Ecocem invests €170m to scale low-carbon cement technology

The expanded manufacturing capacity is expected to come online between 2028 and 2030 (Photo: AdobeStock)

The French Government, particularly the Ministries of Economy and Finance and Industry, is said to be committed to collaborating closely with Ecocem in the coming months to explore operational and financial solutions that will facilitate the expansion plan.

The new investment adds to the previously announced €50 million allocated for Ecocem’s Dunkirk facility, which is set to deliver its first ACT production line. The new industrial facilities will be located primarily in Fos-sur-Mer and Dunkirk.

The expanded manufacturing capacity is expected to come online between 2028 and 2030. Once fully operational, ACT production in France will reach 1.9 million tonnes per year, reducing CO2 emissions by 800,000 tonnes annually and creating 60 long-term jobs in the country.

The ACT technology, developed by Ecocem over ten years of research and development, has been proven to reduce carbon footprints by 70% compared to average cement. The current challenge is to expand its production across Europe and beyond.

Commenting on the French Government’s commitment and its wider implications, Conor O’Riain, managing director of Ecocem said, “The French government, through the Ministry of Economy and Finance and the Ministry of Industry, has demonstrated its strong commitment to accelerating and supporting the industrialisation of ACT and low-carbon cement technologies.

“We need this kind of commitment and active support across Europe and beyond if we are to radically reduce the carbon impact of cement, responsible for almost 8% of all CO2 emissions globally.  Governments have powerful levers to pull when it comes to accelerating the delivery and adoption of low-carbon solutions, and these don’t need to involve huge subsidies.”