Betolar and three Indian concrete manufacturers have entered into commercial agreements to use a low-carbon Geoprime solution that uses industrial side streams for a cement alternative.
The contract partners are Sneh Precast, Shiv Tiles and Balaiji Cement Products. The companies' product offering focuses on various concrete products for infrastructure and environmental construction, such as pipes and paving materials. The three signed commercial agreements aim for a total concrete production volume of 250,000 tonnes by the end of 2023.
Betolar is a Finnish materials technology company providing low carbon, circular economy-based cement alternative, Geoprime® solution, that enables a more sustainable construction of buildings and infrastructure.
“Last week, we opened up the Asian market with a commercial deal in Vietnam. We are now continuing to commercialize our Geoprime solution in India, a major construction market in Asia. The agreements signed support the Indian government’s climate goals and open up significant opportunities to promote the local circular economy. We have tested multiple local side streams in India which opens an opportunity to use an increasing amount of various industrial side streams for the production of Geoprime concrete, “said Juha Pinomaa, Betolar's Head of Asia Operations.
While speaking to Realty+, Carl Mattson, International Business Development Manager, Betolar, India said, “Pandemic was mostly about remote work and it is in the last six months that we have been able to conduct trials and now we have three partners from the Indian market joining hands with Betolar. So we are looking forward to a robust phase of production. Carbon credits are not mandatory in India but considerable interest is being noted amongst the builders towards low carbon materials. Cement industry in India holds a strong position. We are trying to reduce the costs of the two basic construction necessities, the binder material which replaces cement and second the activator. We plan to optimally utilise the waste streams in the country which are practically for free.”
The contract partners have the right to use the Geoprime product family of solutions developed by Betolar in the manufacture of concrete products, combined with continuous product development and expert services, and in the future also data support. The contractors also have the right to use the Geoprime trademark in their products manufactured in accordance with the concept.
The largest of the three companies is Sneh Precast, which specializes in the production of demanding, coloured paving tiles. “In our company values, we are committed to being at the forefront of development and adopting technologies that promote sustainable development in our industry. Betolar's company DNA has the same commitment to continuous development as we do. What is great about the Geoprime solution, is that the production process does not have to be redesigned, but the low-carbon solution can be implemented by adjusting the existing process,” says Pravin Chaudhari, CEO of Sneh Precast.
In addition to the three commercial agreements, Betolar has signed a letter of intent with one of India’s largest conglomerates, Godrej & Boyce. The agreement is expected to lead to a commercial agreement upon completion of the pilot phase.
Talking to Realty+, Kimmo Siira, Counsellor Trade and Investments, Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Finland stated, “The world has undergone a sea- change in the last 15 years and Circle economy is dominant. It makes sense for a nation like India to be more sustainable in their future endeavours. The paradigm shift in thoughts and policies demand futuristic solutions.”
Sustainable housing company TARA is making efforts to build affordable housing in India with rural entrepreneurs. Betolar and TARA have been working together for over two years. TARA has supported Betolar in developing solutions for utilizing different local side streams for concrete manufacturing.
Chairman of TARA. Dr. Ashok Khosla, told Realty+ “Leveraging TARA’s sustainability and local expertise, combined with Betolar’s innovative materials technology, we are able to provide sustainable cement-free alternatives to the Indian market. We must conserve our society and our heritage to leave a legacy for our children. We need to imbibe this sense of responsible living in our future generation.”
Betolar has developed the Geoprime solution for the production of durable, sustainable and low-carbon concrete by utilising industrial side streams as an alternative for cement. Betolar thus enables the green transition of different industries and makes concrete a sustainable building material. The Geoprime solution brings immediate reductions in CO2 emissions without major changes in the manufacturing process. Betolar is developing a recipe-optimising data platform that will bring together concrete manufacturers and side streams producers.
In Pic: Kimmo Siira Counsellor Trade and Investments Ministry of Foreign Affairs Finland, Ashok Khosla Chair of TARA, Juha Pinomaa Head of Asia Betolar, Pravin Chaudhari CEO Sneh Precast
