Long-established family-owned Derbyshire company Longcliffe Quarries Ltd has announced it is to spend £2.4 million on two new mills for its calcium carbonates (limestone) operation. This investment in the most up to date technology will enhance the company’s ability to supply the exacting requirements needed of high purity calcium carbonate powder products; and, at the same time, increase the sustainability of its operations.
The high purity of the limestone Longcliffe extracts from its quarries near Brassington, enables the company to produce around 100 products for a huge range of critical industries, from animal feeds and pet foods to glass and plasterboards.
This investment will also improve the company’s overall operation, helping to secure its future and the 190 jobs it supports.
Longcliffe Group Managing Director Paul Boustead explains: “This is a substantial investment for Longcliffe. As a supplier of essential high purity calcium carbonate products, we are always reviewing all aspects of our operation and looking to the future ensure continuous and efficient supply."
These two 14-tonne horizontal mills are the latest technology and are being installed in two phases – one in April this year, and one in the autumn. They will deliver many benefits to the environment, our employees, our customers and our business.
Paul continues: “For the environment they will contribute towards our goal of becoming carbon neutral to the weighbridge by 2030. The mills will reduce the kilowatts of electrical energy we use by over half a million each year; and they will also reduce the amount of material we have to transport within our site.
“The new mills will also help deliver carbon benefits for our customers who produce cement-based products such as concrete, grouts and adhesives. The pure calcium carbonate powder we produce in these mills will reduce the percentage of manufactured carbon-intensive cement used in each of these products.
“And for our employees, the project will improve conditions for drivers who will now be loading material into newly covered silos for processing.”
The mill project is also supporting UK manufacture with the components being manufactured all within an hour of Longcliffe’s site. Most of the machining and assembly is taking place in Uttoxeter.