This article is a contribution to the NNWI Conference 2026: Powering Industrial Decarbonisation.
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Tarmac is the UK’s leading supplier of construction and building materials. We employ around 6,000 people, and we are one of the UK’s largest land and mineral owners. We are also one of the country’s biggest commercial rail freight operators and operate five marine vessels.
We focus on delivery of major construction programs across a range of sectors including energy, transportation, and defence, delivering millions of tonnes of aggregates, concrete and asphalt to national infrastructure programmes. Our materials are sourced from Tarmac’s quarries and production facilities spread across the UK.
However, the AtoB of getting materials to site is not always straightforward. With planning restrictions imposing necessary restrictions on road and rail movements and many programs lacking the road, rail, or marine infrastructure to support deliveries at scale — early engagement with suppliers like Tarmac allow the development of sustainable supply solutions.
Tarmac works with clients to model environmental impact and optimise supply strategies. Rail over road significantly reduces CO₂ and marine can also play a part. Over the longer term, programmes continue to create opportunities to transition last mile delivery to electric vehicles.
At Tarmac, sustainability is central to everything we do, we are on course for a 30% CO 2 reduction by 2030 and will achieve net zero by 2050.
Circularity is key, aligning programs to enable recovery and reuse of aggregates, investing in processing capabilities to allow move diverse waste streams to be repurposed. Our Pave business currently recycles over one million tonnes of asphalt plannings back into surfaces across the UK each year.
Within our production plants we have focused on waste reduction, currently recycling 99% of operational waste. We’ve embraced AI to help manage production in our batching plants leading to waste reduction and reduced water consumption. And at our sites we are rolling out plans for renewable energy along with battery storage, our cement production at Tunstead is already powered using SRF.
We directly invest in the development of increasingly sustainable construction solutions. Offering low CO 2 concrete through the introduction of alternative materials, with strength tailored to specific project needs.
Our CEVO asphalt, which uses bio binders, warm mix production, and recycled constituents can provide 80% CO 2 reduction in construction and maintenance of Highways.
Tarmac’s materials build the world around us; we are driving to ensure that our production and delivery is achieved with the highest levels of sustainability practicable.
