioned 10 Hyliion Hypertruck ERX electric trucks in its Oklahoma and Texas cement and concrete operations. The cement producer says that the trucks reduce CO2 emissions by 89% when using renewable natural gas compared to conventional diesel vehicles.
Holcim US aggregates and construction materials CEO Jay Moreau said “This agreement with Hyliion underscores the direction Holcim is taking around the globe to reach our sustainability and environmental goals. By integrating sustainable technologies like electric vehicles into our operations, such as those of Hyliion, we are able to build on our promise of making greener cities, reducing emissions and driving the circular economy.”
US: Bloomberg has named Germany-based HeidelbergCement, Switzerland-based Holcim and Turkey-based Sabancı Holding as possible bidders for some of Sika’s US admixtures assets. Sika is seeking to divest the assets in order to obtain competition authorities’ approval for its US$6bn acquisition of Germany-based construction chemicals company MBCC from Lone Star Funds.
Holcim US joins Carbon Capture Coalition
25 April 2022US: Holcim US has become the first cement producer member of the Great Plains Institute’s Carbon Capture Coalition. The coalition’s 78 participating members and 23 observer organisations collaborate to build federal policy support for economy-wide, commercial-scale deployment of carbon capture and related technologies. Holcim US is currently assessing the viability of commercial-scale carbon capture, with two studies underway, at its Portland cement plant in Colorado and its Ste. Genevieve cement plant in Missouri.
Region head North America Toufic Tabbara said “Being at the forefront of developing low carbon solutions requires continuous innovative thinking and partnerships. Our efforts are most effective when we can align and join forces with other companies and organisations across industries who share this same commitment. We are proud to be part of an organisation that is similarly focused toward more efficient, innovative and sustainable practices.”
US: Holcim US has successfully transitioned its 0.5Mt/yr Joppa, Illinois, cement plant to 100% Portland limestone cement (PLC) production. The plant will produce the company’s OneCem brand PLC. The producer says that the facility supplies cement to customers along the Mississippi from Minneapolis to the Gulf of Mexico and up the Ohio as far as Pittsburgh.
Plant manager Michel Klenk said “As a leader in our industry, it’s our responsibility to build a path for others to follow by setting the bar for product innovation and improvement. OneCem fits the bill as a low-carbon product that allows for sustained performance with lower emissions.”
US: A fire has been contained within the alternative fuels system at Holcim US’ integrated Whitehall cement plant in Pennsylvania. Suppression systems were activated and then fire fighters attended the scene, according to the Express-Times newspaper. The plant has notified the US Mine Safety and Health Administration about the incident. No injuries have been reported and an investigation is ongoing. A fact sheet about the plant says that it uses 2m tires/yr as part of its alternative fuels mix. It uses coal and petcoke for 50% of its mix.
LafargeHolcim US becomes Holcim US
01 April 2022US: Holcim has announced the rebranding of its US-based LafargeHolcim US subsidiary to Holcim US. The name change is the first in any region since parent company LafargeHolcim became Holcim in July 2021. The producer says that this regional rebrand marks a ‘significant milestone’ towards establishing a shared purpose and vision across its global operations.
Holcim will continue to work towards becoming the global leader in innovative and sustainable building solutions through building progress for people and the planet.
Central Plains Cement to receive US Department of Energy funding for 30t/day cryogenic carbon capture installation at Sugar Creek cement plant
08 October 2021US: The US Department of Energy has selected Central Plains Cement to receive US$5m-worth of funding to realise its plans for a cryogenic carbon capture (CCC) installation at its Sugar Creek, Missouri, cement plant. Contify Energy News has reported that the system will initially have a capacity of 30t/day of CO2, with a view to eventually capturing 95% of the plant’s flue gas’ CO2 content. The Eagle Materials subsidiary will receive US$5m in funding from the US Department of Energy for the project. The sum is part of a raft of a total US$45m-worth of grants to help towards decarbonising heavy industry and natural gas power. Chart Industries will carry out the work.
Chart Industries CEO and President Jill Evanko said that the company’s CCC model increases cement production costs by just 24%, compared to 38% - 130% for other types of system. She added “We are delighted that public and private entities recognise Chart as a leader in carbon capture technologies and products; we view this award as well as our third quarter 2021 commercial activity as meaningful steps and accelerators toward capturing - pun intended - a significant share of our anticipated US$6bn total addressable market for carbon and direct air capture in 2030.”
The St Louis Post newspaper has reported that Holcim US’s Ste-Genevieve, Missouri, cement plant is also among facilities chosen to receive funding for carbon capture and storage (CCS) installations.
Texan environment agency approves request to burn more petcoke at Holcim US’ Midlothian cement plant despite complaints
09 April 2021US: The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality has approved a request by Holcim US to use more petcoke at its integrated Midlothian plant. Local health and environmental campaigners had hoped to challenge the decision at a meeting in late March 2021, according to the Fort Worth Star-Telegram newspaper. The changes will enable the company, part of Switzerland-based LafargeHolcim, to more than double the plant’s carbon monoxide (CO) emissions to 7000t/yr. 35 local residents submitted requests for a hearing to query the application. Holcim US was identified from state data as the leading emitter of industrial pollutants in North Texas in 2019.
Holcim US opens solar power plant at Hagerstown cement plant
09 October 2020US: LafargeHolcim subsidiary Holcim US has opened a 10MW solar power plant at its Hagerstown, Maryland cement plant in partnership with Greenbacker Renewable Energy Company. The producer says that the power plant will supply 25% of the cement plant’s energy needs, reducing its carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions by 12,400t/yr.
LafargeHolcim cement US operations chief executive officer (CEO) Jamie Gentoso said, “As solar technologies continue to improve, this abundant energy source stands out as both a sustainable and economical solution to follow through on our commitment to minimise emissions and reduce our carbon footprint. We already have access to large areas of land with a high concentration of sunlight, so utilising solar energy is an easy decision. As we strive toward becoming a net-zero company, clean energy is a key part of our strategy. We hope to install enough renewable energy to power all of our plants and give back to the surrounding communities by 2026; this new solar array is just the beginning for us.”
Holcim US announces new blended cements branding
28 September 2020US: LafargeHolcim subsidiary Holcim US has rebranded its blended cement and supplementary cementitious materials range as Envirocore. Envirocore products include OneCem Portland limestone cement, MaxCem blended cement and NewCem slag cement.
The company noted that the partial substitution of cement with supplementary cementitious materials “not only results in more durable, high-performance concrete, but also lowers energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions. CO2 emissions are reduced by approximately 800,000kg/t of clinker replaced.” It also called on consumers to “adopt solutions that lower carbon emissions.”