Calcium Aluminate Cements (CAC): Chemistry, Properties, Applications, Global Suppliers & Market Outlook: Applied Intelligence
Calcium Aluminate Cements (CAC): a field guide for engineers & buyers
CAC / HAC Refractory Rapid set Sulfate & acid resistance
1) What are calcium aluminate cements?
Calcium aluminate cements (CAC, also called high-alumina cements) are specialty hydraulic binders made primarily from limestone (CaO) and bauxite/alumina (Al₂O₃). They differ from Portland cement: their main clinker phases are aluminates (not silicates), which gives CAC very fast strength gain, high temperature performance and strong chemical resistance.[S1]
Chemistry & key phases (cement chemist notation)
| Phase | Formula | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| CA | CaO·Al₂O₃ | Dominant phase in many CAC grades |
| CA₂ | CaO·2Al₂O₃ | Higher alumina, slower hydrate kinetics |
| C12A7 (Mayenite) | 12CaO·7Al₂O₃ | Reactive, contributes to very early set |
Hydration and “conversion” (why mix design matters)
Early hydrates include CAH₁₀ and C₂AH₈; over time (and with temperature) they convert to denser C₃AH₆ + AH₃, which can reduce porosity but also nominal strength if water/cement and curing are not controlled. Proper mix design (low w/c, adequate curing, correct grading) mitigates this.[S2][S3][S4]
2) Properties, applications & “why CAC?”
- Very fast set & early strength (hours, not days)
- Excellent sulfate & acid resistance (no free Ca(OH)₂)
- High temperature service (refractories)
- Low efflorescence; dimensional stability in drymix systems
- Refractory castables, kiln/furnace repairs
- Sewer & wastewater, marine, chemical exposure
- Rapid pavement/airfield repairs; fast screeds
- Drymix mortars (accelerated, self-drying systems)
Why it works: aluminates hydrate without portlandite release, improving resistance to sulfates/biogenic corrosion; rapid hydrate formation enables early opening to traffic or demolding in prefabrication.[S1][S5][S6]
3) How CAC is produced (quarry → customer)
- Raw materials: crushed limestone and bauxite/refined alumina.
- Clinker making: fusion/sintering at ~1,600 °C in electric/oxy-fuel/reverberatory or rotary systems (energy-intensive vs. OPC). Clinker is rapidly cooled.[S7]
- Grinding & classification to target fineness and phase balance.
- QA/QC & certification: EN 14647 composition/mechanical criteria in Europe; EPD/DoP for specific products.[S8]
- Logistics & formats:
- 25 kg bags (palletized), ~1,000 kg big bags, and bulk (pneumatic tanker) for silos.[S9][S10][S11]
- Shipping as bulk/break-bulk or containerized pallets depending on route.
4) Leading suppliers, brands & production locations
| Company | Brands / Grades (examples) | Main CAC sites serving EMEA / Americas |
|---|---|---|
| Imerys Aluminates (ex-Kerneos) | Ciment Fondu®, Secar®, Ternal® | France (Fos/La Rochelle, others); UK (historic Purfleet); USA (Chesapeake, VA); India (Atchutapuram, 30–50 kt/yr binder plant).[S12][S13][S14] |
| Calucem (Molins Group) | Istra®, Refcon® | Pula (Croatia ~100 kt/yr); Barcelona (ES, QA/tech); New Orleans (USA, new CAC plant investment).[S15][S16][S17] |
| Górka Cement (PL) | GÓRKAL® 40/50/70 | Trzebinia, Poland (100+ years of HAC/CAC production).[S18][S19] |
| Çimsa (TR) | ISIDAÇ® 40 / 52 | Mersin/Eskisehir/Afyon (TR) + Buñol (ES for white cement; CAC produced in TR).[S20][S21] |
| Almatis | CA-50/60/70/80 series (high-purity CAC) | Global network (EU, US, CN) supplying high-purity CAC for refractories/ceramics.[S22][S23] |
5) Trade flows & common Incoterms
- Origins (EMEA): France (Imerys), Croatia/Spain (Calucem), Turkey (Çimsa), Poland (Górka), plus China for price-sensitive flows.
