September 2024
Switzerland/Sweden: ABB and Sweden-based Salt X have agreed to develop Electric Arc Calcination (EAC) technology, with ABB also becoming a Salt X minority shareholder. This partnership aims to decarbonise cement production and similar industries by replacing fossil fuel-based heating with renewable energy and CO2 capture during calcination. ABB will enhance the EAC with control and electrical systems, contributing to the technology's commercialisation.
Salt X CEO Carl-Johan Linér said "This strengthens us as a company and enables us to progress with our growth plans. With ABB and our other partners, we can significantly improve our capability to take a leading role in the electrification wave sweeping through the industrial sector.”
ABB's Global Growth Industries Business Line Manager Michael Marti said, "Our collaboration with Salt X marks a significant milestone in this journey. The technology benefits are two-fold; replacing the use of fossil fuels through renewable electricity in the calcination process and enabling cost efficient capture of the carbon emissions at the same time. It will be a highly effective way of curbing lime production emissions.”
Global: The Green Cement Technology Tracker, launched by the Global Cement and Concrete Association (GCCA) and the Leadership Group for Industry Transition (LeadIT), has expanded its scope to include calcined clay production, a significant step in cement industry decarbonisation. This tool, vital for tracking progress towards net zero emissions, initially focused on various decarbonising technologies and has now broadened to cover calcined clay kilns, which have lower energy requirements and CO2 reduction potential.
LeadIT Head Per Andersson said “In order to empower the industry and policymakers committed to emission reductions, our goal is to provide comprehensive tracking of public announcements of investments in low-carbon cement technologies.”
GCCA’s Cement, Innovation and ESG Director Claude Loréa said “Driving down emissions requires investment in new technologies and production methods and incorporating calcined clay can contribute significantly, making it a valuable strategy for sustainable construction.”
Greece: Titan has endorsed the Antwerp Declaration, advocating for an European Union (EU) Industrial Deal complementing the EU Green Deal, to bolster the European economy's sustainable growth and competitiveness. Resulting from a summit in Antwerp, Belgium on 20 February 2024, the declaration has gained support from over 630 businesses across 20 sectors. It highlights the necessity of elevating competitiveness, ensuring a level playing field to counter unfair competition, and prioritising infrastructure development in energy, digital technologies, CCUS, and materials recycling.
Holcim introduces ECOAsh in Western Canada 11 March 2024
Canada: Holcim North America has introduced ECOAsh, a Type F fly ash reclaimed from landfills, within its Lafarge Western Canada operations. This innovation is part of Holcim's commitment to sustainable building materials and represents a significant stride in decarbonising the construction industry. As the shift away from coal-fired power plants continues, addressing challenges related to sourcing reliable fly ash supplies prompts the exploration of harvesting and beneficiating legacy landfilled ash as a viable replacement.
Toufic Tabbara, Regional Head of Holcim North America, said "As we continue to build to support growing population demands, the integration of circular building materials such as ECOAsh plays a crucial role in driving our portfolio towards a more sustainable future.”
Brad Kohl, President and CEO of Lafarge Western Canada, added "The transformation of landfill materials into high-value fly ash for sustainable building presents an exciting opportunity for our customers and us to build more with less and work towards a net-zero future.”
Holcim and Geocycle's new processing facility in Alberta will produce high-quality, specification-grade fly ash. The ECOAsh processing facility, commissioned in February 2024, will commence the production and distribution of products throughout Western Canada in the first quarter of 2024.
KLL expands operations in Varanasi and Madhya Pradesh 11 March 2024
India: Kaushalya Logistics Limited (KLL) has initiated operations of a hub depot in Varanasi for JK Cement. The depot, operational since 1 March 2024, is a significant expansion for KLL, enabling it to cater to the entire Bihar region and reinforcing its presence in the cement industry. KLL has also announced the decision to begin operations of a depot for Adani Cement in Madhya Pradesh. This is expected to commence in early to mid-2024.
