Holcim UK has acquired Thames Materials Limited, a construction waste management company in London.
Holcim says the acquisition will reinforce its position in the recycling and construction demolition materials (CDM) market in London and surrounding areas and is a key pillar of the company’s growth strategy in this important area.
Thames Materials was formed in 1995 and has grown into a leading independent company in the field. The business, which employs 90 people and has a fleet of 62 vehicles, has its head office in Uxbridge. Recycling operations are conducted at a 12-acre facility in Harefield, which has recently had its annual permitted processing capacity increased to 750,000 tonnes.
It specialises in the removal, haulage and recycling of waste from construction sites across London and surrounding counties.
In 2024, it received more than 400,000 tonnes of material for processing, recovering 340,000 tonnes for sale into the secondary aggregates market through state-of-the-art processing and wash plant equipment.
Where material has little recycling potential, the business redirects it into land restoration projects. With only five per cent of material diverted to landfill, the acquisition further strengthens Holcim’s commitment to the UK’s circular economy.
Lee Sleight, CEO of Holcim UK, commented on the acquisition: “It strengthens our footprint in the London construction market and aligns to our ambition of making sustainable construction a reality as we work towards becoming the leading UK provider of sustainable solutions.
“We only have one planet. Now, more than ever, we must ensure we prolong the life of our natural resources and look to build new from old as much as possible.
“Thames also has a great synergy with our existing recycling and construction demolition materials business in the East of London, and the acquisition will allow us to develop our services and reach to support the move to a more circular economy – especially with the need for greater use of recycled or reused materials in projects within the capital. By 2030, we have set ourselves a target to process 6.5 million tonnes of CDM annually.”
Martin Clarke, MD of Thames Materials, said: “We’re really looking forward to taking the business forward with Holcim UK and harnessing their expertise and networks.
“This move allows us to continue on our growth trajectory and expand both our capacity and offering. Holcim is a market leader in the UK and internationally with a clearly articulated vision for circularity and sustainability, and we are excited to be a part of that.”
