The Innovandi Global Cement and Concrete Industry Research Network (GCCRN) is the world-class industrial-academic research network of the cement and concrete industry. It brings the worlds of global industry and academia together to drive and support innovation in the cement and concrete sector through essential actionable pre-competitive research focused on the needs of the industry.
The network connects 450+ scientists in the field of cement and concrete, and the value of its research is worth approximately 10 Million Euros per year (80 phDs). It also directly funds around 1.2 million Euros per year in research solely focussed on reducing the CO2 footprint of concrete.
How does Innovandi GCCRN work?
Innovandi GCCRN ties together the cement and concrete industry with scientific institutions to drive and support global innovation with actionable research. The network is a consortium of Industrial and Academic Partners organised into 3 committees: Industrial, Scientific and Steering. Committee Chairs are elected by Partners. The current committee chairs are Dr. Davide Zampini of Cemex (Steering and Industrial Committees) and Prof. Karen Scrivener of EPFL, Switzerland (Scientific Committee). The elected Steering Committee consists of 7 industrial representatives, 7 academic representatives and the Innovandi GCCRN General Manager in an advisory capacity, Ir. Claude Lorea and GCCA Innovation Manager Dr. Mahsa Bagheri. It approves proposals for core projects and partner projects. The Innovandi General Manager and Secretariat are funded by the GCCA and Industrial Partner fees all go directly into research. An Innovandi GCCRN global conference will takes place bi-annually to promote collaboration, innovation and research in the sector.
Core and Partner Projects
The Innovandi GCCRN runs two types of projects – Core and Partner Projects
Innovandi GCCRN Core Projects (Funded by Innovandi GCCRN Industrial Partners) focus on the priority and key topics set out on the Innovandi GCCRN Research Roadmap. They are financed from the Innovandi GCCRN budget which is comprised of Industrial Partners fees. Core projects typically fund PhD studentships or post-doctoral fellowships in multiple academic partner institutions. The work is guided by industrial mentors and is presented at the annual GCCRN Innovandi conference. As of today, 12 Core Projects are in progress with projection of 16 new Core Projects for next 8 years from 2024 worth more than 6 million Euro.
Innovandi GCCRN Partner Projects (Contributed by Innovandi GCCRN Academic Partners) are projects aligned to the Innovandi GCCRN Research roadmap and are provided by academic partners as in-kind contributions. They demonstrate the relevant research capability that Academic Partners bring to the network and showcase the latest academic research to industry. To date, almost 70 partner projects have been completed or are in progress.
Core and Partner Projects Library
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Why become an Innovandi GCCRN Partner?
By joining us, you will be part of the global innovation conversation and get more from your research budget by leveraging the collective skills and resources of our worldwide network.
Innovandi GCCRN Industrial Partner contributions go directly into funding collaborative research. In return Industrial Partners also benefit from work funded in academia by other sources, the resources available to Innovandi GCCRN via academic institutions, and the support of the Secretariat provided by the GCCA. Entrance fee has recently been reduced as to facilitate access.
Become an Innovandi GCCRN Industrial Partner
Innovandi GCCRN Industrial Partnership is open to GCCA members, admixture producers, equipment and technology suppliers. To become an Innovandi GCCRN Industrial Partner please contact mahsa.bagheri@gccassociation.org for more details on the following 3 step process:
- Be voted into network by the Innovandi Full Assembly
- Sign the consortium agreement (with fair and equitable terms already signed by 75 companies and institutions)
- Pay an annual fee which will go directly into funding research to reduce CO2 emissions. The fee structure makes partnership accessible to a wide variety of companies, big and small. Industrial Partner Contributions are determined by Annual Cement Capacity (if a cement producer) or via turnover in a cement or concrete related business.