From Innovation to Practice: First Promising Results from the meca-clay Plant

Dear Colleagues,

After approximately two years of development and project work, the meca-clay plant in Allmendingen began operations in the spring of 2026. With the start of cold commissioning in March of this year, the final phase of preparation for regular production began. Since reaching operational readiness on May 22, the plant has been gradually ramped up and has now been undergoing hot commissioning testing for several weeks.

The initial results are promising: Experience to date confirms that we are on the right track and provides important insights for future operations. It is particularly clear that process stability begins with the supply of raw materials. In particular, raw material moisture content and composition have a significant impact on subsequent process steps and require targeted control of the extraction and processing of the feedstocks.

At the same time, the initial operating results confirm the understanding of the mechanochemical activation process developed through the collaborative research partnership with Polysius. The fundamental relationships identified in laboratory and pilot-plant tests were also replicated on an industrial scale. This provided important evidence of the technology’s successful industrial scalability.

The next step involves conducting the contractually agreed-upon availability and performance tests. These tests are designed to evaluate the plant’s performance under real-world operating conditions. At the same time, additional measurement campaigns will be carried out to determine the optimal operating point for the “Charger.” The upcoming tests and analyses will also serve as the foundation for transferring the technology to other plants, such as the Akmenė site in Lithuania.

We would like to extend our sincere thanks to all our colleagues whose dedication has contributed to the project’s success thus far, and we look forward to the next steps in this forward-looking project.