New speakers announced at Cementitious Materials Congress Americas 2026! Join industry pioneers as we explore high-yield strategies designed to align operational profitability with ambitious decarbonization goals.
Yura Cement: Sixty years of producing low-clinker pozzolanic cement and natural pozzolan-based SCMs presented by Juan Burga, CEO Cemento Yura and Bruno Bertolotti, R&D Manager Cemento Yura.
The cement industry is accelerating the development of low-carbon binders through sustained reductions in clinker content and the increased use of supplementary cementitious materials (SCMs). Over several decades, natural pozzolans have represented a strategic path toward clinker reduction, provided that sufficient reactivity and consistent performance can be achieved at industrial scale.
This paper presents the industrial experience of Yura Cement: sixty years of producing low-clinker pozzolanic cement, and today’s development and production of cements with clinker factors below 50%, together with the parallel production of formulated natural pozzolan-based SCMs. The approach combines ultrafine grinding and mechanochemical activation to enhance the reactivity of selected natural pozzolans, followed by validation and scale-up under industrial operating conditions.
Key aspects addressed are raw material selection, activation strategy, integration into existing cement production lines, and quality control criteria to ensure stable and reproducible performance. The resulting low-clinker cement and formulated SCMs were evaluated through standard physical and mechanical tests, demonstrating adequate early and long-term strength development, as well as compatibility with conventional cement and concrete production processes.
The results confirm that high levels of clinker substitution can be achieved using natural pozzolans when appropriate activation, formulation, and process control strategies are applied. This industrial case illustrates how long-term operational experience combined with targeted activation technologies can enable scalable solutions for clinker reduction and CO2 mitigation in cement production.
About the Speakers
Mr Juan Burga, CEO Cemento Yura
As CEO of Yura S.A. Mr. Burga leads the company’s strategy on industrial performance, sustainability, and low-carbon cement solutions. He is a chemist and holds a Master of Business Administration from the Pontificia Universidad Católica del Perú and the University of Michigan. He previously worked as Executive Director, Project Director and Production Manager at companies such as McKinsey & Company, Quimpac, and Cementos Pacasmayo, bringing strong experience in strategy, operations, and industrial transformation to the cement industry, including pozzolanic cements, supplementary cementitious materials, and long-term clinker reduction strategies.
Dr Bruno Bertolotti, R&D Manager Cemento Yura
As R&D Manager at Yura S.A., Dr. Bertolotti leads research, development, and industrial implementation of low-carbon cements, supplementary cementitious materials, and advanced pozzolan-based technologies. He is a chemist with a Master degree in Materials Chemistry from Sorbonne Université and a PhD in Chemistry from CY Cergy Paris Université, both in France. He has extensive experience in applied research, with 20 years in the chemicals manufacturing industry, particularly in translating laboratory developments into industrial applications
Advances in Magnesium-based Binders: Resources, Formulation, Performance, and Carbon Negativity presented by Dr. Hongyan Ma, Professor at the Missouri University of Science and Technology (S&T).
Magnesium-based cementitious systems have re-emerged as promising candidates for reducing the carbon footprint of cement and concrete and/or enabling special functions, offering fundamentally different reaction pathways, raw material flexibility, and opportunities for carbon utilization compared to conventional portland cement. Unlike clinker-based systems, magnesium-based binders can leverage low-temperature processing, industrial residues, and alternative feedstocks(e.g., mining wastes), while enabling CO2 mineralization for permanent carbon storage.
This talk will provide an overview of the state of the art in magnesium-based cement technologies, highlighting several promising functional or (ultra-)low-carbon alternative binders, such as magnesium phosphate, magnesium silicate, and magnesium carbonate cements. Key performance attributes – workability, strength, and durability – and compatibility with existing SCMs will be discussed alongside practical considerations such as raw material availability, energy inputs, cost structure, and scalability. Special attention will be given to how magnesium-based cements can integrate with infrastructure needs, evolving standards, and decarbonization strategies, including their potential role in circular economy frameworks that valorize industrial and mineral-processing residues.
Rather than positioning magnesium systems as a wholesale replacement for portland cement, this presentation will explore realistic deployment scenarios where magnesium-based binders can complement existing cementitious materials and deliver measurable environmental and economic value.
