Displaying items by tag: Titan Cement
Greece: Titan Cement Group has secured an EU patent for its robotic remote preheater system, previously installed at the company’s Kamari cement plant in Viotia. Titan Cement Group designed the system to maximise operational efficiency and safety.
The company carried out a Euro25m precalciner installation at the Kamari plant in 2021 – 2022.
From the Nordics to the Mediterranean, European countries lead the field in reduced-clinker cement production using supplementary cementitious materials (SCMs). While consumers, faced with ever-greater choice, continue to opt for sustainability, projects to improve existing SCMs and develop new ones have won government backing and have become a matter of serious investment for other heavy industries beside cement. European cement producers’ decisions are steering the course to a world beyond CEM I. Yet, even in Europe, great untapped potential remains.
Companies generated a good deal of marketing buzz around their latest reduced-CO2 cement ranges in 2021 and the first quarter of 2022: Buzzi Unicem’s CGreen in Germany and Italy, Holcim’s EcoPlanet in six markets from Romania to Spain, Cementir Holding’s Futurecem in Denmark and Benelux, and Cemex’s Vertua in Spain and several other countries. All boast reduced clinker factors through the use of alternative raw materials. This, however, is really a rebranding of a long-established norm in Europe.
Since 2010, cements other than CEM I have constituted over 75% of average annual cement deliveries across Cembureau member countries (all cement-producing EU member states, plus Norway, Serbia, Switzerland, Turkey, the UK and Ukraine). This statistic breaks down differently from country to country. CEM II is the norm in Austria, Finland, Portugal and Switzerland, with deliveries in the region of 90%. Portland limestone cement (PLC) makes up a majority of deliveries in all four. It has been central to Switzerland’s transition to 89% (3.72Mt) of CEM II deliveries out of a total 4.18Mt of cement despatched in 2021. There, the main types of cement were CEM II/B-M (T-LL) Portland composite cement, with 1.38Mt (33%), and two different classifications of PLC: CEM II/A-LL PLC, with 1.28Mt (31%), and CEM II/B-LL PLC, with 888,000t (21%).
A second approach is that of the Netherlands, where CEM III blast furnace slag cement with a clinker factor below 65% predominates, favoured for its sulphate resistance and the protection it offers against chloride-initiated corrosion of steel reinforcement in marine settings. By contrast, the UK has traditionally maintained a higher reliance on CEM I cement. This can be partly explained by the preference of builders there for adding fly ash or ground granulated blast furnace slag (GGBFS) at the mixing stage. Nonetheless, CEM II Portland fly ash cement held a 14% (1.43Mt) market share in the UK’s 10.2Mt of cement consumption in 2021.
The UK Mineral Products Association (MPA) has identified limestone as an underutilised resource in the country’s cement production. Together with HeidelbergCement subsidiary Hanson Cement, it has applied for a change to National Application standards to allow the production of Portland composite cement from fly ash and limestone or GGBFS and limestone. The association has forecast that Portland composite cement could easily rise to 30 – 40% of UK cement consumption, and that this has the potential to eliminate 8% of the sector’s 7.8Mt/yr-worth of CO2 emissions.
Metallurgical waste streams have long flowed into European cement production, primarily as GGBFS, but also as bauxite residue. In 2021, alumina production in the EU alone generated 7Mt of bauxite residue, of which the bloc recycled just 100,000t (1.4%) that year. Two projects – the Holcim Innovation Center-led ReActiv project and Titan Cement and others’ REDMUD project – aim to produce new alternative cementitious materials from bauxite residue.
By collaborating with other industries, cement producers’ investments can most effectively reduce the overall cost of using these materials in cement production. In Germany, HeidelbergCement and ThyssenKrupp’s Save CO2 project aims to develop new improved latent hydraulic binders or alternative pozzolan from GGBFS by producing slag from directly reduced iron (DRI). The Save CO2 team believes that GGBFS substitution for clinker has the capacity to eliminite 200Mt/yr of CO2 emissions from global cement production.
