LC3
LC3 is an EPFL-hosted research project that develops Limestone Calcined Clay Cement, a low-carbon blended cement technology reducing CO2 emissions by up to 40% versus Portland cement, transferred globally to cement manufacturers through Technical Resource Centres.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2014
- HeadquartersLausanne, Switzerland
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What LC3 does
LC3 is a low-carbon cement research project, not an independent company, founded in 2014 and hosted at the École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL) under Prof. Karen Scrivener. It develops Limestone Calcined Clay Cement (LC3), a blended cement that combines calcined clay and limestone to replace up to 50% of the carbon-intensive clinker in conventional Portland cement, reducing CO2 emissions by up to 40%. The technology exploits the synergistic chemistry between aluminates from calcined clay (fired at only 800°C versus 1450°C for clinker) and carbonates from limestone, producing a denser and stronger cement paste at lower cost, and is deployable in existing cement plants with only minor capital modifications.
LC3 does not sell cement directly; instead, it transfers the technology to partner cement manufacturers globally (e.g., JK Cement in India, Cementos Argos in Colombia, Holcim, CIMPOR, First Calcined Clay in Oman) who produce and distribute LC3-based products under their own brands such as JK Super LC3 Cement, Cemento Verde, and Jura Eco 3. Supporting services include a global network of Technical Resource Centres (Asia, Latin America, North America via WJE, and Africa), an annual Doctoral School at EPFL, industry information days, and consulting/testing engagements with cement producers. Approximately 40 cement companies across 25 countries are reportedly engaged with the project, with deployment in more than 50 countries overall.
The project is funded primarily through grants from the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC)—approximately CHF 4 million since 2014—and supplemented by advisory service revenue, training program fees, and licensing arrangements. It pursues regulatory adoption of LC3 cement standards, with Cuba having approved the first national LC3 cement standard in 2016 and ongoing policy engagement through NDCs and SDG frameworks.
LC3 firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- LC3
- Legal name
- LC3 – Limestone Calcined Clay Cement
- Website
- https://lc3.ch
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2014
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 51–100 employees
- Short description
- LC3 is an EPFL-hosted research project that develops Limestone Calcined Clay Cement, a low-carbon blended cement technology reducing CO2 emissions by up to 40% versus Portland cement, transferred globally to cement manufacturers through Technical Resource Centres.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
LC3 industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Low-Carbon Cement Technology
- NAICS
- Cement Manufacturing (327310)
- SIC
- Cement, Hydraulic (3241)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Cement Manufacturing (Portland, Blended & Specialty) (IMADAAAG)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Kaolin & Industrial Clay Mining (Bentonite, Ball Clay, Fuller’s Earth) (IMAKAGAJ)
Keywords
Where LC3 is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Lausanne
- HQ country
- Switzerland
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices4 records
Markets served
LC3 business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Research Funding: The LC3 Project receives funding from the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) through its Global Programme on Climate Change to support research, testing, and global outreach activities.
- Technology Advisory Services: The Technical Resource Centres provide specialized consulting and testing services to support industry adoption of LC3 technologies.
- Training and Education: The LC3 Doctoral School and training programs educate industry professionals on LC3 technology and applications.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Multi-year contract | Low-cost technology with minimal capital requirements |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels2 records
Marketing channels10 records
LC3 product offering
Product offeringCore offering
LC3 (Limestone Calcined Clay Cement) is a low-carbon cement blend that combines limestone and calcined clay to replace up to 50% of the clinker in Portland cement, reducing CO2 emissions by up to 40% with comparable performance. The technology is licensed to cement manufacturers globally and supported by a network of Technical Resource Centres that provide consulting, testing, and training services for industry adoption.
