Environment and community engagement tops agenda for new plant manager at Cauldon cement plant
THE newly instated plant manager at Holcim UK’s cement plant in Cauldon, Staffordshire, has put protecting the local environment and boosting community engagement at the top of his agenda for the role.
Gauthier Autrand has more than 20 years’ construction experience in both the UK and around the world, having managed significant facilities in France, Belgium, and Kazakhstan. Throughout his career, he has spent much time developing STEM-related partnerships with politicians in various countries to bring the education system in line with the specific needs of the construction industry and to help address the sector’s growing skills gap.
Holcim UK’s Cauldon cement plant, which employs 155 people, is central to the company’s involvement in the Peak Cluster initiative, one of the UK’s most ambitious carbon capture, transport, and storage (CCUS) projects. Set to launch in 2031, Peak Cluster aims to capture CO² emissions from cement and lime production in Derbyshire. Staffordshire, and Cheshire, safely storing them under the Irish Sea.
Now in post at Cauldon, Mr Autrand feels every bit as committed to tackling the skills gap, with a key focus on local engagement.
‘For me, community engagement is absolutely essential,’ he explained. ‘I recognize the responsibility that we have to the people of Cauldon and the surrounding area, not just as part of the community, but as a local employer also. This is precisely why I am prioritizing engagement with local schools to promote the benefits of a career in construction.
‘The opportunities that Holcim and the wider industry can provide to the next generation are limitless, and we want to inspire young people across Staffordshire to pursue a career in construction. Forging partnerships with local schools and politicians will be key to achieving this goal.’
In addition to boosting engagement with the Cauldon community, another primary focus of Mr Autrand is to safeguard the local environment by minimising the plant’s carbon emissions.
‘While I am pleased to see the efforts that the construction industry is making around reducing CO² emissions,’ Mr Gauthier continued, ‘there is still much more that needs to be done to achieve true decarbonization.
‘Holcim UK are leading the way in making sustainable construction a reality, and this is a cause that I feel very passionately about. My team is working very hard to develop new carbon capture solutions for use at Cauldon, and we are currently looking at ways to incorporate these into the existing infrastructure of the plant.
‘What’s more, we are now using locally sourced alternative fuel sources to further reduce the plant’s carbon footprint. Measures like these are essential for the decarbonization of the local environment and make positive contributions to the UK’s wider net-zero goals.'
Steve Curley, managing director of cement at Holcim UK, added: ‘We are delighted to welcome Gauthier [Autrand] as the new plant manager at our Cauldon cement plant. Not only does Gauthier bring decades of experience from across the globe to his role, but his passion for community engagement and decarbonisation are emblematic of the values that we at Holcim UK hold dear. Gauthier’s plans for Cauldon are truly exciting, and I wish him every success in his role.’
