Back in October 2021, we acquired four ready-mix concrete plants from Cemex UK. One year on, they’re firmly part of the Gallagher Group family.
Taking on the four Cemex UK plants was a big move for Gallagher Group. As well as being our first external acquisition after almost 50 years of purely organic growth, it provided an opportunity to greatly increase our ready-mix concrete production capability.
Before we could realise that potential, though, all four plants required significant investment to bring them up to Gallagher Group standards to match our existing sites at Maidstone and Ashford. But after a year of hard work, the new sites at Tunbridge Wells, Sittingbourne, Margate and Dover are all up and running and growing in capacity, “It’s going to make a big difference. In 2021, we produced 186,000 cubic metres of ready-mix concrete, but with the new plants fully operational we’re able to increase that to 250,000 cubic metres a year,” says Sean Connor, Managing Director of Gallagher Aggregates, which operates the plants. “Plus, our wider geographic coverage means we can offer our unrivalled service and value to customers right across Kent; we’ve bought more ready-mix trucks to cover the increase in our reach.”
Another key focus this year has been on the staff from the four plants, who joined us following the acquisition. “We’ve successfully brought them into the Gallagher Group world and our ways of working; they’re now an important and fully integrated part of our 180+ strong workforce,” says Sean. “The investment we’ve made in these plants and our extended team is all part of our basic commitment to getting the right product to the right place at the right time and price for our customers, wherever they are in the county.”
