Optimism for aggregates growth in 2010

There is no doubt that 2009 was a difficult year for the aggregates industry and the first of the full year reports seem to suggest business was down a third on 2008 levels.

Nonetheless, there seems to be a lot of optimism that things will gradually improve accross Europe in the coming 12 months.

This optimism is fairly widespread too and is coming from quarry operators, construction equipment producers and building materials consumers alike. However, it does seem to come with the universal caveat of the need for improved lending by the banks.

I have recently returned from the press event for the upcoming 1070 Bauma construction equipment exhibition that is due to take place in Munich, Germany from 18 to 25 April. One thing that struck me during my meetings with the exhibitors is that they all have something new and innovative to offer the quarrying sector and are enthused by these innovations.

It is clear that the equipment producers are also hopeful of a return to growth but have focused much of their research and development on improving efficiency and productivity.

The other news that I have found uplifting recently is the number of new quarry approvals or extensions that have been granted in recent months. I have only been able to report on a few of these in the news pages but there are a considerable number on our online news service.

One of these in particular was of interest - the approval of an extension to 868 Tarmac's Ball Mill Quarry in Worcestershire, UK. The planning application was originally rejected but Tarmac worked with 1800 SLR consulting to provide evidence on technical issues including planning, landscape, geology and agricultural land quality. Through this approach Tarmac was able to prove that the additional 540,000tonnes of reserves was vital to the county as there was already a shortfall in terms of aggregates permissions.

Also in the UK, a regional plan in the South East to reduce sand and gravel extraction to 9million tonnes a year - 3milllion tonnes below government advised levels - has been over ruled. The region has been ordered to raise extraction to 11million tonnes a year because the decision plan "had not taken into account the effect their proposal might have on other regions or upon the ability of the aggregates industry to respond to the economic recovery".

These two cases underline a core element of sustainability - meeting demand locally. It is not all about recycling - although that is an important part of it - it is also about reducing transportation distances by making best use of local resources. To Achieve this, strategic planning is essential. The need and challenge of such planning is clearly demonstrated in the lead interview in this issue of ABE with Slavko Solar about the SARMa project, which is aiming to help implement regional, national and trans-national mineral planning in South Eastern Europe.