We visited the Cauldon Cement Plant recently, which is celebrating its 60th anniversary this year. Now under ownership of LafargeHolcim, along with Aggregate Industries, the plant continues to produce nearly 10% of all cement used in Great Britain and employs over 150 staff. PBM reports.
As part of the global merger between Lafarge and Holcim in 2015, some of the legacy Lafarge Tarmac assets in the UK were transferred to Holcim-owned building materials producer, Aggregate Industries. These assets included cement plants in Cauldon, Staffordshire and Cookstown, County Tyrone, along with a quarry at Cauldon Low and a cement terminal at Belfast Docks. This transition meant that, for the first time, Aggregate Industries’ portfolio of operations included the capacity for cement production and supply.
“Now producing nearly 2 million bags of cement every month the team are committed to providing high levels of service and support to the growing customer base.”
Almost two years on, the acquired cement business – which offers both packed and bulk cement under the Lafarge Cement brand – is going from strength to strength, thanks to an ongoing investment in new products and a focus on excellent customer service.
Martin Bains, Plant Manager, comments: “It may not seem the boldest claim to say that Cauldon was Britain’s first dry process cement plant. But, in fact, in its own way it was a major step forward for the industry. After all, the efficiencies and economies it achieved played a large part in pointing the way towards modernising the UK cement industry after World War Two.
“Although the founding of the plant, which has grown into today’s business, only dates back to 1957, the quarrying of limestone in the Cauldon area goes back several centuries before that. We have many technical and product achievements to our credit. But my thoughts are also with the people involved. Without them, the best equipment is of little use.
“We haven’t only made cement: we have also helped to build communities. The villages around us – like Cauldon and Waterhouses – have grown and thrived partly because of the employment our business has been able to provide.
“After 60 years – and now under new ownership of LafargeHolcim, along with Aggregate Industries – we look forward to our next challenges with the dedication of our employees and active involvement of our communities.”
While cement might be a relatively new addition to the Aggregate Industries offering, it has been manufactured out of the Cauldon site for 60 years and has a long heritage of quality and reliability. This, the company says, is why it made the decision to keep the Lafarge brand, upholding its strong brand identity in the cement market.
A growing range
New to the packed products portfolio are Concrete Mix and Postmix, both premixed ready to use applications composed of a blend of cement and aggregates. New Mortar Mix, also premixed and ready to use, is made up of a selected blend of cement, lime and aggregates for laying all types of brick and block.
Other new additions include Super White Cement, which provides an attractive, light coloured, natural looking concrete. Whilst the new Sulfate Resistant Portland fly ash cement has a high sulfate resistance, as the name suggests, and is recommended for use in below ground applications or when enhanced durability is required. Hydrated Lime, the company’s high calcium, non-hydraulic, hydrated lime, is a fine, white, dry powder that lightens and brightens mortar.
Now producing nearly 2 million bags of cement every month the team are committed to providing high levels of service and support to the growing customer base. Aggregate will therefore be looking to build on its existing merchant relationships from its established product lines, to ultimately offer a more rounded offering to customers.
For more information, visit: www.aggregate.com
