MevoCem earns Made in Britain accreditation

Material Evolution, the sustainable materials startup behind the ultra-low carbon cement MevoCem, has been awarded the Made in Britain accreditation, underscoring its commitment to UK manufacturing and low-carbon innovation.

Produced at the company’s Mevo A1 Production Facility in Llay, Wrexham, MevoCem delivers up to an 85% reduction in CO₂ emissions compared to traditional ordinary Portland cement. With an annual capacity of 120,000 tonnes, the Wrexham site is the largest producer of ultra-low carbon cement in the UK, supporting domestic supply chains and helping to cut construction emissions nationwide.

Material Evolution’s long-term goal is to avoid one gigaton of carbon by 2040, aligning with the UK’s national net zero strategy. The firm’s success demonstrates how green manufacturing can reduce the country’s reliance on imported cement, which has almost tripled over the past two decades – rising from 12% of UK sales in 2008 to 32% in 2024.

Dr Liz Gilligan, co-founder and CEO of Material Evolution, said: “Achieving the Made in Britain accreditation is an important step in demonstrating that ultra-low carbon cement can be produced at scale in the UK. With cement imports having nearly tripled over the past two decades, the UK is missing a significant opportunity to reduce emissions while supporting local industry. A resilient, domestic supply chain is vital not just for sustainability, but for economic and strategic security in infrastructure delivery.”

Gilligan added that current procurement frameworks too often prioritise cost over sustainability, limiting the use of low-carbon materials in major public infrastructure projects.
“Low-carbon, locally sourced materials are proven to be scalable, reliable and economically viable – but procurement rules need to evolve to prioritise their adoption,” she said. “By aligning policy with the capabilities of UK-made low-carbon materials, the sector can simultaneously reduce emissions, strengthen domestic supply chains and create tangible economic value.”

Material Evolution’s patented alkali fusion technology and AI-driven material design use industrial by-products to create a sustainable alternative to high-carbon Portland cement, contributing to both industrial decarbonisation and net zero by 2050.

Founded by Dr Liz Gilligan and Sam Clark, the company operates an R&D hub in Teesside, the A1 production site in Wrexham, and a London office focused on scaling partnerships across the construction and infrastructure sectors.