LafargeHolcim launches salinity-resistant cement
Business Desk :
LafargeHolcim has launched another new product — Holcim Coastal Guard — a salinity and sulphate-resistant cement designed for structures exposed to coastal soil and groundwater conditions.
Mohammad Mahfuzul Hoque, commercial and logistics director of LafargeHolcim, unveiled the product at a city hotel in Khulna recently, according to a press release.
A technical seminar was held at the launching event where Dr Raquib Ahsan, professor at the Department of Civil Engineering at BUET, presented a keynote paper on the need for specialised cement solutions for sustainable construction in coastal areas.
The event brought together around 160 engineers, architects, academics, and industry professionals.
The product has been developed through continuous consumer engagement, research, and a thorough understanding of the impact of salinity and sulphate on structures. “Holcim Coastal Guard is one of our most innovative products for customers in Bangladesh’s coastal areas,” Hoque said.
“We believe Holcim Coastal Guard will help customers build homes that remain resilient against harsh environmental challenges,” he added The cement is engineered to reduce rapid deterioration caused by sulphate and chloride-rich soils and groundwater in coastal environments, and to provide protection against chemical attack in water and effluent treatment plants.
Fakhruddin Md Khan, head of innovation and technical services at LafargeHolcim, shared the product’s technical advantages.
Biplob Shadhu, owner of Babul Enterprise in Khulna, stated that he expects the product to address long-standing customer concerns about salinity-related damage to structures.
“Having been in the cement business for over 20 years, I have seen countless homeowners and builders watch their investments crumble under the relentless pressure of salt and sulphate,” he said.
Dr Md Habibur Rahman Sabuz, head of department, BECM, KUET, and SM Nazimuddin Payel, associate professor at Khulna University, also joined the panel discussion.
The company said that the product was developed through its in-house innovation and manufacturing capabilities in collaboration with the Holcim Group Innovation Center in Lyon in France, using Holcim’s Smart Blend Technology.
Recently, the cement manufacturer has also launched “Powercrete”, a specialised high-performance product designed for the ready-mix concrete (RMX) segment.
LafargeHolcim, one of the leading cement manufacturers, secured an impressive 36 per cent year-on-year growth in profit to Tk 1.20 billion in the third quarter through September last year, driven by higher sales of premium products and aggregates.