Aggregate Industries reaches key construction milestone with inflation of its ground-breaking dome silo at Tilbury Docks

Leading building products supplier, Aggregate Industries, has today reached an important milestone with the inflation of its dome silo airform in Tilbury. This structure will form an integral part of the new state-of-the-art cement import, manufacturing and distribution facility at Tilbury docks which is currently under construction. Once operational in 2026, this facility will allow Aggregate Industries to serve its customers 24/7 with conventional, low carbon and circular cementitious materials from 5 loading heads.

The innovative dome structure is one of only a handful of its kind in the UK and offers a compelling alternative to traditional large-scale industrial storage facilities. Due to its large storage capacity, the dome silo provides a viable long-term solution to manage supply and demand fluctuations across the construction sector.

Contractor Dome Technology LLC inflated the airform and will now commence placing nearly 4,500m3 of sprayed and wet mix concrete to form the 45m tall, 32m diameter dome silo, which will eventually store 30,000 tonnes of cement.

“This new facility is a strategic investment in both the infrastructure of Tilbury and in Aggregate Industries’ mission to lead in supplying low-carbon, sustainable construction solutions,” said Project Manager, Tim Fry. “The dome silo maximises storage capacity with minimum footprint, and reflects Aggregate Industries’ proactive commitment to embrace new innovative technologies.”

CEO of Dome Technology, Bradley Bateman, says, “Dome Technology and Aggregate Industries worked closely together to develop the most efficient and economical solution for this project, relying on the many decades of industry experience and innovation from both teams. When completed this facility will be state of the art and the result of the teams’ collaborative dynamic ability to innovate and find solutions.”

Tilbury’s strategic location amplifies the facility’s impact by enhancing supply chain resilience across the region. This landmark project marks a significant investment in the local economy, creating job opportunities and providing new business for suppliers and trades involved in its construction and operation.