Leading firms increase market presence

RMC and Aggregate Industries have increased their market presence in Great Britain over the last 12 months, with RMC acquiring quarries from two companies and Aggregate Industries acquiring certain quarries from Tarmac as well as developing a number of new operations. However, Tarmac and Hanson continue to be the market leaders in the quarrying industry, and together these four companies now represent over 60% of the market.

These conclusions form part of BDS Marketing’s tenth annual report entitled: ‘Estimated outputs of pits, quarries and marine wharves in Great Britain’.

Foster Yeoman’s Glensanda quarry is thought to be the largest quarry in the country, producing over 5 million tonnes a year. Three other quarries — Tunstead (Tarmac), Torr (Foster Yeoman) and Mountsorrel (Lafarge) — are believed to produce over 4 million tonnes a year. The report lists the outputs of all known operating sand and gravel pits, hard rock quarries and marine wharves by company and location. Production shares are calculated on a county, regional and national basis.