Tarmac still UK market leaders in aggregates

TARMAC continue to be the largest aggregates company in Great Britain with an estimated market share of more than 23%. This has increased over the past year as a result of the company’s purchase of the outstanding 50% in United Marine Aggregates that it did not already own. Tarmac are also the largest producers in the Midlands, Yorkshire, northern England and Wales.

These are some of the conclusions of the latest annual report published by BDS Marketing Research Ltd, which estimates the outputs and shares of all sand and gravel pits, crushed rock quarries and marine wharves in Great Britain, by location and company.

Aggregate Industries continue as the second-largest company, followed by Hanson, CEMEX and Lafarge. Together, these top five companies now represent an estimated 73% of total UK aggregates production.

The BDS report also identifies nearly 50 pits and quarries that have recently closed or are planned to do so soon. While some of these have run out of reserves, the current recession is forcing some companies to mothball uneconomic operations.

BDS say they expect to see a further decline in industry sales during 2009, including a 6% fall in primary aggregates markets during the next 12 months, although strong growth is expected during 2010. This, however, is seen as a partial recovery from the current low levels of demand, rather than a full recovery to pre-2007 levels, and BDS still expect the market to be around 7% down in 2010, compared with volumes of just two years ago.

Further details of the report entitled: ‘Estimated outputs of pits, quarries and marine wharves in Great Britain’, or other equivalent reports on ready-mixed concrete, asphalt and concrete products, are available by contacting BDS Marketing.