Switzerland Expo Special

Huaxin-Holcim partnership highlights eco-awareness

By Yu Ran (China Daily)
Updated: 2010-08-12 07:47

Global building materials group Holcim and its Chinese partner Huaxin Cement are the platinum sponsor of the Swiss Pavilion at the Shanghai World Expo.

"We regard the six-month event as a fantastic opportunity to build brand presence in a market of over 1.3 billion people," said Huaxin CEO Li Yeqing.

"The Expo is a fantastic opportunity to portray Huaxin and Holcim as a strong partnership and an employer of choice in China."

Holcim became the largest single shareholder of Huaxin in 2008, but the partnership goes back over more than a decade. Based in Wuhan of Hubei province in the heart of China, Huaxin has an "ideal platform to support the strong growth in central and western China", Li said.

Ian Riley, managing director of Holcim China, noted that "key to our partnership is ensuring sound technology transfer in operational excellence, environmental protection and corporate social responsibility".

Holcim was one of the first among building material producers to set global carbon dioxide emission reduction targets, which it met earlier than planned.

As part of its contribution to the current UN Year of Biodiversity, Holcim is making a major effort to promote biodiversity in the vicinity of its raw material quarries.

Its efforts also include a partnership agreement with the International Union for Conservation of Nature for its operations in China, Riley said.

Holcim's commitment to environmental and social responsibility has also been recognized by the Dow Jones Sustainability Index.

In 2009, Holcim was named one of the most sustainability conscious companies in the building materials industry for the seventh time in succession.

The group has now set itself a new target to reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 2015 to a level of 25 percent below the 1990 baseline.

In China, population growth and urbanization will result in growing demand for residential accommodation and additional infrastructure.

According to Holcim and Huaxin, the importance of sustainable and carbon dioxide-efficient construction methods continues to grow.

Their objective is to contribute to breakthroughs in sustainable construction because the "built environment "accounts for over 30 percent of Chinese energy consumption.

"This demands an accelerated pace of innovation, a challenge we accept," said Li.

"New building materials and the associated services that provide more sustainable building solutions are key for sustainable development in our industry."

An example is the complete packages for do-it-yourself construction of affordable housing specially designed for customers in emerging markets complete with financing.

"These are products and services we want to bring to China and develop together with Huaxin for the Chinese market," Riley said.

"It is only natural that Huaxin tries to learn as much as possible from its global partner to set an example in sustainable development in China," Li said.

The Swiss Pavilion's exciting concept is a balance between man, nature and technology.

"We will have some sessions on best practice CSR, biodiversity, alternative energies and waste management during the Expo," Riley said. "We have invited key stakeholders and are looking forward to an inspiring dialog."

(China Daily 08/12/2010 page15)