Ara Partners, a global private equity firm specialising in the decarbonisation of industrial sectors, has acquired Microtec Development & Holdings LLC, a US-based company pioneering advanced micronisation technology.
Microtec’s flagship platform, AggrePlex, transforms post-consumer and industrial waste glass into PozzoDyne™ Activated Ground Glass Pozzolan (AGGP), a high-performance supplementary cementitious material. Using its patented Turbo Mill technology, AggrePlex produces a consistent, cost-competitive alternative to fly ash, slag and ordinary Portland cement. The material complies with stringent industry standards, including ASTM C1866 and C618.
The acquisition will enable Microtec, with Ara’s backing, to expand AggrePlex facilities across the United States and international markets. Cement production currently accounts for nearly 8% of global CO₂ emissions, making low-carbon substitutes a critical focus for the sector. PozzoDyne™ is produced with a carbon intensity around 94% lower than traditional cement and, when scaled across planned facilities, could cut more than 550,000 tonnes of CO₂ equivalent annually.
Company executives described the deal as a milestone for scaling sustainable construction materials. Tim Kuebler, chief executive of AggrePlex, said the product “represents the next generation of high-performance, low-carbon construction materials”. Microtec founder Anthony Cialone added that Ara’s investment would help accelerate deployment of its technology “to enable significant reductions in concrete-related emissions and create a circular solution for industrial and municipal partners”.
Ara Partners’ Christopher Picotte said the firm was committed to supporting companies “with the ability to scale quickly and deliver measurable results at commercially competitive pricing against the incumbent fossil-based industry”.