- Americas: USA imports from Turkey/EU/China pending new US capacity; Latin America sources EU/TR/CN.[S24][S25]
Incoterms commonly used for CAC in bulk/break-bulk: FOB (seller loads, buyer arranges freight/insurance), CFR/CIF (seller pays freight; CIF includes minimum insurance), and FCA/DAP for palletized/container moves and intra-EU road.[S26][S27][S28][S29]
6) Market size & directional import estimates
Method: combine recent global CAC market values (≈US$1.3–1.7 bn, 2024) with volume estimates (~3.96 Mt, 2025) to derive regional ranges. Prices vary widely by grade (CA50 vs CA70/80), packaging and terms; Western branded CAC often transacts higher than Chinese supply. Ranges below are directional for planning and should be validated with RFQs.
6.1 EMEA & the Americas — directional split
| Region | Indicative share of CAC value | € value (range) | Tonnage (range) | Typical origins |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Europe | ~25–30% | €350–€500 m | 0.8–1.1 Mt | FR, HR/ES, PL, TR |
| Middle East & North Africa | ~8–12% | €110–€200 m | 0.2–0.35 Mt | FR, TR, HR, CN |
| Sub-Saharan Africa | ~5–7% | €70–€110 m | 0.1–0.2 Mt | EU, TR, CN |
| North America | ~15–20% | €210–€330 m | 0.35–0.6 Mt | TR, EU, CN (and new US supply) |
| Latin America | ~5–8% | €70–€130 m | 0.1–0.25 Mt | EU, TR, CN |
Derived by reconciling value-based reports and a 3.96 Mt global tonnage baseline with mid-range EU landed prices.[S30][S31][S32]
6.2 Country clusters (Europe)
| Cluster | Annual potential (tons) | € potential (assume avg €700–900/t) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| DACH (DE/AT/CH) | 120–180k | €84–€162 m | Large refractory, steel, waste-to-energy base |
| France | 90–140k | €63–€126 m | Local supply (Imerys), strong building chemistry |
| Italy | 80–120k | €56–€108 m | Ceramics, foundry, WtE |
| Spain | 50–80k | €35–€72 m | Drymix & wastewater; Calucem tech hub in Barcelona |
| Benelux | 25–40k | €18–€36 m | Ports, chemicals, distribution |
| Portugal | 10–20k | €7–€18 m | Marine & wastewater |
6.3 Middle East, Libya/Egypt & Maghreb; West Africa
| Region | Annual potential (tons) | € potential (avg €650–850/t) | Buyer profile |
|---|---|---|---|
| GCC + Levant | 80–120k | €52–€102 m | Refinery/petrochem, desalination, WtE, airports |
| Egypt | 20–30k | €13–€26 m | Steel, fertilizers, cement kilns, wastewater |
| Maghreb (MA/DZ/TN) | 30–50k | €20–€43 m | Industrial contractors, sewer rehab, ports |
| Libya | 5–10k | €3–€9 m | Oil & gas maintenance, ports |
| West Africa (NG, GH, SN, CI…) | 20–40k | €13–€34 m | Gold/alumina, ports, industrial estates |
All ranges are indicative imports; Maghreb/Egypt lack local CAC plants and import from EU/TR/CN.
7) Buyer personas & channels (by region)
Europe
- Refractory castable producers & precast shops
- Drymix mortar blenders (fast screeds/repairs)
- Municipal & EPC contractors (sewer/marine)
- Steel/cement/glass kilns maintenance firms
- Distributors with hazardous-goods logistics
Middle East & North/West Africa
- Oil & gas / petrochem maintenance contractors
- Ports & desalination EPCs
- Sewer rehab & industrial flooring applicators
- Mining/metallurgy refractories (NG, GH)
- State utilities & municipalities (tenders)
8) Practical purchasing tips
- Specify to EN 14647 grade and target early strengths; fix water demand & set control in the spec.
