CEMTECH EUROPE 2023

TÜRKÇİMENTO CEO Volkan Bozay Addresses the Global Cement Producers at the Opening of CEMTECH EUROPE 2023:  
Next-Generation Technologies Integrated into Low Carbon Production  

CEMTECH EUROPE 2023, supported by TÜRKÇİMENTO, began in Istanbul from October 8th to October 11th, 2023.  

Speaking at the opening of the CEMTECH EUROPE event, TÜRKÇİMENTO CEO Volkan Bozay emphasized that the Turkish cement sector is the fifth-largest in the world and the leading producer in Europe. He stated, "Our sector meets all needs with sufficient capacity and plays a fundamental role in Turkey with its responsible, green transformation, and energy-efficient production."  

Bozay reminded the audience that TÜRKÇİMENTO represents 94% of the sector as a prominent umbrella organization and started his speech by providing general information about the Turkish cement sector. He mentioned that the Turkish cement sector operates with 56 integrated plants, 21 grinding facilities, and a total equivalent cement capacity of 119 million tons spread across the country. He also emphasized that Turkey is the leading exporter in Europe. Bozay shared the following information about production and sales by TÜRKÇİMENTO members:
"In the period of January to July 2023, the total production of TÜRKÇİMENTO members increased by 9.2% compared to the same period of the previous year, reaching 43.6 million tons. During this period, domestic sales also reached 33.7 million tons, an 18.8% increase. According to provisional data from Exporters' Associations, the total exports of the cement sector decreased by 30% in terms of quantity in the January-September 2023 period, amounting to 15.2 million tons. Of the sector's total exports in the nine-month period, 12.4 million tons were cement, and 2.8 million tons were clinker."
Bozay also stressed that alongside the success in production and sales figures, the Turkish cement sector is at the forefront in terms of compliance with green agreements, the use of alternative fuels and raw materials, and energy efficiency on the global stage. He continued as:
"For the upcoming period, we aim to develop our low-carbon strategy in cooperation with public partnerships and strive to be a global leader in this regard. While there are areas that need improvement in terms of financing and regulations, we believe that we will reach our goals more quickly through these partnerships in the near future. In the short term, we believe that the priority in low-carbon production should be given to alternative raw materials and alternative fuels. According to our calculations, in 2022, we obtained 10.1% of energy from alternative fuels, using 1.6 million tons of waste. In the journey of low-carbon production, the industry is also starting to integrate new-generation technologies such as carbon capture and storage and the use of hydrogen. Our goal is to enable the use of low-carbon cements in public tenders."

Bozay reminded that the transition period of the European Union Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) began on October 1st. He commented, "If a fully compliant emission trading system with the European Union is established in our country, assuming a carbon price of 100 Euros per ton of carbon dioxide, products in the domestic market will need to bear an additional carbon cost ranging from 15 to 80 Euros after 2026. This will adversely affect the end consumer. Therefore, I would like to emphasize the importance we attach to the use of alternative fuels in our sector."

Bozay also addressed the earthquakes that affected 11 provinces in Turkey, starting with the earthquake centered in Kahramanmaraş on February 6th. He said, "Our sector initially supported search and rescue operations and airport runway renewals in the region after this disaster, and then continued to work tirelessly in the area. This painful experience has led to rapid steps in urban transformation, especially in cities like Istanbul. The Turkish cement sector, with its existing production capacity, is ready to collaborate with relevant stakeholders in meeting national demands for urban transformation."