Calcinx is a calcined clay product made from locally-source raw materials which are heat treated at lower temperatures than those required to produce conventional clinker.
According to Cookstown-based Cemcor, calcined clay is an important decarbonisation tool for the construction industry due to its significantly reduced carbon footprint compared to conventional cement products.
Development of Calcinx began shortly after the launch of Cemcor in 2022. The company was created when parent company Cookstown Cement acquired the business of Lafarge Ireland and rebranded the business as Cemcor.
Since 2022 the development project has been led by Cemcor technical and innovation manager Dr. Allistair Wilkinson.
Wilkinson carried out numerous studies and investigations to identify suitable materials from existing quarrying operations and find the optimal raw clay blend for calcination and production of a high-quality product.
The company claims to have become the first traditional cement manufacturer in the UK to explore calcination when it carried out preliminary trials in 2023 using local materials and existing kilns and production plant.
Cemcor has partnered with two of its customers to trial Calcinx in industrial-scale concrete applications. Precast paving manufacturer Tobermore has produced paviours made from 50% Calcinx as a CEM II replacement and Moore Concrete has also manufactured precast units using 50% Calcinx as a CEM I replacement.
Funding from Innovate UK’s decarbonisint concrete programme has helped Cemcor enlist the help of Queen’s University Belfast on technical development of the product.
Cemcor managing director David Millar said: “While our existing product range is well established in the market, at Cemcor we are always looking to the future to develop innovative products which can help our customers to achieve their own sustainability goals. Calcinx will enhance our current product range, allowing us to develop a range of low carbon cement products for a wide range of applications.
“Calcinx further enhances our commitment to invest in sustainable outputs and to protect the environment around us following other significant investments over the last three years. The development to date of Calcinx is a significant milestone not only for Cemcor but also the wider industry and we are delighted to have partnered with two valued customers in Tobermore and Moore Concrete in this process.”
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