Meanwhile in the world of mining, ThyssenKrupp and others’ NEMO project is investigating the recovery of a useable mineral fraction for cement production from the extractive waste of the Luikonlahti and Sotkamo mines in Finland and the Tara mine in Ireland, through bioleaching and cleaned mineral residue upcycling. This may give cement producers full access to Europe’s 28Bnt stockpiles of sulphidic mining waste, of which mines generate an additional 600Mt each year.
Denmark-based CemGreen, which produces the calcined clay supplementary cementitious material CemShale, is developing a shale granule heat-treating technology called CemTower. This consists of three pieces of equipment vertically integrated into cement plants’ preheaters, kilns and coolers, and brings the processing of waste materials – here oil shale – to the cement plant.
Lastly, cement producers are exploring the possible uses of waste made of cement itself. In Wallonia, HeidelbergCement subsidiary CBR’s CosmoCem project is investigating the production of alternative cement additives from large available flows of local demolition, soil remediation and industrial waste. Similarly, the Greece-based C2inCO2 project seeks to mineralise fines from concrete recycling for HeidelbergCement to use in the production of novel cements in its Greek operations.
In Switzerland, ZND Portland composite cement (produced using fine mixed granulate from building demolitions) is the third largest cement type, with 178,000t (4.3%) of total deliveries – narrowly behind CEM I with 239,000t (5.7%).Holcim Schweiz developed its Susteno 4 ZND Portland composite cement with Switzerland’s lack of any ash or slag supply in mind, demonstrating the potential flexibility of a circular economic approach to cement production.
On 21 March 2022, the University of Trier reported that it is in the process of mapping mineral resources, waste deposits and usable residues ‘on a cross-border scale,’ in an effort to produce new materials for use in cement production. Industry participants include France-based Vicat, CBR, Buzzi Unicem subsidiary Cimalux and CRH subsidiary Eqiom. Vicat is preparing a kiln at its 1Mt/yr Xeuilley cement plant in Meurthe-et-Moselle to use in testing new alternative raw materials developed under the project.
For Cembureau and its members, work continues, with the goal of Net Zero by 2050 constantly in sight. This goal includes a reduction in members’ clinker-to-cement ratios to well below 65%. In this, the association and its members are working towards a world not just beyond CEM I, but beyond CEM II, too. What exactly this will mean remains to be seen.
Sources
CemSuisse, ‘Lieferstatistik,’ 11 January 2022, https://www.cemsuisse.ch/app/uploads/2022/01/Lieferstatistik-4.-Quartal-2021.pdf
WSA, ‘December 2021 crude steel production and 2021 global crude steel production totals,’ 25 January 2022, https://worldsteel.org/media-centre/press-releases/2022/december-2021-crude-steel-production-and-2021-global-totals/
MPA, ‘Low carbon multi-component cements for UK concrete applications,’ July 2018, https://prod-drupal-files.storage.googleapis.com/documents/resource/public/Low%20carbon%20multi-component%20cements%20for%20UK%20concrete%20applications%20PDF.pdf
European Commission, ‘European Training Network for Zero-waste Valorisation of Bauxite Residue (Red Mud),’ 16 July 2020, https://cordis.europa.eu/project/id/636876
European Commission, ‘Industrial Residue Activation for sustainable cement production,’ 16 February 2022, https://cordis.europa.eu/project/id/958208
Recycling Portal, Zement der Zukunft – Forschungsprojekt „SAVE CO2“ gestartet, 28 May 2021, https://recyclingportal.eu/Archive/65677
h2020-NEMO, ‘Project,’ https://h2020-nemo.eu/project-2/
European Commission, ‘Green cement of the future: CemShale + CemTower,’ 14 April 2021, https://cordis.europa.eu/project/id/101009382
CosmoCem, ‘Communiqué de Presse,’ https://cosmocem.org/
CO2 Win, ‘C²inCO2: Calcium Carbonation for industrial use of CO2,’ https://co2-utilization.net/en/projects/co2-mineralization/c2inco2/
