UK’s largest ultra-low carbon cement plant opens in Wales

Material Evolution, the start-up aiming to decarbonise the world’s most common construction material, has announced the launch of its first-of-a-kind ultra-low carbon cement production plant in Wrexham.

The ultra-low carbon cement production facility has been commissioned and is operating on an industrial scale, making it the UK’s biggest producer of ultra-low carbon cement.

The Mevo A1 Production Facility has produced its first batch of ultra-low carbon cement on schedule, just eight months after construction work began onsite. The facility has capacity to produce 120,000 tonnes of Material Evolution's MevoCem, which has up to 85% emissions reductions compared to ordinary Portland cement per year.

The factory uses no heat or kilns to combine the ingredients of its cement – contrary to the traditional production process. Instead, the production facility relies on Material Evolution's patented alkali-fusion process to produce a cement capable of undergoing geopolymerisation.

The plant is located in Llay, Wrexham, on the site of CCP Building Products, which produces pre-cast concrete blocks. This co-location marks a first-of-its-kind approach to cement and concrete production under one roof, further lowering the carbon footprint of the end product due to lower transport requirements.

The 120m² plant was designed to combine and react waste feedstocks using lean manufacturing techniques. Material is transported around the plant using state-of-the-art material handling processes allowing its overall footprint to be far smaller than the average UK cement factory. By using a modular design, the Mevo A1 Production Facility is flexible to the supply chain and raw materials required, allowing for adaptation to new cement technology and innovation.

Sam Clark, co-founder and Chief Operating Officer of Material Evolution, explained: “This launch takes us one step closer to achieving our goal of removing one gigaton of CO₂ by 2040.

“Constructing a first-of-a-kind facility in just eight months is a massive undertaking. But our modular construction and lean design principles not only allowed us to move rapidly, but also means our approach is highly scalable.

“We hope this facility proves that cement and concrete decarbonisation is not only a possibility in the future - it’s a reality on the ground today. We look forward to working with government agencies, trade bodies and concrete specifiers to join us on our mission to realise the green transition here in the UK.”

Material Evolution funded the Mevo A1 Production Facility's construction in part through the £15 million Series A funding round it raised in 2023, which included strategic investment from SigmaRoc, CCP Building Products’ parent company.

Michael Roddy, RMD North West at SigmaRoc, said: “We are thrilled to see the Mevo A1 Production Facility up and running, marking a significant milestone in low-carbon cement production in the UK.

“This project aligns with SigmaRoc’s commitment to sustainable development, and we are proud to support Material Evolution in driving innovation that transforms the industry.”