Displaying items by tag: Prize

Switzerland: McKinsey & Company and the World Economic Forum have recognised Holcim’s ECOCycle recycling technology for construction-demolition material (CDM) as a "Circularity Lighthouse in the Built Environment." ECOCycle technology can process 100% of CDM input into new building materials with 75% lower CO₂ emissions than traditional alternatives.

Chief sustainability officer Nollaig Forrest said “Circularity is a game changer to decarbonise buildings at scale. At Holcim we are operating over 100 ECOCycle recycling centres globally to drive circular construction. With our advanced recycling of CDM, we can already reduce the CO₂ footprint of cement by up to 40%. This is just the beginning; as we innovate and partner across the value chain to evolve building norms, we aim to accelerate the shift to circular construction in all metropolitan areas where we operate.”

Germany: Ratings agency EcoVadis has awarded drives supplier Flender its Platinum medal for its performance across environment, labour and human rights, ethics and sustainable procurement metrics.

CEO Andreas Evertz said "With our commitment to sustainability and social responsibility, we have already achieved significant milestones. This excellent rating confirms our very good progress in the right direction. We are pleased with this but are also aware that there is still a long way to go. We aim to be pioneers in sustainability and inspire others - with full dedication and alongside our strong partners.”

Switzerland/UAE: The COP28 UAE Presidency named École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL) among its Energy Transition Changemakers in the Heavy Emitting Sectors category. EPFL won the prize for its LC3 limestone calcined clay cement, which replaces 50% of clinker content with calcined kaolinite clay and limestone. LC3 cement reduces CO₂ emissions by 40% compared to ordinary Portland cement (OPC), and is a readily available solution that can be scaled worldwide. EPFL noted the special importance of LC3 cement for CO₂ reduction efforts in developing countries, and sees it as having the potential to eliminate 500Mt/yr of global CO₂ emissions by 2030. In a post to LinkedIn, the LC3 Project said that nine plants around the world currently produce LC3 cement, with a further 20 planned before 2025.

US: Germany-based drives supplier Flender has received the Supplier Excellence Recognition Award 2023 from engineering firm Caterpillar. The award recognises suppliers that demonstrate a commitment to excellence and drive a zero-defect culture. Caterpillar said that Flender exceeded 95% delivery reliability, with zero defects, during 2023. Contracts included gearboxes, remanufactured gearboxes, spare parts and couplings for Caterpillar’s 7495 Rope Shovel. The 7495 Rope Shovel is used in quarrying, including in the cement industry.

Caterpillar’s senior vice president strategic procurement and planning Pam Heminger said “Caterpillar’s reputation for world-class products and services stands on the shoulders of our global and diverse team – and that team includes our international and diverse supply network. By working together, we can deliver on our purpose to help our customers build a better, more sustainable world.”

Pakistan: Lucky Cement has won the KCCI Export Trophy for its performance in the cement export market during the 2021 financial year. The News International newspaper has reported that the company relied on its 24,000t-capacity Karachi cement terminal to ship cement to markets across South Asia, Southeast Asia, the Middle East and Africa.

Chief executive officer Muhammed Ali Tabba said "This modern facility allows the company to excel in exporting break bulk and containerised shipments." He continued "Our focus is on implementing advanced manufacturing technologies to enhance technical capabilities and operational efficiencies. A diversified business portfolio has helped us strengthen the country's industrial base, enabling us to develop a larger manufacturing footprint and seize opportunities for growth both in local and international markets."

World: The Global Cement and Concrete Association (GCCA) has named the 15 anticipated deliverers of low-CO₂ cement and concrete production shortlisted for participation in its second Innovandi Open Challenge. The association chose the start-ups based on their potential to deliver CO₂ emissions reduction in the global cement and concrete sector in line with its Concrete Future 2050 Net Zero Roadmap. The applicants are presenting their pitches to GCCA members on 30 June 2023. All those accepted will gain access to members' plants, labs, networks and expertise. The following start-ups made the Innovandi Open Challenge 2023 shortlist:

GCCA cement director and innovation lead Claude Loréa said “We received more than 70 quality applications, so drawing up a shortlist was challenging." Loréa continued "Our essential industry needs something easily scalable and affordable. Those start-ups on the list demonstrated the most potential, and we look forward to hearing more about their ideas. But we’ll also be keeping in touch with other start-ups who didn’t make this year’s shortlist, with future projects in mind.”

