Dates

Seminars

Closing deadline for registrations is 24.03.2025

31.03.2025

Cements of the future

With the decarbonisation of cement production and the expected reduction in blastfurnace slag and fly ash quantities unburned limestone, calcined clays and recycled fines will gain in importance as cement main constituents. The focus will be on new, clinker-efficient cement types such as CEM II/C and CEM VI or similar cements, whose performance allows a wide range of applications in practice. As participant in this seminar, you will receive an overview of the current state of development and standardisation of new cements. You will gain knowledge of possibilities and limits for their practical implementation.

Learn more

Closing deadline for registrations is 08.09.2025

15.09.2025 - 18.09.2025

Firing alternative fuels

In this training you will become familiar with all relevant aspects concerning the use of alternative fuels in cement plants. Starting with the main political drivers such as the circular economy and the European waste fuel strategy, you will get a detailed insight into the current state-of-the-art-situation with regard to the use of alternative fuels in the EU. In this context, pre-treatment and suitable quality control of alternative fuels will be also explained and presented to you. You will focus on all the relevant aspects of the use of alternative fuels in the burning process (e.g. drivers and barriers of their use, available process technology and latest developments) and discuss them in the sessions. You will acquire knowledge about technical feasibility and optimisation potential, and have the possibility to discuss case studies.

Learn more

Closing deadline for registrations is 30.09.2025

07.10.2025 - 10.10.2025

Strategies for the decarbonisation of the cement industry

VDZ’s online seminar “Strategies for the decarbonisation of the cement industry” aims to train technical staff that will be involved in the development and implementation of decarbonisation strategies in the cement industry in the coming decades. As a participant, you will gain a broader perspective on the challenges, opportunities, uncertainties and technical solutions available to achieve the ambitious goal of net zero CO₂ emissions in the future. Starting with energy efficiency and utilisation of alternative fuels, you will learn about state-of-the-art technologies, technical limitations, identification of improvement potential and industrial case studies. You will also get an insight into the current regulatory framework and how the implementation of CBAM might influence investment strategies in cement plants in Europe and beyond over the next decade. You will look ahead and discuss innovative CO₂ reduction possibilities, such as calcined clays, use of artificial intelligence (AI) and CCUS. Calcined clays will be presented from a technology and materials perspective. You will also learn about different CC technologies and their operating principles, TRL evolution prospects and associated technological risks, selection criteria and critical techno-economic requirements. At the end of the online seminar, you will understand the fundamentals of machine learning and how AI can be used for process parameter prediction in the present, as well as for the development of autonomous systems for process control in carbon capture cement plants in the future.

Learn more

Closing deadline for registrations is 13.10.2025

27.10.2025 - 31.10.2025

Crash course on cement production and use

The cement industry provides excellent job opportunities to start your professional carrier as an engineer or scientist. Our training schemes introduce you to cement production and use, so that you will be well prepared to get started in our industry. You will take part in a one-week intensive training course that will provide you with a basic knowledge of all the relevant aspects of clinker production and cement technology, including chemistry, mineralogy and environmental considerations. Quality assurance and cement performance in mortar and concrete are also addressed.

Learn more

Closing deadline for registrations is 11.11.2025

25.11.2025 - 26.11.2025

Basics of cement chemistry

This seminar will give you a practical overview of the fundamentals of cement chemistry and the main product properties. You will learn about the origin, composition and properties of the raw materials used in the production of Portland cement clinker and cement, and understand the chemical reactions that take place during the clinker burning process. We will show you how clinker is characterised and what factors influence its properties. The hydration reactions of Portland cements and cements with other main constituents will also be covered. You will learn methods for cement characterisation and production control during the seminar.

