Germany: Mexico-based Cemex has announced its planned participation in Australia-based Calix and others’ LEILAC (Low Emissions Intensity Lime And Cement) 2 carbon capture and storage (CCS) project at HeidelbergCement’s Hanover cement plant in Lower Saxony. Cemex previously assisted the LEILAC partnership at its first installation at HeidelbergCement’s cement plant in Lixhe in Belgium. The company said that it will contribute to the technology's development utilising its gasification process expertise, leveraging its skills in alternative fuel (AF) consumption and computational fluid dynamic simulation design.

Global head of research and development Davide Zampini said, "Our participation in the LEILAC 2 project is another example of our continued efforts to deliver net-zero CO₂ concrete products globally by 2050. We are determined to have a significant direct involvement in research and development efforts pursuing high impact technologies in carbon capture, use, and storage."

UK: HeidelbergCement subsidiary Hanson has announced a planned 80ha expansion of its Ouse Fen nature reserve partnership project with the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) in Cambridgeshire. The company says the additional restored land from its Needingworth quarry will increase the area of the reserve to 298ha.

Unit manager Hilton Law said, “The Ouse Fen reserve is an outstanding example of minerals extraction leading to habitat creation on a landscape scale and highlights the benefits that managing the land left behind from quarrying can make in shaping and improving habitats for wildlife. We are proud to support the RSPB, Cambridgeshire County Council and others involved in the project, which will make an invaluable contribution to achieving UK biodiversity targets and securing the future of important wildlife habitats and species.”

The reserve is a home to marsh harriers, bitterns and bearded tits, in addition to otters and water voles.

India: Ramco Cements’ nine-month profit for the period ending on 31 December 2020 was US$77.9m, up by 23% year-on-year from US$63.3m in the corresponding period of the 2020 financial year. Cement sales volumes dropped by 18% to 67.6Mt from 82.7Mt. Its revenue from sale of products fell by 9% to US$488m from US$535m.

The company reported that it has redeposited US$3.54m for its appeal against cartelisation charges that carrya penalty of US$35.4m. It said, “The company, backed by legal opinion, believes that it has a good case and hence no provision is made.”

The cement producer plans to commission a 1.5Mt/yr clinker line and a 9MW waste heat recovery (WHR) system at Jayanthipuram, Andhra Pradesh and a 2.25Mt/yr clinker line at Kurnool, Andhra Pradesh in the first quarter of its 2021 – 2022 financial year. A 1Mt/yr grinding unit, a 12MW WHR unit and a thermal power plan are expected to be commissioned later in the year.

India: The board of UltraTech Cement has voted to raise up to US$411m through issuance of US dollar-denominated bonds. The company will use the proceeds to refinance existing Indian Rupee debt, with the remainder reserved for regular on-going capital expenditure requirements and general corporate purposes.

Nigeria: BUA Cement recorded full-year net sales of US$550m in 2020, up by 20% year-on-year from US$460m in 2019. Profit after income taxes was US$185m, up by 16% from US$159m.

In December 2020, Global Cement reported that the company planned to bring three integrated cement plant projects with a total capacity of 9Mt/yr to fruition by the end of 2022. This would bring its installed capacity to 20Mt/yr.

Mexico: Holcim Mexico has launched its Holcim Supra range of cements. The company says that products contain a unique three-in-one technology for water repellence, construction optimisation and protection against environmental agents. It says that the use of Holcim Supra cements gives buildings greater sustainability compared to normal ordinary Portland cement (OPC).

Commercial Director Francisco Shwortshik said, “The new Holcim Supra Cement family are the latest in the market in innovation, with integrated three-in-one technology especially developed to protect buildings by reducing the passage of moisture in concrete. In addition to maintaining the attributes of the current
Holcim cement and mortar, they contribute to sustainable building by reducing CO₂ emissions by up to 13% in the process of construction, which makes it an eco-friendly product.”

Chief executive officer Jaime Hill Tinoco said, "Innovation is key to reaching our goal of zero net emissions; this is why at Holcim México we have the strongest research and development organisation in the industry to present and promote consistently high-quality materials and solutions for our clients across the country - like Holcim Supra, a family of unique products on the market that will change Mexico’s way of building.”

Turkey: Brazil-based Votorantim Cimentos has leased three ready-mixed concrete plants from Polat Beton. Dunya News has reported that the facilities are all located in Ankara, Sincan, Kayaş and Gölbaşı respectively.

Andrew Minson from the Global Cement and Concrete Association (GCCA) kicked off this week’s Virtual Global Concrete Conference with an overview of concrete’s role in the association’s 2050 climate ambition. The association announced in September 2020 that it was starting work on this roadmap for publication in the second half of 2021, just in time for the 2021 United Nations Climate Change Conference, currently schedule to take place in Glasgow, Scotland in November 2021. Minson ran through the topic, providing an overview of concrete’s intrinsic sustainable features and the policy levers the association is considering for its forthcoming roadmap.

