Susmax Completes Tonnage-scale pilot production of waste coal ash-based lightweight aggregate

𝐉𝐮𝐧𝐞 𝟐𝟔, 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟓 — ­­𝐏𝐡𝐢𝐥𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐥𝐩𝐡𝐢𝐚, 𝐏𝐀 — SusMaX, a hard-tech startup transforming waste coal ash into construction-grade lightweight aggregate, is proud to announce the successful completion of its tonnage-scale pilot demonstration. This milestone represents a major step toward commercializing SusMaX’s patented process to produce sustainable lightweight aggregate for construction applications.

Conducted in Whitehall, PA, the pilot demonstrated SusMaX’s ability to process landfilled coal ash — a waste material with no alternative recycling pathway — into high-performance lightweight aggregate at scale. The pilot campaign utilized 30 tons of ash supplied by three utility partners in Pennsylvania and Georgia, with whom SusMaX is actively collaborating to bring its technology to market.

“This pilot proves not just the technical feasibility of our process at scale, but its commercial readiness,” said Mo Balapour, CEO and Co-founder of SusMaX. “We’re turning a waste material with no engineering value into high-performance lightweight aggregate — a product the construction industry needs, but struggles to source efficiently.”

In the coming months, SusMaX will provide samples to key ready-mix concrete producers for further testing and validation, paving the way for future offtake agreements. Prior customer trials have shown that SusMaX’s product (1) can increase the compressive strength of concrete by 20% when replacing 15% of gravel in normal weight concrete, and (2) delivers equivalent mechanical performance to lightweight concrete made with commercially available lightweight aggregate while using 10–20% less material — offering cost savings for customers.

This pilot marks a critical milestone ahead of SusMaX’s planned demonstration facility, which will further expand production capacity and serve as a blueprint for full-scale deployment across the country.

𝐀𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐒𝐮𝐬𝐌𝐚𝐗

SusMaX is a Philadelphia-based hard-tech startup transforming landfilled waste coal ash into high-performance, lightweight aggregate for concrete applications. Through localized production, SusMaX addresses inefficiencies in the lightweight aggregate supply chain while enabling more sustainable, resilient infrastructure in high-demand urban markets.

𝐌𝐞𝐝𝐢𝐚 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐜𝐭:
Mo Balapour
mo@susmax.com
www.susmax.com