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Quarrying is very much a specialist industry and this is often a fact that is overlooked by investors and industry outsiders. In recent months, the need for specialist focus has been highlighted by a number of changes in the sector. One of the biggest was the news that Tarmac has sold off 100 of its European quarries to Eurovia, marking the start of Anglo American's piecemeal disposal of the company it had high hopes for a decade ago. But even back in 2000, the quarrying industry and market analysts questio

Safety, and the need to improve it, is a topic that comes up again and again in the European quarry industry - and rightly so. Safety is something that needs continual action in order to maintain the advances already made in the drive to reach target zero. But what exactly have you personally done recently to pass on this safety message? It is the responsibility of everyone in this sector to point out potential problems before they endanger someone's livelihood, or even life. This does not have to mean maki

Through my work I get the opportunity to visit many different countries and companies and I love that variety - each site is essentially engaged in the same business of aggregate production, yet are all different. Nonetheless, the same questions and discussions have been repeated wherever I have been this year - how is the quarrying market in your country and do you see it improving this year? In the UK, the Mineral Products Association has reported rising demand in the second quarter but has said that this

The 2010 edition of Hillhead opens its gates this month and ABE takes a look at some of the new equipment that will be on display at the UK event

With 417 exhibitors confirmed for the UK's Hillhead quarry equipment exhibition this year, there looks set to be plenty of new machines and products on display for visitors. Early indications of the UK debuts planned for the show suggest that manufacturers are working to help improve safety and efficiency as well as productivity on site.

Despite an income fall of 32%, Holcim is pinning its hopes for consistent growth in the emerging markets of Latin America and Asia. The company's third quarter results show that income fell by nearly 32% to CHF418 million (approximately €339million) in the third quarter from CHF612million (€497million) in the second quarter of 2011.

Tarmac, continuing its focus on sustainability and exploring alternative fuels, says it is the first company in the quarrying and aggregates industry to trial hydrogen powered-vehicles. The trial is part of a research project to compare their viability and performance against petrol and electric vehicles.

Demand for Russian ceramic bricks is expected to grow by more than a fifth in the year to March 31 2012, according to national experts.

The global market for construction aggregates is expected to increase 5.2% per year through to 2015 to 48.3 billion tonnes.

The world market for mining equipment is projected to climb 8.5% annually through to 2015 to US$92billion (€70billion).

According to Anefhop, activity in the Spanish concrete sector decreased 20% during 2011 and is set to fall by a further 20% in 2012.

Powerscreen has hosted a World Dealer Conference in Cape Town, South Africa, which was attended by more than 300 dealers and customers from across the world.

Haver & Boecker's wire weaving and machinery division is inviting its customers, subsidiary companies and representatives to its Technology Days 2012.

A number of bolt-on acquisitions are under review by Breedon Aggregates. Chairman Peter Tom announced this in a statement delivered at the company's annual meeting when he also said that the equity placing approved at the annual meeting will provide additional funds of approximately £15 million (€18.3 million) before expenses, “to enable us to take advantage of such opportunities.” He continued: “We will continue to monitor developments in respect of the proposed UK merger of Lafarge and Tarmac, with the de

The Governor of the Kaluga Region Anatoly Artamonov; the president of Volvo Construction Equipment Pat Olney, and the head of Volvo CE’s Russian dealer Ferronordic, Lars Corneliusson, witnessed the ground-breaking ceremony of the company’s new 350 Million SEK (€40 million) Russian excavator manufacturing facility. The new plant is being built in Kaluga, 150 km south-west of Moscow, and will be Volvo’s seventh excavator manufacturing facility (of a total of 16 plants globally). Building work has begun on the

Tarmac has launched its 2011/12 Sustainability Report, highlighting “the significant progress that the business is making against its Sustainability Framework commitments and targets.” Developed in line with the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) guidelines, this is Tarmac’s fourth such report.
The report says that in the last year, the company has achieved a 12% reduction in specific CO2 emissions since 2004; 100% of products independently certified as responsibly sourced; 95% reduction in waste to license

Grace Construction Products, a business segment of W. R. Grace & Co, has launched in Europe, Middle East, Africa and India (EMEAI) a chemical solution that is said to enable increased productivity for construction aggregate producers. The company claims that customers can achieve higher utilisation of their available resources through a variety of methods, including: reducing waste, utilising marginal materials and reducing reliance on washing of manufactured sands. According to Grace, these sustainable ben

Bell Equipment has appointed two new plant experts to its UK sales team. The ADT and wheeled loader manufacturer has brought in Mark Bowden as regional sales manager for the north-east of England, while David Wileman has been appointed to handle sales of all used equipment. The move follows “significant growth in market activity for Bell over the past 12 months, not least due to a recent surge of interest in Bell’s high-spec wheeled loaders.”

Powerscreen presented top awards to dealers at its World Dealer Conference in Cape Town, South Africa.

The UK Competition Commission has published an issues statement as part of its market investigation into the supply of aggregates, cement and ready-mixed concrete in Great Britain.

A mobile washing plant open week organised by Minroc, the CDE partners in Australia, is to take place from 27-29 March at a site operated by Wood Mulching Industries.