Displaying items by tag: Recycling

Germany: Cemex has acquired a majority stake in the Berlin-based recycling company RC-Baustoffe to enhance its circularity business Regenera. The company processes construction, demolition and excavation materials. The acquisition integrates RC-Baustoffe with Regenera, allowing the facility to process up to 400,000t/yr, which will be turned into repurposed aggregates for concrete production.

CEO of Cemex, Fernando González, said “With acquisitions such as this, Cemex continues to strengthen its commitment to circularity through Regenera as well as promoting the world’s transition to a more circular economy. Construction and demolition materials account for more than 30% of global ‘waste’ streams and reintegrating these materials into the construction value chain can reduce the use of virgin raw materials."

Heidelberg Materials inaugurated a plant near Katowice in Poland this week for separating and sorting demolition concrete. This gives us the chance to catch up with the state of construction and demolition waste (CDW) for the cement and concrete sectors and consider the differences between the strategies of the multinational heavy building materials companies in Europe and the US.

The new CDW recycling unit has a capacity of up to 100t/hr. Heidelberg Materials says that it is the “first company in the industry to introduce high-quality, selective concrete separation at this scale.” The company is using its proprietary ReConcrete process to sort out fractions from the CDW including sand, gravel and, finest of all, recycled concrete paste (RCP). That last one is particularly valuable because it can either be used as an alternative raw material for clinker production by replacing limestone or as a secondary cementitious material. Heidelberg Materials is also promoting the potential use of RCP as a carbon sink over the lifetime of a concrete structure via ‘enforced carbonation.’ The RCP is exposed to raw exhaust gases from cement production allowing it to both mineralise CO₂ and act as a clinker substitute. To further explore this option Heidelberg Materials is building an industrial pilot at its Górażdże plant to test the concept with construction expected by the end of 2024.

Both Holcim and Heidelberg Materials have been visibly busy buying up more aggregate recycling companies over the last nine months since Global Cement Weekly last reported on CDW. Holcim acquired Germany-based Mendiger Basalt in January 2024, Switzerland-based Cand-Landi Group and UK-based Land Recovery in June 2024, and Belgium-based Mark Desmedt in July 2024. It also said at the start of the year that it aimed to conclude 15 - 20 new acquisitions in 2024 with a focus on CDW companies in Belgium, France, Germany and the UK. Heidelberg Materials bought UK-based B&A Group in May 2024 and US-based Highway Materials and Aaron Materials in July 2024. Holcim has set itself a target of recycling 12Mt/yr of CDW by 2030 by using its ECOCycle technology. It reported 8.4Mt/yr in 2023 and hopes to reach 10Mt/yr in 2024.

Some of the recycling companies mentioned above are based in the US but the pace of CDW acquisitions have generally been faster in Europe. In the US, meanwhile, the heavy building materials producers have tended to buy more general aggregates companies. Heidelberg Materials announced on 30 July 2024 that it was buying Albany-based Carver Sand & Gravel. This followed the companies mentioned above and Texas-based Victory Rock, also in July 2024. Holcim said in its first half-year results for 2024 that it had ‘executed’ a bolt-on acquisition in the US that would strengthen its aggregate and ready-mixed concrete business. Cemex also revealed a joint-venture agreement with sand and gravel supplier Couch Aggregates and marine bulk product distributor Premier Holdings in July 2024. It said that the move was part of its “ongoing strategy to accelerate growth in the US and expand its aggregates business.” A big recent deal in the sector was the merger of the US-based operations of Summit Materials and Cementos Argos that completed in January 2024. Although at the time we concentrated on the cement-side of the transaction, it also gave the organisation just under 5Bnt of aggregate reserves.

It may be a stretch to call what’s going on here a trend. Yet the large heavy building materials companies do appear to be acting differently in the US and Europe with regards to aggregate companies and CDW recyclers. The main drivers here are the strength of the US market and the stricter environmental legislation in Europe. Higher population density in Europe compared to the US may also be playing a part in the differences in speed of adoption between the two markets. The ongoing Holcim spinoff demonstrates the differences between the two market regions in bold terms. In short, the company has decided to split itself in two in order to meet the different needs of each market. As for CDW, the trickle of acquisitions keep coming and momentum is steadily building.

Germany: Cemex Deutschland has partnered with recycling service provider Alba to construct a new biochar production facility at its Rüdersdorf cement plant in Brandenburg. Named ALCE, the project will utilise biogenic waste to produce biochar, aiming to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from cement production. This initiative is part of the Carbon Neutral Alliance, targeting carbon neutral cement production at Rüdersdorf by 2030.