One point from circular economy aspects of the plan included design for dis-assembly (DfD) and long life, loose fit modes of thinking around how a building using concrete should be conceived, designed, built, used and - crucially – reused. Long life, loose fit, low energy (to use its original name) was promoted by the Welsh architect Alex Gordon from the early 1970s. It covered themes of sustainability, flexibility and energy efficiency for building design ahead of both the 1970s oil crisis and the current climate one. DfD emerged in the 1990s as a way of thinking about a building’s demolition at the start and working from there. Deconstruction or demolition is prepared for through planning and design. It allows components and materials to be removed more easily, facilitating their subsequent reuse. So, components and materials can be removed more easily allowing their subsequent reuse and elements such as columns, walls, beams, and slabs can be disassembled to facilitate this. Last year Global Cement Weekly explored a similar path with the ideas of Dutch architect and commentator Thomas Rau (GCW348) and his concept of building materials as a service, following on from the Building Information Modelling (BIM) system, and the suggestion that companies simply rent (!) building materials from their manufacturers to encourage whole life thinking.

Chart 1: Uses of concrete by European Ready Mixed Concrete Organisation (ERMCO) members in 2018. Source: ERMCO.

Just how much concrete the world uses each year is a question beyond the scope of this article, given its range of applications and diversity of users. For example, the Cement Sustainability Initiative (CSI) estimated 25Bnt in 2009. Later, the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) technical committee for concrete, reinforced concrete and pre-stressed concrete placed the figure at around 33Bnt in 2016. It is worth considering how and where concrete is actually used. The chart above from the European Ready Mixed Concrete Organisation (ERMCO) shows how its members used concrete in 2018. Note that use in buildings comprised the biggest share, nearly two thirds, but that the rest included infrastructure, pavements, roads and more. Lifecycle thinking and its various offshoots can apply to all of these applications. Yet it’s easier to imagine a concrete building shell being reused within its lifespan than, say, a bridge or a road. Concrete used in infrastructure seems more suitable for re-use further down the waste hierarchy, such as recycling as an aggregate.

A few final thoughts to consider are that both Cemex and gypsum wallboard manufacturer Etex have invested in modular and/or offsite construction companies in January 2021. Both targets were relatively small companies suggesting growing interest in these sectors by larger players. Offsite building construction suits lifecycle thinking well because the modular components start off being built elsewhere before installation. Factoring in what happens afterwards should be relatively easy and expandable at scale. Finally, LafargeHolcim announced this week that it is acquiring two ready-mix concrete and aggregate suppliers in France and Italy that will give it 35 concrete plants in the region.

Sustainability places lifecycle thinking into mainstream building practice and some methods and tools will inevitably make it into any policy framework the GCCA will recommend. Whether some or all of the ideas above hang around remains to be seen but lifecycle thinking in some form or another is here already and not going anywhere.

The proceedings and video of the Virtual Global Concrete Conference 2021 are available to buy now

Register for the 2nd Virtual Global Concrete Seminar - 'Future Concrete' on 14 September 2021

US: The Mississippi Lime Company (MLC) has appointed Ryan Seelke as its Director of Safety. His focus will be on proactive risk-based safety practices, leadership, and training.

Prior to joining MLC, Seelke worked at Doe Run as a leader in their safety department. He also owned and led a private legal practice specialising in mine safety law and consulting before that assignment. He holds an MBA from St. Louis University, a law degree from Washington University and an economics degree from the University of Central Missouri. He is also pursuing a master’s degree in Occupational Safety Management from the University of Central Missouri. In addition, Ryan is a Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) certified trainer.

France: HGH Group has appointed Vincent Leboucher as president. He succeeds Thierry Campos who is retiring after being in the post since 2001.

Leboucher, aged 40 years, graduated from the Institut d'Optique Graduate School in 2002 and joined HGH in 2003 as an electro-optics engineer. His progression within the company saw him take on the position of Head of Research & Development in 2010 and Deputy General Manager in 2018.

During Campos’ time leading HGH the company launched its Wide Area Surveillance product line and the development of its international sales with growth in Asia and North America. In 2016, HGH acquired the electro-optics test and measurement specialist Electro Optical Industries in California, US. Then in 2018 the Carlyle Group acquired a majority stake in the group.

HGH was founded in 1982. It develops and sells optoelectronic and infrared systems and software for surveillance applications, test and measurement and industrial thermography in different end-markets. The company operates two research and development and assembly sites in the Optics Valley near Paris, France and in California, US. The company provides solutions to clients across 40 countries through two recognised brands, HGH Infrared Systems and Electro Optical Industries (EOI).