Les Echos, ‘Rendre le ciment moins gourmand en CO2,’ 21 March 2022, https://www.lesechos.fr/pme-regions/innovateurs/des-substituts-au-clinker-rendent-le-ciment-moins-gourmand-en-co2-1395002
Titan Cement boosts sales in 2021
17 March 2022Greece: Titan Cement recorded Euro1.71bn in net sales in 2021, up by 6.7% year-on-year from Euro1.61bn in 2020. The company attributed the boost to higher demand and ‘supportive pricing’ in all of its regions. Cement sales volumes were 18.3Mt, up by 7% year-on-year from 17.1Mt. Its earnings before interest, taxation, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) dropped by 4.6% to Euro272m from Euro286m, due to an ‘unprecedented’ second-half costs increase. The group’s net profit was Euro89.6m, compared to Euro1.1m in 2020. During the year, Titan Cement increased the digitisation of its cement production and continued its on-going share buyback programme. Its Scope 1 and 2 CO2 emissions declined by 4% year-on-year, in line with its 2030 target trajectory.
Titan Cement said “Having already achieved the 2025 targets for energy efficiency and zero waste-to-landfill certification, the group’s attention is now focused on empowering business ecosystems to incorporate sustainability considerations in their decision making. To ensure that key suppliers meet the group’s environmental, social and governance (ESG) standards, Titan Cement developed a sustainable supply chain roadmap and published the first Titan Group Procurement Policy.” In the coming year, the group plans to ‘continue to harness the advantages offered by decarbonisation, digital transformation and business model innovation to benefit our customers, employees, suppliers and communities, aspiring to deliver to society carbon-neutral concrete by 2050.’
US: The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has awarded its Energy Star certification to cement plants belonging to two Titan America subsidiaries. Titan Florida’s Pennsuco, Florida, cement plant has secured its 14th consecutive Energy Star, while Roanoke Cement’s Troutville, Virginia, cement has secured its 15th consecutive Energy Star.
Other cement plants to receive Energy Stars in 2022 included two Argos USA plants (Calera, Alabama, and Harleyville, South Carolina), two GCC plants (Pueblo, Colorado, and Rapid City, South Dakota), Buzzi Unicem’s Chattanooga, Tennessee, plant and three plants in Arizona: CalPortland’s Rillito plant, Drake Cement’s Paulden plant and Salt River Materials Group’s Clarkdale plant.
Titan Cement completes buyback of 2.2% of shares
22 February 2022Greece: Titan Cement has advised the Athens Stock Exchange (ATHEX) that it has bought back a total of 2.2% of its shares under its share buyback scheme between 14 and 18 February 2022. It made the purchases both through the ATHEX and the Euronext Brussels exchange.
Titan Cement increases sales and profit as earnings drop in first nine months of 2021
11 November 2021Greece: Titan Cement has recorded sales of Euro1.26bn in the first nine months of 2021, up by 5% year-on-year from Euro1.2bn in the first nine months of 2020. Its earnings before interest, taxation, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) fell by 4.3% to Euro220m from Euro229m, while its net profit rose by 41% to Euro81.9m from Euro58m.
During the third quarter of 2021, Titan Cement’s US low-carbon cement sales reached 50% of its total US cement sales. It also continued with hydrogen enrichment pilot studies in its cement kilns in Bulgaria and Greece.
Titan Cement signs Business Ambition for 1.5°C pledge
14 October 2021Greece: Titan Cement has signed the Science-Based Targets Initiative (SBTi)’s Business Ambition for 1.5°C pledge. In so doing, it joins the UN’s Race to Zero campaign for collaboration towards a global zero-CO2 future. The Group’s decarbonisation plans consist of an increased reliance on alternative fuel (AF), accelerated energy efficiency improvement efforts and a shift to low-carbon products and processes.
