Ecocem

Ecocem is an Irish multinational company specializing in the development and production of low-carbon cement. Founded in 2000, the company focuses on reducing CO₂ emissions in the cement and construction industries by utilizing supplementary cementitious materials.

Overview

Ecocem operates production plants and import terminals in Ireland, France, the UK, and the Netherlands. The company is headquartered in Dublin, Ireland, and supplies its products in multiple European markets, including France, Ireland, The UK, Netherlands, Germany, and Belgium. Ecocem's technologies aim to reduce the clinker content in cement, which is responsible for approximately 95% of cement-related CO₂ emissions. The company claims its products have prevented over 18 million tonnes of CO₂ emissions as of 2024.

History

Ecocem was founded in 2000 by Donal O’Riain, who previously held senior management positions in KPMG, CRH plc and Steetley/Redland plc. O’Riain graduated from University College Dublin (UCD) with a degree in electrical engineering and later received the UCD Alumni Engineering Award for his contributions to sustainable construction.

The company’s first production facility opened in the Netherlands in 2002, followed by a plant in Dublin in 2003. In 2007, Saint-Gobain acquired a 30% stake in Ecocem. The same year, Ecocem formed a joint venture with ArcelorMittal, establishing Ecocem France, which opened a plant in Fos-sur-Mer in 2009.

Expansion continued in with import terminals in The UK in Runcorn (2016) and Sheerness 2017. A second French plant was opened in 2018 in Dunkirk (2018). In 2021, Breakthrough Energy Ventures, a climate-focused investment fund founded by Bill Gates, invested €22.5 million in Ecocem for a 10% stake.

Technologies

ACT (Advanced Cement Technology)

ACT is a low-carbon cement technology which the company claims as reducing emissions produced by cement by up to 70%. ACT received a European Technical Assessment (ETA) in 2024 and ASTM C1157 certification in the US in 2025. Partners for ACT trials and development include Cemex France, Bouygues Construction, Titan Group and CB Greene

GGBS (Ground Granulated Blast-Furnace Slag)

Ecocem’s GGBS is a byproduct of steel production that is diverted from landfill and up-cycled into a low-carbon cement. It complies with EU standard EN 15167-1:2006

Other Technologies

• Ecocem Ultra: An alkali-activated binder developed in partnership with Vinci.
• Ecocem Superfine: A slag-based additive for high-performance concrete.
• CEM VI & CEM III/A: Low-carbon cements with varying slag content

Research and Innovation

In October 2025, the company opened a new Research and Innovation Centre in Paris, France costing over €10 million The company funds multiple postdoctoral and PhD research programs and collaborates with academic institutions, including The University of Toronto, University College Dublin and Paris-Saclay University In 2024, Ecocem partnered with Science Foundation Ireland to optimize ACT technology for Irish materials.

Notable Projects

Ecocem’s products have been used in:

• Tottenham Hotspur Stadium (UK)
• Paris 2024 Olympics (France)
• Grand Paris Express (France) 
• HS2 Railway (UK)
• Aviva Stadium (Ireland)
• Convention Centre Dublin (Ireland)
• Hekla Tower (France)
• Maastoren (Netherlands)
• Kieldrecht Lock (Belgium)

References

Category:Irish companies established in 2000 Category:Cement companies