14 September 2026 - As we celebrate the 10th anniversary of the WCA, this special episode of The Clinker Factor looks back at a decade of transformation in the global cement industry and ahead to the challenges and opportunities of the next ten years. Guest Host Daniel Summerbell, Co-Founder & Chief Solutions Officer at Gigaton (formerly Carbon Re) and WCA Member, talks to Wei Rushan, President of the WCA and Vice General Manager of CNBM Group. Mr Wei reflects on his own route into the cement industry and looks back to the WCA’s beginnings in 2016 and its achievements over the first ten years. He shares his perspective on how the industry has changed over the past decade, from COVID-19 to supply-chain disruption and the accelerating push towards net zero. Finally, looking ahead to 2036, Mr Wei considers where the biggest transformations will come from and what he hopes both the cement industry and the WCA will have achieved by the time the association reaches its 20th anniversary.
Cement production is responsible for approximately 7% of global greenhouse gas emissions and is possibly the hardest to abate sector. In this podcast series, the World Cement Association talks to industry leaders, experts and technological innovators from across the globe, bringing insights and fresh perspectives on how the cement sector can decarbonise and improve sustainability. Suitable for anyone interested in climate change mitigation and industrial sustainability.
Contributors:
Dr Daniel Summerbell
Clinker Factor Guest Host: Co-Founder & Chief Solutions Officer, Gigaton (formerly Carbon Re)
Dr Daniel Summerbell is Co-Founder and Chief Solutions Officer at Gigaton (formerly Carbon Re) and a Visiting Industrial Fellow at the Institute for Manufacturing. With a background in process engineering across a range of industries in the US, Canada & Europe, he began a programme of research into the cement industry in 2014.Dan's PhD research focused on cost-effective environmental improvements in industry, with a particular focus on construction and the cement industry. He is the developer of the Zero Loss Sustainability Toolkit and other interests include industrial demand-side management of electricity, and material efficiency approaches.
Prior to pursuing a research career, he worked in manufacturing operations across the UK, Europe and North America, including in the consumer products, food & drink, mining and energy industries.
Wei Rushan
Clinker Factor Guest: President, WCA
Mr. Wei Rushan, the President of WCA.
Mr. Wei is the Vice General Manager of China National Building Material Group Co., Ltd. (CNBM Group), the President and Executive Director of China National Building Material Co., Ltd. (CNBM Limited), and Chairman of CNBM (Shanghai) Aviation Technology Co., Ltd.
He is also the Chairman of China National Building Material Construction Association.
Mr. Wei has accumulated extensive experience in strategic research, investment management, capital operation, and transformation and development. Mr. Wei obtained a doctoral degree in political economy from the School of Economics of Renmin University of China. He is a Senior Economist.