Can concrete be environmentally friendly?

Holcim, a global leader in innovative and sustainable building solutions, is committed to decarbonising the entire construction lifecycle. When the company sought to improve the efficiency of its concrete production facilities, it looked to modernise the electric drive applications responsible for vertical movement. By integrating Mitsubishi Electric’s FR-A800 series inverters and FR-XC regenerative modules, Holcim transformed an energy-intensive process into a highly efficient, cost-saving operation, achieving significant reductions in both energy consumption and mechanical wear.

Concrete production is a process where rhythm and repeatability are paramount. At Holcim’s plants, raw material transport trolleys are critical components, moving loads of up to 5 tonnes cyclically along steep ramps. Before modernisation, these systems faced three primary challenges. Firstly, the "hard" commissioning and braking methods caused severe mechanical jerking, leading to frequent failures of brakes and 6 mechanical components. Secondly, the braking method (using counter-current) was inefficient; the 18kW motors actually consumed full power even while lowering loads. Finally, these abrupt operations caused current surges that degraded the power supply quality for other equipment across the facility.

The impact of the implementation was immediate and measurable. By transitioning to controlled steering and energy recovery, Holcim achieved a saving of 11kWh per day for a single drive unit. This translates to over 3MWh of saved energy annually and a reduction of approximately one tonne of CO2 emissions. Beyond energy savings, the smoother operation has significantly extended the lifespan of mechanical elements, reducing maintenance costs and preventing production downtime. With hundreds of similar drives operating across Holcim’s Polish facilities alone, the potential for scalable savings and Scope 2 emission reductions is immense.