Eco Material Unveils Georgia Hub to Reinvent Sustainable Construction

TAYLORSVILLE, GA – May 12, 2026 – Eco Material Technologies, a subsidiary of building materials giant CRH, today announced a significant expansion of its research and development capabilities with the opening of a new pilot processing center and an expanded testing laboratory at its Materials Testing and Research Facility (MTRF) in Taylorsville.

The move signals a major investment in the future of sustainable building, creating a comprehensive 16,400-square-foot research hub designed to accelerate the transition from innovative concepts to commercially viable, low-carbon construction materials.

A Strategic Leap in Sustainable Construction

The expansion comes at a critical time for the construction industry, which is grappling with a dual crisis: persistent material shortages and mounting pressure to decarbonize. Traditional Portland cement manufacturing is a major source of pollution, accounting for nearly 8% of global CO2 emissions. In response, the demand for sustainable alternatives is surging, with the North American green building materials market projected to grow at over 12% annually, reaching half a trillion dollars by 2034.

Eco Material Technologies, North America's leading producer of supplementary cementitious materials (SCMs), is positioning this new facility as a core part of the solution. The company has built its leadership on converting industrial byproducts, primarily fly ash from coal-fired power plants, into valuable additives that strengthen concrete while reducing its carbon footprint. In 2024 alone, the company's products displaced over 5% of total U.S. cement consumption, preventing an estimated 5.5 million metric tons of CO2 equivalent emissions from entering the atmosphere.

This new hub is designed to amplify that impact. By integrating advanced research, pilot-scale production, and rigorous testing under one roof, the company aims to dramatically shorten the timeline for bringing next-generation materials to market. The facility will bolster the company's ability to turn a wider array of underutilized resources—from harvested ash in legacy landfills to natural pozzolans—into reliable, high-performance building materials.

Inside the Innovation Hub

The Taylorsville facility is more than just a laboratory; it is an end-to-end innovation engine. Equipped with a sophisticated array of machinery—including an industrial ball mill, classifier, rotary dryer, and a proprietary ES ECOsystem carbon offloading system—the center can simulate the entire beneficiation and production process. This allows researchers to move seamlessly from raw material evaluation to performance testing of finished products.

The expanded testing laboratory, which holds prestigious AASHTO and CCRL accreditations, provides the critical quality assurance needed to deploy these materials in large-scale infrastructure projects. Scientists at the facility can conduct detailed material characterization, durability analysis, and performance testing across paste, mortar, and full-scale concrete applications, ensuring every product meets stringent industry standards.

“This new pilot processing center and the expansion of our research capabilities strengthen our ability to move from innovation to implementation at scale,” said Grant Quasha, president of Eco Material Technologies. “By advancing how we process and refine diverse material streams alongside pilot production and testing of our advanced technologies, we can convert underutilized resources into reliable, high-performing cementitious products and bring those solutions to market faster. Our MTRF facility plays a central role in ensuring every material we deliver performs in the field.”

Quasha added that the facility's capabilities are magnified by its connection to the wider CRH network. “Combined with the additional advanced laboratory resources and expertise available at both Ash Grove and CRH, this facility is ideally positioned to lead innovation in cementitious materials and play a pivotal role in shaping the future of construction,” he noted.

Powering a Resilient Supply Chain

The strategic importance of the Taylorsville expansion extends beyond environmental benefits. The construction sector has been plagued by supply chain disruptions and material volatility, leading to project delays and cost overruns. By expanding its capacity to qualify and process diverse SCM sources, Eco Material is building a more resilient and circular supply chain for one of construction's most essential ingredients.

This strategy aligns perfectly with the goals of its parent company, CRH. The global building materials leader acquired Eco Material for $2.1 billion, a move designed to secure a long-term supply of SCMs and accelerate its own ambitious sustainability targets, which include achieving net-zero emissions by 2050. The acquisition brought over 1,100 employees and a vast logistics network—including 58 terminals and 4,000 railcars—into the CRH fold, creating an unparalleled platform for distributing low-carbon materials across North America.

The new R&D hub will support customers directly by providing validated mix designs and expert technical support, helping them confidently incorporate sustainable materials into their projects without sacrificing performance, consistency, or reliability.

The Future of Cement is Green

While fly ash remains a cornerstone of its portfolio, Eco Material is aggressively pursuing the next frontier of cementitious materials. The Taylorsville facility will be instrumental in developing and scaling proprietary technologies like PozzoSlag®, a near-zero-carbon product that can replace up to 100% of ordinary Portland cement in certain applications.

Research will also focus on refining methods for harvesting and processing legacy ash from landfills and ponds—a process that not only creates a valuable product but also remediates past environmental liabilities. These advanced SCMs have demonstrated superior performance in some cases, reportedly reacting faster and producing concrete that is 20% stronger than traditional mixes.

As the United States and Canada embark on a historic wave of infrastructure modernization, the demand for durable, reliable, and sustainable materials will only intensify. The innovations pioneered at the Taylorsville research hub are set to play a crucial role, providing the foundational materials needed to build the roads, bridges, and buildings of a greener, more resilient future. The project is also expected to catalyze new employment opportunities in the region, solidifying Georgia's position as a center for advanced manufacturing and sustainable technology.