Driving circularity and low-carbon solutions: Heidelberg Materials invests in clean-tech start-up EnviCore

• Heidelberg Materials aims at scaling up EnviCore’s proprietary technology to reprocess recycled construction and demolition waste into high-quality secondary cementitious materials (SCMs)
• SCMs can be used to replace a proportion of the clinker in cement or concrete, driving circularity and low-carbon solutions
• Heidelberg Materials is strongly committed to increasing the use of recycled materials, aiming to offer circular alternatives for 50% of its concrete products by 2030

Heidelberg Materials continues to develop and scale circular technologies by investing in EnviCore, an innovative clean-tech startup developing low-carbon solutions based in Canada. Together with EnviCore, Heidelberg Materials will focus on increasing the use of recycled construction and demolition waste (CDW) to save valuable resources as part of its strong commitment to strengthen the circularity of its products.  

EnviCore has developed advanced proprietary technology reprocessing construction and demolition waste (CDW) into supplementary cementitious materials (SCMs) involving a dry thermochemical process. SCMs are naturally-occurring and industrial by-product materials that can be used to replace part of the energy-intensive clinker in cement or concrete, resulting in up to 25% replacement of ordinary Portland cement in concrete mixes.  

Based on the results of an upcoming feasibility study, the companies will decide on deploying a pilot SCM production facility close to one of Heidelberg Materials’ recycling hubs. The facility would serve to validate EnviCore's technology under industrial conditions and optimise SCM production at scale. As part of this collaboration, Heidelberg Materials has also acquired a minority stake in EnviCore.  

Dr Dominik von Achten, Chairman of the Managing Board of Heidelberg Materials, said: “Circular solutions are a key component of our sustainability strategy as an important lever to drive progress on our path to net zero. By 2030, we aim to offer circular alternatives for 50% of our concrete products, reflecting our strong commitment to building a circular and resilient future.”

Dr Katharina Beumelburg, Chief Sustainability & New Technologies Officer and Member of the Managing Board of Heidelberg Materials, said: “EnviCore’s novel approach has the potential to unlock new possibilities of increasing the amount of recycled materials we use in our products. This could pave the way to further reduce our need for virgin materials, contributing towards preserving valuable natural resources and protecting our environment.”

Both parties have agreed not to disclose the financial terms of the transaction.

The latest investment reflects Heidelberg Materials’ leading role in closing the loop within the building materials sector, Recently, the company has commissioned an innovative recycling plant for selective separation at its production site near Katowice, Poland. The first-of-its-kind facility enables sophisticated separation and sorting capabilities to fully recycle demolition concrete and substitute virgin materials in concrete production. With a capacity of up to 100 tonnes of concrete per hour, Heidelberg Materials is the first company in the industry to introduce high-quality, selective concrete separation at this scale.    

• About Heidelberg Materials
• Heidelberg Materials is one of the world's largest integrated manufacturers of building materials and solutions with leading market positions in cement, aggregates, and ready-mixed concrete. We are represented in around 50 countries with around 51,000 employees at almost 3,000 locations. At the centre of our actions lies the responsibility for the environment. As the front runner on the path to carbon neutrality and circular economy in the building materials industry, we are working on sustainable building materials and solutions for the future. We enable new opportunities for our customers through digitalisation.