Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI), together with Worley and Heidelberg Materials, has officially entered the execution phase of the Padeswood Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) project in Flintshire, North Wales. The facility will be Europe’s first cement plant to deploy MHI’s Advanced KM CDR Process™, capturing approximately 800,000 tonnes of CO₂ annually from Heidelberg Materials’ Padeswood cement operations.
Captured CO₂ will be transported via pipeline and permanently stored in depleted gas fields beneath Liverpool Bay, as part of the HyNet North West industrial decarbonisation cluster.
This milestone follows Heidelberg Materials’ Final Investment Decision (FID) in September 2025, made in partnership with the UK Government under Track-1 of its CCUS cluster sequencing programme. The full-scale CCS facility is expected to begin operations in 2029.
MHI and Worley previously delivered the project’s FEED study in 2024. Under the new execution phase:
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MHI, supported by its regional arm MHI-EMEA, will provide engineering and procurement for the CO₂ capture system based on the Advanced KM CDR Process™, as well as key equipment including compressors.
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Worley will manage engineering, procurement and construction for the balance of plant.
Cement production currently accounts for 7–8% of global CO₂ emissions, driven largely by the chemical calcination process—an emissions source that cannot be eliminated by switching to clean energy. As a result, CCS remains the only scalable pathway to achieving deep decarbonisation in the sector.
MHI, Heidelberg Materials, and Worley executives all described the project as a transformative step for UK industry:
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MHI highlighted the project as a flagship for decarbonising one of the hardest-to-abate sectors.
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Heidelberg Materials emphasised the strong partnership developed through the FEED stage and affirmed confidence in MHI and Worley’s proven global track record.
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Worley noted the project’s significance within the broader HyNet cluster and its role in advancing sustainable industrial solutions.
The Padeswood CCS project is also set to deliver major economic and social benefits, including 50 permanent jobs, securing over 200 existing roles, and supporting up to 500 jobs during construction. Once operational, it will enable the production of evoZero, Heidelberg Materials’ near-zero carbon cement — marking a crucial step toward the UK’s net-zero goals and establishing long-term carbon management infrastructure for future industrial projects.