Rohrdorfer opens pilot plant for tempered clays to advance low-carbon cement production

Daniela Ludwig, Parliamentary State Secretary at the Federal Ministry of the Interior, cut the symbolic ribbon together with Rohrdorfer Managing Director Mike Edelmann, thereby inaugurating the plant. The Rohrdorfer pilot plant was built as part of a pilot project funded by the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Protection and the EU and will receive up to €8.65 million in funding due to its innovation potential.

A key component in Rohrdorf's decarbonisation roadmap

Tempered clays are one of the most important levers on the path to low-carbon cement production. Around 30 percent of emissions can be avoided by replacing clinker with tempered clays. The plant successfully went into operation in July and has since been activating ('tempering') up to 50 tpd of raw clay through thermal treatment. The aim of the plant is to research tempered clays, as these can be used as a lower-CO₂ alternative to clinker – the main component of cement. The new plant is therefore a key component in Rohrdorf's decarbonisation roadmap.

In her speech, Daniela Ludwig praised Rohrdorfer's initiative: "With this new plant, the Rohrdorf cement factory has once again proven that it is one of the most innovative companies in our region. Decarbonising the cement industry is an important task if Germany is to achieve its climate targets as planned. I am impressed by the determination and entrepreneurial courage with which Rohrdorfer is approaching this task."

District Administrator Otto Lederer and Member of the State Parliament Daniel Artmann took part in the ceremony. They, too, are impressed by Rohrdorfer's innovative strength: “A look at Rohrdorf shows that Bavarian industry is as innovative as ever and has long had climate protection on its agenda,” said Otto Lederer. Daniel Artmann had words of praise: “It is initiatives like this that secure jobs and thus prosperity in our region. I congratulate Rohrdorfer on this milestone.”

Industry and politics must work together more decisively

By the end of 2026, the Net Zero Emission team will investigate the ideal composition of raw clays and optimise the processes for thermal treatment. Based on these trials, a large-scale plant is to be built in the future that will enable significant CO2 savings. The potential savings amount to a total of 60%. Thanks to tempered clays, almost half of this can be avoided. “We have achieved a lot within our plants, but our influence ends at the factory gates,” points out Mike Edelmann, Managing Director of the Rohrdorfer Group. “The lack of planning security in the transport and storage of carbon dioxide, uncompetitive electricity prices, and an uncertain funding landscape are a stumbling block for us. We urgently need more support and backing from politicians, otherwise the climate targets cannot be achieved.”

Read the article online at: https://www.worldcement.com/europe-cis/06102025/rohrdorfer-opens-pilot-plant-for-tempered-clays-to-advance-low-carbon-cement-production/