GreenCem form exclusive partnership with Teesside University
University's Professor David Hughes to lead SigmaRoc’s next phase of net-zero innovation
GREENCEM, SigmaRoc’s market-leading business in the development and supply of ultra-low-carbon concrete, have announced an industry-changing partnership with Teesside University’s Net Zero Industry Innovation Centre (NZIIC), led by renowned materials scientist Professor David Hughes.
As part of the landmark collaboration, NZIIC will work with SigmaRoc with focus on sustainable innovation within construction materials, bringing an unparalleled depth of expertise in low-carbon materials, decarbonization, industrial digitalization, and circular economy solutions.
The collaboration will deliver a comprehensive technical review of GreenCem’s low-carbon R&D, assess future products, and identify opportunities for wider innovation in decarbonization and digital systems, deploying a specialist team from Teesside’s cutting-edge facilities to validate and enhance the company’s existing technology platforms.
This initiative aligns with the UK’s legally binding goal to cut national greenhouse gas emissions by more than 80% by 2035. It also represents a critical step in translating academic research into scalable, low-carbon industrial solutions.
‘We’re entering a new era for GreenCem,’ said Michael Roddy, managing director UK & Ireland at SigmaRoc. ‘With Professor Hughes and the Net Zero Team now fully aligned with our ambitions, we are substantially expanding both our technical depth and execution capacity. This partnership represents a major step change in our innovation capability.’
Building on a strong track record in low-carbon materials and industrial innovation, Professor Hughes and NZIIC will now collaborate with SigmaRoc to help translate sustainable construction technologies to drive industrial decarbonization.
With the support of Teesside University and its NZIIC, SigmaRoc will integrate academic excellence directly into their core innovation and commercialization process, aligning the university’s net-zero and circular economy research with SigmaRoc’s fast-growing industrial footprint.

‘GreenCem are positioning themselves at the forefront of sustainable construction, bringing proven technologies and expert partnerships together to deliver the next generation of low-carbon materials,’ said Professor Hughes. ‘We are bringing together innovation, research, and scale to deliver truly sustainable solutions to industry.’
This collaboration will also see close co-ordination between the Net Zero Hub and SigmaRoc’s Ventures team, which continues to invest in emerging technologies across the cement and construction ecosystem. The result is a platform that not only delivers low-carbon solutions today but actively shapes the technologies of tomorrow.