Catch4Climate Pure Oxyfuel plant officially inaugurated – a milestone for low-carbon cement

Mergelstetten, Germany | July 9, 2026 - The CI4C (Cement Innovation for Climate) Pure Oxyfuel plant in Mergelstetten (state of Baden-Württemberg) has been officially inaugurated, marking a major milestone in the decarbonization of cement production. thyssenkrupp Polysius, together with thyssenkrupp Calvion, is proud to have contributed to this landmark project in close collaboration with the CI4C consortium (Buzzi SpA / Dyckerhoff GmbH, Heidelberg Materials AG, SCHWENK Zement GmbH & Co. KG and Vicat S.A) and additional project partners. 

As part of the “catch4climate” initiative, the plant represents a research and development facility for carbon capture technologies in cement production. With a capacity of around 450 tonnes of clinker per day, the installation provides an important platform for research, validation, and further development.  

“For the first time, Pure Oxyfuel is being demonstrated at industrial scale in a cement plant. This achievement reflects the dedication, expertise and pioneering spirit of everyone involved in the project. At thyssenkrupp Polysius, we are proud to have translated a bold vision into operational reality and to contribute a technology that can help transform one of the world’s most challenging industries to decarbonize,” said Christian Myland, CEO of thyssenkrupp Polysius. 

At the core of the plant is the Pure Oxyfuel process. By replacing ambient air with pure oxygen in the clinker burning process, the technology significantly increases the CO₂ concentration in the exhaust gas, creating the conditions for capturing nearly 95% CO₂ emissions from cement production - including unavoidable process emissions from limestone calcination.  

thyssenkrupp Polysius led the overall engineering, plant design, and execution of the facility, successfully translating an innovative concept into industrial-scale reality. The Pure Oxyfuel technology developed and implemented within the “catch4climate” project will be further advanced within thyssenkrupp Calvion, ensuring continuity and focused development beyond this milestone.