GCCA launches new category of membership
New global initiative aims to deepen collaboration throughout industry value chain and accelerate net-zero progress
THE Global Cement and Concrete Association (GCCA) has launched a new initiative and category of membership – Net Zero Value Chain Partners (NZVCP) – to support and help deliver the industry’s net-zero mission.
With a membership that extends beyond cement and concrete manufacturers alone, the NZVCP initiative is for organizations in the wider building value chain, such as equipment suppliers, admixture companies, industrial infrastructure partners for carbon capture, utilization and storage, and other solutions providers, to share expertise, innovation and ideas, and key engagement to help decarbonize the industry.
Dominik von Achten, GGCA president and chairman of the managing board of Heidelberg Materials, said: ‘Our industry is fully committed to reaching Net Zero, and we are working hard to drive progress. However, we know we cannot achieve it alone and need the support, expertise, and partnerships across our value chain. That’s why we have created a new engagement structure to work closer with organizations who are also committed to building a net-zero future.’
Value chain companies will partner with the GCCA’s 50 world leading cement and concrete producers, participating in activities, working groups, key events and programmes, and deepening collaboration across the industry to help decarbonize cement and concrete.
GCCA chief executive Thomas Guillot said: ‘Concrete is seen as the essential material because it is used all across the world in buildings, houses, and key infrastructure, underpinning our modern world. It makes great sense to engage more deeply with those who provide our industry equipment, services, and solutions for the manufacture and use of our material. I’m very excited about working more closely to help deliver on what is now a shared mission.’
The GCCA has already welcomed its first NZVCPs – CDE; KHD; Master Builders Solutions; Saint-Gobain; Schneider Electric; and Sinoma International.
Darren Eastwood, strategic development director at CDE, said: ‘CDE are thrilled to be joining the GCCA. The transformative potential of turning under-utilized and discarded materials into catalysts for decarbonization is immense for the cement and concrete industry. This is not just collaboration; the Net Zero Value Chain Partners programme is a bold step towards reshaping our joint future.’
Matthias Mersmann, chief technology officer of KHD, said: ‘We highly welcome the GCCA’s approach to open the membership for value chain partners, because we know that innovation projects in the cement industry can only be successful when cement producers and technology suppliers co-operate intensely. This is even more true for solving the biggest challenge that has ever been posed to the cement industry: the transformation into the decarbonized and digitized future. The GCCA provides a platform for all cement stakeholders for networking and co-operating.’
Paul H. Seiler, vice-president of marketing at Master Builders Solutions, said: ‘We are very pleased to join the GCCA as a Net Zero Value Chain Partner. Master Builders Solutions are focused on developing technologies that will enable the decarbonization of our industry. This initiative is key in bringing the main stakeholders to the table and working together towards achieving this important goal.’
Gustavo Blazquez, specialty construction chemicals business line director at Saint-Gobain, said: ‘Saint-Gobain are proud to join the GCCA’s ‘Net Zero Value Chain Partners’ initiative, reinforcing our Group’s commitment to sustainable construction. Through our Chryso and Fosroc additives and admixtures, we actively contribute to reducing the carbon footprint of cement and concrete and supporting a circular economy. By engaging in this collective effort, we aim to accelerate progress across the value chain and help build a more sustainable future, in line with Saint-Gobain’s purpose: ‘Making the world a better home’.’
Maxime Ramael, global business development manager, Green Cement, Schneider Electric, commented: ‘We are proud to join the GCCA as a Net Zero Value Chain Partner. At Schneider Electric, our mission is to accelerate sustainability through innovation, combining digitalization, electrification, and advanced energy management solutions. By harnessing the power of software and Artificial Intelligence alongside our industrial expertise, we help the cement sector reimagine processes, optimize operations, and reduce emissions at scale. The road to decarbonization demands not only ambition but also collective action, and we believe technology is the catalyst that turns vision into reality. Together with the GCCA and its members, we are determined to deliver measurable outcomes for the industry and society. By joining forces, we will create lasting Impact — driving efficiency, resilience, and sustainability across the entire value chain on the journey to net zero.’
Dr Sui Tongbo, vice-president of Sinoma International, said: ‘We are very pleased to join the GCCA as a Net Zero Value Chain Partner. We focus on delivering cutting-edge decarbonization total solutions for the cement industry, which are essential to achieving a net-zero future. These include technologies for energy efficiency improvement, alternative raw materials and fuels and new energy, clinker substitution by SCM, new low-carbon clinker cements, oxy-fuel combustion coupled with carbon capture, and extended carbon mitigation technologies along industry chain. We look forward to collaborating with global partners, sharing expertise, and accelerating the transition towards a sustainable future together.’
