On January 1, 2021, Cementir will begin distributing the cement of the future, named Futurecem. Futurecem has a carbon footprint that is up to 30 percent lower compared to regular cement. As one of the biggest innovations in the construction industry over the last decades, the launch of the patented Futurecem technology constitutes a significant contribution to both the green transition of Cementir Group and the construction industry in general.
Cementir is now ready to launch its new cement, Futurecem. Futurecem is a new gray cement from the Group’s research and development department in Aalborg, Denmark. It is made in close collaboration with its Danish subsidiary, Aalborg Portland.
Futurecem is an innovative, validated and patented technology. It also allows the replacement of more than 35 percent of the energy intensive clinker in cement with limestone and calcined clayinstead. This combination of materials in Futurecem has resulted in a much more sustainable, high grade cement. It boasts up to 30 percent lower carbon footprint compared to regular Portland cement. And Futurecem achieves the low carbon benefits without compromising strength and quality.
What’s next for Futurecem
Following the final approval and standardization in Denmark of the new cement type, January 1, 2021, is the official launch date of Futurecem from the subsidiary Aalborg Portland. With cement being the main component of concrete, which is the most widely used building material in the world, the launch of the patented low carbon cement strikes a chord in the construction industry. The introduction of the innovative Futurecem technology clears the path to more sustainable and eco-friendly constructions in the future.
“Futurecem is a giant step on the way towards more sustainable cement production. This is immensely important if they are to achieve their sustainability goals at Cementir Group. But it is also an important contribution to the green transition of the concrete and construction industries in general. Thanks to the efforts of the research and development department in Aalborg, they are ready to begin distributing the Futurecem technology in Denmark. Soon other subsidiaries in Europe will follow,” says Chief Sales, Marketing & Commercial Development Officer at Cementir Holding N.V., Michele Di Marino.
According to Michele Di Marino, Futurecem is one of the strategic actions to climate change. He is also aware that cement and concrete will continue to play a key role as the building materials of the future.
“Futurecem is a significant but also necessary contribution to the construction industry where cement and concrete are essential building materials both in the present and in the future. The launch of Futurecem is the result of many years of research and development. This places Cementir Group at the forefront as the market leader in sustainable cement.”
It doesn’t stop there
However, development efforts do not stop with the launch of Futurecem. As the global market leader in white cement, Cementir Group and its subsidiary Aalborg Portland have invested in further development and commercialization of the cement technology. This has all taken place at Cementir Group’s research and development department in Aalborg, Denmark.
“By launching Futurecem, they reached an important milestone in their innovation and sustainability efforts. But that is not the end. Currently, they are incorporating the technology to more cement types in the product range. This includes white cement. They have already introduced two white UHPC (ultra-high performance concrete, edit.) premix types with Futurecem technology,” Michele Di Marino concludes.
Within its innovation pipeline, under InWhite, Cementir Group launched UHPC solutions with Futurecem technology in late 2019. The new technology has therefore already been utilized in white cement based innovative premixes such as Aalborg Extreme and Aalborg Excel.
Collaboration pushes development
Futurecem is the result of several research and development projects since 2008. It culminates with the Green Concrete II project supported by Innovation Fund Denmark. Additionally, several companies, public institutions and knowledge centers backed it as well.
The ambition was to develop a new, sustainable cement technology which could also prepare the cement and concrete industry for a future without fly ash which is becoming an increasingly scarce resource with the phasing out of coal-fired power stations.
The results were promising and have formed the basis of Futurecem. This is a carbon-reduced composite cement utilizing the synergy between calcinated clay and limestone filler. It allows the replacement of more than 35 percent of the clinker in cement. But where the replacement of clinker has often resulted in cement of a reduced strength. Futurecem is unique as it maintains the same qualities as pure Portland cement.
The Group’s subsidiary, Aalborg Portland, has already received the first requests for Futurecem. Additionally, the Group expects interest in this new cement type to increase as focus on sustainability in the construction industry continues to grow.
