News

Leading machinery producer TOPWERK Group backs carbon-negative Partanna as a game-changer for the concrete industry

January 29, 2024

  • TOPWERK– machinery supplier and service partner to hundreds of concrete manufacturers globally - identifies Partanna as the “construction industry’s most exciting innovation in decades”
  •  Climate tech company Partanna has developed the world’s first and only carbon negative concrete, made without Portland cement
  • Partanna reveals plans to start building four factories in 2024 – including facilities in The Bahamas, Gulf Region and United States
     

TOPWERK Group, the global leader in concrete manufacturing equipment and technology, has officially endorsed Partanna Global’s ground-breaking carbon-negative binder technology as the number one green alternative to traditional Portland cement.
As part of a collaboration agreement between the two companies, announced today at the World of Concrete conference in Las Vegas, TOPWERK is formally endorsing Partanna as the most advanced green concrete solution in the market.
TOPWERK recognizes Partanna’s carbon negative binder as a direct, plug-and-play replacement solution to Portland cement, that is fully compatible with their machines.
Partanna has also confirmed its plans to use TOPWERK machinery for its first four factories globally (as a start). The exclusive agreement spans an initial term of three years with a global scope. As part of the partnership agreement, TOPWERK will formally endorse Partanna to its existing global customer base, with a view to moving them from Portland cement to Partanna’s carbon negative binder.
TOPWERKS's endorsement follows a recent announcement by one of the world’s leading real estate developers, ROSHN, that it intends to invest into a new facility in Saudi Arabia, utilizing Partanna’s technology. In concrete production, Portland cement is the binder that holds together aggregates, allowing for the formation of durable structures.
It is the world’s most used commodity after water and its production is responsible for 9% of the world’s emissions.

Partanna’s patented process for concrete production negates the need for Portland cement. Instead, the company uses an alternative binder – made from natural recycled ingredients – which cures at room temperature.  The binder components in Partanna consume CO₂ as they cure, removing carbon from the atmosphere in the process.
This process ensures that Partanna building materials are carbon negative. Concrete made with Partanna is just as affordable, versatile and durable as Portland cement-based concrete. Concrete producers can produce carbon negative building materials by swopping out Portland cement for Partanna. No special equipment or aggregates or required.

Robert Gruss, CEO of TOPWERK Group, said:
"The construction industry has used cement as a major material since the Roman age, and in particular since the start of industrialisation. Today, the classical cement industry alone is one of the strongest CO₂ pollutants globally. We believe our exclusive partner Partanna has come up with a truly impressive solution that can contribute to putting this practice to an end.

The company’s carbon negative binder is one of the most exciting innovations we have witnessed in our industry for decades. It is the most advanced alternative binder solution in the market and the only credibly carbon negative solution that has the potential to scale globally.
 
Over the last two years, we have rigorously tested their formula and have validated its application as a direct replacement solution for Portland cement. In many ways, their binder actually performs better than the legacy solution.
 
We believe that Partanna is not just an alternative to Portland cement, but can be a major part of the future of the concrete industry. Our endorsement reflects our absolute confidence in their technology and its potential to transform the market. This why we have joined hands in an exclusive cooperation.”
TOPWERK Group is the umbrella company of the world's leading group of companies in the field of machines and plants for the industrial production of concrete products. Its brands include Hess Group, Hess AAC Systems, SR Schindler, Masa Group and Prinzing Pfeiffer.

Rick Fox, CEO and co-founder of Partanna Global, added:
“TOPWERK's endorsement of Partanna represents a major vote of confidence in our technology from one of the most respected names in global construction.
We’re humbled and proud that one of the world’s leading concrete machinery producers has given us their backing. We hope this signals to the industry that Portland cement is no longer the only solution in town, and that the days of burning rocks are fast coming to an end.”

Partanna's building material has been independently verified by Intertek, a leading international product testing and certification firm. This verification confirms that Partanna's unique product meets and sometimes exceeds key ASTM standards, ensuring structural integrity and safety.

About Partanna
Partanna is a technology company that supports industries to decarbonize, enhance profitability and generate carbon credits. The business has pioneered the world’s first zero-emission material, which naturally removes carbon from the atmosphere. Through its application across various industries, Partanna’s technology generates top-performing carbon credits in a fast-growing global market.

About TOPWERK Group
The TOPWERK Group is the globally leading mechanical and process engineering company in the concrete production industry. The headquarter is located in Burbach-Wahlbach, Germany. The company is driven by innovation and 100% dedication to our clients’s needs. With more than 1.100 employees and registered sales and service offices all over the world, the TOPWERK Group produces machines and plants for the production of a wide variety of concrete products. Each of the 5 TOPWERK companies specialises in a specific product group.