Holcim is making a financial contribution to the scaling and rapid market launch of Sublime Systems‘ low-CO2 cement. The investment by the Zug-based company, one of the world’s largest producers of building materials, is driving forward the construction of Sublime’s first commercial production plant. The start-up had already received 87 million dollars from the US Department of Energy in March.
According to a statement from Holcim, the Sublime Systems team has developed a “unique technology” for the decarbonisation of cement, which covers the entire production process from the use of clean electricity to carbon-free raw materials. “We are excited about the potential of this technology and look forward to jointly bringing it to market on a large scale,” Holcim’s Head of Sustainability Nollaig Forrest is quoted as saying.
Holcim has secured a large proportion of the Sublime Cement produced there through a binding purchase agreement. Both partners have set up their own project team to jointly develop further plants.
“In the cement industry, size is everything,” says Leah Ellis, CEO and co-founder of Sublime Systems. “By combining Sublime’s technology with Holcim’s advanced global operations, from manufacturing and logistics to commercial distribution, together we can increase our impact.”
The company currently operates a pilot plant with a production capacity of up to 250 tonnes per year at its headquarters in Somerville, Massachusetts, and is developing its first commercial plant with an annual capacity of 30,000 tonnes, which is scheduled to open in Holyoke, also in Massachusetts, as early as 2026.
