Government minister visits Longcliffe to see £3.5m machinery helping quarry firm go green

Derbyshire Dales MP Sarah Dines recently welcomed a Government minister to the constituency to hear how one of our biggest employers is cutting its carbon footprint.
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Ms Dines and Secretary of State for Northern Ireland Brandon Lewis visited the new £3.5million washing plant at Longcliffe Quarries, which is intended to help the company achieve zero-carbon operations by 2027.

The machinery used in the plant was manufactured by Northern Irish firm CDE, and the minister was full of praise for how the companies had worked together.

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Mr Lewis said: “Longcliffe quarries are providing the raw materials for our country to build back better.

From left,  Secretary of State for Northern Ireland Brandon Lewis MP,  Sarah Dines MP, and Longcliffe Group chairman Robert Shields.From left,  Secretary of State for Northern Ireland Brandon Lewis MP,  Sarah Dines MP, and Longcliffe Group chairman Robert Shields.
From left, Secretary of State for Northern Ireland Brandon Lewis MP, Sarah Dines MP, and Longcliffe Group chairman Robert Shields.

“This illustrates the strong business links between all nations of the UK and is a fantastic example of the union in action.”

Chairman Robert Shields led the MPs on the a tour of the family-owned business, which has been a leading supplier of high purity calcium carbonates for nearly a century.

Today it produces more than 100 products for a huge range of essential industries, from animal feeds and pet foods to glass and plasterboards, from plastics and adhesives to PH correction and flu gas desulphurisation.

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The washing plant enables the transformation of materials with a higher clay content into valuable aggregates and sand grades at a rate of 220 tones per hour –extracting products from material that traditionally had to be discarded.

CDE director David Kinloch said: “We are very pleased Secretary of State could witness first-hand the product of our partnership with Longcliffe as it strives to achieve its sustainability targets, underpinned and enabled by CDE’s expertise and technology.

“CDE operates at the very forefront of our sector in the UK, supporting customers to deliver their own green objectives and national carbon reduction targets. Longcliffe is a powerful example of that vision and its positive impact on the environment and local communities.”

Ms Dines added: “Longcliffe is a vital local business, employing many people and providing much needed materials for the whole county. Thanks to Robert and all the team for their hospitality.”

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