Titan Cement said “Through the participation in European and international consortia, as well as through collaborations in research and development projects, Titan will continue to develop low-carbon cementitious products and pilot carbon capture technologies in its plants, actively contributing to the industry’s ambition for a carbon-neutral future.”
Greece: Titan Cement has received the validation of the Science-Based Targets Initiative (SBTi) for its CO2 emissions reduction targets. The validation confirms that the company’s targets are in line with a well-below 2°climate change scenario.
The group aims to reduce Scope 1 emissions per tonne of cementitious product by 21% by 2030 from 2020, and to reduce Scope 2 emissions by 42% within the same parameters. Additionally, it has committed to drive down the CO₂ footprint of its operations and products with the aim of delivering 100% carbon-neutral concrete by 2050. Methods include increasing the use of alternative fuels, accelerating efficiency-improving initiatives, developing low-carbon products, and adopting innovative technologies and solutions. The company says that it will also monitor and independently verify its supply chain emissions.
It said “Through the participation in European and international consortia, as well as through collaborations in research and development, Titan Group will continue to develop low-carbon cementitious products and pilot carbon capture technologies in its plants, actively contributing to the industry’s ambition for a carbon-neutral future.”
Greece: Titan Cement’s consolidated earnings before interest, taxation, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) rose by 7% year-on-year to Euro286m from Euro267m in 2019. Sales remained level year-on-year at Euro1.61bn and net profit after taxes and minorities (NPAT) fell by 97% to Euro1.50m from Euro50.9m. The group attributed the profit slump to one-off charges, namely the full write-off of the Euro46.6m goodwill of subsidiary Titan Cement Egypt and the derecognition of Euro17.3m of accumulated deferred Egyptian tax assets. If not for these, the group says its consolidated NPAT would have increased by 28% to Euro65.4m.
Cement sales were 17.1Mt, up by 1% from 17.0Mt. The group called the impacts of the coronavirus outbreak ‘less severe than expected.’ Ready-mixed concrete sales rose by 3% to 5.4Mm3 from 5.2Mm3.
Construction activity continued under coronavirus lockdown in most of the group’s countries of operation. As a result, sales remained resilient across all markets. US sales fell by 2% to Euro938m from Euro952m due to negative currency exchange effects. Greece and Western Europe sales rose by 1% to Euro247m from Euro245m. Southeastern Europe sales rose by 3% to Euro938m from Euro952m and Eastern Mediterranean sales rose by 1% to Euro152m from Euro150m.
Group executive committee chair Dimitri Papalexopoulos said “In 2020, we delivered strong financial performance while taking care of our employees and those around us, ensuring high-quality, uninterrupted customer service and accelerating progress towards our digital and sustainability aspirations. In the face of uncertainty caused by Covid-19, we remained confident in our business model. We adapted to shifting market conditions and continued to pursue operational excellence while laying the groundwork to capture future growth.” The group anticipates a positive market trend in all regions in 2021.
Greece: Titan Cement group has accelerated its efforts towards sustainability with new environmental, social and governance (ESG) targets. The targets include an updated CO2 emissions reduction target of 35% by 2030 compared to 1990 levels, zero workplace fatalities and a cement industry top-three lost time injury frequency rate, increased female leadership participation and 70% supplier sustainability in line with the producer’s own ESG standards by 2025. It also set a water consumption target of 280L/t of cementitious material produced and 50% certified Zero Waste to landfill production by 2025.
Chief sustainability officer Leonidas Canellopoulos said, “We are building on our strong track record on sustainability and aspire to increase our positive impact on people, society, and the environment. We are committing to ambitious targets that aim to generate more value for all our stakeholders and set the foundations for sustainable growth in a carbon-neutral and digitalised world.”