Holcim UK has set a target of spring 2026 for completion of steelwork and mechanical installation of the vertical roller mill (VRM) at its new Tilbury Cement Works in Essex.
The VRM forms part of a multi-million-pound investment at the site and will grind a range of materials including granulated blast furnace slag (GBFS) and recycled concrete fines (RCF), supporting the production of low-carbon cementitious products. Electrical installation, testing and commissioning of the full grinding system are scheduled for completion by the end of 2026, with initial operations expected to begin during the year.
Once fully operational, the facility will supply customers across the South of England with conventional, low-carbon and circular cementitious products via six loading heads and five weighbridges.
In addition to the VRM, the development includes a ship-to-shore conveyor, a 50,000t raw material storage hall and a 30,000t cement dome silo – described as the first of its kind in the UK – alongside five conventional steel silos providing a further 6,500m³ of storage capacity.
Holcim UK said the project responds to growing demand for lower-carbon and circular construction solutions. The plant is being built on a legacy site, with more than 25,000m3 of concrete recycled during construction, along with 10,000t of reclaimed asphalt and 20,000t of excavated material reused through the company’s waste management operations.
Mohamed Alami, Managing Director of Holcim UK’s Cement Division, said: “This investment is about more than just capacity - it is about our impact. Tilbury embodies our strategy in action, bringing together innovation, sustainability, and scale to shape the next generation of construction in the UK.”
The Tilbury investment forms part of Holcim UK’s wider strategy to expand its low-carbon cement portfolio and strengthen supply reliability in southern England.
