Blue Circle Cement marks 125 years of innovation

Blue Circle Cement celebrates 125th anniversary with focus on sustainability

Tarmac’s Blue Circle Cement is celebrating 125 years of continuous operation, marking a milestone in UK construction history for one of the sector’s most recognised and enduring brands.

Established in 1900, Blue Circle has become a staple on construction sites across the country, with widely used products such as Mastercrete and Postcrete becoming household names. Now, as the sector faces growing pressure to cut carbon and meet environmental targets, the brand is placing sustainability at the heart of its next chapter.

A key part of this shift is the transition of all Blue Circle ready-to-use products to Portland Limestone Cement (PLC), delivering up to a 7% reduction in embodied carbon per tonne. This change, according to Tarmac, maintains product performance and compliance while helping users meet net zero goals.

“As we celebrate 125 years of Blue Circle, we’re proud not only of our history but of the sustainability journey we’re on,” said Garry Gregory, packed products director at Tarmac. “From reducing embodied carbon in our products to transforming how we produce and deliver cement, we’re focused on supporting our customers as they face increasing environmental expectations.”

Tarmac’s wider decarbonisation strategy is built around five key areas: production, process, product, packaging and placement. Initiatives include switching to waste-derived fuels, introducing the UK’s first battery-electric mixer truck in 2022, and expanding its electric HGV fleet – set to be the largest in the UK construction sector.

On packaging, Blue Circle was the first UK cement manufacturer to launch bags made with 50% recycled plastic and is now trialling 80% recycled content, aligning with the government’s Plastic Packaging Tax and the company’s own net zero packaging ambitions.

Blue Circle’s anniversary not only celebrates its legacy of reliability and performance, but also underlines its ongoing role in delivering sustainable construction solutions.

More information, including technical data and sustainability updates, is available at Tarmac.com/BlueCircle.