LafargeHolcim Bangladesh PLC (LHB) has launched a new salinity- and sulphate-resistant cement, Holcim Coastal Guard, designed to address the growing environmental challenges in the country’s coastal areas.

Mohammad Mahfuzul Hoque, commercial and logistics director of LafargeHolcim Bangladesh PLC, inaugurated the product at a city hotel in Khulna recently, according to a press release.

Speaking at the event, Hoque said, “This product has been developed through continuous consumer engagement, research, and a thorough understanding of the saline and sulphate impact on structures.”

“We believe that Holcim Coastal Guard will help our customers build their dream homes that remain resilient against the harshest environmental challenges, providing unmatched protection against coastal erosion and decay,” he added.

The product has been developed through the company’s in-house innovation and manufacturing capabilities in collaboration with the Innovation Center of Holcim Group in Lyon, France, leveraging the group’s Smart Blend Technology.

Holcim Coastal Guard is engineered to combat the rapid deterioration of structures exposed to harsh sulphate- and chloride-rich soils, groundwater in coastal environments, and chemical attacks in water and effluent treatment plants, ensuring longer-lasting and more resilient construction.

Raquib Ahsan, professor of the Department of Civil Engineering at the Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology, attended the event as a special guest.

More than 160 engineers, architects, academicians and industry professionals were present at the unveiling ceremony. 

A technical seminar was organised following the launch.

Fakhruddin Md Khan, head of innovation and technical services at LHB; Md Habibur Rahman Sabuz, head of the BECM department at the Khulna University of Engineering and Technology; SM Nazimuddin Payel, associate professor; and Mohammad Kali, regional sales manager of LHB, among others, were also present.