Holcim nears HS2 low-carbon concrete milestone
Holcim UK has supplied almost one million cubic metres of low-carbon ready-mix concrete to the High Speed 2 (HS2) project, marking one of the largest single material contributions to Britain’s new high-speed railway.
Since starting work on HS2 in 2021, Holcim has delivered approximately 900,000m³ of ready-mix concrete to key sites, including 103,000m³ for prefabricated tunnel sections in Birmingham. The company has also supplied more than two million tonnes of bulk fill aggregates to southern and northern sections of the route, as well as cement for tunnel grouting on the central and northern phases.
In west Birmingham, Holcim continues to deliver concrete for one of its largest HS2 contracts to date, having supplied more than 500,000m³ for structures and foundations. Three nearby batching plants serve this section, reducing haulage distances to within two miles and cutting transport emissions.
Further south, around 300,000m³ of Holcim ready-mix concrete has been supplied to the Old Oak Common Station site in west London – a new transport interchange linking HS2, the Elizabeth line and Great Western services. A further 30,000m³ is expected to be delivered by 2030 as work continues on the superhub.
Andrew Hockey, HS2 operations director at Holcim UK, said: “We are delighted to have hit this significant milestone in our partnership with HS2. Forging vital partnerships like this will be key to unlocking the potential we have to make sustainable construction a reality across the UK, and collaborations of this significance are truly what will drive the construction industry’s success – the nation’s most visible sign of progress.”
The milestone highlights Holcim’s growing role in supporting the decarbonisation of large-scale UK infrastructure. Its low-carbon mixes form part of the company’s wider strategy to help reduce embodied carbon across major public projects, including HS2’s extensive use of concrete and precast structures.
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