Wienerberger UK to Launch World’s First Commercial-Scale Hydrogen-Fired Brick Kiln in Greater Manchester

Wienerberger to build the world's first commercial-scale hydrogen-fired brick plant in Manchester, cutting 11,600 tonnes of CO2 annually using green hydrogen.

By: AXL Media

Published: Mar 30, 2026, 4:38 AM EDT

Source: Information for this report was sourced from Wienerberger UK & Ireland and the UK Department for Energy Security and Net Zero.

A Landmark Shift in Heavy Clay Manufacturing

The UK is positioning itself as a global leader in industrial decarbonization with the announcement of a groundbreaking hydrogen kiln project. Wienerberger UK & Ireland, supported by the UK Government’s Industrial Energy Transformation Fund, is set to upgrade its Denton facility in Greater Manchester. This initiative marks a definitive shift away from fossil fuels in high-temperature industrial processes, proving that green hydrogen can replace natural gas in the energy-intensive production of clay bricks without compromising structural integrity or output.

The Technical Overhaul: Retrofitting the Tunnel Kilns

The transition involves a sophisticated engineering retrofit of two existing tunnel kilns. The project will replace 224 natural gas-powered burners with hydrogen-compatible systems designed to handle the specific combustion characteristics of hydrogen fuel. Beyond the burners, the upgrade includes:

Infrastructure: New hydrogen supply pipelines and electrical control systems.

Logistics: A dedicated on-site offloading and pressure reduction facility.