Holcim Polska, a leader in sustainable building solutions, has selected the consultancy firm Hill International as its strategic engineering partner for the carbon capture and storage (CCS) project at the Kujawy Cement Plant. This flagship project is part of Holcim’s decarbonisation strategy and ranks among the most ambitious initiatives in the Polish cement industry.
Hill International, a global firm specialising in project management and engineering consultancy, will support Holcim Polska in the preparation, coordination, and execution of the CCS investment, aimed at significantly decarbonizing the cement clinker production process.
“We are pleased to welcome a partner with such extensive experience in managing complex infrastructure projects. The selection of Hill International confirms that our decarbonisation efforts are being implemented with the utmost diligence and the engagement of world-class experts,” said Radosław Gnutek, Carbon Capture & Storage Project Director at Holcim Polska.
The CCS project at the Kujawy Cement Plant, one of the first of its kind in Central and Eastern Europe, is being engineered to produce at least 2 million tons a year of near-zero cement annually, part of Holcim’s overall aim to produce 8 million tons of near-zero cement per year from 2030. CO₂ capture technology will enable the reduction of process emissions that cannot be eliminated by other means, marking a breakthrough step towards a net-zero future in construction.
Hill International operates in more than 40 countries and manages projects worth over 500 billion US dollars. In Poland, the company has participated in major infrastructure projects, including the Central Communication Port and the expansion of airports and transport terminals.
Both parties have declared full cooperation in preparing documentation, schedules, and technical support necessary for the successful implementation of the project, in line with leading ESG standards and current climate regulations.
Inearly April this year, experts from Holcim Poland participated in a series ofevents dedicated to CO2 capture and storage technologies, which are becoming ahot topic in energy-intensive industries. The events included the 2nd CarbonCapture Congress in Poznań. Radosław Gnutek, Carbon Capture and StorageProject Director, took part in the expert debate Leaders’ Forum I – TheFuture of CCUS in Poland, where he shared his insights on theimplementation of Go4ECOPlanet and practical tips on solutions that will enablea large-scale rollout of this technology.
Polish industry generates approximately 22% of the country's GDP and is responsible for 25% of all domestic CO2 emissions. The rising prices of fossil fuel energy and the carbon footprint costs are forcing an urgent modernisation of industry. CCS/U technologies are coming to the rescue, enabling the elimination of process emissions in energy-intensive industries. How to overcome regulatory and financial barriers by entering into partnerships and searching for new ways of using these technologies was the topic of discussion during the Ministerial Session in Poznań on 9 April 2025 as part of Net Zero Energy, a conference and exhibition event dedicated to energy transition.
CCS is an opportunity to increase the competitiveness of the cement industry in Poland in the light of the phase-out of the free emission rights under the ETS system, and Poland is currently the third largest cement producer in Europe. That is why Holcim (formerly Lafarge) has undertaken a unique global project to create an infrastructure capable of capturing 1 million tonnes of carbon dioxide per year from the kiln flue gases during clinker production.
Holcim is currently implementing a unique project on a global scale – a zero-emission cement plant. Using CCS technology, the cement plant in Kujawy will soon capture 100% of carbon dioxide emissions. Maciej Sypek, President of Holcim Polska, talks about the investment worth over 300 million euros in an interview for ESG Trends.
During a meeting with stakeholders from the Świętokrzyskie and Kujawsko-Pomorskie Voivodships that was held on 12 September, Holcim Polska summarised its environmental activities and investment projects. The Environment Day was also attended by a representative of the Marshal's Office in Kielce from the Department of Agriculture, Climate and the Environment, who touched on the development of circular economy in the region.
‘We are focusing on reducing our carbon dioxide emissions. As a result, over the past 20 years we have halved our CO2 emissions from 800 kg to 400 kg per tonne of cement. In addition, we will have implemented a modern carbon capture technology by 2030,’ said President of Holcim Polska Maciej Sypek, PhD, during the 33rd Economic Forum in Karpacz, Poland (3-5 September 2024).
In its expectations of businesses, the EU repeats 'zero net emissions' like a mantra. Holcim is taking up this challenge. As a result, the Kujawy Cement Plant may become the first full ydecarbonised construction materials plant in Poland. Jolanta Zdunowska, Technical Director of Carbon Capture and Storage Projects at Holcim Polska, talks about the PLN 2-bln investment project.
The first zero-emission cement plant in Europe is to be built in 2027 in Poland, in the Kujawy region. Holcim is in the process of implementing the GO4ECOPLANET project, under which 100 percent of the carbon dioxide produced by Cementownia Kujawy will be captured.