Following its strategic corporate rebrand, building materials giant Holcim UAE has officially unified its regional entities under a single, globally recognized umbrella. Amid geopolitical shifts and a rapidly changing macroeconomic landscape, the industrial manufacturer is proving that supply chain resilience and aggressive decarbonisation are not mutually exclusive.

By leveraging locally sourced industrial waste, engineering a localized production footprint, and pioneering carbon capture pilots tailored to the regulatory landscape of the Emirates, Holcim is reshaping the material foundations of the regional built environment.

Q. Could you walk us through the journey since your corporate rebrand, how the market has reacted to the unified Holcim identity, and what this transition signifies for your regional product portfolio?

Previously, we operated as separate entities covering our cement arms, conventional ready-mix, and specialized concrete operations. Our strategic objective was to consolidate all of these distinct business units under a single, cohesive umbrella while transitioning from the legacy Lafarge and local brands to the unified Holcim identity.

This integration was finalized recently, and the market has responded incredibly well. Holcim carries a formidable global reputation for industrial innovation and sustainability that wasn't yet fully leveraged here.

Moving under this unified banner has allowed us to introduce a comprehensive, end-to-end range of assets to the UAE and Oman markets. Our portfolio now spans the entire value chain—beginning upstream with limestone and aggregates, moving through to cement and concrete, and extending downstream into specialized mortars and technical restoration products. Looking ahead, our intent is to continuously enrich this ecosystem through targeted regional acquisitions.

Q. How does Holcim's operational model align with the UAE’s 'Make it in the Emirates' industrial strategy, particularly given recent regional supply chain disruptions?

 Our operations are deeply integrated with the local economy. Our products are fundamentally indigenous; we do not import raw materials, save for a marginal volume of gypsum sourced from within the GCC area in Oman. This localized industrial footprint places us in direct alignment with the 'Make it in the Emirates' philosophy, ensuring a highly stable and reliable supply chain independent of cross-border volatility.

Our manufacturing plant in Fujairah runs continuously at exceptionally high productivity levels with recognized quality standards, and our ready-mix operations are strategically distributed across key zones in the UAE. We are actively supplying major infrastructure, oil and gas, and renewable energy schemes across both the UAE and Oman.

During recent regional developments, this local placement has proven to be a distinct advantage. While these macroeconomic situations introduce broader complexities, our cement volumes and ready-mix operations have performed exceptionally well. The UAE government's emphasis on industrial resilience mirrors our own operational model. We are built to maintain continuity regardless of external economic or weather conditions.

Q. Industrial manufacturing is notoriously energy-intensive. How is Holcim managing its resource consumption and fuel mix locally to drive down emissions?

 A critical pillar of our resilience model is fuel substitution. We have engineered our processes to utilize alternative fuels sourced entirely within the UAE, effectively recycling industrial waste streams. Currently, 45 percent of the thermal energy required for our cement production is derived directly from local industrial waste.

To eliminate reliance on imported fossil fuels for the remainder of our energy mix, we are executing a strategic pivot to clean energy. We are finalizing a gas supply contract with Emirates Gas to transition our operations to natural gas. Once fully implemented, our entire fuel infrastructure will be entirely self-sufficient and sourced from within the UAE.

Q. What are you observing regarding the commercial demand and market acceptance for low-carbon building materials among regional developers?

We are seeing a substantial surge in interest, particularly from major master developers in Abu Dhabi and Dubai for large-scale residential, rail, and tunnel infrastructure projects, including future contributions to Al Maktoum International Airport.

The primary driver for this rapid market adoption is commercial viability: we are bringing these sustainable materials to market without a green price premium. By offering our low-carbon cement and concrete at price parity with conventional competitors, we remove the financial barrier to sustainable procurement. Our products deliver a certified carbon footprint reduction of 20 to 30 percent compared to the baseline industry standard, allowing developers to meet rigid ESG criteria without escalating their total cost of ownership.

Q. Holcim has been heavily active in carbon capture technology globally. How are you adapting these large-scale industrial initiatives to the specific regulatory landscape of the Middle East?

Carbon capture and storage (CCS) is a core global initiative for the Holcim Group. In Europe, the mature Emissions Trading System (ETS) provides a clear financial mechanism—penalizing high-carbon production while rewarding decarbonised materials with premium carbon credits. This has allowed us to advance massive, subsidized carbon capture projects in Europe handling between 1 and 2 million tonnes annually.

The regulatory environment in the UAE is approaching this differently. While a full ETS framework is not yet established, the foundations for a localized carbon credit market are actively developing. Consequently, our strategy is localized and progressive. We are launching a dedicated carbon capture pilot plant, which will be commissioned before the end of May. This pilot serves to structurally test the market and validate the technology under regional operating conditions. As the UAE regulatory environment matures and introduces formal financial incentives or premiums for deep decarbonisation, we are positioned to rapidly scale up our carbon capture capacities.

Q. Looking across the global construction industry, what is the ultimate trajectory for Holcim's material technologies?

Globally, cement production accounts for approximately 8 percent of total worldwide emissions across all manufacturers. As a group, we feel a profound responsibility to mitigate this climate impact. Holcim does not just publish distant roadmaps; we operate under strict, year-on-year milestones that mandate measurable reductions before moving to the next phase.

To achieve this, Holcim invests heavily in fundamental R&D, anchored by our global research facility in Lyon, France, which is currently developing more than 360 new sustainable products for the construction sector. Our ultimate objective is the commercial realization of zero-carbon cement and zero-carbon concrete to enable the development of truly green cities.

Furthermore, we are actively integrating artificial intelligence into our decarbonisation workflows. By deploying advanced AI algorithms, we are optimizing raw material proportions, streamlining thermal efficiency in our kilns, and accelerating our research cycles. This technology allows us to compress our development timelines—bringing advanced, low-carbon asset solutions to market years faster than traditional industrial timelines would permit. We are designing materials not just for immediate asset cycles, but to safeguard the built environment for the next century.