AS PART of the effort for more sustainable and innovative construction plans, Holcim Philippines installed its first-ever Innovation Hub, a virtual reality space to cater to more stakeholders in Davao City.
The inauguration was held at Holcim Davao Plant, in Barangay Ilang, Bunawan District on Jan. 16.
Holcim aims to replicate “The Hub” in Lyon, France, for an accessible experience of its product offerings.
Horia Adrian, Holcim CEO, said the physical hub will give customers unlimited access to different technology innovations offered by Holcim in Lyon without having to travel outside the country.
“What we do is to make it available to anybody who would like to see what are the latest innovations of Holcim in terms of construction techniques, sustainability, performance, way of living, and materials, right here in Davao,” Adrian said.
Adrian said Holcim Philippines, particularly in Davao City, is the 19th country to launch the virtual hub.
Diversifying new business segments
Holcim, also known as one of the leading cement manufacturing facilities in the country, also plans to accelerate its transformation as a sustainable and innovative building solutions provider, focusing on advancing decarbonization in the construction industry.
“We would like to be closer to the construction sites in order to provide solutions to the customers,” Adrian added.
He also stressed that “cement is only 2-4% the cost of a square meter in a space,” destroying the “myth” that “cement impacts the cost of construction.”
Ramakrishna Maganti, Holcim Infrastructure and Industrial Sales senior vice president, said
They target to engage with the policymakers in the city, such as the Department of Public Works and Highways and the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, specifiers, MSMEs, and academe, among others.
“We have actually opened it to everybody. We want them to come here and experience the productions and innovations,” Maganti said.
Sustainable solutions
The company’s carbon footprint reduction program is also aligned with the Holcim Group’s Net Zero direction and has been working with key stakeholders to encourage the shift to low-carbon products that reduce the footprint of the built environment.
“This is particularly important in a rapidly urbanizing Mindanao which can benefit from the innovative solutions so essential structures are built with less impact on the environment,” Adrian said.
