Holcim UK has revealed that its Tilbury Cement Works project has begun importing and distributing cement, marking a major milestone as it moves into active operations.
This step is part of the site’s wet commissioning program. The site features deep-water marine access as well as large-scale storage, automated logistics and a modular grinding and blending system, which is expected to become operational before the end of 2026.
“Initiating import and distribution of cementitious materials is a major step forward for Tilbury Cement Works and for Holcim’s ability to serve customers across the South East,” Holcim UK project manager Tim Fry said.
“This phase demonstrates the strength of the systems we’ve built, from marine logistics to storage and dispatch, and reflects the hard work of everyone involved in bringing this facility to life.
“As construction concludes in 2026 and we move into full operations, Tilbury will provide the flexibility, reliability and capacity to support our customers with a range of conventional, low carbon and circular cementitious materials.”
The facility is equipped with a new ship-to-shore conveyor system, enclosed belt conveyors and the UK’s first 30,000-tonne cement dome silo. This enables material to be shipped from the vessel to the storage and processed via six loading heads and five weighbridges. Its deep-water berth means it can receive vessels from Holcim’s logistics network, and it will also be served by the NACC Sustament from 2027, which is a cement carrier able to operate on green methanol.
Holcim UK expects the Tilbury Cement Works project to continue as it moves towards becoming operational, with the completion and commissioning of the site’s vertical roller mill (VRM) later in 2026 up next. The VRM will grind granulated blast furnace slag (GBFS) and recycled concrete fines (RCF), enabling the production of ground granulated blast furnace slag GGBFS and blended cements. The facility will have full product lines from 2027 including Holcim’s ECOPlanet low-carbon cement and ECOPlanet with ECOCycle circular materials and the capacity to process other materials in the future including calcined clay.
“Tilbury is a transformational investment for Holcim UK. It will ultimately support our ECOPlanet low-carbon cement and ECOPlanet with ECOCycle and accelerate the shift to low-carbon and circular construction,” Holcim UK cement division managing director Mohamed Alami said.
“This reflects our commitment to making sustainable construction a reality, and building a resilient, future-ready supply chain for our customers.”
