Displaying items by tag: Memorandum of Understanding

Germany: Rock Tech Lithium has signed a memorandum of understanding with Schwenk Zement to utilise lithium production by-products from Rock Tech’s Guben converter for use in cement manufacturing at Schwenk's facilities. The primary objective of the partnership is to develop industrial applications for residues generated from Rock Tech's lithium-hydroxide production, specifically spodumene leach residues. During initial studies conducted by the Institute of Technologies and Economics of Lithium, the leach residues demonstrated potential as supplementary cementitious materials (SCMs) for use in cement manufacturing, offering benefits such as reduced carbon emissions and cost savings.

The partnership aims to process up to 200,000t/yr of by-products by 2029, with Schwenk planning investments in drying, grinding and storage facilities for the leach residues.

Johann Trenkwalder, member of the management board of Schwenk Germany, said "Ensuring the future supply of sufficient quantities of high-quality cement grinding materials is of great strategic importance for Schwenk. The leached spodumene concentrate produced during the operation of the planned converter in Guben represents an interesting and regionally-available source of SCMs."

India: The Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade under the Ministry of Commerce & Industry has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with JK Cement to support startups, entrepreneurs and innovation in manufacturing. The partnership will provide access to JK Cement’s infrastructure, manufacturing and research and development facilities, mentorship programmes, pilot projects and university resources.

Ethiopia: East African Holding (EAH) has entered into a memorandum of understanding with the Ethiopian Construction Works Corporation (ECWC) to boost infrastructure development through the supply of cement products from its Lemi National Cement and Dire Dawa plants. The agreement was signed by Biru Wolde, CEO of EAH, and Yonas Ayalew, CEO of ECWC.

Japan: Fortera is collaborating with Sumitomo Corporation to introduce its ReCarb technology in Asia, starting with Japan. The two companies have signed a memorandum of understanding to deploy Fortera’s bolt-on ‘low-to-zero-carbon’ cement plants across the region, focusing on the largest cement manufacturers.

Fortera’s ReCarb process converts industrial CO₂ directly from cement production into cement that is reportedly third-party verified as having 70% less embodied carbon tonne-for-tonne than ordinary Portland cement. When paired with renewable energy, Fortera can achieve zero-CO₂ cement production.

Ryan Gilliam, CEO of Fortera, said "This partnership is a pivotal moment for the future of sustainable cement production, because you can’t make a meaningful impact on the industry’s carbon emissions without partnering with major industry players in Asia, which is home to the largest cement market in the world."

UK: Nuada and Carbfix have signed a memorandum of understanding to deliver integrated carbon capture and storage (CCS) solutions targeting emissions reduction in the cement, lime, steel, waste-to-energy and bioenergy sectors. The partnership combines Nuada’s carbon capture technology with Carbfix’s underground CO₂ mineralisation method.

Nuada’s technology uses solid sorbents, metal organic frameworks, and vacuum pressure swing adsorption to capture CO₂ from the source while addressing barriers like energy consumption and cost. Carbfix’s storage method accelerates the mineralisation process by injecting CO₂ into basaltic rock, where it reportedly transforms permanently into stone within two years.

India: The Rural Development Department of Himachal Pradesh has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Ambuja Cements to address the issue of non-recyclable plastic waste in the state. Under this partnership, Ambuja Cements will collaborate with the department to co-process non-recyclable plastic in its cement kilns. The initiative will cover the districts of Chamba, Kangra, Shimla and Solan, where 29 plastic waste management units have been established.

India: Global Cement & Concrete Association (GCCA) India has entered talks with UK-based Xynteo and the Build Ahead coalition to scale up decarbonisation in India’s construction sector. The partners have signed a memorandum of understanding to promote low-carbon cement and concrete usage. This two-year collaboration will develop emission thresholds for cement and concrete as a basis for future policy on production and use of low-carbon materials. The initiative will also include joint governmental engagement and the sharing of research for low-carbon building materials.

Deepak Khetrapal, GCCA India co-chair and Orient Cement managing director, said "The reduction of clinker factor and the increasing use of supplementary cementitious materials in cement manufacturing is an important decarbonisation lever for the industry. Developing an India-specific definition for ‘low-carbon’ or ‘green’ cement and concrete is the need of the hour, and it is crucial for the development of a net zero CO₂ roadmap for the Indian cement and concrete industry."

India: Shree Cement has signed a memorandum of understanding with the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) to support startups in India's manufacturing sector. This partnership aligns with the government's ‘Make in India’ vision to encourage domestic manufacturing and build a self-reliant economy. Through this collaboration, startups will gain access to Shree Cement’s industrial expertise, network and resources, which will help them scale their operations and develop solutions. This initiative is expected to create new job opportunities, boost local production and reduce import dependency.

Switzerland: ABB has entered into a memorandum of understanding with UK-based climate tech company Carbon Re, to explore integrated solutions aimed at accelerating the decarbonisation of cement production while improving productivity. The collaboration will reportedly combine ABB's expertise in automation and process control with Carbon Re's AI and machine learning technologies. The partnership follows a successful pilot at a cement plant in the Czech Republic, where ABB plans to augment its ‘Ability Expert Optimizer’ solution with Carbon Re's AI platform. This integration is expected to automate and optimise plant conditions, potentially reducing specific energy consumption by up to 5% and increasing alternative fuel use by 50% by maintaining optimal kiln conditions.

CEO at Carbon Re, Josh Vernon, said “At Carbon Re we are accelerating industrial decarbonisation through the use of cutting-edge AI – our models have demonstrated that AI can find efficiencies within the complex chemical processes of material production, especially cement.”

Global portfolio manager for Business Line Digital, ABB Process Industries, Tyron Vardy said “Driving down the emissions of cement production is a pressing priority for the industry. Our collaboration with Carbon Re will bring us closer to achieving this. Enhanced by cloud-based AI technology, our decision support software will be able to help customers enhance and improve the efficiency of their systems faster than ever before.”

Bangladesh: LafargeHolcim Bangladesh Limited (LHBL) has entered into a memorandum of understanding with conglomerate PRAN-RFL Group. The agreement focuses on the sustainable disposal of non-biodegradable and non-recyclable materials from PRAN-RFL's food products at LafargeHolcim's Chhatak cement plant in Sunamganj.

Corporate finance director Uzma Chowdhury noted its operation of three recycling plants capable of processing 40,000t/yr of discarded materials. He said "Some materials cannot be recycled. These often mix with soil and water, causing significant environmental harm. This is why we are partnering with LafargeHolcim to ensure that non-recyclable materials are managed in an effective and environmentally friendly manner. Now, non-biodegradable and non-recyclable food products produced by Pran-RFL Group will be managed in a sustainable manner at the LafargeHolcim plant."

CEO of LafargeHolcim Bangladesh Mohammad Iqbal Chowdhury said "LafargeHolcim has been working for a zero waste future though its Geocycle wing. Our Chhatak plant is the only integrated cement plant in Bangladesh that produces clinker. This enables us to manage different kinds of ‘waste’ sustainably."