Imerys announces partnership with VINCI Construction to develop sustainable construction solutions

Imerys consolidates its partnership with VINCI Construction with a collaboration for a first construction using low-carbon concrete.
Metakaolin, produced by Imerys in Clérac, is currently being used by VINCI Construction as part of the construction of the new Nantes University Hospital, France's first low-carbon building on this scale.
Imerys, the world leader in mineral specialties for industry, produces the two key mineral components for low-carbon concrete, metakaolin and calcium carbonate, in France.

Low-carbon concrete: a sustainable solution for the construction industry

Low-carbon concrete is based on the formulation of a binder composed of different minerals to replace Portland cement. Imerys has two mineral solutions: metakaolin and calcium carbonate. This is why the Imerys Group focuses on and is committed to stakeholders in sustainable construction.

The partnership with VINCI Construction marks a major step forward in our commitment to sustainable development and the reduction of CO₂ emissions within the construction industry. Imerys holds the key products needed in France to produce low-carbon concrete, such as Argical metakaolin and calcium carbonate, as well as other innovative solutions for sustainable construction, which are also produced in France.

Jérôme de Lièvre

Vice-President Building & Infrastructure Imerys

Metakaolin, a major innovation for low-carbon concrete production

This collaboration began two years ago in the research laboratories of Imerys and VINCI Construction, and has given rise to a product designed for low-carbon concrete formulations used in construction called ARGICAL M1000C. By exploiting the reactivity of metakaolin produced by Imerys at Clérac in France, ARGICAL M1000C replaces traditional cement in concrete formulations. This innovation not only improves the density of concrete but also significantly reduces its carbon footprint.

We are proud to report that on the Nantes University Hospital construction, our metakaolins are giving full satisfaction in the composition of low and very low carbon concretes. This is a material with a number of advantages that encourage us to develop this sector in France: the excellent performance of the mixes developed in collaboration with VINCI Construction's materials laboratories, the availability of this material in several regions of France, its strength at an early age, which makes it easier to use in winter, and the aesthetically pleasing color it gives to concrete.

François Saucier

Infrastructure Project Specification Director, Imerys

A partnership with a bright future

The partnership between Imerys and VINCI Construction is now taking shape with the construction of the Nantes hospital. The successful implementation of this project will serve as a model for future sustainable construction projects.

The market for metakaolins for the construction industry is set to grow over the coming years as an essential alternative to blast furnace slag in the composition of low-carbon concrete. With its many locations in France and abroad, Imerys has the capacity to support VINCI Construction in its drive to make low-carbon concrete the norm on its worksites.

Bruno Paul-Dauphin

Director of EXEGY Low-Carbon Concrete Solutions, VINCI Construction

Building on this success, Imerys will also be working with VINCI Construction on a number of future projects. These collaborations demonstrate the growing recognition and adoption of low-carbon concrete solutions in major construction projects.

About Imerys

The world’s leading supplier of mineral-based specialty solutions for industry with €4.3 billion in revenue and 14,000 employees in 2022. Imerys delivers high value-added, functional solutions to a great number of sectors, from processing industries to consumer goods. The Group draws on its understanding of applications, technological knowledge and expertise in material science to deliver solutions by beneficiating its mineral resources, synthetic minerals and formulations. Imerys’ solutions contribute essential properties to customers’ products and their performance, including heat resistance, hardness, conductivity, opacity, durability, purity, lightness, filtration, absorption and water repellency. Imerys is determined to develop responsibly, in particular by fostering the emergence of environmentally-friendly products and processes.

Press contact

Mathieu Gratiot
+33 (0)7 87 53 46 60
mathieu.gratiot@imerys.com