20 September 2023

Netherlands: Finland-based Coolbrook has completed the first test phase of the large-scale pilot of its RotoDynamic Heater (RDH) at the Brightlands Chemelot Campus in Geleen, Netherlands. The engineering company says that this has validated the RDH’s technical pathway up to industrial heat generation at temperatures suitable for cement plants. By developing and launching the technology, Coolbrook says that it will rely on a ‘comprehensive partnership ecosystem,’ including market leaders in technology and industry. It says that the RDH has the potential to eliminate 2.4Bnt/yr of CO₂ emissions – 30% of global industrial CO₂ emissions and 7% of all global CO₂ emissions.

CEO Joonas Rauramo said “Sharing our partners’ and customers’ sense of urgency to achieve net zero, we take determined actions to execute our strategy and progress towards the commercial launch of our electric technology. We are proceeding with first commercial agreements, while continuing to build our organisation and supply chain for industrial scale operations.”

Switzerland: Holcim has invested in CO₂ mineralisation technology developer Neustark. Neustark aims to remove 1Mt of atmospheric CO₂ by 2030 and sequester it in recycled construction and demolition waste. The company’s technology achieved Gold Standard certification as a method of CO₂ removal in March 2022. Holcim says that its investment advances its group commitment to putting clean technologies to work towards achieving net zero.

Holcim’s Europe regional head Miljan Gutovic said "At Holcim, we are working to decarbonise building for a net zero future, and Neustark's technology helps us reach this goal. After the successful demonstration of Neustark's solution in Switzerland, we are ready to scale up this carbon removal technology globally."

UK: Hanson UK has launched a recycling business line to process construction and demolition waste. The business will supply recycled materials for use in Hanson UK’s operations.

CEO Simon Willis said “Promoting circularity by recycling, reusing and reducing the use of primary raw materials is crucial to reaching net zero. The development of a separate recycling business line will allow us to provide the most sustainable products to our customers through circularity and innovation, to enable building more with less. It is another significant step towards achieving our aim of being the industry leader in the supply of sustainable, circular products.”

UK: Cemcor has migrated its existing SAP asset management system over to IBM Maximo Application Suite (MAS). Cemcor says that IBM MAS offers a 360°, real-time view of its operations across multiple sites, enabling the company to resolve maintenance challenges, optimise its assets, increase the lifespan of essential equipment and remove inefficiencies. Peacock Engineering delivered the new system and will continue to provide support services with the platform.

Peacock Engineering’s chief operating officer Matt Deadman said “We’re thrilled to be working with Cemcor over the course of the next three years. We have already completed the first stage of our change programme with the successful delivery of its new enterprise asset management system. MAS is one of IBM’s sustainability software solutions. It will provide Cemcor with a clearer view of its assets, which include heavy plant and processing equipment, and help in mitigating the current challenges found in its maintenance programme.”

Europe: The Environmental Coalition on Standards (ECOS) has welcomed the EU’s new Empowering Consumers Directive. Under the directive, EU member states must enact laws preventing companies from labelling their products with climate claims based on offsetting. ECOS called the law a ‘significant measure against greenwashing.’ It called on the EU to further ensure that products neither rely on carbon credits, nor on contributions to sustainability projects, in calculating their impacts.

ECOS programme manager Elisa Martellucci said “The EU has taken aim at greenwashing. Climate neutrality claims based only on carbon offsetting are ambiguous and misleading for consumers because they are not linked to concrete efforts to combat the climate crisis. Instead, they rely on flawed carbon accounting practices that ‘write off’ greenhouse gas emissions. The amazing carbon emissions vanishing act is many companies’ dream – but emissions do not magically disappear. Policymakers have taken a strong stance against this deceptive practice.”

Ukraine: Cement companies produced 4.75Mt of cement during the first eight months of 2023, up by 30% year-on-year from eight-month 2022 levels. Interfax-Ukraine News has reported that producers are operating at 60% production capacity.

Liudmyla Kripka, executive director of the Ukrainian cement association, Ukrcement, said “If we compare it with last year, when the country’s economy was in shock from Russia’s treacherous attack on Ukraine and the start of the full-scale war, the situation has improved somewhat. Cement production in the first half of 2023 grew by 26%, and in the first eight months by 30%, compared to last year.” Kripka added “We are still far from the indicators of 2021, but the dynamics are encouraging. Once there was a prospect, work for the future began. Cement producers, even in war conditions, are investing in Ukraine and the economic restoration of the regions. This expands the production capacity of the industry as a whole and contributes to the creation of new jobs.”

France/Syria: Lafarge defended itself against charges of endangering its employees in Syria before the French Supreme Court on 19 September 2023. The company, since acquired by Switzerland-based Holcim, has admitted to paying ‘several million euros’ to terror groups while continuing to operate in Syria in 2013 – 2014. The court will also hear Lafarge’s appeal over charges of complicity in crimes against humanity. It will give its ruling on 7 November 2023.