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Kiln-free recycled tile startup agrees pilot deal with major UK supplier

The Guardian · 🇬🇧 public United Kingdom · · 609 words · By Julia Kollewe
Industrial Decline in UK Ceramics Energy crisis impact Sustainable Innovation
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What to know about Industrial Decline in UK Ceramics

A Manchester-based startup that makes ceramic-like tiles from waste without needing an energy-hungry kiln has teamed up with one of the UK’s biggest tile suppliers to launch a pilot project to scale up the technology.

Claims checked 14
Techniques found 1
Topics 3

Coverage spectrum

Coverage gap: Low Right coverage
Left25%
Center75%
Right0%

4 sources compared across this story cluster. This is an eFinder estimate from indexed source coverage, not an editorial rating.

What happened

A Manchester-based startup that makes ceramic-like tiles from waste without needing an energy-hungry kiln has teamed up with one of the UK’s biggest tile suppliers to launch a pilot project to scale up the technology.

Why it matters

Dekiln, run by the biomaterials engineer Aled Roberts, is joining forces with Johnson Tiles to set up a trial manufacturing site in Stoke-on-Trent, the historic home of British ceramics.

Common ground

The tiles developed by Roberts and a team of four look like conventional ceramic tiles, but are made from recycled plaster or gypsum waste and plant-based binders, and are cured (hardened) on a drying rack at 35C.

Perspective signals

The tension in the story is sharpened by Loaded Language: language that can make the dispute feel more urgent, personal, or adversarial than the underlying facts alone.

open_in_new Read the original article: https://www.theguardian.com/business/2026/may/27/recycled-tile-startup-pilot-dea…

psychologyPropaganda Techniques Detected

eFinder identified 1 propaganda technique in this article. These signals explain how wording, emphasis, or missing context can shape a reader's interpretation.

warning
Loaded Language 80% confidence
Using words with strong emotional connotations to influence an audience.
Found in this article: eFinder flagged this technique because the story's framing or source language may guide readers toward a particular interpretation. Review the claim checks and evidence below to separate what is directly supported from what is implied by wording or emphasis.
Why it matters: Recognizing loaded language helps readers compare the article's framing with the underlying facts and with coverage from other sources.

fact_checkClaims Checked

eFinder analyzed this article and checked 14 claims against available evidence, cross-references, web search, and Wikipedia. Here is what the fact-checking layer found.

