Mineral Products Industry at a Glance

Latest MPA report highlights how mineral products are essential to growth and building Britain 

RELEASED at the Mineral Products Association (MPA) annual conference on 9 June, the organization’s latest report, ‘The Mineral Products Industry at a Glance’, provides a valuable source of information on the mineral products industry, documenting the changing patterns in the way mineral products are produced and consumed, and the manufactured products derived from them.

Presenting detailed analysis of the latest data for each mineral product category, the review highlights the significant contribution the industry makes to the UK economy from more than 2,000 active sites and plants.

Key facts from the report include:

• 360 million tonnes – GB production of aggregates and manufactured mineral products
• £20 billion – annual turnover of the mineral products industry
• £6.4 billion – gross value added
• £495 billion – turnover of industries supplied
• £144 billion – value of construction (the mineral products industry’s main customer)
• 78,000 – people directly employed in the mineral products industry
• 3.4 million – jobs supported through the supply chain.

As the largest element of the construction supply chain, a supplier of key materials to many other industries, and the largest material flow in the UK economy, a healthy domestic mineral products industry is essential for the UK economy. This report makes the link between the industry’s output, the majority of which is used in the UK construction industry, and improvements in the country’s housing stock, transport networks, commercial and industrial buildings, utilities, schools and hospitals.

New research from the MPA reveals that, in terms of volume, the mineral products industry is the largest industry in the UK, with 1 million tonnes of aggregates, asphalt, cement, concrete and other mineral products supplied every day. 

Further headline figures from the new report include:

• The mineral products industry is highly productive: each worker produced about £82,000 in 2014 (1.6 times more value added than the national average)
• In 2015, UK primary aggregates sales totalled 118 million tonnes in England, 17 million tonnes in Wales, 28 million tonnes in Scotland and 20 million tonnes in Northern Ireland
• Current UK construction projects mean demand for mineral products will rise by 11–16% by 2019, supporting growth
• Climate change and energy measures in 2015 were equivalent to 11% of the GVA of the cement industry, but this proportion could increase to 67% by 2020 (from £41 million to more than £287 million per annum). The annual cost of the Aggregates Levy alone reached £361 million in 2015
• Recycled and secondary materials now account for 28% of the GB aggregates market, putting the UK at the forefront of the circular economy.

Commenting on the report, MPA chief executive Nigel Jackson said: ‘Mineral products are the essential element of construction and many other production and manufacturing industries. Current government policy on infrastructure and housing are dependent on these products, and this report provides a wealth of detail about products that everyone in the UK uses but too few are aware of.

‘Hopefully this annual update will help raise awareness of our sector’s contribution to the economy and the UK.’