HeidelbergCement Technology Center

Research and Technology | Heidelberg Materials | The aim of research and development (R&D) at HeidelbergCement is to develop innovative products as well as process improvements and new formulations, in order to minimise the use of energy and CO2 emissions. Our Research and Development Activities The innovation work at HeidelbergCement can essentially be divided into five areas of focus: Products and Applications The main priority is the development and improvement of binders and concretes with optimised properties and innovative functionalities. In 2020, we focused on reducing CO2 emissions by analysing the life cycle of concrete. Improving the characteristics of cement and concrete is an important lever in terms of both optimising the use of these building materials and reducing the overall CO2 emissions associated with concrete use. Cement production Continuous improvement and ­sharing of best practice are important points of focus in the ­cement business line. This is illustrated by the Continuous Improvement Program (CIP), Maintenance Improvement Program (MIP), and Operational Excellence (OPEX). In 2020, we built on the progress made in 2019 with ­respect to digitalisation. Digital technologies allow us, for instance, to monitor plants and provide support remotely. We further advanced the introduction of the Expert System, a software solution for optimising production. Aggregates In the aggregates business line, our Continuous Improvement and Performance Management programme (CI Agg) aims to make improvements along the entire value chain, from the extraction of raw materials to production processes and sales. We have a similar programme in the asphalt operating line. Ready-mixed concrete The Competence Center Readymix (CCR) is pursuing the objective of generating savings in the ready-mixed concrete operating line and improving the quality of products and services. This will be achieved through an improvement programme examining all parts of the ready-mixed concrete business from the ground up: raw material delivery, logistics, production, product range, production facilities, and concrete pumps. Development of cements and concretes with improved carbon footprint We are developing composite cements and concretes with less clinker and cement. Reducing the proportion of clinker in cement is the most important lever when it comes to minimising energy consumption and CO2 emissions, as well as preserving natural raw materials. We also work on processes to incorporate CO2 in our products by means of carbonation, which allows us to use building materials for CO2 storage. Organisation Our global competence centers Heidelberg Technology Center (HTC), Competence Center Materials (CCM), Competence Center Readymix (CCR), and teams from the two centers for R&D and product innovation – Global R&D (GRD) and Global Product Innovation (GPI) – pool the knowledge in our Group and make it available to all operating units. Central R&D and innovation We have concentrated the Group-wide R&D and innovation activities in the cement, ready-mixed concrete, and aggregates business lines in our two research centers in Leimen (GRD), Germany, and Bergamo (GPI), Italy. While the team in Leimen focuses on the reduction of CO2 emissions, CO2 use in building materials, resource efficiency, and a decrease in production costs, our activities in Bergamo concentrate on the development of sustainable, low carbon concrete solutions for innovative concrete applications, infrastructure rehabilitation, and new market opportunities. Technology and innovation Technical centers support our national companies in each Group area. In the cement business line, this is the HTC with four area organisations. They assist our cement plants with all technical issues, from securing raw materials and operational optimisations to process control and quality assurance. With investment projects, HTC locations are involved in project management until a new installation or plant is commissioned or optimisation measures have been completed. Similarly, the CCM supports the aggregates and asphalt business areas Group-wide with programmes for continuous improvement and performance management. Its tasks also include the planning and implementation of projects as well as digitalisation and automation. The CCM also offers training and further education. The CCR, a comparable organisation for the ready-mixed concrete business line, focuses on continuous improvement of the entire ready-mixed concrete business but primarily on the optimisation of raw materials and logistics costs and of the result margin.