Aggregate Industries UK strengthens its market position with the acquisition of Land Recovery, a specialist in construction materials recycling.
- The acquisition aligns with Aggregate Industries’ ambition to lead the UK’s circular economy by 2030, expanding their capabilities in recycled construction materials.
- Land Recovery, established in 1982, brings valuable expertise and strategic locations across the UK, enhancing shipping and rail transport networks.
- The move follows Aggregate Industries’ acquisition of OCL Regeneration, reflecting its strategy to improve environmental credentials.
- Holcim Group and its competitors, such as Heidelberg, are increasingly focusing on sustainability through strategic acquisitions.
Aggregate Industries UK, part of the Swiss Holcim Group, has taken significant strides by acquiring Land Recovery, a provider of primary and recycled construction materials. This acquisition is a strategic move to solidify its standing in the construction and demolition materials (CDM) market within the UK, supporting its long-term growth objectives in this sector.
Land Recovery, founded by the Beecroft family in 1982, offers substantial experience in the supply and recycling of rail ballast, transforming spent ballast into new products utilised for the rail network as well as producing readymix, precast concrete, and asphalt. The acquisition not only complements Aggregate Industries’ existing operations but also enhances its reach across the UK through Land Recovery’s key locations, including Stoke-on-Trent, Dewsbury, Lowestoft, and Ellesmere Port.
In 2021, Land Recovery reported a turnover of £50 million, which decreased to £40 million in 2022. Despite this drop, the acquisition supports Aggregate Industries’ commitment to processing and recycling more CDM annually, as highlighted by its chief executive, Dragan Maksimovic. He emphasised that the purchase reinforces their ambition to lead the UK circularity market by 2030, with clear synergy between Land Recovery’s ambitions and the group’s vision.
This acquisition is part of a broader trend among major cement producers to enhance their recycling credentials amidst increasing environmental scrutiny. Aggregate Industries’ earlier purchase of OCL Regeneration, along with similar acquisitions by Holcim’s competitors like Heidelberg, underscores the industry’s shift towards sustainability. Land Recovery’s strategic sites will enable Aggregate Industries to expand its circular product offerings to new regions, leveraging existing shipping and rail transport networks.
Land Recovery’s Managing Director, Dan Beecroft, expressed optimism about the acquisition, highlighting the advantages of being part of a leading entity with a forward-looking vision on circularity. The integration is expected to propel Land Recovery’s growth plans further, enabling greater access to Aggregate Industries’ networks and expertise.
The acquisition of Land Recovery marks a strategic step for Aggregate Industries towards becoming a leader in the UK’s circular economy by 2030.
