Cemex Admixtures have recently had an article featured in the publication, World Cement. You can read the full article below.

Please attribute comment to: Dietmar Voetsch, Director of Mortars & Admixtures for Cemex Europe.

Over the past few years we have arguably seen more attention paid to the sustainability of industry than ever before, and as a global construction materials company vertically integrated in chemical admixtures, Cemex is ideally situated to support its customers as they strive to reduce their carbon footprint while leveraging admixtures to create value in our core business.

Across the globe, consumers and businesses alike have woken up to the realities of climate change, our contribution to carbon emissions and whether we help or hinder the wider environment, and our industry has been in the frame as one of the most significant global contributors.

We believe that climate action is the biggest challenge of our time and the construction industry has a clear role to play in this effort. We’ve all seen the statistics; the cement industry is the cause of up to 8% of the world’s CO₂ emissions. However, many of us have been and will continue to work hard to reduce this and have made serious pledges to adapt our operations to do so. Indeed, members of the Global Cement and Concrete Association (including Cemex) have committed to net zero concrete by 2050 and agreed to an ambitious intermediate goal of preventing five billion tonnes of CO₂ emissions by 2030[1], compared to a business-as-usual scenario, equivalent to the CO2 emissions of almost 15 billion passenger flights from Paris to New York[2].

For our part, Cemex has a comprehensive ‘Future In Action’ program that includes a Climate Action strategy, defining a global target to achieve 47% CO₂ reduction per ton of cementitious material by 2030 compared to 1990 levels, a goal which is validated to the 1.5°C scenario of the Science-Based Targets initiative. In Europe, the target is a 55% reduction by 2030 and Cemex was the first company in the sector to align to the EU’s aspiration to achieve this across all member states.

But it’s not just about setting the targets – we must take urgent action to achieve them and demonstrate that we take our commitments seriously. At Cemex, action has already resulted in CO₂ emissions across our global portfolio reducing by 30% since 1990, and in Europe by around 41%. Globally, we have already achieved a 35% alternative fuel substitution rate, with investment taking place across the business to improve this. In two years, we have reduced specific emissions by 9%, a reduction that in the past took more than a decade to achieve.

Furthermore, in 2022 alone, we achieved a 5% CO₂ emissions reduction per ton of cementitious material. This reduction, together with the increased use of clean electricity, allowed us to avoid emitting over 11 million tons of CO₂, equivalent to the annual emissions of 2.4 million passenger vehicles.

While we are rightly proud of these achievements, there is still plenty more to be done and we believe the next decade’s strong action will be critical to set the path towards 2050 and our commitment to be net zero. If we are to meet this goal then everyone, no matter the size or perceived adaptability of our business, will have to make sustainability a priority.

We believe that one of the key ways to enhance the sustainability of construction is through the use of admixtures. Admixtures are essential components in modern construction projects, used to environmentally optimise mix designs, innovate building design, improve placement on jobsites and enhance the long-term durability of concrete.

By reducing the amount of cement needed while maintaining or even improving performance, admixtures can significantly cut the CO₂ emissions associated with the production of concrete. Additionally, admixtures can reduce the water consumption in production, especially important as more areas will face water stress, and provide opportunities for supporting a circular economy and reusing by-products generated elsewhere.

As cement operations have become ever more advanced, incorporating new technology and innovation to reduce clinker and grow the range of cements available, so also new, high performing admixtures are needed.

Cemex Admixtures is a global player in the construction chemicals arena, supplying value-added admixtures solutions to address the performance and increasingly eco-conscious needs of a broad base of customers in the construction industry (including cement, concrete, precast, aggregates and mortars) across over 30 countries worldwide. The Cemex Admixtures business comprises 15 manufacturing facilities in 12 countries, offering a broad range of more than 500 solutions.

Indeed, Cemex is one of the few players within the heavyside industry with an Admixtures unit, which provides Cemex with the ability to develop admixture solutions to accelerate the decarbonisation of the industry, not only in cement but also in readymix, precast and mortars. This is in tandem with other attributes to enable water reduction, industrialised construction process optimisation and materials recycling.

The wide array of innovative and efficient admixtures solutions offered by Cemex is powered by unparalleled R&D capabilities; with Cemex Admixtures’ main R&D centre based in Switzerland and supported locally in each market with high-tech production facilities, specialised laboratories, and highly qualified technical experts to adapt to each specific customer need. Over 200 new solutions have been developed over the last five years alone, and these already represent over 35% of Cemex Admixtures sales.

In particular, the use of non-traditional sourced raw materials to produce Admixtures represent a perfect example of Cemex’s ability and determination to innovate in this relevant arena. This new solution, enhancing Cemex’s range of Vertua® solutions, are a breakthrough development.

Use of Cemex’s non-traditionally-sourced raw materials can significantly enhance the sustainable performance of several applications:

• ISOPLAST BIO: concrete plasticiser that achieves higher levels of workability with the same water content, enabling a carbon reduction of up to 10%.
• ISOFLEX BIO: concrete plasticisers and superplasticisers that reduce carbon and water use by up to 20-30%.
• ISOFLOW BIO: high-performance superplasticiser technology for ready-mix concrete producers, enabling water and carbon reductions of up to 50% in concrete mix designs.
• ISOMILL BIO: grinding aids and cement enhancers that provide a significant carbon reduction of up to 10%, higher process efficiency, and enhanced strength.

These new admixture solutions give the opportunity to be innovative and help find a way to introduce non-traditionally sourced raw materials into our products, that will in turn accelerate the construction industry’s purposeful journey towards ensuring more sustainable urbanisation – and by being more compatible they will contribute to reducing carbon footprint, improving the efficiency of production processes, optimising the use of resources (energy, water, raw materials) and enhancing the performance of materials that will foster new construction methods and lead to smart cities. For even greater eco-efficiency and reduced emissions, these admixtures can be combined with other solutions from Cemex’s broader Vertus concrete range.

Cemex views admixtures as a vital part of its business, and key to the success of its climate action strategy, because it brings value on many fronts. Today, more than ever, our experience and innovation in admixtures enables us to contribute to more sustainable construction.

We all know that the products we make are essential; the construction industry and indeed the wider world simply cannot function without cement, concrete and aggregates. At Cemex, we commit to continue leading the industry in climate action not only because it creates value, but more importantly, because it is the right thing to do. Cemex is building a better future, and that future must be net zero CO₂.

[1] The roadmap put forward by GCCA will achieve 4.9 billion tonnes reductions of carbon between now and 2030 (GCCA Roadmap calculation).

[2] ICAO calculates the carbon footprint of a flight between CDG and JFK as 333.6kg [Link] making the 5 billion tonne carbon saving equivalent to 14.9 billion passenger flights.