INNOVATIVE LOW-CARBON CEMENT LAUNCHES IN US

LafargeHolcim
and US start-up firm Solidia Technologies have announced their first commercial
venture to supply an innovative reduced-CO₂ cement that is designed
to reduce the environmental footprint of precast concrete.

Six years
after the two companies launched a pilot programme to develop low-carbon
precast concrete pavers at EP Henry’s Wrightstown paver and block plant in New
Jersey, the first commercial offerings were launched earlier this year.

Based on
Solidia cement produced at the Lafarge Whitehall plant, a proprietary concrete
mix design and a specialized curing process utilizing CO₂, the two
companies have developed a concrete that is said to be stronger, more durable
and higher performing than traditional versions.

Solidia
Technologies’ new binder is made from raw materials similar to those in
Portland cement and produced in a traditional rotary kiln, but at lower
temperatures and through a different chemical reaction that generates less CO₂.

Used in
the manufacture of precast concrete, the cement hardens through the addition
and absorption of CO₂ (carbonation) in a patented curing process
that is said to reduce the product’s overall carbon footprint by up to 70%.

Moreover,
precast concrete made using Solidia cement reaches strength in less than 24h,
compared with 28 days for precast concrete made using Portland cement.

‘LafargeHolcim
have long been committed to bringing innovative solutions to market and this
commercial agreement with EP Henry is an important step in showing that
reducing our CO₂ footprint through carbon-captured products is
feasible,’ said Jamie Gentoso, chief executive officer of US Cement at
LafargeHolcim.

‘It has
been incredibly rewarding to see how, together, we have collaborated to move
this technology from the experimental phase and into the US market as a viable
product.’

Solidia’s president and chief executive officer, Tom Schuler, added: ‘By offering their technical expertise and market intelligence, LafargeHolcim helped us eliminate barriers to adoption, leading us to this first commercial traction in the US.’https://www.agg-net.com/news/innovative-low-carbon-cement-launches-in-us