Kerakoll and Steda Holding B.V have announced the completion of a strategic partnership agreement that involves the acquisition by Kerakoll of 60% of Caltra Nederland, a subsidiary of Steda Holding.
Caltra Nederland is a Dutch company specialising in the development, production and sale of supplementary cementitious materials (SCMs) and low-carbon clinker. The company was founded in 1984 by Ludo van Nes, whose daughter Daniëlle and son Stephan have been at the helm since 2013.
Caltra currently operates three production plants, with a fourth plant under construction also in the Netherlands, which is expected to be activated by the third quarter of 2025.
The aim of the transaction is to combine skills and resources to develop alternative binders with low carbon emissions, grasping the opportunities offered by the transformation of the cement sector, committed to reducing environmental impact, and by the implications for the premixed products sector.
The decarbonisation of construction - with the cement industry responsible for about 7% of total greenhouse gas emissions - is one of the most important future challenges to achieve zero emissions. The use of additives, alternative materials and circular economy solutions, are some of the most promising solutions to reconvert the industry's business models.
Fabio Sghedoni, Vice President of Kerakoll Group, said: “The acquisition of a majority shareholding in Caltra marks a further step forward in the innovation and sustainability process embarked on by Kerakoll.
“The current market trends require creative thinking and a broader vision, with a proactive approach aimed at embracing change: this is exactly how Kerakoll has been operating since its foundation."
Marco Zini, Group CEO of Kerakoll, commented: ‘With this strategic operation, our Group secures an important international presence, in the heart of Europe, in terms of know-how on components that will be crucial for the development of alternative cements, such as SCMs and low-carbon clinkers. Direct access to the best sources of supply of these strategic raw materials will, in fact, increasingly be a critical success factor for the sustainable future of the building and construction world."
