“As part of our global business excellence initiative, we intend to further optimise effectiveness, processes and structures of our French sites,” says Dr Dominik von Achten, chairman of the HeidelbergCement managing board. “We want to considerably speed up the modernisation of our plants to enhance our performance in France while ensuring alignment with the goals of the Paris agreement. This is why we focus our initiatives on the main CO₂-emitting plants in France.”
The programme comprises investments of around €400mn at the Ciments Calcia plants, of which nearly €300mn are earmarked for the Airvault site alone. The company intends to adapt the organisation at its French headquarters and at two of its production sites in France in the following way:
− Conversion of the plant in Gargenville (Yvelines) into a modern grinding centre and shut down of the kiln system and quarry operations. This adjustment would, in particular, enhance the sustainability of this strategically important site, which supplies the Parisian basin via inland waterways.
− Shut down of white cement production at the Cruas (Ardèche) site. The site would be converted into an automated cement terminal for the distribution of white cement.
− Review of the organisation of headquarters in Guerville (Yvelines) and adaptation to the company’s transformation.
The reorganisation would result in the reduction of 162 jobs and the creation of 20 new jobs.
Headquartered in Heidelberg, Germany, HeidelbergCement is significantly pushing its ambitious climate goals. By 2025, the company aims to reduce specific net CO₂ emissions to below 525kg per tonne of cementitious material. This figure corresponds to a reduction of 30% compared to 1990. To achieve this goal, the company has defined concrete measures for all plants worldwide. The investment and reorganisation programme in France will contribute to reaching this goal.
