Hope Construction Materials open for business

Former Tarmac and Lafarge assets create major new name in British construction materials sector

HOPE Construction Materials – the major new entrant into Britain’s cement, concrete, aggregates and asphalt sector – is now open for business, with sites spanning the length and breadth of England, Scotland and Wales.

As the country’s largest independent supplier of construction materials, the new company operates more than 170 ready-mixed concrete plants, several aggregates operations (quarries, rail terminals and a marine wharf), two asphalt plants and the UK’s largest cement plant at Hope in Derbyshire – the key asset from which the company’s name evolved.

The creation of Hope Construction Materials follows the acquisition by Mittal Investments of the combined asset portfolio of divested sites by Tarmac and Lafarge, which was completed yesterday. The new company boasts a UK-based workforce of more than 800 people, selected from the two previous businesses.

Hope Construction Materials’ chairman, Amit Bhatia, said: ‘The formation of Hope Construction Materials is not only evidence of our long-term confidence in the recovery of the UK economy and its construction sector, but also of our belief that there is an opportunity in the marketplace to redefine the service provided by businesses in this segment.

‘Our name refers not only to our core asset, but also to this confidence. Led by a strong and experienced management team, I believe that Hope Construction Materials will soon establish itself as a player of reliability and quality.’

Hope Construction Materials chief executive officer, Chris Plant, said: ‘Hope is the first major new name in the British building materials sector for more than a decade. We have a rare opportunity to take a different approach to customer service, bringing in new ideas, innovative products and services, and better ways to meet the needs of the construction industry.

‘We have specifically designed the company to encourage fresh thinking and bring an entrepreneurial, partnering spirit to the industry.’