Builders Merchants Journal – BMJ Publishing to Builders Merchants and the UK merchanting industry for more than 95 years
Roof tile manufacturer wienerberger has begun construction on the world’s first fully electric tunnel kiln at its Broomfleet manufacturing site in East Yorkshire.
The project, dubbed ‘Factory e’, represents a £37 million investment in UK manufacturing, with £4.3 million funded through the UK Government’s Industrial Energy Transformation Fund (IETF)
Once operational, the new kiln is expected to reduce Scope 1 carbon emissions from the factory production line by 75%, saving 4,700 tonnes of CO₂ per year, supporting wienerberger’s transition to net zero carbon emissions.
Chief operating officer at wienerberger UK & Ireland, Keith Barker, commented: “The start of construction at Broomfleet represents a pivotal step in our journey to decarbonise heavy clay manufacturing.
“Factory e demonstrates how electrification can deliver substantial carbon emission reductions while maintaining product quality, operational resilience and long term competitiveness. Alongside our hydrogen brick kiln project at Denton, it underlines our multi technology approach to achieving net zero and our commitment to building for what’s next.”
The Factory e project is planned to be completed in 2027.
