This summer’s switch-on marked the successful conclusion of a three-year project to upgrade the crucial electrical infrastructure at our Blaise Farm and Hermitage Quarries.
REDUCING OUR CARBON FOOTPRINT BY 60%
One of the highlights of our ‘Careers in Construction’ Open Day on 1st July was our local MP, Tracey Crouch, switching on the new electricity supply at Hermitage Quarry. It was a big moment for us, and one that people across our two quarry sites had been working towards for three years.
The electrification project extended across both our quarry sites. At Blaise Farm, we invested over £750,000 to upgrade the supply for our new barrel and binder (see opposite page). At Hermitage Quarry, we invested another £2.3 million in new infrastructure to power fixed plant including crushing and screening equipment, ready-mix concrete, other manufacturing facilities and our HGV workshop.
The main line was brought in by UK Power Networks (UKPN), with all the internal quarry works installed by teams from Gallagher Aggregates and our construction side.
A key difference with the new supply is that it all comes from 100% renewable sources like wind and solar. This shift will reduce the carbon footprint of our electricity supplies by 60%, and save over 4,500 tonnes of CO2 emissions every year.
“This is obviously a very substantial investment, but one we’ve calculated will pay for itself in three years by making our operations more efficient,” says Sean Connor, Managing Director of Gallagher Aggregates. “It was a major project, three years in the planning: once we’d secured the main supply from UKPN and Murphy Utility connections, it took 12 months to design, plan and install. It was delivered successfully through close cooperation between lots of different people from all the different Gallagher Group companies; it’s always great to see everyone working so well together.“
