In early September, Mr. Yan Xiaofeng, President of the China Building Materials Federation (CBMF), led a delegation to Germany, Switzerland, and France for high-level visits and technical exchanges. The visit aimed to deepen cooperation with international organizations, industry associations, and global leading building materials enterprises, focusing on topics such as green and low-carbon technologies, global research frontiers, and digital and intelligent development. The goal was to promote the green transformation and internationalization of the building materials industry. The delegation included Mr. Li Yeqing, Executive Vice President of the CBMF and President of Huaxin Cement Co., Ltd., and Mr. Sui Tongbo, Vice President of SINOMA International Engineering Co., Ltd.
During the visit, the delegation visited Heidelberg Materials in Germany, ThyssenKrupp Polysius in Germany, Holcim Group in Switzerland, and Saint-Gobain Group in France to gain insights into the zero-carbon development goals and strategies of multinational companies, their recent research directions and key achievements, as well as the latest developments in carbon reduction, resource recycling, and smart manufacturing. The delegation also held discussions with the Global Cement and Concrete Association (GCCA), the European Cement Association (CEMBUREAU), and theVerein Deutscher Zementwerke, focusing on the common challenges in the green, low-carbon, and intelligent transformation of the global cement industry. They explored the background and implementation of the CBAM policy and its impact on the industry, and discussed the feasibility of mutual recognition and cooperation in areas such as carbon footprints, carbon labels, and Environmental Product Declarations (EPD) certification. Additionally, they visited the Building Materials Laboratory and Glass Fiber Composite Materials Laboratory at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Lausanne (EPFL) to explore cutting-edge research achievements in the building materials field. The delegation also participated in an exchange meeting for Chinese building and building materials companies operating in France, hosted by the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade (CCPIT) Representative Office in France. They listened to professional analyses of the French business environment and opportunities for Sino-French cooperation in the building materials industry, providing an interactive platform for Chinese companies in the sector operating in Europe. Furthermore, they conducted research on the operations of Sinoma Construction France Co., Ltd., learning about its business in France and Europe, and received a progress report on the CBMF’s “Revealing the Leader” project.
During the visit, the CBMF and the GCCA officially signed a strategic cooperation Memorandum of Understanding (MOU). Mr. Yan Xiaofeng, President of the CBMF, and Mr. Thomas Guillot, CEO of the GCCA, signed the MOU on behalf of both parties. This MOU not only marks a new phase of cooperation in the cement and concrete sectors but also provides a strong collaborative platform for promoting the green transition and low-carbon development of the global cement and building materials industries.
Throughout the visit, international building materials enterprises and organizations expressed great interest in the rapid development and technological innovations of China’s building materials industry. They highly praised the “6-Zero Demonstation Factory” initiative proposed by the CBMF. Several companies recognized the strong potential and innovation capabilities of China’s building materials industry in applying green, low-carbon technologies, comprehensive resource utilization, and digital transformation.CBMF’s efforts to achieve dual carbon goals and drive technological innovation received wide recognition from global counterparts. This visit further strengthened the position of China’s building materials industry in the global green and low-carbon development landscape.
Through these exchanges, the delegation not only introduced cutting-edge global technologies and management experiences to China’s building materials industry but also opened broader ways for international cooperation, laying a solid foundation for building a globalized, modernized building materials industrial system. The CBMF will continue to work hand-in-hand with Chinese building materials enterprises to deepen cooperation with international counterparts, jointly address the challenges of climate change, and promote the building materials industry towards a green, low-carbon, and sustainable future, contributing “Chinese wisdom” and “Chinese solutions” to global sustainable development.
The delegation also included Shen Yulu, Director of the International Cooperation Department of the CBMF, Feng Shuai, Deputy Director (acting ) of the Industry Work Department, Luo Ning, Deputy Director (acting) of the Science and Technology Development Department, Cao Yuanhui, Deputy Director (acting) of the Standards and Quality Department, and Zhang Hanwen, Assistant Director of the International Cooperation Department.
