Cimsa secures EBRD loan for decarbonization, invests in CAC kiln

The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development has extended a loan to Turkish cement producer Cimsa to support the company's decarbonization program, the bank said in a statement.

The financing will contribute to Cimsa's investment in a greenfield calcium aluminate cement, or CAC, kiln and to decarbonization measures for existing gray and white cement kilns at its Mersin plant.

"I am delighted to witness the growth of our partnership with Cimsa, a leading player in its sector," Erdem Yasar, the EBRD's deputy head of Turkey, said in a statement on Nov. 17.

Cimsa is currently the world's third-largest CAC producer, according to the statement.

CAC production carries a significantly lower carbon footprint than traditional gray cement, positioning it as a viable alternative in an emissions-intensive industry.

The bank noted that in 2024 it provided a Eur25 million loan to finance the decarbonization of Cimsa's Eskisehir plant, the EBRD's first investment in Turkey's cement sector.

"Our commitment extends beyond the products we deliver to how we produce them, ensuring responsibility and long-term sustainability guide every step of our operations," Cimsa CEO Umut Zeper said.

Guided by science-based targets, Cimsa aims to steadily reduce emissions, scale up renewable energy and increase alternative fuel use across its operations.

"Our partnership with the EBRD reinforces this ambition, helping us accelerate our decarbonization efforts and strengthen competitiveness as the industry transitions to a low-carbon future," Zeper added.

The EBRD said it has worked with Turkey's Ministry of Industry and Technology to develop low-carbon pathways for the steel, cement, fertilizer and aluminum sectors.

"Those LCPs, which provide decarbonization roadmaps and policy guidance to clients and other industry stakeholders, have paved the way for the Turkey's Industrial Decarbonization Investment Platform, or TIDIP, the world's largest industrial decarbonization program to date, spearheaded by the bank", the EBRD said.

The EBRD is one of Turkey's largest foreign investors, with more than Eur12 billion committed across 502 projects and trade finance limits since 2009, largely in the private sector, according to the statement.

Platts last assessed CEMDEX Turkey at $54.50/metric ton FOB on Nov. 13.