Ecocem, Europe’s leading independent producer of low-carbon cement, has announced the construction of its first production facility dedicated to ACT, its low-carbon, globally scalable cement technology, at its Dunkirk site. This new production line will be operational by 2026 and initially provide an annual production capacity of 300,000 tonnes of ACT.
This expansion and upgrade to capacity will significantly increase the Dunkirk plant’s overall production capacity to more than 1,000,000 tonnes per year, strengthening the company’s position in Northern France, the Paris area, and export regions. Starting in 2025, the expansion will sustain existing jobs and create new direct and indirect employment opportunities in Dunkirk, a Regional Aid Zone (AFR) supported by the European Union.
Accelerating the production and deployment of ACT further reinforces Ecocem’s commitment to delivering a technology capable of drastically reducing cement carbon emissions, cost-effectively, within this decade.
This new ACT production line at Dunkirk, a world first, is a joint venture between Ecocem in France and CB Green, a division of Groupe CB. It will deliver a 70% reduction in the CO2 footprint of cement (compared to the average footprint of cement in Europe) produced at the plant, and will accelerate cement decarbonisation for Dunkirk, the Hauts-de-France Region, France, and the European Union by up to a decade, based on current industry forecasts.
The focus in the first half of 2025 will be on installing the key component of the facility, the mill, which will produce the required fillers, as well as expanding blending and storage facilities for ACT. Construction will begin in early 2025, with a view to delivering ACT to the market in the second half of 2026.
The support of public French authorities was invaluable in funding the plant expansion and represents Ecocem’s first public funding since the company was founded in 2000. The total investment for this plant expansion is €50 million, funded through a bank loan classified as a “Green Loan” by the EthiFinance agency and supported by both the French Government and Local Authorities. “Première Usine” (first factory) Call for Projects led by France 2030 has awarded a €3.6 million grant. The France 2030 programme aims to sustainably transform key economic sectors through technological innovation and position France as a global leader in tomorrow’s economy. This funding is complemented by grants from the Hauts-de-France Region and the Dunkirk Urban Community. These public funds will enable Ecocem and its partner and limestone supplier, CB Green, to ensure the first commercial production and delivery of ACT at Ecocem’s Dunkirk site.
Commenting on this significant step forward, Donal O’Riain, Founder and Managing Director of Ecocem Group, said: “The industrialisation of our ACT technology marks a historic turning point for the cement industry. Cement manufacturing processes have remained unchanged for 200 years; ACT represents a true technological breakthrough and an opportunity to rapidly decarbonise what is one of the world’s most polluting industries – responsible for almost 8% of global emissions – without compromising quality and performance, or significantly increasing costs.
“The support of public authorities, particularly through France 2030, validates our vision and innovative capability. This is a major recognition for Ecocem and our ACT technology, which has received its first public funding since the company was established in 2000.
“In 2026, we will be able to offer the market a low-carbon solution deployable on an industrial scale. This advancement, supported by major industrial players and public authorities, positions France and, more broadly, Europe at the forefront of cement decarbonisation.”
Developed over nearly a decade of intensive research, ACT is a major advance in cement decarbonisation. It enables a 70% reduction in CO2 emissions compared with the European average for cement emissions. ACT achieves this by maximising the use of locally available alternative materials, known as supplementary cementitious materials (SCMs), while ensuring the required performance characteristics for any concrete made with it—namely durability, workability, mechanical strength, and cost-performance.
ACT is a proprietary technology that utilises a specific blend of minerals and additives combined with optimised particle size distribution. It can be produced at almost all existing cement plants without significant investments or modifications and does not require changes in construction practices.
ACT technology has already been used in over 20 pilot projects in France, Belgium, and the UK. It has obtained a European Technical Assessment (ETA) in Brussels and is undergoing certification by France’s CSTB (Scientific and Technical Centre for Building in France). Concrete made with ACT technology demonstrates the performance required by any concrete it is used to make, paving the way for significant construction decarbonisation.
