Holcim UK has commenced cement import and distribution operations at its new Tilbury Cement Works in Essex, marking the first operational phase of the facility.
The milestone follows the discharge of the site's first deep-sea vessel and forms part of the wet commissioning programme. Located at the Port of Tilbury, the plant combines deep-water marine access with large-scale storage, automated logistics and a vertical roller mill (VRM) that is scheduled to come online later in 2026.
The Tilbury facility is designed to operate 24/7 and includes a ship-to-shore conveyor system, enclosed belt conveyors and a 30,000t cement dome silo, described by the company as the first of its kind in the UK. The site will also feature a VRM capable of grinding granulated blast furnace slag (GBFS) and recycled concrete fines (RCF) for the production of low-carbon cementitious materials.
Holcim said the development will strengthen cement supply to south-east England while supporting its growing portfolio of low-carbon and circular construction products. Full production of ECOPlanet low-carbon cement and ECOPlanet with ECOCycle circular materials is expected to begin in early 2027.
The Tilbury project forms part of a multi-million-pound investment by Holcim UK aimed at improving supply resilience and expanding the availability of lower-carbon cementitious materials in the UK market.
