The Clinker Factor

In this episode of The Clinker Factor, Guest Host Daniel Summerbell, Co-Founder & Chief Solutions Officer at Carbon Re and WCA Member, talks to Thomas Petitguenin, CEO of everox, about how circular innovation is redefining the future of concrete. Thomas shares the technology behind everox’s approach, unpacking how concrete waste can be transformed into valuable resources for new construction and what this means for performance, scalability, and deployment at industrial scale. Looking ahead, they explore the role of circularity in accelerating decarbonisation across the built environment, the implications for cement and concrete value chains, and what success looks like as the industry moves toward a more resource-efficient, low-carbon future. 

In our first podcast of 2026, Guest Host Daniel Summerbell, Co-Founder & Chief Solutions Officer at Carbon Re and WCA Member, talks to Ricardo Carvalho, Chief Digital Officer at Secil, about driving digital transformation in cement manufacturing. Ricardo shares his journey into the cement sector and his role leading digital initiatives across Secil’s operations in Portugal, Tunisia, Lebanon, Brazil, and Angola. They explore how digitalisation and artificial intelligence are being applied in practical, operational settings, from predictive analytics in production to empowering frontline teams with digital and AI capabilities. The discussion also focuses on bridging operational technology with enterprise systems, building digital-ready teams, and the real business value of AI when deployed at scale. Ricardo shares insights on what it takes for traditional manufacturing companies to become more efficient, resilient, and profitable through digital transformation, and what the next phase of Industry 4.0 could look like for cement.

In this episode of The Clinker Factor, Guest Host Daniel Summerbell, Co-Founder & Chief Solutions Officer at Carbon Re and WCA Member, talks to Bengt Steinbrecher, Head of Holcim MAQER Ventures, and Eric Jacobson, CCO of SaltX Technology, to explore how their partnership is driving innovation in low-carbon cement production. They delve into the strategic rationale behind the SaltX–Holcim collaboration and the technical foundations of SaltX’s plasma-based electric clinker technology. They also highlight the challenges of scaling, from supply chains and plant integration to the balance between retrofitting and new builds, and the commercial implications of cost, licensing, and deployment at scale. 

In this episode of The Clinker Factor, Guest Host Daniel Summerbell, Co-Founder & Chief Solutions Officer at Carbon Re and WCA Member, talks to Cobi Busst, Senior Consultant at Beaumont Bailey, to unpack the shifting talent landscape in the cement industry. They explore why talent shortages have become so acute, what makes the sector’s challenges unique, and where operational impacts are being felt most strongly. From the growing difficulty in hiring senior roles to the rising demand for carbon and sustainability expertise, the discussion dives into the evolving role of recruitment as a strategic lever for transformation.

They also discuss the latest report from Beaumont Bailey, The Cement Industry’s Talent Crisis, which provides fresh data and insights on the scale of skills gaps, talent flows, and workforce priorities across the sector.

In this episode of The Clinker Factor, Guest Host Daniel Summerbell, Co-Founder & Chief Solutions Officer at Carbon Re and WCA Member, talks to Suhair Abu Salem, Human Capital & Communication Director at A³&Co. and fellow WCA Member. They explore Suhair’s career journey, discussing her background and experience as a woman in leadership, and what “human capital” really means in practice. Their conversation dives into the pressing issue of current talent shortages across the cement industry, by exploring the extent of skills gaps and their impact on operations, and why diversity is essential for driving lasting impact in the sector.

In this episode of the Clinker Factor, Guest Host Daniel Summerbell, Co-Founder & Chief Solutions Officer at Carbon Re and WCA Member, talks to David Hughes, Chief Scientific Officer at Material Evolution, to discuss how the company is pioneering ultra-low carbon cement with its patented Alkali Fusion® technology and AI-driven innovation. They go on to cover sourcing industrial waste, performance testing and certification, scaling challenges to the launch of the UK’s first industrial geopolymer cement facility and the role of radical collaboration in driving real climate impact.

In this episode of the Clinker Factor, Ian Riley talks to Gurinder Nagra, Founder of Furno Materials, and Marty Ozinga IV, CEO of Ozinga, about Project OZ, an exciting collaboration between both companies, backed by a $20 million grant from the U.S. Department of Energy. This innovative project aims to revolutionise cement production by utilising cutting-edge modular kiln technology to significantly reduce carbon emissions and shift the cement industry towards greener, more efficient practices.

In our first podcast of 2025, Ian Riley talks to Sherif Elsayed-Ali, Partner at Nexus Climate, about the launch of the Industrial Decarbonization AI Coalition (IDAIC) and how it aims to advance the use of artificial intelligence in driving industrial decarbonisation through collaboration with manufacturers, AI startups, and research organisations. 

Join Ian Riley in the second episode of our new mini-series of the Clinker Factor Podcast, where he chats to Tobias Woerner, Managing Director of Equity Research, Building & Construction at Stifel Europe, about the cement industry from an investment perspective. This episode focuses on the differences between the market in Europe and North America.

In this episode of the Clinker Factor, Ian Riley talks to Abdelillah Yamoul (Kiln Manager) and Hicham Raji (Quality Manager) of WCA Member Ciments de l’Atlas about the work done to improve performance at its Ben Ahmed Plant which received two awards at this year's WCA Annual Conference: Health and Safety Award & Plant Improvement Project - Special Recognition Award. The implemented practices to improve all round performance, including energy efficiency, emissions, safety record and employee engagement. Most impressively these gains have been sustained and built on for the last 7 years.