Material Evolution, a start-up focused on reducing carbon emissions from cement, announced the launch of the ‘UK’s largest’ ultra-low carbon cement production plant in Wrexham, Wales. The new facility, called the Mevo A1 Production Facility, has been commissioned and is now operating on an industrial scale.

The plant produced its first batch of ultra-low carbon cement in October 2024, on schedule, just eight months after construction began. It has the capacity to produce 120,000 tonnes of Material Evolution’s MevoCem product annually, which boasts a reduction of up to 85% in emissions compared to ordinary Portland cement. The facility does not use heat or kilns to combine the ingredients of its cement. Instead, it employs Material Evolution’s patented alkali-fusion process, enabling the production of cement that can undergo geopolymerization.

Sam Clark, co-founder and chief operating officer of Material Evolution, said that the launch brings the company closer to achieving its goal of removing one gigaton of CO2 by 2040. He described the construction of the facility in just eight months as a significant accomplishment, adding that the company’s modular construction and lean design principles enabled rapid progress and scalability. Clark also expressed hope that the facility would demonstrate that cement and concrete decarbonization is not just a future possibility but a reality today. He looked forward to collaborating with government agencies, trade bodies, and concrete specifiers to advance the green transition in the UK.

The plant is located in Llay, Wrexham, at the site of CCP Building Products, which manufactures precast concrete blocks. This co-location approach reduces the carbon footprint of the final product by minimizing transportation needs. Material Evolution partially funded the Mevo A1 Production Facility’s construction through a £15 million Series A funding round in 2023, which included strategic investment from SigmaRoc, the parent company of CCP Building Products. Michael Roddy, RMD North West at SigmaRoc, expressed excitement about the plant’s launch and its role in low-carbon cement production in the UK, aligning with SigmaRoc’s commitment to sustainable development.

The 120 sq m plant was designed to combine and react waste feedstocks using lean manufacturing techniques. It features advanced material handling processes, which reduce its overall footprint compared to the average UK cement factory. The modular design of the Mevo A1 Production Facility allows for flexibility in the supply chain and raw materials, making it adaptable to new cement technology and innovation.