Stories

Working closely with customer specifiers, Holcim Apasco in Mexico provided a turn-key solution with tailor-made mix designs, specialized application methodologies and the actual placement of highly durable and attractive  industrial concrete flooring.
Floored by design

Gardens by the Bay will be a vibrant green space in Singapore’s downtown district. Holcim Singapore is delivering green, self-compacting, high-early-strength concrete for the park's supertrees – they will be home to enclaves of flowering climbers, orchids, and ferns.
Supertrees: Greening the concrete

In the Greater Toronto Area, a series of high-traffic, multi-lane highways were built with a concrete base more than 30 years ago. When repairs are required, the repair work must be done at night during an eight-hour time window so that the affected portion of the highway could be reopened for the start of the morning rush hour. This challenging task requires a product which achieves design strength (20 MPa) in less than four hours.
Fast Track Concrete

The Perot Museum in Dallas, Texas is a landmark building designed by award winning architect and previous Holcim Awards juror, Thom Mayne. Holcim’s involvement is testament to the power of strong sales legwork driven by a passion for the job. What is more, a subsequent marketing campaign using this project has successfully raised Holcim’s profile in the area and generated leads for further business.

The Perot Museum: Strength, Performance, and Passion in Texas

Aggregate Industries’ planning application for an extension to the existing Bardon Hill Quarry was approved in May 2011. It’s the result of four years of careful listening, planning and assessment.

Leicestershire’s Bardon Hill Quarry will live for at least 40 more years

Water scarcity is an issue in the Western Indian state of Gujarat. Ambuja Cement’s initiatives contribute to solving it – tangible improvements have been achieved.

Initiatives against water scarcity and salinity in Western India

Evergreen Brick Works stands were until 1984 a former quarry and brick making factory was located. The community environmental center, opened in autumn 2010, now inspires and enables community members and visitors to live, work and play more sustainably. Holcim Canada is proud of being a partner and having provided sustainable solutions for the revitalization project.

Evergreen Brick Works and Holcim Canada – a perfect fit

The new cross-city link of the Swiss Federal Railway in Zurich will be completed by 2013. Holcim Switzerland contributes know-how, materials and rail logistics.


Cross-city rail link in Zurich

On Thursday, 10 March, 2011, Holcim Apasco’s new 1.6 million tonne capacity Hermosillo cement plant in the state of Sonora, in north-east Mexico, was officially opened by the President of Mexico, Felipe Calderon Hinojosa, and Markus Akermann, CEO of Holcim.
Inauguration of Hermosillo cement plant in Mexico

Holcim Optimo, a new cement of Holcim (Switzerland), is a sophisticated product for all applications in all respects, delivering an effective contribution to more sustainable building.

Greater building sustainability with Holcim Optimo

The Liefkenshoekspoortunnel is the biggest construction project ever supplied by Holcim Beton Belgium. By this time the railway tunnel near Antwerp is completed, around 400,000 cubic meters of ready-mix concrete will have been produced and delivered to the site.
Underwater, around the clock

Australia’s largest infrastructure project Airport Link will connect Brisbane’s airport and northern suburbs to the north-south bypass tunnel and inner city bypass. Holcim Australia’s Southeast Queensland concrete team is one of the main suppliers for this impressive project.
Linking Brisbane to the airport

Saigon M&C Tower, a 185m high luxury mixed-used building of 6-storey commercial service floors, 180 high-end apartments and 34 floors of offices, will create a new landmark in the downtown of Ho Chi Minh City by the end of 2011. It is built by Bouygues Batiment International with Holcim construction materials..
Saigon M&C – A Tower of Tomorrow

Two initiatives at Holcim Spain aimed at different age groups bear out their sustainability commitment. The 'Holcim Chair' is directed at students, and is a series of courses to study the framework, problematic and perspectives of sustainable development.
Sustainable Spain: Environmental education

The renewable energy system at Holcim US Portland plant demonstrates the commitment of Holcim US to operate by the principles of sustainable development.
The Power of the Sun

Dufferin Construction, a division of Holcim (Canada) Inc., successfully replaced a Bridge in just fifty-one hours with the use of 'Rapid Bridge Replacement Technology' - ahead of the scheduled eighty hour duration permitted for the work.
Dufferin Construction replaces entire overpass in only 51 hours

Saigon International Terminals Vietnam (SITV), a deepwater port located on the South-East coast of Vietnam about 75 kilometres away from Ho Chi Minh City, is coming into being. It will be an entry point for international container traffic to southern Vietnam.
A new gate to southern Vietnam

The cement plant Lägerdorf of Holcim Germany utilizes used rotor blades as alternative resource in the cement production process.
Disused Rotor Blades can now be utilized in Cement Production

The award-winning rehabilitation and restoration of the El Puente gravel pit located between the municipalities of Seseña and Aranjuez, south of Madrid, demonstrates how committed Holcim Spain is to the sustainability of its quarrying activities.
Biodiversity Conservation at El Puente

The 163-meter-high twin towers in Ho Chi Minh City will harbor a luxury hotel, apartments, a business center, a shopping mall and entertainment facilities. Holcim Vietnam is proud to participate in this project as construction materials and solutions provider.
A new landmark in Ho Chi Minh City

