Holcim Mexico will invest MXN200m (US$10.7m) in a new biomass processing plant in Tecomán, Colima, as part of its strategy to accelerate the decarbonisation of cement production.
The facility, to be operated by the company's waste management subsidiary Geocycle, will process around 45,000tpa of sugar industry bagasse. Using hot air recovered from adjacent cement kilns, the plant will dry up to 220tpd of biomass before it is ground and used as an alternative fuel in cement manufacturing.
According to Holcim Mexico, the project will avoid approximately 55,000t of CO2 emissions annually by replacing fossil fuels and diverting agricultural waste that would otherwise pose environmental and fire risks.
Christian Dedeu, CEO of Holcim Mexico, said the investment demonstrates how agro-industrial waste can be transformed into a resource for producing lower-carbon cement while supporting the circular economy. The company said the project forms part of its wider strategy to lead the decarbonisation of the construction sector through innovation and cross-sector collaboration.
