Aggregate Industries has officially opened a new asphalt plant in the Staffordshire Moorlands.

The Cauldon Low plant is based next to the company's existing Cauldon Low Quarry, which will serve the plant with materials.

The investment is the first new asphalt plant to be built by the company since 2013 and it will provide asphalt for ongoing road maintenance and infrastructure projects across Staffordshire, Derbyshire, Cheshire and the M6 corridor.

Specialist plant supplier Ammann was commissioned to install its Ammann ABP 240 Universal Asphalt-Mixing Plant which can produce 240 tonnes of asphalt an hour. It is hoped once at full capacity the plant will be capable of producing more than 250,000 tonnes a year.

As well as the mixing plant and control room, the site has four bitumen tanks and a range of open and covered materials storage bays with a direct feed into the plant via conveyors. An on-site laboratory is under construction and will provide technical support and testing facilities for products.

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The new plant also has the ability to accommodate high volumes of RAP (Reclaimed Asphalt Pavement) which can be reused into new products and supply of stone from the adjacent quarry will reduce lorry movements and carbon emissions.

Importantly, the inbuilt systems and processes are highly energy efficient resulting in a 30 per cent reduction in carbon emissions when compared to a traditional asphalt plant, and the latest technology is in place to reduce noise, dust and odours.

Thomas Edgcumbe, Managing Director for Aggregate Industries’ Surfacing Solutions division, said: "We're really proud to be investing in this brand new facility to serve our customers with a range of base, binder and surface course products across Staffordshire and the surrounding areas.

"It will be a real asset to the many projects in that region whether they be National Highways or local authority led.

"The benefits of a new plant and state-of-the-art equipment are immediately evident and very much centred on reliability and efficiency. From surety of supply from our adjacent quarry, which also means less incoming deliveries, to reduced carbon emissions due to the technology utilised and the high volume of RAP we can accommodate going forward, it all adds up to a more efficient and effective operation which will benefit our customers.

"We are also looking forward to being part of the wider community and have a number of projects we will be contributing towards to support local good causes."

The facility has completed its final testing and commissioning phase and is now fully open for business.