One of the greenest office buildings in Europe, IUCN's new Conservation Centre aims to be the first office building in Europe to obtain LEED Platinum certification (highest USA standard) as well as the Swiss MINERGIE Eco-P standard.
IUCN opens one of Europe's greenest office buildings

Ste. Genevieve Plant of Holcim (US) will ensure cement supply for many years to come
Ste. Genevieve Plant inaugurated

Holcim, Paul Scherrer Institute (PSI) and ETH Zurich have brought together the most competent resources to perform long-term oriented research into the use of concentrated solar energy in cement manufacturing.
Solar energy in cement manufacturing

Thanks to the efforts of Holcim Colombia and the association ' Asociación Mujeres Forjadoras de Futuro', the kindergarten of Bogotá's district San Joaquín del Vaticano relocated to a newly constructed building that offers much more comfort to the children.
A place of happiness for some of Bogotà's smallest

The initiative of the spouses of ACC Limited's employees, stands for Association for Health, Education and Development and helps to improve the livelihood opportunities for women. The focus lies on vocational training as well as health and hygiene for the underprivileged.
ACC AHEAD

After its careful renovation in 2008, Indian ACC Limited's headquarters is a showpiece for an office building that complies with highest energy efficiency standards while preserving the building's historical appearance.
A Green Building for a Green Company

Holcim Singapore developed an innovative ultra high-strength, high-performance concrete. The product with the name Holcim Supercrete HS was GreenLabelled by Singapore's Environment Council for its low CO₂-emissions and for preserving natural resources.
Save resources applying an ultra high-strength concrete

In 2004 ACC Limited started a service process for India's individual home builder. These services are highly appreciated by the customers as they save them time and money and guarantee for a long life of their homes.
Help for India's individual home builders

Solusi Rumah, Holcim Indonesia's innovative franchise concept, offers a one stop solution for the customer that is tailored to its needs, affordable, sustainable and can be built in less than four weeks.
Solusi Rumah - Affordable Housing in Indonesia

A key element of the new ring road around Ho Chi Minh City is the impressive Phu My Bridge, which has just been completed. Holcim had been chosen as exclusive supplier of cements for the concrete needed for this project.
Phu My Bridge - high performance construction over the Saigon River

To regulate the intake of biomass it recently devised a contract-system guaranteeing its supply, fixed payment for the transport enterprises and work for the informally employed truck drivers and loaders working for the transporters.
Opportunity on the Doorstep

Almost half of El Salvador's roads is still unpaved. A Public Private Partnership of El Salvadorian Municipalities and Cemento de El Salvador (CESSA) has brought ease to the situation by paving new concrete roads.
Paving new Roads in El Salvador

Minimix trucks, one third smaller than the average truck, are Holcim Indonesia's elegant solution to deliver the ready-to-use concrete to residential areas through the often small access roads of densely populated metropolis Jakarta.
Narrow streets - no longer a problem for Indonesian concrete trucks

Holcim Singapore found a novel way of encapsulating copper slag into concrete, reducing the use of natural sand in cement production and avoiding landfilling that used to be the common way of disposing this "waste".
Waste as meaningful substitute for natural sand

Holcim strives to provide a work environment in which people feel valued and have opportunities for professional development and personal growth as well as a balance between work and private life.
Manager and mother of two

For over 70 years, Brazilian architect Oscar Niemeyer has constructed eye-catching buildings made of concrete. He is now working in his favorite medium to create a new masterpiece - the administrative center in the Brazilian state of Minas Gerais.
New government center in Minas Gerais - in concrete suspension

Holcim New Zealand's Westport quarry has been in operation for nearly 50 years. As part of its long-term commitment, Holcim New Zealand plans to have the land surrounding the quarry fully restored to a maturing native forest by 2040.
An example of Holcim New Zealand's commitment to sustainability

With his design for a new residential development in southern Singapore, Daniel Libeskind does justice to both meanings. Concrete from Holcim is helping to give shape to the reflections of this world-famous architect.
Reflections at Keppel Bay

Holcim Bétons France, Île-de-France region, rebuilt its facility on the Seine in Paris. The new depot blends into the urban fabric by using clever architecture, top-quality materials, and stunning night lighting.
Holcim lights up Paris

Holcim focuses on development of professional and personal skills and encourages teamwork as well as active contribution within a diverse cultural environment. Milo Degiorgi, 28, is one of our many young engineers who took advantage of the great opportunities.
Great career opportunities for young talents

A new landmark is being created in the port of Hamburg: the Elbe Philharmonic Hall. Holcim is closely involved - with a wealth of experience and over 30 different types of concrete, it is helping to make this spectacular vision of a music and meeting place a reality.
The Elbe Philharmonic Hall Hamburg - a beacon of culture

Holcim Beton und Zuschlagstoffe, a subsidiary of Holcim Germany, supplied 6,500 cubic meters of ready-mix concrete, including 3,100 cubic meters of steel-fiber reinforced concrete for the 280-meter long floor slab of the new research facility at DESY.
Giant concreting job precisely planned

GTZ-Holcim partnership - co-processing contributes to better waste management
Holcim-GTZ partnership