SCHWENK Latvija experts Senior Compliance, Environment and Climate Specialist Baiba Raga and Head of Materials Quality and Product Technology Jānis Zāle visited Saldus elementary school and introduced 40 curious students to the production and everyday use of cement and concrete as part of the Day of Young Engineers. Children looked with interest at various raw materials and alternative fuel samples, watched and participated in the concrete mixing process. After the lesson led by us, the pupils created engineering structures from different materials in practical lessons.

The Day of Young Engineers took place within the framework of an initiative supported by SCHWENK Latvija, during which pupils of educational institutions in Saldus region had the opportunity to attend one of the thematic STEM lessons once a week throughout the school year.

During the meeting, important issues regarding the investment climate, human capital, reducing the administrative burden and measures to promote fair market competition were discussed. The meeting took place within the framework of the Foreign Investors’ Council in Latvia.

The participants of the meeting appreciated and thanked the Prime Minister for taking the first steps to reduce the administrative burden in the field of construction development.

The spring forum of the initiative on human social health, creating healthy and safe daily habits was held and the Mission Zero Charter was signed by new members. We are pleased that the national level H&S initiative Mission Zero, launched two years ago, unites already 102 companies that employ more than 54 thousand or 6% of the employed in Latvia.

#MissionZero – Health and Safety starts with us!

At the international agricultural business exhibition Spring 2024, we offered to see in person our II class concrete blocks, which are made in an environmentally friendly way from the production residues created in the ready-mixed concrete production process, and to get acquainted with their diverse applications. The visitors of the event were delighted by the wall of concrete blocks, which, in cooperation with the artist Sindija Kļaviņa-Grāvele, turned into a magnificent painting.

CEO Reinhold Schneider is re-elected as the Board member of Foreign Investors Council in Latvia, while Materials Director Jegors Golubevs – as member of Industrial council in Latvian Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

It gives us opportunity to raise our voice about all important aspects of our production and improve general business environment in Latvia.

During his visit in Saldus region the President visited cement plant and AJ Power solar energy park.

He was introduced to cement production process and our main challenges.  

From 2022, SCHWENK Latvija is a part of the first project in the Baltics for the development of the carbon capture and storage value chain – CCS Baltic Consortium. In April, a strategic meeting of project participants was held with Lithuanian and Latvian pipeline infrastructure managers, which focused on the potential of using pipelines for CO2 transport, instead of just the land transport discussed above.

Current CCS Baltic Consortium members are SCHWENK Latvija, Akmenės cementas, KN Energies, Mitsui O.S.K. Lines and Larvik Shipping. More about the project here: CCS Baltic – CCS Baltic Consortium project (ccs-baltic.eu).

HCM Director Linda Šedlere was a part of CEMBUREAU organized working session in Brussels about evolving skills required for the cement sector’s green and digital transition.

Legal and environment Director Evita Goša represented SCHWENK Latvija in discussion by European Parliament about management of industrial CO2, with focus on transportation challenges.

Commercial and Logistics Director in Baltics Māris Gruzniņš expressed company’s position in energy conference “Energy 2024” in Latvia. 

At the end of February, we had the opportunity to be present at several events – the Sustainability afternoon, the conference “Innovation comes from diversity”, the new habits business forum “Sustainability” and the discussion “How companies reduce corruption in Latvia” – to further strengthen SCHWENK’s reputation as a sustainability leader and together with like-minded people to discuss the possibilities to increase prosperity, economy, and security sustainably and innovatively.

Photo by Klāvs Vasiļevskis

In Brocēni we hosted the Minister of Climate and Energy Kaspars Melnis and the Parliamentary Secretary of the Ministry Jānis Irbis and discussed the current situation and challenges on the way to achieving the goals of climate neutrality. We also demonstrated the unique cement production process.

Photos by the Ministry of Climate and Energy