Heidelberg Materials commissions first industrial concrete recycling facility in Poland

Heidelberg Materials has commissioned the first facility for

concrete recycling in Poland, incorporating Fives'

FCB Rhodax® technology

Heidelberg Materials has commissioned the first industrial concrete recycling facility in Poland. The new plant, located near Katowice, will recycle 100 per cent of demolition concrete into high-quality aggregates, sand and cement paste that could later be reused as sustainable building materials.

To achieve this recycling rate, the facility uses Fives’ FCB Rhodax® technology, which releases all the components of demolition concrete in the highest quality. “The singularity of the FCB Rhodax consists in the perfect control of the force applied to the material bed. It results in an excellent liberation of the different concrete components of preserved - or even improved quality. The resulting recycled aggregates and sand comply with the European Standard for recycled and even virgin materials, especially in terms of cubicity and low water absorption,” according to Fives.

The technology was awarded the French Marc Regnier Recycling innovation prize, which recognises innovations in the recycling and mineral recovery sector and promotes industrial projects that have an impact on the circular economy and the reduction of CO₂ emissions.

The technology results from the successful cooperation between Heidelberg Materials and Fives’ R&D teams. “After several pilot plant testing with the FCB Rhoda®, we see this as the best suited system to recover recycled cement paste from deconstruction concrete and get high-quality recycled aggregates and recycled sand,” said Heidelberg Materials’ Director Global R&D, Wolfgang Dienemann.