Ara Partners acquires Microtec to advance concrete decarbonization efforts

Houston-based Ara Partners has acquired Microtec Development & Holdings LLC, Naples, Florida. Through the partnership, Microtec plans to accelerate the rollout of facilities for its commercial application, AggrePlex, across the U.S. and internationally.

Microtec’s AggrePlex centers on the recycling of end-of-life glass into ground glass pozzolan for concrete. AggrePlex leverages Microtec’s patented Turbo Mill technology—proven at scale with more than 250 mills operating globally, according to the company—to produce PozzoDyne activated ground glass pozzolan (AGGP).

"Ara Partners' investment marks a transformative milestone for Microtec and AggrePlex,” says Anthony Cialone, president and founder of Microtec. “With Ara's capital and expertise in industrial project development, construction and decarbonization, we can rapidly scale our patented mechanochemical activation and micronization technology. This enables significant reductions in concrete-related emissions and creates a circular solution for our industrial and municipal partners."

"PozzoDyne AGGP represents the next generation of high-performance, low-carbon construction materials,” AggrePlex President and CEO Tim Kuebler adds. “We are proud to deliver a solution that meets the rigorous performance requirements of infrastructure and industrial applications while significantly lowering the carbon footprint."

PozzoDyne, produced with an approximately 94 percent lower carbon intensity than traditional cement manufacturing, meets standards for durability, performance, strength and sustainability, including those established under ASTM C1866 and C618, Microtec says.

"AggrePlex's AGGP product addresses all the critical drivers for adoption—cost competitiveness, superior performance and a lower carbon footprint,” Microtec Executive Chairman David Haughie says. “With Ara as our partner, we are positioned to execute tangible, economically viable decarbonization, starting with the construction and concrete industries and expanding to additional sectors."

According to Microtec, when scaled across AggrePlex's planned U.S. facilities, PozzoDyne is expected to avoid over 550,000 metric tons of CO₂e annually.

"We are committed to backing decarbonization leaders with the ability to scale quickly and deliver measurable results at commercially competitive pricing against the incumbent fossil-based industry,” says Christopher Picotte, partner at Ara Partners. “Microtec's proprietary and proven milling technology has extraordinary potential across many waste-to-value applications."