Belgium: Holcim has completed the acquisition of Mark Desmedt, a Belgium-based company that recycles more than 0.5Mt/yr of construction demolition materials. This acquisition aligns with Holcim's goal to recycle 10Mt/yr of construction demolition materials.

CEO of Holcim, Miljan Gutovic said "With the Mark Desmedt team, we are accelerating our vision to drive circular construction in the key metropolitan areas where we operate to build cities from cities. Strategically located between Brussels and Antwerp, Mark Desmedt will scale up our ECOCycle technology across Belgium, making circularity a driver of profitable growth.”

Mexico: The Secretariat of the Environment (Sedema) has reported that over 5600 tyres collected from illegal dumps in the districts of Xochimilco and Gustavo Madero have been transported to a treatment plant to be used as an alternative fuel for cement production. This initiative is part of a strategy to manage tyre waste, supported by a collaboration with Geocycle Mexico. The effort aims to address public environmental issues caused by tyre disposal in public spaces and environmentally sensitive areas, potentially leading to wildfires. Sedema also plans to expand tyre collection through the Reciclatrón Program to promote comprehensive waste management and reduce the reliance on fossil fuels and mineral extraction.

Switzerland: Holcim has acquired recycling, ready-mix concrete and aggregates company Cand-Landi Group. The company employs 250 people across its operations in Western Switzerland. Holcim plans for Cand-Landi Group to supply alternative raw materials and fuels for use at its Eclépens plant. It says that the acquisition will increase its recycling capacity of construction and demolition materials by 100,000t/yr.

Holcim CEO Miljan Gutovic said "The acquisition of the Cand-Landi Group will advance decarbonisation and circularity in Switzerland, a lighthouse market for innovation at Holcim. I look forward to welcoming all 250 employees of the Cand-Landi Group and investing in our next chapter of growth together."

New Zealand: Golden Bay, New Zealand's sole cement producer and a division of Fletcher Building, is advancing its sustainability goals at its Portland plant near Whangārei. The plant has been incorporating old tyres and treated timber in its production process since 2021, with the Ministry for Environment helping fund US$10m of the US$15.5m to upgrade the plant for the project. The plant uses tyres to replace 55-60% of the coal required, and plans to eliminate coal use by 2030. The facility has increased its use of recycled tyres from 15,000t to 30,000t/yr and is aiming for 40,000t/yr. The government’s Tyrewise programme supports tyre recycling, with the plant also investing in an on-site shredder. Upcoming projects include substituting coal with non-recyclable materials like old carpets and plastics, targeting a 30% reduction in emissions. Construction has already started on the project and it is expected to be completed by the end of 2024, according to the New Zealand Herald.

Manufacturing manager Kelly Stevens said, "We’re diverting 100,000t/yr of waste that would’ve gone to landfill.”

UK: Holcim has completed the acquisition of Land Recovery. This acquisition broadens Holcim's access to construction demolition materials, with Land Recovery having recycled over 300,000t in 2023. The deal follows the previous purchase of Sivyer Logistics.

CEO of Holcim, Miljan Gutovic, said "Land Recovery strengthens Holcim’s leading position in circular construction and advances our group target of recycling 10Mt of construction demolition materials in 2024. I look forward to welcoming all 85 employees of Land Recovery and investing in our next era of growth together."

UK: Heidelberg Materials UK has acquired Bristol-based B&A Group. B&A Group employs a team of 70 and specialises in recycled and primary aggregate supply, site clearance, earthworks, land remediation and sustainable land regeneration. In its most successful year in 2023, the company achieved over US$63.5m in turnover and a pre-tax profit of US$11.5m.

CEO of Heidelberg Materials UK, Simon Willis, said “This announcement follows the completion of our acquisition of Mick George and adds an additional source of high-quality recycled materials for use in our sustainable building materials. It is an exciting opportunity for us, and I am looking forward to working with the B&A Group to grow the business further.”

US: Holcim’s Hagerstown plant in Maryland has increased its alternative fuels substitution rate to 45%, equivalent to 58,000t/yr of engineered fuel. This US$11m initiative utilises end-of-life materials like non-recyclable paper, plastics and fibres, sourced from commercial and industrial materials like packaging. Geocycle, a subsidiary of Holcim US, will process these materials at its new Cumberland facility, which has a capacity of up to 75,000t/yr.

Senior vice president of Manufacturing North for Holcim US, Michael Nixon, said "Expanding our alternative thermal energy use to 45% provides multiple environmental and economic benefits, from lowering the net carbon intensity of our cement to reducing our consumption of traditional fuels. Importantly, it enables us to play a role in the circular economy, offering a highly safe and ecological solution for unused materials."