Heidelberg Materials Opens State-of-the-Art Kiln Line at Airvault Cement Plant, France

Heidelberg Materials has commissioned a new state-of-the-art kiln line at its Airvault cement plant in Nouvelle-Aquitaine, marking a major step forward in both operational efficiency and emissions reduction. The upgrade replaces two semi-dry clinker production lines with a modern dry kiln line featuring a pre-calciner system, increasing efficiency while reducing environmental impact. The new line has a production capacity of 1.25 million tonnes per year.

Dr Dominik von Achten, Chairman of the Managing Board, highlighted the significance of the development, stating that it sets “new benchmarks in operational efficiency and decarbonisation,” while strengthening the company’s low-carbon product offering.

The modernisation is expected to deliver substantial environmental benefits. Around 90% of the plant’s energy demand will be met through alternative fuels, and electricity consumption per tonne of cement will decrease by approximately 10%. In addition, reducing the clinker content in cement will further lower emissions, resulting in an overall carbon footprint reduction of nearly 30% compared to previous production processes.

With an investment exceeding €350 million, partly funded by the French government, the project forms a central part of the company’s long-term decarbonisation strategy. Future plans include incorporating calcined clay into production, a lower-emission alternative to clinker, and launching a new “Q cement” product range aimed at advancing low-carbon construction materials.

The upgrade also paves the way for the AirvaultGOCO₂ project, a planned carbon capture, utilisation, and storage (CCUS) initiative with a capacity to capture around 1 million tonnes of CO₂ annually. Supported by funding from the EU Innovation Fund, the project is part of a broader effort to decarbonise industrial operations in western France.

This milestone aligns with Heidelberg Materials’ wider climate targets, including reducing Scope 1 emissions to below 400 kg of CO₂ per tonne of cement by 2030, generating more than 50% of revenue from sustainable products by 2030, and achieving net-zero emissions by 2050.