India: Superbrands Media India named JK Lakshmi Cement as its 'Superbrand' in the Grey Cement category at the Superbrand 2023 - 2024 awards on 7 June 2023, the Orissa Diary newspaper has reported. The producer beat its competitors across numerous categories that measure branding success.

President and director Shri Arun Shukla said "This accolade serves as a resounding validation of our steadfast commitment to delivering cement products of unparalleled quality and our ceaseless endeavours to reiterate the robustness and dependability of our brand. We wholeheartedly express our deepest gratitude to our esteemed customers and valued partners for their resolute trust and support, which have played an instrumental role in propelling us to this notable achievement."

UK: SigmaRoc subsidiary CCP has launched Greenbloc Standard, Ultra and Premium. The new designations correspond to 50%, 80% and 100% cement substitution. Professional Builder News has reported that Using Greenbloc Standard reduces structures’ CO₂ emissions by 77% compared with structures built with conventional ordinary Portland cement (OPC)-based blocks. For an average semi-detached house, this is equivalent to 2.7t of CO₂.

CCP general manager Phil Rotheram said “The expansion of our Greenbloc range continues our commitment to sustainable alternatives to our product offering as we fully commit to the challenges of removing embodied carbon from the built environment.”

Greenbloc Ultra featured in a gold medal-winning garden at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2023 in May 2023.

Argentina: Holcim Argentina has announced the launch of its Young Leaders youth professional development programme in its host provinces of Córdoba, Buenos Aires, Jujuy and Mendoza. The programme seeks to identify 15 'innovative, curious and results-oriented' young talents with qualifications and experience in the area of industrial, mechanical, electrical and chemical engineering, business administration, marketing, architecture or logistics. Those chosen will occupy eight-month placements at the company, beginning on 15 May 2023. There, they will manage projects under the guidance of a tutor.

Holcim Argentina's head of talent and development Claudia Vitale said "Young Leaders is specially designed to accelerate young professionals' growth by placing them in a high-performance team. It is an excellent opportunity for personal and professional development in a global industry-leading company."

UK: The Global Cement & Concrete Association (GCCA) held an online launch for its second Innovandi Open Challenge on 14 March 2023. The global challenge matches start-up companies with some of the world’s leading cement and concrete manufacturers, which operate in almost every country across the world, to work on initiatives to cut emissions and pioneer environmental change across the industry. The launch follows the success of the first ever Innovandi Open Challenge in 2022, which saw cement companies partnering with six start-ups, with a strong focus on carbon capture and utilisation projects.

This time around, applicants are being asked to work on the development of new materials and ingredients for low carbon concrete – a major step towards the goal of net zero concrete. Alternative materials, including construction and demolition waste, can result in far lower CO2 emissions than traditional concrete, as well as reduce the need to use virgin raw materials. The applications phase will last until mid-May 2023.

Thomas Guillot, CEO of the GCCA, said “We’re calling on the best and the brightest from around the world to join us in the urgent fight to limit global warming and help towards delivering the great prize of net zero concrete. If you are a start-up from Austria to Australia, from Brazil to Bangladesh, with an innovative idea or technology, then we want to hear from you.”

Those companies that are accepted for this year’s Innovandi Open Challenge will gain unique access to industry plants, laboratories, key networks and the expertise and infrastructure of the GCCA’s 40 members from around the world. They will also receive guidance from the GCCA and its members to help them with the development of new technology and business cases.

Claude Loréa, GCCA cement director and innovation lead, said “We’ve already seen some remarkable progress from those start-ups who’ve been working with our members on the first Innovandi Open Challenge, with several projects already in the pilot stage. This year’s theme, low carbon concrete, is equally challenging. To succeed, we need products which are affordable, scalable and easily adopted. Good luck to all this year’s applicants. We look forward to working with those selected.”