Learn more

Closing deadline for registrations is 13.01.2026

27.01.2026 - 28.01.2026

Advanced cement chemistry: use of alternative raw materials and fuels

In this advanced seminar, you will look at the current challenges facing cement chemistry in terms of resource efficiency and climate neutrality. The focus will be on the use of alternative raw materials and fuels in clinker production. You will learn about the origin, composition and properties of these materials and understand their influence on the clinker burning process. You will also be introduced to modern methods of clinker analysis to assess the effect of alternative raw materials and fuels on cement properties. Finally, you will discuss the hydration behaviour of complex composite cements and quality assurance methods in a practical way.

Learn more

Closing deadline for registrations is 20.01.2026

03.02.2026 - 05.02.2026

Crash course process control

As a participant in this course, you will receive a possibility to get acquainted with the state-of-the-art supervisory control and data acquisition system (SCADA) thanks to a realistic reconstruction of a production plant provided by SIMULEX®. The SIMULEX® cement plant simulator for training plant supervisors, foremen, production personnel, control room operators and young engineers was developed by KHD Humboldt Wedag AG in cooperation with VDZ. For over ten years VDZ has been using the simulator within the framework of training courses and has been continually supporting the further development of the system with practical input from the industry.

Learn more

Closing deadline for registrations is 23.02.2026

02.03.2026 - 06.03.2026

Grinding technology in cement production

Raw material and cement grinding are the first and the last major process steps during cement production. The energy demand of these two processes amounts to up to ~70% of the electrical energy used in a cement plant. For you as participant, this training will help to obtain a better understanding of the comminution processes as well as the equipment used for grinding. The knowledge acquired in this online seminar will deliver a solid basis for assessing and evaluating the optimisation potential for grinding processes and the ground product.

Learn more

Closing deadline for registrations is 09.03.2026

16.03.2026 - 19.03.2026

Burning technology in cement production

Clinker production is the most energy-intensive process step in cement manufacturing. It can represent up to 90% of the total energy demand in a cement plant and is therefore a main focus not only with regard to cost optimisation and quality improvement of the final product, but also regarding emission control and the reduction of impacts on the environment. VDZ’s training will enable you as participant to obtain a deeper knowledge of the clinker production process and a better understanding of how the daily decisions can impact the overall performance of the plant (quality, electrical energy use, fuel consumption and emissions).

Learn more

Closing deadline for registrations is 13.04.2026

20.04.2026 - 23.04.2026

Firing alternative fuels 2026

In this training you will become familiar with all relevant aspects concerning the use of alternative fuels in cement plants. Starting with the main political drivers such as the circular economy and the European waste fuel strategy, you will get a detailed insight into the current state-of-the-art-situation with regard to the use of alternative fuels in the EU. In this context, pre-treatment and suitable quality control of alternative fuels will be also explained and presented to you. You will focus on all the relevant aspects of the use of alternative fuels in the burning process (e.g. drivers and barriers of their use, available process technology and latest developments) and discuss them in the sessions. You will acquire knowledge about technical feasibility and optimisation potential, and have the possibility to discuss case studies.

Learn more

Closing deadline for registrations is 21.09.2026

05.10.2026 - 08.10.2026

Energy balances and efficiency

In this training you will learn how to conduct and evaluate cement kiln and mill trials. Kiln and mill examinations are carried out in order to gather data on the performance and to validate warranty performance data such as the output, the energy consumption, input/output ratio or the efficiency. Using this data as a reliable basis, you can for example optimise individual components of the operating system as well as the cement quality, reduce energy demands as well as emissions, evaluate material cycles and reduce coating formation.

Learn more

Show everything on the subject Seminars

Dates of seminars and events

Seminars

Cements of the future

Firing alternative fuels

Strategies for the decarbonisation of the cement industry

Crash course on cement production and use

Basics of cement chemistry

Advanced cement chemistry: use of alternative raw materials and fuels

Crash course process control

Grinding technology in cement production

Burning technology in cement production

Firing alternative fuels 2026

Energy balances and efficiency

E-Learning

VDZ E-learning

Congress

VDZ Congress 2024