Holcim PH investing P2B in sustainability initiatives

MANILA, Philippines — The local unit of Swiss-based cement firm Holcim on Monday said it would invest P2 billion in its sustainability initiatives in the Philippines in the next four years.

Holcim Philippines president and chief executive officer Horia Adrian said they are allotting ₣15 million to ₣20 million, or roughly P1 billion, to broaden their capacity to use residual waste from local government units and industries for fuel.

“At the side of the collection, it’s creating capacity for the local government units to sort and segregate,” said Samuel O. Manlosa Jr., the company’s chief sustainability officer.

“There’s also the side where if we want to take more volume, we need to increase our capacity to shred and prepare the materials,” he said further, adding that they also need to make improvements in the plants which have been designed mostly to accept coal as fuel.

Aside from this, Adrian said they would also be investing an additional P1 billion in other decarbonization efforts, including the shift to electric vehicles (EV) and renewable energy sources, such as solar energy.

“We have built (an) electric charger in Bulacan. Our brand, I think it’s one of the first investments of these kinds in the cement industry and we will build in all of our locations,” Adrian said, adding that they have also purchased two EVS last year and will purchase more in the future.

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The Holcim executive said they are also constructing new solar facilities which will be operational sometime this year.

To date, Holcim has four manufacturing facilities in the Philippines located in Bulacan, Davao City, Bacnotan in La Union, and Misamis Oriental.

Aside from these planned investments, Adrian said they were also planning to expand their product lineup in the Philippines by launching their low-carbon concrete product EcoPact within two years.

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In April last year, Holcim Philippines launched its rebranded blended cement brand, Excel ECOPlanet, targeting the eco-friendly appetite of the Philippines’ construction industry.

The cement product incorporates more aspects of recycling, preventing millions of tons of waste per year, resulting in lower carbon emissions.