ConstructionEngineering solutions to reduce emissions in cement production

As cities continue to grow, so do the demands on the construction industry. With innovative materials, engineering expertise, and advanced cement technologies, thyssenkrupp supports the construction sector with technologies for energy efficiency, lower clinker use and carbon capture.

Cement plant as an example of plant engineering in the cement industry; tall silos behind a row of green trees by the lake

Technologies for growing cities and lower emissions

thyssenkrupp Calvion employees at a cement plant inspecting industrial equipment used in cement production.

Urbanization is reshaping the demands on the construction industry worldwide. Growing cities require high-performance infrastructure and durable building materials, while the industry must significantly reduce its CO₂ emissions.

With engineering expertise, many years of industry experience, and innovative materials, systems, and technologies, thyssenkrupp Polysius and thyssenkrupp Calvion help customers meet these challenges. Together, they develop solutions for the construction industry that combine economic growth with resource efficiency.

Materials for resource-efficient construction

A close-up of a modern building facade featuring pladur® profiles from thyssenkrupp Steel against a blue sky.

Modern buildings must be resource-efficient and cost-effective without compromising on design or functionality. thyssenkrupp Steel materials contribute through corrosion protection and long service life.

One example is pladur®, a high-quality flat steel with an organically coated strip, from thyssenkrupp Steel. It combines excellent corrosion protection with outstanding formability, offering a wide range of design possibilities for façades, roofs, and interior applications. The result is durable solutions that combine architectural freedom with high material quality.

Learn more about pladur® and innovative materials

Cutting CO₂ emissions in cement production

Large-scale cement plant with production buildings, process facilities, and conveyor systems. The image shows a cement plant built by thyssenkrupp Polysius for industrial cement production.

Engineering solutions for cement plants

Cement is indispensable to the construction sector. It is one of the most widely used building materials in the world, but at the same time accounts for about 7 to 8 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions. The cement industry therefore faces the challenge of decarbonizing its production while remaining economically viable.

thyssenkrupp Polysius supports cement manufacturers worldwide — from planning and engineering through plant construction to modernization, operation, and service. This results in cement plants that combine resource efficiency, productivity, and cost-effectiveness and support the decarbonization of cement production.

Industrial facility with process buildings and production facilities for cement manufacturing.

Capturing CO₂ from cement production

With Pure Oxyfuel, thyssenkrupp Calvion has developed an innovative carbon capture technology that supports the decarbonization of the cement industry. Unlike the conventional clinker burning process, the limestone is not burned in ambient air but with pure oxygen. At the research facility in Mergelstetten, Pure Oxyfuel increases CO₂ concentration in the flue gas and creates the conditions for capturing nearly 95% of CO₂ emissions from cement production.

Decarbonizing cement production step by step

Decarbonizing the cement industry requires the integration of various technologies. Only by combining them can CO₂ emissions be effectively reduced while ensuring cost-effective production. To this end, thyssenkrupp Calvion and thyssenkrupp Polysius are developing solutions across the entire production process — from alternative fuels and lower-emission processes to CO₂ capture.

Replacing fossil fuels

thyssenkrupp Polysius develops solutions that enable cement plants to significantly reduce their use of fossil primary fuels. These technologies already allow plants to operate using up to 100 percent alternative fuels, thereby reducing the use of fossil fuels in cement production.

Reducing CO₂ by using activated clay

Polysius® activated clay can reduce CO₂ emissions from cement production by up to 40 percent. The process replaces a portion of the clinker with activated clay, requires less energy, and helps reduce both emissions and production costs.

Capturing CO₂ from existing facilities

In collaboration with Holcim and the Technical University of Berlin, thyssenkrupp Uhde is developing CO₂ capture solutions for existing cement plants. A research project at the Beckum site is testing a modern amine scrubbing technology that can be retrofitted without major changes to the production process. The captured CO₂ can then be used as a feedstock for the production of methanol or or synthetic fuels.

Partnerships as the key to transformation

thyssenkrupp Calvion employees in the laboratory.

Decarbonizing the building materials industry can only be achieved through collaboration between industry, research, and technology development. That is why thyssenkrupp works closely with customers, research institutions, and international partners. Together, they create innovations that bring new technologies into industrial practice more quickly and drive the decarbonization of cement production worldwide.

How our innovations are shaping the construction industry

Discover stories, background information, and projects related to our solutions for the construction industry.

Cement plant with industrial facilities and silos, surrounded by trees and a lake in the foreground, as an example of technologies for reducing CO₂ in cement production.

Carbon capture: Reducing CO₂ emissions in cement production

How can CO₂ be captured at existing cement plants? A research project by thyssenkrupp Uhde, Holcim and TU Berlin is developing carbon capture technologies to reduce CO₂ emissions at existing cement plants.

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