MHI and Worley start full-scale carbon capture project

The Padeswood Cement Works in Flintshire, Wales, United Kingdom. (Image: Heidelberg Materials)

Mitsubishi Heavy Industries and Worley have begun delivering a full-scale carbon capture facility for Heidelberg Materials’ Padeswood cement works in North Wales, marking the first commercial CCS project in the United Kingdom’s cement sector and the first European deployment of MHI’s Advanced KM CDR Process.

The project follows Heidelberg Materials’ final investment decision in September, reached in partnership with the UK Government under Track-1 of its CCUS cluster program. Once operational in 2029, the system will capture about 800,000 tons of CO₂ per year from clinker production at the Padeswood plant. The captured CO₂ will be transported via pipeline into the HyNet North West cluster for permanent geological storage in depleted gas fields beneath Liverpool Bay.

Cement manufacturing accounts for roughly 7 to 8 percent of global CO₂ emissions, with most emissions originating from calcination rather than fuel use. As a result, operators increasingly see carbon capture as the only pathway to fully decarbonized cement production. Heidelberg Materials aims to supply near-zero-carbon cement beginning in 2029 through its evoZero product line.

The new facility advances a FEED study developed by MHI and Worley in 2024. In the execution phase, MHI and its regional arm, MHI-EMEA, will provide engineering and procurement for the CO₂ capture plant using the Advanced KM CDR Process and KS-21 solvent system. The scope also includes compression and other associated equipment. Worley will manage engineering, procurement and construction for the balance of plant.

“This project will play a leading role in decarbonizing one of the most challenging industrial sectors,” said Tatsuto Nagayasu, senior vice president for CCUS within MHI’s Green Transformation Solutions business. “Together with Worley, we look forward to delivering this landmark CCS facility that will contribute to the long-term resilience of UK industry.”

Simon Willis, CEO of Heidelberg Materials UK, said the move into execution marks “the next major milestone” for the company’s plans to build the UK’s first carbon capture facility at a cement works. He added that the FEED phase established a strong working relationship among the partners and reaffirmed confidence in their ability to deliver a complex, first-of-a-kind project.

Worley CEO Chris Ashton said the development strengthens the HyNet cluster and demonstrates how industrial emitters can integrate capture technology into legacy operations. “This project is a landmark for industrial decarbonization in the UK and Europe,” Ashton said. “Our role reflects our ability to enable sustainable industrial solutions and leverage our global expertise in complex energy and infrastructure projects.”

The project is expected to support up to 500 construction jobs and create about 50 new permanent positions while securing more than 200 existing roles at the Padeswood site. As part of HyNet, the facility will contribute to a broader build-out of carbon management infrastructure designed to help the UK meet its mid-century emissions targets.

Heidelberg Materials operates more than 300 sites across the UK, including aggregates, cement, concrete, asphalt and recycling assets. The company is positioning carbon capture as a central pillar of its decarbonisation strategy and is one of the first global cement producers to advance a commercial CCS deployment.

For MHI, the Padeswood contract adds to a growing pipeline of CCS projects based on its Advanced KM CDR Process, which has been developed with Kansai Electric Power since 1990. As of December 2025, 18 plants using the technology have been delivered worldwide, with two additional facilities under execution.