Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) and Worley have officially entered the execution phase of Heidelberg Materials UK’s flagship carbon capture project at the Padeswood cement works in North Wales — a development that positions the site to become Europe’s first full-scale CCS facility for cement production.
The project will deploy MHI’s Advanced KM CDR Process™, enabling the capture of around 800,000 tons of CO2 per year from cement kiln operations. Captured CO2 will be transported via pipeline and permanently stored in depleted gas reservoirs under Liverpool Bay as part of the HyNet North West cluster.
The milestone follows Heidelberg Materials’ final investment decision (FID) in September 2025, taken in partnership with the UK Government under Track-1 of its CCUS cluster sequencing program. Once complete, the CCS facility is expected to enter operation in 2029, making Padeswood one of the first large-scale decarbonized cement plants globally.
From FEED to full delivery: a major step for industrial decarbonisation
MHI and Worley previously completed the project’s front-end engineering design (FEED) in 2024.
Under the newly launched execution phase, MHI, through its EMEA headquarters, will supply engineering and procurement for the CO2 capture plant, including compressors and associated equipment.
Worley will oversee engineering, procurement and construction management for the balance of plant, drawing on its global experience in complex energy and infrastructure delivery.
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Project leaders emphasised the scale and significance of the initiative. MHI’s Senior Vice President for CCUS, Tatsuto Nagayasu, said the facility will “play a leading role in decarbonizing one of the most challenging industrial sectors.”
Heidelberg Materials UK CEO Simon Willis added that the move into execution represents “the next major milestone” following a strong partnership during FEED. Worley CEO Chris Ashton called the project “a landmark for industrial decarbonization in the UK and Europe.”
Once operational, Padeswood is expected to create 50 permanent jobs, safeguard more than 200 existing roles and support up to 500 construction jobs. As part of HyNet, the project also strengthens the UK’s emerging carbon management infrastructure while enabling the supply of low-carbon cement to domestic construction markets.
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