Product overview
LC3 (Limestone Calcined Clay Cement) is a low-carbon cement technology developed by EPFL that blends limestone and calcined clay to reduce CO2 emissions by up to 40% compared to conventional Portland cement. The core LC3 technology serves as the foundation for various commercial products including Jura Eco 3 (Switzerland), JK Super LC3 Cement (India), and Cemento Verde (Colombia). Supporting services include the annual LC3 Doctoral School training program and a global network of Technical Resource Centres providing industry consulting and testing services.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- LC3 Cement Technology A proprietary low-carbon cement blend of limestone and calcined clay that replaces up to 50% of clinker in Portland cement, reducing CO2 emissions by up to 40% while delivering comparable or superior concrete performance. Licensed to cement manufacturers worldwide.
- LC3 Technical Resource Centre Services Specialized consulting and testing services delivered through a global network of Technical Resource Centres (Asia, Latin America, Africa, North America) to support cement producers and construction stakeholders in validating and adopting LC3 technologies.
- LC3 Doctoral School Annual educational program held at EPFL since 2016 covering advances in hydration of cementitious materials and blended cements, with detailed presentations, discussions, and experiments aimed at researchers and industry professionals.
Quantifiable outcome
- Reduces CO2 emissions by up to 40% compared to conventional Portland cement
- +5 more outcomes
Companies that use LC3
Customer profileNamed customers7 records
Segments1 record
Ideal customer profiles2 records
LC3 technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature4 records
LC3 partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
14 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Wiss, Janney, Elstner Associates, Inc. (WJE)coreFormal agreement to act as LC3 Technical Resource Centre in North America through WJE's headquarters in Northbrook, Illinois, USA. WJE is a global firm of engineers, architects, and materials scientists providing innovative solutions. Their Janney Technical Center is a 70,000-square-foot testing and applied research facility.
- Vinci ConstructioncoreGlobal leader in construction with over 1,300 companies and 115,000 employees. Collaboration with EPFL for PhD research on reducing carbon emissions related to construction industry, implementing multi-scale approach for studying cementitious phases.
- Cementos ArgoscoreStarted production and distribution of 'Cemento Verde' - an LC3 composition reducing up to 38% of CO2 emissions compared to OPC. Project conducted in collaboration with LC3-project and Ecosur.
- IIT DelhicoreKey Indian research partner in LC3 development. Collaborated with JK Lakshmi Cement Ltd. for first full-scale trial production of LC3. IIT Delhi has been the key developer of LC3 in India for 13 years.
- École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL)coreHost institution for the LC3 Project. Karen Scrivener's Laboratory of Construction Materials (LMC) leads research and development activities.
- IIT BombaycoreResearch partner in the LC3 consortium working on technical key questions to facilitate uptake of LC3 technology.
- IIT MadrascoreResearch partner in the LC3 consortium contributing to technical research and development.
- Universidad Central de las Villas, CubacoreLong-standing cooperation with EPFL on LC3 development. Cuban team led by Prof. Fernando Martirena Hernández conducted field trials showing that abundantly available low-grade kaolin clay could be used as alternative, low-carbon raw material.
- Technology and Action For Rural Advancement (TARA), New DelhicoreTechnology incubation partner in India for LC3 development and application.
- JK CementcoreFirst company in India and Indian Subcontinent to produce and sell LC3: Limestone Calcined Clay Cement. LC3 produced at their Mangrol Plant in Rajasthan with BIS certification.
- First Calcined ClayminorCement producer in Sohar, Oman. Site visit organized during LC3 Days in Oman event.
- CIMPOR Global HoldingsminorExclusive first looks at CIMPOR's LC3 production projects in Abidjan, Ivory Coast and Kribi, Cameroon presented at LC3-Info Day.
- Global Cement and Concrete Association (GCCA)coreCollaboration at COP28 session where GCCA's Concrete Future 2050 Net Zero Roadmap was discussed, with LC3 as a key strategy for clinker substitution.
- HolcimcoreMajor cement company participating in LC3-related initiatives. Cedric de Meeus, Head of Government Affairs, spoke at COP28 LC3 session.
