North East Mayor Kim McGuinness Visits Low Carbon Materials to See Green Construction Innovation in Action

Earthshot Prize Finalist Low Carbon Materials (LCM), welcomed North East Mayor Kim McGuinness to its headquarters to showcase the region's pioneering role in decarbonising the global construction industry.

On Wednesday, August 13th, Mayor McGuinness was given a tour of the company's state-of-the-art facility. The visit highlighted the advanced manufacturing processes for LCM’s flagship carbon-negative aggregate, ACLA, and provided a behind-the-scenes look at the company’s R&D labs, where the team demonstrated the future innovations ready to revolutionise construction materials.

The LCM team explained to the Mayor how their groundbreaking materials are already making a significant environmental impact. The use of ACLA is decarbonising road construction and infrastructure projects across the UK, with a particularly strong impact in the North East. To date, the deployment of ACLA in the region has removed carbon equivalent to the emissions produced by a typical petrol car driving approximately 2 million kilometres.

Discussions also focused on LCM’s ambitious plans for growth. The team outlined their strategy to scale production, expand their global reach, and, most importantly, bring new, high-quality green jobs to the region, reinforcing its status as a hub for innovation and sustainable industry.

The company also reflected on the honour of hosting HRH Prince William last year, an event that put a national spotlight on the incredible work happening in the region.

Dr. Natasha Boulding, CEO of Low Carbon Materials, said: "It was an absolute pleasure to host Mayor McGuinness and share our vision for a net-zero future, built right here in the North East. We are immensely proud to not only develop world-leading products like ACLA but also to contribute to our local economy through high value green job creation. The Mayor's visit is a fantastic endorsement of our work, and we look forward to continuing to showcase the amazing talent and innovation this region has to offer."