Displaying items by tag: strategy

France: Cemex France reduced the total emissions of CO₂ from its concrete and aggregates logistics operations by 10% in the two years between 2021 and 2023. The company achieved this through various initiatives, including equipment upgrades, route optimisation and the substitution of alternative fuels, including hydrogenated vegetable oil in pusher vessels, and biogas where possible. The producer says that the reduction aligns with its FRET21 transport sustainability initiative, as well as its Future in Action 2050 net zero roadmap.

Cemex France is currently preparing to renew or expand its commitment to the FRET21 initiative for another three years.

US: Heidelberg Materials North America has acquired aggregates and asphalt producer Highway Materials. Highway Materials is based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and operates four stone quarries, a concrete recycling facility and other assets, with 350 employees. Heidelberg Materials previously acquired Texas-based aggregates producer Victory Rock and concrete recycling company Aaron Materials earlier in July 2024. The deals advance Germany-based Heidelberg Materials’ strategy of growth through small-to-medium-sized synergistic bolt-on acquisitions. The combined value of the acquisitions is US$380m, with anticipated earnings synergies of US$50m.

Heidelberg Materials North America president and CEO Chris Ward said “We are excited to further expand our footprint in two of the fastest-growing areas in the US. The addition of these operations complements our existing aggregates businesses in Texas and Pennsylvania, while also adding to our rapidly growing portfolio of circular solutions across North America.”

Heidelberg Materials chair Dominik von Achten said “These latest US acquisitions reflect the progress of our ongoing efforts to optimise our portfolio by expanding our presence in this key region. We will continue on our growth trajectory in our key markets around the globe, while pursuing the industry’s most ambitious sustainability goals.”

US: Cemex USA has entered into a joint venture for the production and distribution of aggregates in the Mid-South region with Couch Aggregates and Premier Holdings. Cemex USA has a pre-existing strategic partnership with Couch Aggregates. The group says that the vertical integration of this, along with Premier Holdings’ Gulf Coast marine terminals, will accelerate its regional growth. Cemex aims to raise the total US contribution to its earnings before interest, taxation, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) from 29% to 40% in the ‘medium-term’ future.

President Jaime Muguiro said "This joint venture will create significant opportunities for both parties by utilising vertical integration and leveraging each other's capabilities for growth. We remain committed to increasing our capacity to serve the US market with more sustainable and innovative solutions."

Cemex USA’s Mid-South region covers 27 ready-mix concrete plants in Alabama, 24 in Georgia, 11 in Tennessee and one in Virginia, and aggregates sites in Alabama, Georgia and South Carolina.

UK: The British Standards Institution has introduced a revised BS 8500 standard for concrete. The revised BS 8500 standard opens new possibilities for concrete producers to combine CEMII/A-L Portland limestone cement (PLC) and ground granulated blast furnace slag (GGBFS) in a wider range of exposure classes.

Mineral Products Association (MPA) chair and Cemex UK Materials managing director Lex Russell said “As the first UK company to introduce net-zero CO₂ concrete in 2020, we have the ongoing responsibility to deliver lower carbon products at scale. The incoming changes to BS 8500 are welcomed by all at Cemex as it underpins our ambitious global goal for Vertua lower-carbon cement and concrete products to reach half of all cement and concrete sales by 2025.” He added “The amended concrete standard will serve to keep us on track with our decarbonisation goals, with the primary objective to become a net-zero CO₂ company by 2050. It also aligns with our Future in Action programme to achieve sustainable excellence through climate action, circularity and natural resource management.”

India: Finland-based Betolar introduced its artificial intelligence-based service for production of reduced-CO₂ concrete using its Geoprime additive at World of Concrete India 2023 on 18 October 2023. Betolar designs recipes and provides a liquid chemical dosing system and post-production services to Geoprime users. Dow Jones Institutional News reports that Betolar has concluded strategic tie-ups in South and West India, and is ‘actively planning’ further expansion.

Managing director Abhishek Bhattacharya said "Interest in our solution is growing fast in India and we have successfully demonstrated that the twin goal of sustainability and performance can be achieved remarkably faster with Betolar’s Geoprime solution.”

New Zealand: The Global Cement and Concrete Association has welcomed Fletcher Building’s concrete division as its first member from Oceania. Scoop News has reported that the concrete’s division’s business spans the entire concrete value chain, including 26 limestone and aggregates quarries and 80 ready-mix concrete batching plants. Its cement subsidiary Golden Bay Cement operates the 0.9Mt/yr Portland cement plant in Whangārei, New Zealand.

Fletcher Building concrete division CEO Nick Traber said "Fletcher Building firmly believes we can play a significant part in a carbon zero and circular future. Our Golden Bay EcoSure cement is one of the lowest-carbon cements in the world already, with 13 - 22% less embodied carbon than imported products. We believe having access to the global research and knowledge from the GCCA will help us improve this further and continue to lead Australasia in best practice decarbonisation of the built environment."

US: The Global Cement and Concrete Association (GCCA) has signed an international partnership agreement with the American Concrete Institute (ACI). Under the agreement, the partners will collaboratively develop and disseminate information on concrete production and its use in construction, with a view to advancing best practices in sustainability.

The ACI said "ACI cooperates closely with our international partners, benefitting everyone in the global concrete community. ACI looks forward to working with the GCCA towards a future where everyone has the knowledge needed to use the latest concrete technologies effectively to meet the demands of a changing world."

Europe: Cemex has reported its success in a trial of zero-CO₂ emissions concrete mixer trucks across its operations in France, Germany and Poland. The trial implemented Germany-based Putzmeister’s IONTRON E-Mixer prototype trucks and mobile charging stations. Cemex was able to recharge the vehicles from 20% battery in eight hours. This will enable it to maintain its supply of concrete to construction sites during their operating hours.

Cemex Europe’s mobile equipment fleet and category manager Craig Hooper said “Transport is one of the key areas where Cemex is striving to reduce carbon emissions. Our company is constantly looking for new, more environmentally-friendly transport solutions, hence the decision to conduct extensive pilot studies to verify the possibilities offered by electric concrete mixers. The positive results of the trials in Europe now allow us to think positively about the potential implementation of these vehicles, which will bring Cemex closer to achieving its climate goals.”

Mexico: Cemex aims for more than 50% of its sales cement and concrete to consist of Vertua reduced-CO₂ products by 2025. In the first quarter of 2022, Vertua concrete accounted for 31% of Cemex’s concrete sales, while Vertua cements accounted for 34% of its cement sales.

CEO Fernando Gonzalez said “The ultimate objective of our Future in Action programme is to provide our customers with net-zero carbon products and solutions. Our Vertua products are an important step in this direction, designed to meet society’s demand for resilient and long-lasting buildings and infrastructure built with a lower carbon footprint.”