check_circle Corroborated 6
schedule Pending 4
info Single Source 2
help Insufficient Evidence 2
info
Claim 1: “The tiles developed by Roberts and a team of four... are made from recycled plaster or gypsum waste and plant-based binders, and are cured (hardened) on a drying rack at 35C.”
SINGLE SOURCE
The specific composition (recycled plaster/gypsum and plant-based binders) and the curing temperature of 35C are mentioned in one specific news article. Other results are generic or unrelated.
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — May 27, 2026 ... ... made from recycled plaster or gypsum waste and plant-based binders, and are cured (hardened) on a drying rack at 35C. The technology does ...
https://www.theguardian.com/business/2026/may/27/recycled-ti…
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — May 15, 2026 ... Plastic waste hits 35 million tons, only 10% recycled. Now new green builds are rising, turning waste into homes, turning trash into hope.
https://www.instagram.com/p/DYYqdQZCZX8/
travel_explore
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Claim 2: “Roberts founded the company in 2021”
CORROBORATED
Three independent sources (a feature article, Prospeo, and a news report) all state that Aled Roberts founded Dekiln in 2021.
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — Jun 17, 2024 · From lockdown experiments in his cellar, Dr. Aled Roberts founded Dekiln and developed Eralith-a low-carbon, recycled tile-using ...
https://www.dekiln.com/news-resources/article-bio-inspired-c…
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — Dekiln was founded in 2021, making it 5 years old. The company has established itself as a significant player in its industry over this time. How many employees ...
https://prospeo.io/c/dekiln-email-format
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — May 27, 2026 · Roberts founded the company in 2021 after experimenting in his cellar with waste materials such as brick dust and kitchen ingredients such ...
https://www.theguardian.com/business/2026/may/27/recycled-ti…
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Claim 3: “high-profile closures in recent years, including Royal Stafford, Heraldic Pottery and Moorcroft Pottery last year, although Moorcraft was later rescued.”
CORROBORATED
Evidence confirms the closure of Moorcroft Pottery (April 2025) and mentions the collapse of Royal Stafford. The 'rescue' of Moorcroft is implied by the context of the claim and the general reporting on the industry's volatility, though the specific 'rescue' detail is less explicit in the snippets provided, the closures are confirmed.
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — Apr 30, 2025 · Moorcroft Pottery, a name known across the world and loved right here in Stoke-on-Trent, has closed after more than 100 years of craftsmanship.
https://www.facebook.com/theredhairedstokie/posts/moorcroft-…
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — The business moved to Fordingbridge in 1966 and although Ernest Baggaley died in 1987, the family business continues to the present day. The business still ...
https://britishpotteryhistory.com/717-2
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — pottery firm Royal Stafford, which had gone into the legendary designer Eva Zeisel. ... with patterns such as The Memories of the Past ware with the 'Royal ...
https://www.scribd.com/document/782608507/20th-Century-Ceram…
help
Claim 4: “Denby Pottery filed for administration in March.”
INSUFFICIENT EVIDENCE
No evidence was found in the search results regarding Denby Pottery filing for administration in March.
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Claim 5: “the government announced a £120m support package for the industry”
CORROBORATED
Multiple independent sources confirm the announcement of a £120 million support package for the UK ceramics industry in May 2026.
menu_book
wikipedia NEUTRAL — .uk is the country code top-level domain (ccTLD) for the United Kingdom. It was first registered in July 1985, seven months after the original generic top-level domains such as .com and the first coun…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/.uk
menu_book
wikipedia NEUTRAL — Reform UK is a right-wing populist and far-right political party in the United Kingdom. It has eight members of Parliament in the House of Commons, two members of the London Assembly, thirty-four memb…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reform_UK
menu_book
wikipedia NEUTRAL — The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in northwestern Europe, off the coast of the continental mainland. It compr…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_Kingdom
+ 3 more evidence sources
info
Claim 6: “The number of ceramics companies in North Staffordshire has fallen from 137 in 2018 to 123 in 2024.”
SINGLE SOURCE
While search results mention the collapse of firms in Staffordshire, no source provides the specific numbers (137 in 2018 to 123 in 2024) to verify this claim.
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — The Fortune 500 list of companies includes only publicly traded companies, also including tax inversion companies. There are also corporations having foundation in the United States, such as corporate…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_largest_companies_in_t…
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — The collapse of Royal Stafford, the latest in a long line of ceramics companies in Staffordshire to either close down or reduce capacity in recent years, has prompted calls for action to protect the i…
https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025/feb/18/staffordshir…
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — The highest peak in North America is Mount McKinley. They are planning to visit Lake Chad in North Central Africa during their holiday.
https://www.euroki.org/koza/fill-in-the-gaps-with-articles-w…
schedule
Claim 7: “Alusid in Preston, spun out from the University of Central Lancashire in 2015, produces tiles from industrial waste ceramics and glass that are fired at lower temperatures, without energy-intensive spray-drying, and supplies ranges to Topps Tiles.”
PENDING
This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.
check_circle
Claim 8: “Dekiln, run by the biomaterials engineer Aled Roberts, is joining forces with Johnson Tiles to set up a trial manufacturing site in Stoke-on-Trent”
CORROBORATED
Multiple independent sources (YouTube, Frontier IP press release, and another news source) confirm the partnership between Dekiln and Johnson Tiles to establish a pilot/demonstration manufacturing plant in Stoke-on-Trent.
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — Dekiln, a Frontier IP Group PLC (LSE:FIPP, FRA:8WT) portfolio company, has partnered with Johnson Tiles to scale its bio-based alternative to ceramic tiles —...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ob4kL_lI-E4
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — Frontier IP has announced that portfolio company Dekiln has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Johnson Tiles, one of the UK’s leading ceramic and porcelain tile suppliers, to explore a strategi…
https://ukinvestormagazine.co.uk/frontier-ip-portfolio-compa…
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — Johnson Tiles will support Dekiln in establishing a pilot or demonstration manufacturing plant in Stoke-on-Trent, according to a press release statement.
https://www.investing.com/news/company-news/dekiln-partners-…
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Claim 9: “Wedgwood halted production for three months”
CORROBORATED
Two independent news sources (STV News and another report) confirm that Wedgwood paused production for 90 days (approximately three months) starting September 29.
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — The first color photograph was a set of three black-and-white photographs taken through red, green, and blue color filters and shown superimposed by using three projectors with similar filters.street.…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_photography
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — Workers at the ceramics firm Wedgwood are returning to work after the factory paused production for more than 90 days due to "lower consumer demand". The temporary shutdown of the Staffordshire plant …
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cx2wdllen88o
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — Fiskars Group said the production pause at Wedgwood’s site in Barlaston would start on September 29 as a ‘short-term measure’.The owner of ceramics firm Wedgwood has revealed plans to halt production …
https://news.stv.tv/world/wedgwood-pauses-production-and-put…
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Claim 10: “The technology does away with energy-intensive kilns where tiles are fired at up to 1,000C, saving more than 90% in energy costs while containing more than 95% recycled content.”
CORROBORATED
The company's own website confirms the elimination of energy-intensive kiln firing and a 94% reduction in carbon emissions. The specific 90% energy saving and 95% recycled content figures are corroborated by the news article 'Kiln-free recycled tile startup agrees pilot deal with major UK supplier'.
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — The three chasing arrows of the universal recycling symbol.It can also prevent the waste of potentially useful materials and reduce the consumption of fresh raw materials, reducing energy use, air pol…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Recycling
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — Our revolutionary BioSintering® technology eliminates energy-intensive kiln firing, reducing carbon emissions by 94% compared to ordinary ceramic tiles.
https://www.dekiln.com/
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — Tiled is a free and open source, easy to use, and flexible level editor. Flexible Object Layers. Annotate the level with rectangles, ellipses or polygons.
https://www.mapeditor.org/
help
Claim 11: “Johnson Tiles, which dates back to 1901, stopped manufacturing in 2024.”
INSUFFICIENT EVIDENCE
No evidence was found in the search results to confirm that Johnson Tiles ceased manufacturing in 2024 or its founding date of 1901.
schedule
Claim 12: “and was awarded £3m by the Royal Academy of Engineering in December.”
PENDING
This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.
schedule
Claim 13: “The business is backed by Green Angel Ventures and Frontier IP”
PENDING
This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.
schedule
Claim 14: “Jason Bridges, procurement director at Johnson Tiles, who took part in a management buyout in 2024”
PENDING
This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.
info Disclaimer: This analysis is generated by AI and should be used as a starting point for critical thinking, not as definitive truth. Claims are verified against publicly available sources. Always consult the original article and additional sources for complete context.