- For hot climates: manage conversion risk (low w/c, correct curing, optimized aggregates).
- Choose Incoterms to match mode: bulk/break-bulk often CFR/CIF/FOB; palletized intra-EU tends to FCA/DAP.
Disclaimer: Market/tonnage figures are directional estimates derived from public sources and trade intelligence; validate with supplier RFQs for your lanes, grades and terms.#OSINT business case
| Stakeholder | Country (HQ) | Website |
|---|---|---|
| Imerys Aluminates (SECAR®, TERNAL®, Ciment Fondu®) | France | imerys.com/product-ranges/secar |
| Calucem (Molins Group) | Spain (HQ); plants HR/US | calucem.com |
| Górka Cement (GÓRKAL®) | Poland | gorkal.com |
| Çimsa (ISIDAÇ® / REFRO series) | Türkiye | cimsa.com.tr |
| Almatis (High-purity CAC) | Netherlands | almatis.com |
| Denka (Denka Alumina Cement) | Japan | denka.co.jp |
| Elfusa (Curimbaba Group) | Brazil | elfusa.com.br |
| Royal White Cement (CAC 40/50/70/80) | United States | royalwhitecement.com |
| Caltra Nederland B.V. (ACA / CAC / CSA) | Netherlands | caltra.com |
| Rongsheng Refractory (CAC for refractories) | China | rongshengrefractory.com |
| U.S. Electrofused Minerals (industrial minerals incl. CAC) | United States | usminerals.com |
| GCCA – Global Cement & Concrete Association | United Kingdom | gccassociation.org |
| CEN – European Committee for Standardization (EN 14647) | Belgium | cencenelec.eu |
| ASTM International (cements & materials standards) | United States | astm.org |
| RILEM – Intl. Union of Laboratories & Experts in Construction Materials | France | rilem.net |
Calcium Aluminate Cements (CAC) in Ports, Harbors, Shipyards & Energy Platforms
Why CAC matters not only in docks and artillery platforms, but also in shipyards, offshore terminals and cross-border pipeline infrastructures.
Applications in Shipyards & Dry Docks
Shipyard facilities require concretes that can endure continuous immersion, hydrocarbon spills, and abrasion from vessel docking. CAC-based concretes are applied in:
- Dry dock basins and retaining walls, exposed to seawater pressure and rapid empty/fill cycles.
- Slipways and ramps, where abrasion resistance and saltwater durability are critical.
- Repair mortars for quay edges and dock floors that must return to service quickly between ship overhauls.
Energy Platforms & Pipelines
CAC is also valuable in energy logistics, especially where marine exposure and chemical attack coincide:
- Offshore artillery or defense platforms: vibration resistance plus saltwater durability.
- Subsea pipeline anchor blocks and coastal terminals: CAC concrete resists sulfate-rich sediments and seawater infiltration.
- Nigeria–Morocco Gas Pipeline (example): A transcontinental project with long stretches of subsea pipeline and shore approaches. CAC concretes can be used for:
- Anchoring systems and protective mattresses along seabed pipeline segments.
- Coastal compressor station foundations exposed to salt spray and sulfates.
- Emergency fast-setting repairs of underwater supports or landfall structures.
Summary Table
| Scenario | Why CAC is Needed |
|---|---|
| Shipyards & dry docks | High abrasion, immersion cycles, hydrocarbon exposure; fast repairs between vessel dockings. |
| Harbors & artillery platforms | Resistance to chlorides, sulfates and rapid return-to-service after impact or damage. |
| Offshore terminals | Durability in splash/tidal zones; impermeability against aggressive seawater. |
| Nigeria–Morocco Gas Pipeline | Pipeline anchoring blocks, compressor stations, subsea protective mattresses; sulfate and chloride resistance plus rapid-setting repair options. |
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