Dunkirk, 16 October 2026 – Ecocem, Europe’s leading low-carbon cement company, welcomed Sébastien Martin, France’s Minister Delegate for Industry, to its Dunkirk production facility, alongside Frédéric Loiseau, Sub-Prefect of Dunkirk, and Frédéric Motte, Regional Councillor responsible for economic transformation and President of Mission REV3, representing the Hauts-de-France Region.
The ministerial visit comes at a significant moment for Ecocem and the future of France’s cement industry. Together with its partner CB Green (Groupe CB), Ecocem is investing €50 million in Dunkirk to bring its low-carbon cement technology, Ecocem ACT, to industrial scale.
The investment aims to demonstrate that substantial reductions in cement emissions can be achieved at industrial scale, while strengthening France’s industrial competitiveness and resilience.
Sébastien Martin, France’s Minister Delegate for Industry, speaking at Ecocem Dunkirk.
A world first in Dunkirk: scaling up low-carbon cement production
Ecocem’s Dunkirk facility, one of its four production sites in Europe, is undergoing a major expansion with the construction of the world’s first dedicated Ecocem ACT production facility.
Scheduled to become operational in early 2027, the new facility will have an annual production capacity of 300,000 tonnes of Ecocem ACT, increasing the site’s total production capacity to more than one million tonnes per year.
Ecocem Dunkirk
This world-first investment is expected to give Dunkirk, France and Europe an estimated seven-to-ten-year technological advantage in cement decarbonisation.
Beyond its environmental benefits, the investment highlights Dunkirk’s strategic role in transforming French industry and developing new low-carbon industrial capabilities.
Positioning France as a leader in cement decarbonisation
The ministerial visit also provided an opportunity to discuss the measures needed to accelerate the decarbonisation of France’s cement industry, as the sector faces significant challenges in reducing emissions while maintaining industrial competitiveness.
Ecocem believes France has the industrial capabilities and technological expertise to take a leading role in this transition. However, scaling up the production and adoption of low-carbon cement technologies will require a supportive policy and regulatory framework.
Ecocem has identified three priorities:
Conor O’Riain, Managing Director of Ecocem, with Sébastien Martin, France’s Minister Delegate for Industry.
During the visit, Conor O’Riain, Managing Director of Ecocem Group, reaffirmed Ecocem’s commitment to contributing to the work of France’s Strategic Committee for the Cement Industry (CSF) as it updates the sector’s decarbonisation roadmap.
“We are proud to welcome Sébastien Martin to Dunkirk and to the site of the world’s first dedicated ACT production facility. We are demonstrating that technological innovation, environmental performance and industrial competitiveness can go hand in hand. This world-first facility positions Dunkirk as a global showcase for cement decarbonisation,” said Conor O’Riain following the visit.
Sébastien Martin, France’s Minister Delegate for Industry, said:
“Here in Dunkirk, Ecocem is delivering a world-leading innovation that has the potential to transform the industry. Thanks to ACT technology, the company can produce cement with 70% lower CO₂ emissions. This is a major step forward. We can decarbonise our industry without deindustrialising our country. That is why the French Government has backed ACT and supported this facility through the France 2030 programme. Our priority now is to accelerate the use of low-carbon concrete on construction sites.”
Sébastien Martin speaking at Ecocem Dunkirk
The Minister added:
“Through the Industrial Accelerator Act (IAA), France is advocating at European level for the introduction of ‘Made in EU’ criteria in certain public procurement processes and public support schemes, particularly for cement. Public funding must help support our industry and accelerate the low-carbon transition.”
About Ecocem ACT
Developed by Ecocem, ACT is a low-carbon cement technology that can reduce CO₂ emissions by up to 70% compared with conventional cement, while delivering equivalent technical performance and remaining cost-competitive.
Already being deployed across more than 40 projects in France and elsewhere in Europe, ACT has demonstrated its technical performance, durability and ease of use in real-world construction conditions.
With industrial production scheduled to begin in Dunkirk in early 2027, Ecocem is taking a major step towards scaling up ACT and supporting significant reductions in cement industry emissions by 2030.
About Ecocem
Ecocem is a pioneer in high-performance technologies that aim to reduce CO₂ emissions from cement and construction by 50% by 2030, helping to build a more sustainable future. Its low-carbon cement technology, Ecocem ACT, can reduce the carbon footprint of conventional cement production by up to 70%.
For more than 25 years, Ecocem has developed, manufactured and supplied low-carbon cement and construction solutions to European markets. The company operates production facilities in France, the Netherlands and Ireland, with annual production exceeding two million tonnes. Its solutions have been used in landmark projects including the Grand Paris Express, the Paris 2024 Athletes’ Village, Dublin’s Aviva Stadium and the UK’s HS2 high-speed railway, contributing to a cumulative reduction of 18 million tonnes of CO₂.
In June 2026, Ecocem France, together with Bouygues Construction, CB Green and POINT.P, launched the ABCD alliance (Action Béton & Ciment Durables) to accelerate the decarbonisation of construction.
At BATIMAT 2026, Chryso and Ecocem are unveiling a new solution resulting from their complementary expertise: Ecocem ACT low-carbon cement technology combined with EnviroMix® 3150 ACT, a new EnviroMix® admixture solution that was co-developed by Chryso and Ecocem.
World-first project validates more than a decade of research and demonstrates the scalability of breakthrough low-carbon cement technology.
