£10 million backing drives ‘world-first’ technology

A technology company has raised £10 million to scale a “first-of-its-kind” process that turns demolition waste into low-carbon cement while cutting emissions by around half.

Reclinker will use the Series A funding to increase production at 7 Steel UK’s Cardiff plant, where its technology has already produced thousands of tonnes of material and secured its first commercial sales.

The round was co-led by climate technology investors Clean Growth Fund and AP Ventures, with backing from the Development Bank of Wales, Kibo Invest, Zero Carbon Capital and Cambridge Enterprise.

Alongside increasing production and creating skilled green jobs in South Wales, bosses say the latest investment will support Reclinker’s plans to replicate the process at further electric arc furnace sites across Europe and the US.

Bill Yost, chief executive of Reclinker, said: “We are thrilled to have received backing from both our existing and incoming investors.  

“This oversubscribed round sends a strong signal that UK investors are serious about decarbonisation.

“We are particularly glad this investment will support the growth of green industries in Wales.”

Gabriella Nizam, head of sustainability and public affairs at 7 Steel UK, added: “We have been pleased to contribute to the development of this world-first technology at our Cardiff site operations. 

“We have been a hub for industrial innovation, leading low carbon electric arc furnace steel production for decades, and we are pleased to support projects addressing some of the world’s most pressing issues.   

“Reclinker has demonstrated how existing steel recycling infrastructure can help unlock a lower-carbon future for cement production, creating both environmental and economic benefits as the technology scales.”

Developed at the University of Cambridge, Reclinker’s process recovers cement paste from construction and demolition waste before converting it back into clinker, cement’s key ingredient.

Rather than relying on traditional high-temperature kilns, quarried limestone and fossil-fuel heat, the technology uses electric arc furnaces already deployed to recycle steel, allowing cement and recycled steel to be produced simultaneously.

Reclinker says the resulting cementitious slag can deliver an immediate 50 per cent reduction in emissions at cost parity with conventional cement, with scope for further reductions as production scales.

Stephen Price, investment partner at Clean Growth Fund, added: “Cement is one of the most challenging sectors to decarbonise, with emissions deeply embedded in both process chemistry and energy use. 

“Reclinker’s approach is a compelling example of how industrial symbiosis can unlock meaningful emissions reductions by leveraging existing infrastructure. 

“By integrating cement production into steel recycling, the company offers a scalable and economically attractive pathway to reducing the carbon intensity of one of the world’s most widely used materials. 

“Clean Growth Fund is delighted to support Reclinker as it advances production scale-up and commercial deployment.”

Cement production is responsible for around seven per cent of global CO2 emissions, with clinker manufacturing accounting for the majority of its carbon footprint.

The company’s technology has undergone multiple trials at the Cardiff plant and has also been validated through the Innovate UK Advance Market Commitment for low-carbon materials.

Andrew Hinkly, AP Ventures’ managing partner, added: “Portland cement clinker is essential to infrastructure development, yet remains one of the hardest industrial emissions sources to abate. 

“Reclinker has developed a unique, scalable, and cost-competitive route to low-carbon clinker production that can be deployed using existing steel industry capital equipment. 

“Its ability to reduce cement emissions while consuming one of the world’s largest industrial waste streams made Reclinker a natural investment for AP Ventures in the cement sector.”

Gareth Mayhead, of the Development Bank of Wales, added: “This investment demonstrates the power of co-investment in bringing innovative, high-growth businesses to Wales. 

“By investing alongside specialist climate technology investors, we’re helping Reclinker establish and grow its presence here, building on the successful industrial trials already undertaken in Cardiff.”

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