Uddhav Poddar, Managing Director of KLL, said "KLL has reached notable milestones, commencing operations at a new Hub depot in Varanasi exclusively for JK Cement, effective 1 March 2024. This move signifies a significant stride in KLL's commitment to excellence and strategic expansion within the cement logistics sector.”
Hoffmann Green Cement partners with Groupe Tartarin 11 March 2024
France: Hoffmann Green Cement Technologies has signed a commercial partnership with Groupe Tartarin, a French company based in the town of Vienne, which specialise in a wide range of ready-to-use cements. This agreement will see Hoffmann Green Cement's clinker-free cements supplied to Groupe Tartarin's network of cement plants. This collaboration is part of Hoffmann Green's strategy to expand its presence in Western France and emphasises its commitment to the decarbonisation of the construction sector.
Julien Blanchard and David Hoffmann, co-founders of Hoffmann Green Cement Technologies, said "This new commercial agreement with Groupe Tartarin, a key construction player in the Vienne region, illustrates our shared commitment to the decarbonisation of the construction sector. As well as highlighting our desire to work with local players to achieve this objective, this collaboration strengthens our position in the ready-mix concrete market and supports our commercial expansion with regional players, particularly in Western France."
Nicolas Tartarin, CEO of Groupe Tartarin, added "This partnership with Hoffmann Green reflects Groupe Tartarin's commitment to decarbonising its business while preserving the quality of its concrete. Thanks to this collaboration and the use of Hoffmann Green's clinker-free cement, we are able to implement an innovative and environmentally friendly solution in the construction of our buildings, while guaranteeing the quality we offer our customers today."
Titan unveils new branding 11 March 2024
Greece: Titan has launched a new, refreshed logo and branding to symbolise its commitment to sustainability and green growth. The logo features the familiar blue globe of the former Titan Cement Group emblem, now interspersed with bright green lines. The producer says that the new branding preserves its heritage, while signalling the modernity of its dynamic, forward-looking strategy. Titan’s new slogan, accompanying the visual identity, is ‘Building a better world together.’
Titan serves 25 markets, complementing its regular operations with over 100 current decarbonisation initiatives.
Denmark: A collaborative effort involving the Technological Institute, DTU, FLSmidth Cement, and Lhoist is underway in Denmark to test a new technology designed to significantly reduce CO2 emissions in the cement industry. The initiative, known as the Newcement project, is part of the INNO-CCUS partnership which embraces projects focusing on carbon capture, utilisation and storage (CCUS) and is supported by an investment of US$1.12m from the Innovation Fund. Jens Christiansen, Section Manager at the Technological Institute and Project Manager of the collaboration, aims for the technology to move from laboratory tests to a full-scale demonstration in a real cement production plant.
The Global Cement and Concrete Association (GCCA) is shining a light on the essential work of women in the cement industry around the world.
To mark International Women’s Day 2024, the GCCA invited women working in its member companies around the world on their perspectives on working in global heavy industry, the importance of gender diversity, and for any career advice they can offer to other women keen to work in the cement and concrete industry. You can hear their thoughts in the videos here.
EU: The European Commission has introduced a Draft Guidance document regarding the Free Allocation Regulation (FAR), now expanded to include ‘alternative hydraulic binders’ within the cement clinker benchmark. To qualify for allocation under this benchmark, these binders must meet three specific criteria: they must be used in cement production, not be included in any other benchmark under the European Union's Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS), and must not be by-products of waste or other production processes.
The European Cement Association (CEMBUREAU) has expressed concerns regarding these criteria. Namely, that the proposed changes suggest a shift from a clinker to a cement-based benchmark approach, making current methodologies and regulations inconsistent and impractical, especially as cement production often occurs outside ETS-covered sites. CEMBUREAU also states that some materials like pozzolana and calcined clay, requiring activation by lime or grey cement clinker, do not fit the hydraulic binder definition. Lastly, the association suggests that only materials covered by the standard EN 197-1 should be considered as alternative hydraulic binders, implying that the current definition in the FAR is overly broad and potentially problematic.