Displaying items by tag: Holcim

Romania: Holcim Romania has invested €700,000 to upgrade its Stancesti aggregates plant in Prahova County. The investment included €450,000 towards a water recirculation and purification plant. Following the completion of works, the Stancesti plant now draws 80% less water.

New Zealand: Holcim New Zealand has received permission to build and operate a new ready-mix concrete batching plant in Dunedin. Local press has reported that the site will feature two silos: a 67t vertical cement silo and a 50t horizontal silo for supplementary cementitious materials (SCMs).

Argentina: Holcim Argentina has acquired ready-mix concrete producer Horcrisa for US$32m. Horcrisa operates seven concrete batching plants in the cities of Caseros, General Pacheco and Isidro Casanova in Greater Buenos Aires, with a combined production capacity of 1.2Mm³/yr.

Holcim Argentina CEO Pablo Bittar noted the importance of Greater Buenos Aires as representing 40% of Argentina's concrete consumption.

Costa Rica: Holcim Costa Rica has inaugurated a new US$650,000, 25m³/hr ready-mix concrete plant in Agua Caliente, Cartago. The El Financiero newspaper has reported that the new plant is equipped to produce Dynamax high-performance concrete and ECOCycle circular concrete. The plant will employ 13 people, including Costa Rica’s first women concrete mixer truck drivers.

CEO Natalia Soler noted the convenient proximity of the concrete plant to its 1.1Mt/yr Agua Caliente cement plant.

UK: Switzerland-based Neustark has partnered with Holcim subsidiary Aggregate Industries to launch the UK’s first mineralisation plant in Greenwich, London. The small-scale mobile plant will sequester CO₂ in recycled concrete produced using fines recovered from construction and demolition materials (CDM). The plant is situated at an existing Aggregates Industries CDM recycling site. A large-scale plant with a sequestration capacity of 1000t/yr of CO₂ is due to follow in early 2025.

Neustark CEO Valentin Gutknecht said "Neustark and Holcim have been working together almost since the founding of Neustark five years ago. 1Mt of CO₂ durably removed from the atmosphere in 2030 – that’s our ambition. We’re already well underway towards the megatonne goal. Our strategic partnership with Holcim represents a significant part of this roadmap. It will be a true catalyst to further scale up the permanent carbon removal impact that we generate in the next few years.”

Aggregate Industries CEO Lee Sleight said that the partnership would turn London into ‘one of the world’s largest urban mines.’ He said “This isn’t just a great carbon removal innovation but a great circular economy innovation, where we are taking what was once a waste stream and reusing it, saving us from digging up virgin materials in the first place."

Neustark has so far sequestered 2500t of CO₂ in circular concrete for use in further construction.

Sweden/Switzerland: Holcim has partnered with US-based retail company Amazon’s Climate Pledge Fund to invest in CO₂-sequestering concrete filler developer Paebbl and 3D printers 14Trees. The Paebbl investment is part of a US$25m Series A funding round jointly led by Germany-based venture capital firm Capnamic. Holcim says that the new investment will help Paebbl to scale up. Meanwhile, 14Trees, which is a joint venture of Holcim and British International Investment, will also scale up its operations to begin 3D printing larger buildings, including data centres.

Paebbl co-CEO Marta Sjögren said "We are thrilled to welcome first movers in their respective fields, Amazon and Holcim, as first commercial partners to bring our vision to market. This funding round enables us to take even bolder steps in our mission to make the built environment a cornerstone of the decarbonised economy."

14Trees managing director Francois Perrot said "We are excited to count Amazon and Holcim as investors in 14 Trees, to take our successful 3D-printed technology from homes and schools to data centres, to deliver low-carbon and high-performance buildings."

Holcim’s chief sustainability officer Nollaig Forrest said "By investing with Amazon’s Climate Pledge Fund into 14Trees and Paebbl, we can scale up these pioneering technologies to push the boundaries of sustainable building, from 3D printing to making concrete a carbon sink."

New Zealand: Holcim New Zealand has acquired a ready-mix concrete plant in Wanaka, Otago, and associated assets from WeMix Concrete. Quarry Magazine News has reported that Holcim New Zealand previously operated 21 ready-mix concrete plants, but just one on New Zealand’s South Island, in Christchurch, Canterbury.

Holcim New Zealand general manager Michael Miller said "WeMix Wanaka has built a strong reputation in Central Otago, and we are excited to welcome and integrate their business into the Holcim family. The purchase and expansion allow us to solidify our presence in the South Island, strengthening our commitment to innovative, sustainable building solutions across New Zealand, while continuing the high-quality service customers have come to expect from WeMix."

Costa Rica: América Construcciones (Amco) has begun building a new 110m³/hr ready-mix concrete batching plant at Villareal in Tamarindo, Guanacaste Province. Noticias Financieras News has reported that the plant will also have an office building on-site. Amco operates in strategic partnership with Switzerland-based Holcim in Costa Rica.

Amco general manager Pablo Labarca said "The opening of our new plant in Villareal is a significant step in our business growth strategy. We are committed to delivering high-quality products and playing a key role in the economic development of the region." Labarca added "We value our partnership with Holcim, which shares our vision in areas such as innovation and sustainability, helping us bring advanced and eco-friendly solutions to the Guanacaste market.”

Peru: Switzerland-based Holcim has acquired ready-mix concrete producer Mixercon and industrial minerals producer Comacsa for US$100m combined. Noticias Financieras News has reported that the acquisitions mark Holcim’s entry into Peru, strengthening its hold in the South and Central American market.

Regional head Oliver Osswald said "The incorporation of Comacsa and Mixercon will allow us to generate synergies and develop export markets.”

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."