significant investment in new recycling centre in birmingham to turbocharge circular economy in the midlands

Holcim UK has made a major investment in a construction demolition materials (CDM) Recycling Centre in Birmingham, reinforcing its commitment to leading the development of circularity in the construction industry.

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The company has transformed the four-and-a-half-acre site at 253 Bordesley Green Road, formerly occupied by a scrap metal company, into a key component of its construction, demolition and mineral (CDM) recycling and processing network in the region. The site will operate under Stoke-on-Trent-based Holcim UK member company Land Recovery.

Leased in July last year, the Birmingham site has undergone extensive preparation. Now fully operational, it is strategically located in the heart of the UK’s second city, close to major redevelopment zones such as Smithfield, Digbeth and the Birmingham Sports Quarter.

The site is equipped to receive and process up to 250,000 tonnes of material annually, including asphalt planings (RAP), concrete waste, mixed hardcore, brick, and rubble. All materials are crushed, sized, screened and processed on-site. Recycled asphalt is returned to Holcim’s Express Asphalt plant, while recycled concrete feeds into the company’s readymix concrete (RMX) operations. 

Additional aggregate products are also made available for bulk or bagged collections for the local market – ensuring 100% recycled CDM materials are reintegrated into the construction supply chain.

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Operations manager for construction demolition waste at the Birmingham site, Karolina Knosalla, said: “Birmingham is the next big urban mine. This facility is a long-term strategic investment for Holcim UK, with a 25-year lease that underscores our commitment to supporting the city’s transformation. Our goal is to make this Birmingham’s leading mineral
recycling centre. We’re proud to be driving the circular economy forward – right here in the heart of the Midlands.”

Holcim UK is actively engaging with contractors and demolition companies across the region to support regeneration in the West Midlands with sustainable, locally sourced materials. The company is also pursuing ECOCycle verification to further validate its environmental performance.

The investment forms part of Holcim UK’s strategy to make sustainable construction a reality in the UK, prioritising decarbonisation, circularity, nature and innovation to make a positive impact to the places and people. 

As the construction industry continues to grow with ambitious government targets, the role of recycled materials in building products will become even more vital to delivering sustainable buildings. The new site will form a central part of Holcim UK meeting its ambitious targets for growing the use of recycled materials in its supply chain.

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Kaziwe Kaulule, Managing Director of Holcim UK’s Aggregates Division, explains: “Sustainability is a key market driver and growth lever for us. Central to this will be a focus on circularity, and to drive forward growth we are targeting 20% of our products made from recycled materials by 2030. This new Land Recovery recycling hub is a huge step forward in helping us reach our ambitious targets and driving forward a sustainable, circular economy in the West Midlands.

“Reducing waste to landfill, promoting water reuse, preserving natural aggregate sources, and integrating more renewable energy generation throughout our operations are some of the key drivers of the circular economy. This investment underscores our commitment to all of these factors.”

Find out more about Holcim UK’s role in the circular economy.

And ind out more about Holcim UK member company Land Recovery here.