Displaying items by tag: innovation

China: Switzerland-based Sika has opened its new Suzhou Technology Centre in Jiangsu Province. The centre will help Sika to develop its sustainable and high-performance technologies in order to grow it market potential throughout the Asia/Pacific region. By strategically expanding its research and development activities across all core technologies, Sika aims to further strengthen its global innovation leadership.

Chief innovation and sustainability officer Patricia Heidtman said "With our new technology centre, we are strengthening our innovation capabilities in the Asia/Pacific region and are fostering synergies in sustainable construction and environmentally friendly mobility. We have created the ideal framework for close collaboration between our research teams. It will thus enable us to develop forward-looking technologies for our customers that combine sustainability with performance."

Greece/US: Titan Cement Group has made new venture capital investments in two US-based disruptive technology suppliers. The cement producer enlarged its investment in energy storage specialist Rondo Energy, which has developed the Heat Battery. The technology enables cement plants and other industrial operations to access a constant supply of electricity using captive renewable energy sources. It also invested in venture capital firm Zacua Ventures, which handles a portfolio of companies involved in developing optimisation, automation and Construction 4.0 technology, including products relevant to the cement industry.

Titan Group Chief Sustainability and Innovation Officer Leonidas Canellopoulos said “We are committed to embracing innovation and fresh perspectives. By engaging with advanced construction and green technology startups through direct and indirect investments, as well as collaborations, we intend to forge more partnerships in the sector.”

India: Adani Cement subsidiaries ACC and Ambuja Cements have launched the Cement and Concrete Research and Development Facility at Kalamboli in Maharashtra. Dion News Service has reported that the focus of the centre will lie in product development, productivity enhancement and increasing the efficiency of cement and concrete production.

Adani Cement CEO Ajay Kapur said "Our new research and development facility is our reinforcement towards our collective commitment to pushing boundaries, driving innovation, and addressing industry challenges."

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.”

China: China Resources Cement (CRC) has inaugurated its Cement International Innovation Centre. The producer says that the centre will contribute to the sustainable growth of its operations across three platforms, namely: cutting-edge research and development, international technologies exchange and international talent introductions.

CRC chair Ji Youhong said that the start of operations at the Cement International Innovation Centre constituted a 'major achievement' under the government's 14th Five Year Plan.

Ireland: CRH has announced the launch of its new innovation investments company CRH Ventures. The new subsidiary has funds of US$250m and will focus on the technologies that address the construction sector's core challenges. The group said that CRH Ventures' investment decisions will assess potential for decarbonisation, automation and the development of advanced sustainable building products, among other factors.

CRH's CEO Albert Manifold said "The launch of CRH Ventures demonstrates our continued commitment to investing in new technologies that will shape the built environment of tomorrow. CRH Ventures will serve as a valuable partner to start-ups and entrepreneurs, which will benefit from the technical capabilities, knowledge and expertise of a global industry leader, to pilot and scale new technologies and innovations that will enable safer, smarter and more sustainable construction.”

US: Mexico-based Cemex Ventures has invested in construction sustainability early-stage venture fund Zacua Ventures. The producer says that other investors include Andres Construction, GS Futures, Progreso X and Sabancı Building Materials Group.

Cemex Ventures head Gonzalo Galindo said
"As pioneers in the construction industry's transformation, we are happy to be part of this investment vehicle to seek innovative solutions that help boost productivity, sustainability and urbanization.” Galindo added “The collaboration and synergy between the involved partners will help further accelerate our efforts.”

UK: Judges at the BusinessGreen Leaders Awards sustainable innovation award ceremony have named Carbon Clean chair and CEO Aniruddha Sharma as Entrepreneur of the Year. The judging considered innovators from across UK business. Carbon Clean said that the award is testament to Aniruddha’s vision and achievements, along with those of co-founder Prateek Bumb and the team that they have built.

The company said “At Carbon Clean, we are at the forefront of CCUS innovation, delivering products that can genuinely change the world. Under Aniruddha's impactful leadership we are taking major strides towards our goal of delivering industrial decarbonisation on a gigatonne scale by the mid-2030s.” It added “Congratulations to our fellow BusinessGreen Leaders Awards winners!”

China: Huaxin Cement has signed a capital injection agreement with Huangshi State-owned Assets Company to acquire a 5.2% stake in the latter for US$150m. The producer says that it will strengthen its cooperation with Huangshi State-owned Assets Company in order to accelerate development of its non-cement business. It said that the transaction will also improve its innovation capabilities, helping it to achieve a low-carbon transformation. Huangshi State-owned Assets Company indirectly owns a 16% share of Huaxin Cement.

Germany: The Ministry for Economy and Climate Protection has presented HeidelbergCement with its German Climate and Environment Innovation Prize (IKU) for its ReConcrete-360° concrete recycling process. The process retrieves hardened cement paste from waste demolition concrete for use in place of limestone in clinker and cement production. The recycled material can also bind CO₂ to act as a carbon sink.

Global research and development Wolfgang Dienemann said “With ReConcrete-360°, we have succeeded in developing a limestone substitute from demolished concrete that also allows us to use the carbon-containing exhaust gases from cement production. A small revolution with a big impact: In Germany alone, the CO₂ savings potential of this process is 10Mt/yr. The IKU award underlines that we can be proud of our pioneering innovation.”