About the speaker
Dr. Hongyan Ma is a professor holding the Kummer Impact Professorship and Francisco Benavides Scholarship, affiliated with Civil Engineering, Chemical Engineering, and Energy Economics at the Missouri University of Science and Technology (S&T). He received his bachelor’s degrees in Material Engineering and in Law in 2005, a master’s degree in Structural Engineering in 2008, and a PhD in Civil Engineering in 2013. He joined Missouri S&T as an assistant professor in 2015, following a 2.5-year Postdoctoral Fellowship at the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology. Dr. Ma has been directing the Laboratory of Future Cements and Carbon-negative Initiatives to conduct research regarding innovative cement-related concepts, smart systems for testing and evaluation, multi-scale characterization and modeling, concrete deterioration and mitigation, gigaton-scale CO2 mineralization, thermal energy storage, and critical mineral recovery. Dr. Ma’s research has received funding from the National Science Foundation, the Department of Transportation, the Department of Energy, the Department of Defense, private foundations, and industry, totaling >$15M. He has published more than 150 papers in prestigious journals and received over 10,000 citations with an h-index of 56. He is a member of ACI, ASCE, ACerS, TMS, and AGU, and has co-founded two startup companies in the field of low-carbon cement.
3 Days. 2 Landmark Events. 1 Future for the Cement Industry
This March, the eyes of the global cementitious sector will be on Dallas. We are hosting a back-to-back series of congresses designed to solve the industry’s two greatest challenges: Sustainable Technology and Leadership Evolution.
Why choose one when you can lead in both?
Part 1: Cementitious Materials TechTrade Congress Americas (March 11–12)
Focus: Navigating the Net-Zero transition and supply chain dynamics. Hear from: C-Suite leaders and scientists from CRH, Heidelberg Materials, CEMEX, and UT Austin: The “What” and “How” of future materials.
Part 2: Women in Cement & Construction Congress Americas (March 12–13)
Focus: Driving profitability through inclusive leadership and innovation. Hear from: Top female executives from CRH, CIMPOR, EllisDon, and the Concrete Advancement Foundation: The “Who” and “Where” of future leadership
Get the full program event brochure at contact@industrylink.eu. If you want to join our 2026 events as speakers or exhibitors please reach out to Mariana Gheorghe, Program and Marketing Manager at mariana.gheorghe@industrylink.eu. Follow us on our social media channels!
More details about our two events and onine tickets here: https://industrylink.eu/event/women-in-cemco-international-congress-americas-2026/ and https://industrylink.eu/event/cementitious-materials-international-congress-americas-2026/
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Find out more about the future of building sustainably. Discover the latest in cement industry innovations, best practices, and decarbonization efforts at our upcoming events – join us to shape a greener world!
Email us at contact@industrylink.eu for program brochures and future events.
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Other events in 2026:
ESG and Sustainability International Summit and Industry 5.0 Conference and Exhibition – June 10-11, 2026; Location: Sao Paulo, Brazil
A premier regional platform for industry leaders to discuss sustainability, ESG strategies, and regulatory advancements in cement and construction. This event brings together thought leaders and corporate professionals from around the world to explore the latest trends in sustainable finance, legal frameworks, and industry innovations.
We are also including panel discussions on Industry 5.0 to discuss how AI and Automation and other smart solutions are contributing to the decarbonization of the cement & construction industry.
The event is designed to inspire, educate, and empower corporate attendees to drive sustainable progress and create a positive impact on our planet and society, previous editions were held in Madeira, Portugal and Cairo, Egypt in 2024 and 2025 respectively.
Cementitious Materials International technical and Trade Congress EMEA, 28 – 29 October, Brussels, Belgium
The EMEA edition of the Cementitious Materials International technical and Trade Congress is poised to build om success stories of past events – the first edition was held in Casablanca, Morocco in April 2024 and the second edition was also held in Cairo earlier this year.
This is once again an opportunity to network with your peers and leaders in the industry, gain first-hand insights on regional trends, learn from industry experts about the latest market dynamics, regulatory changes and future outlook of cementitious materials in the region.
See link for the summary of the last edition – Cementitious Materials International TechTrade Congress – EMEA | Cairo, Egypt | June 3-4, 2025 (Overview here)
CarbonZero Alternative Fuels & Raw Materials Global Conference & Exhibition 2026 to include Cementitious Europe – Congress, 28 – 29 October, Brussels, Belgium
This premier global platform, CarbonZero brings together senior decision-makers to accelerate the transition to Net Zero in cement and construction. The conference will explore green alternatives—ranging from alternative fuels and raw materials to clinker substitutes-alongside emerging technologies, carbon capture, financing and investment strategies, policy developments, and industry standards. This C-level gathering convenes leaders from cement manufacturing, construction, technology, research, academia, and regulatory institutions—united in shaping actionable and sustainable solutions.
Women In CemCo EMEA TBA
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