A $20 million U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Manufacturing and Energy Supply Chains (MESC) grant will support a Chicago cement and concrete venture creating up to 80 jobs. Project OZ tests a Silicon Valley startup’s small scale powder production model and partner’s cement-concrete value chain logistics and quality control competencies.
Furno Materials proposes a modular plant concept with capacity aligning cement consumption in a local market radius. In initial installations, it aims to tap calcium-rich material waste streams to replace nearly half of the virgin limestone used in conventional portland cement clinker. Project OZ partner Ozinga, a top independent in ready mixed concrete with suburban Chicago headquarters, is no stranger to the leading feedstock candidate materials: Hardened returned mixes and slab or structure demolition debris.
“Furno Materials’ vision is to make cement production accessible for everyone anywhere. We do this by building plants that are standardized, decentralized, and decarbonized,” said CEO Gurinder Nagra. “Project OZ brings this vision to life by combining our advanced kiln technology with Ozinga’s industry expertise to produce the same high-performance cement, but with far fewer emissions. This plant will demonstrate how we can rapidly onshore production and drive down carbon emissions. The DOE funding accelerates our vision, and we look forward to working with the MESC to produce clean cement directly at the demand site.”
Legacy cement production entails large, centralized plants inviting high transportation costs and logistical inefficiencies, he affirmed. Project OZ will show that by decentralizing cement production and deploying high-efficiency, gas-based combustion, Furno Materials can reduce transportation costs and carbon emissions while improving the supply chain’s responsiveness to demand shifts. Project OZ and subsequent plant installations will position the company to replace upward of 80% of traditional feedstock materials and achieve a comparable level of emissions reduction measured against traditional cement production.
Furno Materials will lead Project OZ design and construction, then manage the facility to ensure it meets sustainability, operational, and community-focused goals. Along with providing technical oversight, Ozinga will supply all raw materials for Project OZ and guarantee 100% of the cement offtake – ensuring commercial success from the outset. Among candidate outlets for the powder are two Ozinga ready mixed plants strategic to downtown Chicago, key transportation arteries, and the city’s north side.
“Furno’s cement is not only environmentally superior, but it also meets the high-performance standards we require for our projects,” noted CEO Marty Ozinga IV. “We and our customers want to reduce our carbon footprint, without sacrificing quality and schedule. Furno delivers the product we’ve used for generations while lowering emissions. We look forward to continuing to work with Furno to integrate this cement into our operations and help us reach our goal to deliver carbon neutral concrete by 2030.”
