Aggregate Industries has announced the acquisition of the former Sibelco plant in Leighton Buzzard in a move that will cement the company’s position as the largest producer of dried silica sand in the UK.
The deal will expand the Garside Sands range of products, meaning it can now offer a complete portfolio of technical grade sands to any market. The new acquisition will also boost its on-site storage capacity by a further 4,000 tonnes to help meet customer demand.
The acquisition has safeguarded jobs and further recruitment is planned as part of the business’ growth plans.
Richard Page, General Manager for Garside Sands, comments: “Garside Sands has been in operation since 1890, and today marks another important milestone in our history. This deal is the missing piece of the jigsaw as we are now the only sand producer in the UK capable of producing the complete range of coarse, medium and fine grades of dried silica sand. The healthy sand reserves in our quarries means we can offer a secure supply of our products. This, combined with our market-leading service and technical knowledge, means we can offer an unrivalled product and service package to our customers across the UK.
“We already have a successful and long established business in Leighton Buzzard and the priority is now on integrating the two operations.”
Aggregate Industries produces 600kt of silica sand every year under the Garside Sands brand for a diverse range of industries including sport and leisure, water filtration, industrial, manufacturing, rail transport as well as the general construction markets.
For further information, visit www.aggregate.com.