Cemex teams up with IBM, Monterrey Tech for quantum computing

Mexican cement company Cemex is working with IBM and Mexico's Instituto Tecnológico de Estudios Superiores de Monterrey (ITESM) to assess potential use cases of quantum computing for its operations.

The alliance builds on a Cemex contract signed in 2022 with IBM and other tech players for digital transformation initiatives. However, Cemex's cooperation with IBM dates back to 2016.

Meanwhile ITESM, known locally as Monterrey Tech, has an agreement to use IBM quantum computers in research.

“The idea is to come up with use cases that are differentiated and one of our focuses is the materials area. One of the topics that interests companies in the materials area is the absorption of carbon dioxide. That's a problem that we see as a potential use of quantum computing for them,” Juan Arturo Nolazco-Flores, associate dean of ITESM's engineering and information technology school, told BNamericas.

Speaking on the sidelines of the IBM Quantum Summit Latin America, in São Paulo, where he shared his views on the topic and ITESM's work in the area, Nolazco-Flores said that the main challenges include training and education of teachers specialized in quantum computing.

In late 2022, the university signed an agreement to join the US-led Quantum Collaborative alliance, which opened up space for the use of quantum computers for research activities.

Quantum Collaborative is led by Arizona State University. On its website, the alliance says it brings top scientific, academic and research institutions together with industry partners to work toward “the shared goal of advancing quantum information science and technology research, education, and workforce development.”

These industry partners include IBM, Dell, Google, Quantinuum and SandboxAQ. ITESM is the sole academic partner outside the US.

Until 2022, ITESM offered quantum computing courses at a post-graduate level. The Mexican university also works on quantum computing with AWS and Dell, but Nolazco-Flores says the biggest advances have been obtained through IBM to date.

CEMEX

Back in 2022, Cemex signed separate multi-year contracts ranging from five to seven years that totaled US$500mn on aggregate. 

Those deals were inked with six tech providers in the fields of finance and accounting, IT and human resources.

The goal was to “replace current expenditures with the new suppliers’ services at an optimized cost, effectively continuing to reduce the company’s operating expenses,” Cemex said at the time.

In addition to IBM, contracts were signed with Tata Consultancy Services, HCL Technologies, ServiceNow, Avasant and Axians.

Regarding IBM, Cemex said at the time that the focus was on finance and accounting operations, as well as back-office commercial services. 

“IBM will combine the use of multiple global delivery centers with increased automation, advanced analytics, and applied cognitive technologies. It will also provide advanced IT security services and technology to help secure Cemex digital infrastructure and strengthen the company’s cyber resilience,” said Cemex.

The cement company has also made investments in and partnerships with startups, mostly involving greener operations.

In 2022, Cemex's CVC and open innovation arm Cemex Ventures invested in Carbon Upcycling, a Canadian company whose patented technology injects CO2 into industrial byproducts and natural minerals to generate clinker substitutes, thereby reducing the carbon footprint.

Last year, Cemex raised its stake in that company.

Also in 2023, Cemex Ventures invested an undisclosed sum in French startup Vizcab. The startup’s digital platform enables different developers and architecture, engineering & construction (AEC) stakeholders to assess and work towards reducing CO2 emissions across the construction value chain.