Leca®

Who we are

#1 supplier of Expanded Clay Lightweight Aggregate in Europe for your infrastructure, housing and water management projects.

Whether doing large-scale or small-scale construction projects, in order to make the building process cost-efficient and run more smoothly, building materials need to be easy to handle, easy to transport and flexible to work with. LECA^® LWA or LECA^® Blocks are exactly this.

While Leca^® LWA (Light Weight Aggregate) is a simple product, our solutions are innovative. Alone, it is one single expanded clay pellet, but combining the pellets into an aggregate, possibilities become numerous – whether it is laying the foundation for construction, building roads and walls, or developing drainage solutions. The simplicity of the product makes it extremely flexible in the construction process. We have been around for a long time, so we know that our products work – and they last.

With a local presence in more than 12 European countries, we continue to develop and innovate ourselves looking for new partnerships and business models that propel Leca International, our partners and the environment forward.

Because together, we build for the future

What is Leca^® LWA

“all in one”

Expanded clay is a high quality, durable lightweight aggregate, that has been used for over half a century. The main characteristic of expanded clay is low density combined with high strength. In addition, the aggregate holds many other important characteristics, and it can be described as an “all-in-one” product, providing a huge range of properties vital for sustainable construction.

Production

Expanded clay is produced from naturally and abundantly available clay. The clay is extracted, pre-treated and introduced to rotary kilns.

Product

Expanded clay is a well-proven, high quality, efficient and durable lightweight aggregate suitable for a wide range of applicants in the construction sector.

Applications

Expanded clay is a unique lightweight aggregate with versatile applications, the only "all in one" aggregate with sustainable use "everywhere".

Our Solutions

Housing

Expanded clay lightweight aggregate LECA^® LWA can be used as a primary material in the mix design of low density building blocks and panels.

Infrastructure

Low bulk density and high strength, combined with easy handling at the building site makes LECA^® LWA a very competetive aggregate solving geotechnical problems

Water management

Expanded clay LECA^® LWA has large pore volumes and surface areas make it an ideal media for biological treatment.

Sustainability

"Borrowed from nature", our sustainable story…

Leca^® LWA and Leca^® blocks are mainly known for their functional benefits, with a long history which dates back to more than 75 years. Leca^® Lightweight Aggregate is actually more modern than ever – and a highly resource efficient material within infrastructure, housing and water management projects.

Leca^® LWA (Lightweight Aggregate) has been around since the 1940’s. And although the product has been developed further since then, it is basically still the same product: expanded clay.
This special and purposeful material is highly suitable for many building requirements due to its numerous and unique properties; an All-in-One aggregate, used Everywhere. But Leca^® LWA has some very positive ‘side effects’ regarding environmental issues including resource efficiency and a sustainable long lasting lifetime.
Environmental and sustainable issues which were probably not the main focus 75 years ago, are certainly a concern today in the modern world.

Resourcefulness from cradle to grave – and resourceful in between!
To make this simple, we transform 1m3 of freshly escavated clay into 5m3 of lightweight construction material. Through this highly resourceful return of 1:5, we feel that our production positively impacts the full life circle of a natural resource, from cradle to grave. By combining the All-in-One features such as being durable, strong, lightweight, water absorbent and recyclable, Leca^® products are benefiting the environment, limiting resource requirements and improving our living and working conditions.

We believe that LECA^® LWA has a positive effect on every stage of the product lifecycle from Production, Transport, Building, Living to Recycling. The strong lightweight and inert aggregate, that can be used everywhere, and be re-used / re-cycled - and even be returned back to the Earth. Thats why we call it ‘Borrowed from Nature’.

This is not just another nice story on sustainability, we are actually doing it. Whatever statement we are making within production, transport, building, living or reuse, we have prrofs. Please follow our local actions within each of the 5 steps of the life cycle by visiting our local site

Production
Simple ideas often last longer. LECA^® LWA is made of virgin clay, and produced through pre-treatment and high temperatures. CLICK FOR MORE TEXT

One 1m3 of fresh clay produces 5m3 of durable, natural aggregate. To be used in anything from flower pots to structural concrete bridge elements in harsh Northern seas. Focus on a resourcefully efficient production process is always maintained with the attention on producing as little waste as possible in the process. Strict quality control is in place in all our production plants to deliver high quality products with minimal environmental impact.

Transport
Being a lightweight natural aggregate, transportation is easier and leaves a smaller carbon foot print than alternative heavy aggregates. CLICK FOR MORE TEXT

Increased capacity for trucks means fewer trucks on the road, in the city centres and in delicate countryside areas. Did you know that one truck of LECA^® LWA equals four trucks of sand and gravel? It’s good for our climate – reducing CO2 emissions considerably, reducing transport costs for everyone and saving time for projects completion.

Building
If your building material weighs less, it makes life for construction workers onsite easier. CLICK FOR MORE TEXT

Lifting a LECA^® Block weighing a few kilograms is manageable, but lifting a block made from alternative material which could weigh up to four times more is certainly more difficult. Not only is LECA^® LWA lightweight but you can blow them into place with our blowing vehicles when access is narrow and difficult; Fast, Easy and Flexible.

Living
Identifying LECA^® LWA is difficult at first sight, when looking at a house, a road or a bridge, BUT we are there; in the ground, in the walls or on the rooftop. CLICK FOR MORE TEXT

Leca^® LWA can be identified through the amazing properties which are gained for example, when used in house constructions, Leca^® LWA offers high levels of thermal and acoustic comfort and contributes to improved energy performance. This helps to reduce the carbon footprint, reduces energy bills considerably and provides long lasting comfort to the home. Also long life time and reduced maintenance are key arguments related to sustainability.

Re-use / Re-cycle
Leca^® LWA is a unique and natural product which has a life cycle which is not linear, but is actually circular. CLICK FOR MORE TEXT

LECA^® LWA can be ‘reborn’, when the material has been in use for up to 100 years. Moreover the simplicity of the natural inert clay aggregate means that it can return back to nature. LECA^® LWA is essentially not ours; we just borrow the environmentally friendly solution from nature, utilizing its many features to build for the future and its sustainable properties mean that we can simply return it back to Nature.

A sustainable industry

The European expanded clay industry has embraced the principles of sustainable development. Expanded clay is a well-proven, high quality, efficient and competitive construction material that can be used anywhere. It is sustainable and packed with properties that improve the economic, social and environmental performance of a building or infrastructure over its whole lifetime. Expanded clay is produced with the maximum care for employees, environment, climate, neighbours and local communities. The industry is committed to continuously reduce the impact from the production and to develop the properties and applications of expanded clay to improve the sustainability contribution.

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