Top accreditation for Ellesmere sand
Wood Lane Quarry now one of a handful of sites in the UK to supply ENA-specification sand
STAFF at a Shropshire quarry have received a top accreditation for the sand they produce – one of only a small number of similar recognitions in the UK.
The team at Wood Lane Quarry, in Ellesmere, which is owned by Tudor Griffiths Group, had their products assessed by the Energy Network Association (ENA) and their cable sand now meets the ENA Technical Specification 97-1.
Group aggregates manager Huw Thomas (pictured) said: ‘We had been approached by several long-standing customers who needed ENA-grade sand, and so we adapted our production techniques slightly and began a series of trials.
‘After they were a success, we have now developed the product they need – it’s a cable sand that has to meet a certain thermal-resistivity specification that allows heat to flow through the sand to keep the cables as cool as possible.
‘As well as the loose sand, we can also supply it in a cement-bound format, so we can tailor the product to each individual job. The ability to offer this sand is excellent news for our team, and we’re very proud to be one of only a handful of quarries in the UK who can supply such a high-spec product.’
Wood Lane Quarry is the largest sand and gravel quarry in north Shropshire, and it allows Tudor Griffiths Group to sustain supplies of aggregates to their concrete plants in Wales and the surrounding counties, including Shropshire, Cheshire and Worcestershire.
‘TG Aggregates division has played a key role in the UK construction industry for many years, and the quarry at Wood Lane was crucial in the post-war redevelopment of Manchester and Liverpool,’ said Mr Thomas.
‘We’re very aware of our responsibility when it comes to preserving the local environment, and Wood Lane is managed under a progressive restoration programme to enhance the area and encourage biodiversity.
‘Thanks to our sensitive and focused approach, we have been able to create a nature reserve on part of the restored quarry, with more than 180 species of birds recorded since the reserve was first established almost 20 years ago.’
As well as the Ellesmere quarry, TG Aggregates operate Cefn Grainog Quarry, between Porthmadog and Caernarfon, and a sea-dredged sand wharf at Port Penryhn in Bangor.
