Building materials manufacturer Heidelberg Materials Hispania and Spanish construction company Viuda de Sainz have set up a plant for the treatment and recovery of construction and demolition waste and the management of steel slag. Located at a limestone quarry owned by the German company in Güeñes (Vizcaya), called Harrigreen, it occupies an 18,000 square-metre plot.

The two partners have invested nearly one million euros and have created twelve jobs at the new facility, which is equipped to shred waste in three stages. This enables the firm to produce top-quality construction and steel aggregates, and also gives it the capacity to process large volumes, which the owners estimate at some 164,000 tonnes per year, destined mainly for the concrete and asphalt sectors.

A revolutionary plant
The new plant will in fact be able to process up to 140,000 tonnes of construction and demolition waste each year, in addition to handling a further 20,000 tonnes of steelworks slag. The resulting recycled aggregates will bear CE marking, and will meet the highest quality standards, according to the promoters.

The Heidelberg - Viuda de Sainz joint project provides the construction industry with a tool that contributes to its sustainability and to the circular economy. Andreas Heming Director of the Competence Centre for Aggregates and Asphalt at Heidelberg Materials in Europe, said, "We are proud to have joined forces with Viuda de Sainz to bring this revolutionary plant to life. Efficient management of construction and demolition waste is essential to the preservation of our natural resources and to promote a more sustainable environment".

Innovation and collaboration
The president of Viuda de Sainz, Pedro Sainz, explained, "The launch of this plant is a reflection of our commitment to the circular economy, and reinforces our shared vision of a world where waste is transformed into valuable resources. Harrigreen is a clear example of how innovation and collaboration can drive significant change in the construction industry.

In addition to this plant, Heidelberg has two cement plants, five quarries and four concrete plants in Spain. In April 2023, the company unified its Spanish business under the Heidelberg Materials brand, previously divided between its subsidiaries HeidelbergCement Hispania, Cementos Rezola and Hanson.

^{Photo: Heidelberg Materials}