Cement in transition

What changes are shaping the cement industry?

Various challenges meant that the cement industry did not grow as strongly as forecast last year. In some countries, the construction industry is struggling with specific economic difficulties. Globally, however, it is primarily faced with the task of reducing its CO₂ emissions. As most of the emissions come from the cement, efforts are underway to reduce the amount of cement used and use cements that produce less CO₂.

How does this affect your customers?

Cement is defined by its hydraulic properties, meaning that it sets and hardens through a chemical reaction with water. Historically, clinker has been the primary reactive ingredient in cement. But since clinker production is the main source of carbon dioxide emissions, we're now seeing cements with lower clinker content. These cements have altered hydraulic reactions, which directly affects the performance of cementitious products.

So customers need to adjust their products?

Correct. As my colleagues in the WACKER Technical Competence Centers have demonstrated, this can be done. For example, by adjusting the formulation of a tile adhesive and adding special VINNAPAS^® grades, we can counterbalance the altered hydraulic reactions. You can read the results here.

And what happens if cements keep changing?

That is a big topic. According to a 2024 McKinsey study, the cement industry is already replacing clinker with other supplementary cementitious materials (SCMs) and fillers that have a better carbon footprint. Examples are fly ash, ground granulated blast furnace slag, condensed silica fume, limestone dust, cement kiln dust, and natural or manufactured pozzolans. The list is pretty long, and not all of the materials are easy to find everywhere. Some of them are even going to be hard to get in the future. The study authors point out that fly ash, for example, is a byproduct of coal-fired plants, which are being gradually phased out in Europe. It is highly probable that cement compositions will keep on changing. In general, but also regionally. The industry will use those reactive materials which are available at reasonable cost.

_{*The future of supplementary cementitious materials | McKinsey}

What implications will this have for mortar producers and WACKER’s business?

For mortar producers, this implies that their raw materials are changing and that they need to adjust formulations – or at least test them out. We think the best way to deal with this challenge is to work together more closely with everyone in the value chain. Keep in mind that the cement industry manufactures its products primarily for the concrete industry – not the mortar industry. Concrete has different technical requirements than a tile adhesive or an embedding mortar in a thermal insulation composite system.

Doesn’t that also stray into the topic of standards?

Absolutely. Using clinker-replacement products can cut CO₂ emissions from cements by up to 80%. This is great news for all the building products that are made with these cements. But be careful – replacing reactive components can mess with the fundamental properties of the end products. Nobody wants a tile adhesive that's really sustainable, but won’t hold the tiles on the wall. We all want safe products that perform consistently well. That’s what standards are for, and that's why we do standard-compliant tests for our customers with the cement types that are available locally. Thanks to our decades of technical expertise, we are also represented on various standards committees for cementitious construction products and can help adapt standards to changes in the market.

Your overall take on the situation?

The cement industry is bound to change even further. Both worldwide and regionally. For the mortar business, we invite all market participants to share ideas with us. Especially on a regional level, as there probably won’t be a one-size-fits-all answer. I am convinced all the more that teamwork is the best and fastest way to develop products that are sustainable and in line with market needs.