The £6.6m plant replaces an older 1960s operation. It is a Wirtgen Benninghoven BA5000U, which has more capacity, is more efficient, and can manufacture a wider range of products, including lower temperature asphalts, Tarmac said.
It is the first UK plant to use high capacity cold recycled asphalt planings (RAP) technology to create mixes containing up to 55% recycled content.
Tarmac CEO Cyrille Ragoucy said: “The UK’s strategic road infrastructure plays a critical role in securing the country’s continuing social and economic development, and unlocking its future prosperity. Tarmac is well placed to support customers in achieving the UK’s infrastructure plans by providing the solutions, expertise and innovation to help deliver projects in a smarter, more efficient and sustainable manner.”
The Harper Lane plant is part Tarmac’s strategy of investment in its aggregate and asphalt footprint across the south of England over the next 18 months. This has seen the company installing the world’s first world’s first combined Terex AggreSand 206 modular wash plant and AggreScrub150 in its quarries at Broom South in Bedfordshire, and Stanninghall in Norfolk. Tarmac is also investing in additional RAP capabilities at its asphalt operations in Stevenage, Trowse, and Parkstone.
Tarmac was taken over by Irish materials group CRH last month as part of a £5bn disposal of assets by the merging Lafarge and Holcim.
[See our previous reports here and here.]
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