Scale indicators6 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
LC3 competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Solidia Technologies: US-based low-carbon cement and concrete company using CO2-cured binder chemistry. Comparable to LC3 as a venture-backed, technology-led decarbonization play targeting the cement value chain with drop-in solutions.
- Wagners Earth Friendly Concrete (EFC): Australian producer of geopolymer/concrete alternative binders with a ~80% CO2 reduction claim. Comparable to LC3 as a low-carbon cementitious product commercialized and sold into construction projects.
- Hoffmann Green Cement Technologies: French low-carbon cement developer commercializing clinker-substitute cements (H-1, H-2, H-3) targeting up to ~60% CO2 reduction. Directly comparable to LC3 as a venture-backed alternative-cement technology targeting cement producers and construction specifiers.
- CarbonCure Technologies: Canadian startup injecting captured CO2 into ready-mix concrete to reduce cement content and permanently mineralize carbon. Closely comparable go-to-market: technology licensing to concrete/cement producers with measurable CO2 reductions.
Broad incumbents
- Cemex: Global cement major marketing its Vertua lower-carbon cement range. Comparable as a broad incumbent pushing blended/low-clinker cements into the same construction markets where LC3 licensees operate.
- FLSmidth: Global cement and minerals processing equipment OEM supporting the largest calcined-clay installation in Ghana (CBI Africa). Comparable as a key enabler/supplier whose product roadmap directly affects LC3 adoption economics.
- Heidelberg Materials: Major global cement incumbent offering evoZero carbon-captured cement and other clinker-substitution products. Comparable as a broad incumbent pursuing low-carbon cement via both proprietary and partnered technologies in the same category as LC3.
- Holcim: One of the world's largest cement companies (and LC3 partner/licensee). Comparable as a broad incumbent with multiple decarbonization product lines (e.g., ECOPlanet) competing and partnering in the low-carbon cement category.
Emerging players
- Brimstone (Carbon-negative Portland cement): California-based startup developing carbon-negative Portland cement using calcium silicate rock instead of limestone. Comparable as an early-stage alternative-clinker technology addressing the same cement decarbonization problem LC3 targets.
- Geopolymer Institute: Research and standards body advancing alkali-activated/geopolymer cements as an alternative to Portland and blended cements. Comparable as an emerging alternative-binder ecosystem that competes with LC3 for standards adoption and producer mindshare.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
LC3 social profiles
Digital presenceLC3 compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance3 records
LC3 financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
LC3 leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles5 records
LC3 funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
LC3 M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about LC3
What does LC3 do?
LC3 (Limestone Calcined Clay Cement) is a low-carbon cement blend that combines limestone and calcined clay to replace up to 50% of the clinker in Portland cement, reducing CO2 emissions by up to 40% with comparable performance. The technology is licensed to cement manufacturers globally and supported by a network of Technical Resource Centres that provide consulting, testing, and training services for industry adoption.
Is LC3 a public or private company?
LC3 is a private company. It is classified as unknown and is currently operating.
When was LC3 founded?
LC3 was founded in 2014. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is LC3 based?
LC3 is headquartered in Lausanne, Switzerland, in the Europe region.
How does LC3 make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Research Funding is the primary driver. The others are technology Advisory Services and training and Education.
Who are LC3's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Solidia Technologies, Wagners Earth Friendly Concrete (EFC), Hoffmann Green Cement Technologies and CarbonCure Technologies. Broad incumbents are Cemex, FLSmidth, Heidelberg Materials and Holcim. Emerging players are Brimstone (Carbon-negative Portland cement) and Geopolymer Institute.
Does LC3 have an API?
No public API is recorded for LC3.
What industry is LC3 in?
LC3's product category is Low-Carbon Cement Technology. Its primary akta.pro industry code is IMADAAAG, Cement Manufacturing (Portland, Blended & Specialty), with a secondary code of IMAKAGAJ, Kaolin & Industrial Clay Mining (Bentonite, Ball Clay, Fuller’s Earth). Its NAICS code is 327310 and its SIC code is 3241.