Hima Cement Expands Efforts to Minimize Carbon Footprint

Jean-Michel Pons, Country CEO of Hima Cement shares insights with World Business Journal about Uganda’s cement requirements and digitalization of the Hima Cement to lowering CO2 emissions.

Could you provide a brief overview of Hima Cement’s operations and presence in Uganda?

Hima Cement is a member of the Holcim Group, the world leader in the building materials industry and a subsidiary of Bamburi Cement, the leading cement producer in East Africa. Hima Cement was incorporated on December 14, 1994, following the privatisation of Uganda Cement Industries. It was acquired by Lafarge through Bamburi Cement in 1999. The company operates three plants: An integrated plant in Kasese, Western Region, a grinding station in Tororo, Eastern Region and a blending station in Kampala in Namanve Industrial Park. Currently, our production capacity stands at 2.1m tonnes of cement.

What are the most noteworthy business developments or changes that have occurred within the company in the past year?

In line with our parent company Holcim, we have prioritised our efforts on tackling the pressing global challenge of significantly lowering CO2 emissions within our operations. We are dedicated to finding innovative solutions to mitigate CO2 emissions in every aspect of our operations, including our product portfolio. Our objective is to offer purpose-fit solutions that are environmentally responsible and contribute to a reduced carbon footprint. One notable achievement is the development of a unique solution for the mining sector, known as Minecem, which boasts an impressive light CO2 emissions footprint. Minecem has 53% less CO2 than ordinary Portland cement, which aligns with our goal of environmental responsibility.

We have also expanded our product portfolio to building solutions, launching our dry mortar products, TectorCeram in July 2022 in Kampala; EcoBrick, an all-green walling eco-friendly solution ensuring that we can directly contribute to a more sustainable building solution by replacing burnt clay bricks; AgricLime, which utilises waste material from our clinkerisation process is now widely used in agriculture to boost soil performance and hence contribute to better yields.

How has Hima Cement utilised biomass as an energy source and what has been the impact on the company’s sustainability and environmental practices?

Currently, a substantial 50% of our thermal energy requirements are met through the utilisation of biomass, derived from agricultural waste like coffee husks, gnut husks, rice husks, bagasse, palm kernels and sawdust. Across the Holcim Group, we rank among the top-10 globally and hold the leading position in Africa and Asia in biomass utilisation.

Our dedication to sustainability goes beyond energy-related efforts, it extends to material sustainability as well. In 2021 we launched a programme to repurpose waste materials from the local industrial sector, with a particular emphasis on gypsum molds, which replaces natural gypsum in cement production. We are exploring opportunities to recycle construction demolition waste in our production process as well. This initiative carries substantial importance in our overall sustainability strategy, under our circular economy pillar. While our current quantities are limited, we are dedicated to starting small and gradually scaling up.

What has been the impact of digitalisation on the company?

We are deploying digital technologies to make our business smarter end-to-end, enhancing everything we do in an agile, data-driven and open innovation way, from new customer interactions to data-driven logistics and new approaches in manufacturing. Our products can now be ordered through digital platforms, and we have introduced electronic proof of delivery. Plant operations have been automated to boost safety and efficiency. These digitalisation efforts result in improved customer service, offering faster delivery, enhanced transparency and predictability.

What are the key insights derived from the Women on Wheels programme, both at a global and Uganda-specific level?

The Women on Wheels Programme started in Uganda in 2018 when we recruited six female drivers in the company-owned fleet of trucks. The initiative was rolled out by the Holcim Group in 2021 and adopted by other Holcim businesses across the world. The programme is a beacon of our commitment to gender diversity.

We have made substantial progress, with 40 female drivers operating in our fleet today, we are aiming for a 50% gender balance in our company owned fleet. Beyond the tangible benefits in safety and compliance, female drivers have demonstrated exceptional performance in customer service, challenging their male counterparts.

What does the next 12-24 months hold for Hima Cement?

The future is promising with a surge in construction, improving power stability and making substantial investments in the mining and energy sectors. We are keen to move into green mobility, having introduced our first electric car in 2023, and are also in discussions to introduce electric trucks within a 150 km range by 2024. We will continue to invest in extensive research and innovation to further redesign our existing products to reduce the CO2 footprint of our building solutions.