Aggregate Industries
| File:Aggregateindustrieslogo.PNG | |
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Quarrying, construction and building materials |
| Founded | 1858 |
| Headquarters | Bardon Hill, Coalville, Leicestershire, UK, UK |
Key people | Alain Bourguignon, CEO |
| Products | Aggregates Concrete Asphalt Bespoke and specialist concrete Blocks Cement Commercial hard landscaping Garden and driveway hard landscaping Masonry Ready mixed concrete and screed Roofing tiles |
| Parent | Holcim |
| Website | www.aggregate.com |
Aggregate Industries, a member of the Holcim Group, is an aggregates, construction and building materials group, with its base in the United Kingdom. It was listed on the London Stock Exchange until it was acquired by Holcim in 2005.
History
The Company was originally established in 1858 when James and Joseph Ellis joined Breedon Everard to lease Bardon Hill Quarries.[1] The business, which became known as Ellis & Everard, was first listed on the London Stock Exchange in 1988. In 1991 it merged with Evered plc to form Evered Bardon; the name was changed in 1993 to Bardon Group. In 1997 it merged again, this time with Camas, (formerly a division of English China Clays) to form Aggregate Industries.[2] In 1999 it entered into a series of major acquisitions in the United States.[3] It was acquired by Holcim, a leading Swiss cement maker, in 2005.[4]
Operations
The Company is one of the ‘big five’ construction material suppliers in the UK. Complementing this are operations in the Channel Islands, and Norway.
UK
Aggregate Industries UK is divided into the following businesses:[5]
| Aggregate Industries Overseas | Aggregate Supplies |
| Alba Minimix | Ash Solutions |
| Bardon Aggregates | Bardon Asphalt |
| Bardon Contracting | Bardon Hebrides |
| Bardon Vectis | Border Stone |
| Bradstone | Bradstone International |
| Bradstone Structural Solutions | Example |
| Brown and Potter | Charcon |
| Charcon Flooring | Charcon Precast Solutions |
| Charcon Specialist Products | Elite Minimix |
| Express Aggregates | Express Asphalt |
| Express Driveways | Fyfestone |
| Garside Sands | London Concrete |
| Masterblock | Paragon Materials |
| Ronez | StoneFlair |
| Yeoman Asphalt |
Controversy
In November 2010 the company announced that it would not be paying its subcontractors in December of that year and that it hoped payments would resume in January 2011.[6] The UK Road Haulage Association raised concerns over the non-payment with the British Government and strongly criticised the company for its treatment of its suppliers.[7]
In September 2012 the GMB Union announced that it would ballot its members for strike action following the companies decision to change pay dates for its work force, delaying payment of salaries until later each month. Allan Black GMB National Officer for building materials said :
"GMB is in dispute with the Company following a history of total disregard of our member’s right to be consulted about major changes. Aggregate Industries has a track record of imposing not consulting, telling not asking and, in general, treating its loyal and committed employees with no dignity or respect
The latest example arises from the decision of Aggregate Industries to change the pay date for its UK workforce. This has caused chaos and potential financial hardship for low paid workers and could mean serious problems on issues like missed mortgage payments etc. This latest issue is the last straw.
So the decision by Aggregate Industries to change the pay date for their entire UK workforce without any consultation or adequate recompense is the demonstration of the contempt this Employer has for the views or wellbeing of its employees. All of the GMB members in Aggregate Industries have reacted furiously to this high handed and arbitrary action. The clamour for an official industrial action ballot has been universal and when confirmed by this consultative ballot will be carried out as speedily as possible by the GMB” [8]
A company spokesperson responded to the ballot call saying: “Aggregate Industries operates in an industry which is facing severe trading conditions, with cuts in public expenditure affecting all areas of construction, particularly roads and major infrastructure projects.
“In order to try and improve and maintain its results and cash position and preserve as many jobs as possible for employees, the company has had to take several difficult steps, one of which is to delay the transfer date of salaries to its employees by a few days each month.”[9]
References
- ^ Aggregate Industries: History
- ^ Ex-Camas boss gets £400,000 in wake of merger Independent, 15 April 1997
- ^ Aggregate Industries buys US Concrete company Pit & Quarry, November 1999
- ^ Big Swiss cement maker buys a British business New York Times, 21 January 2005
- ^ Aggregate Industries UK: Businesses
- ^ Aggregate Industries' subbies will not be paid in December RoadTransport.com 15 November 2010
- ^ Subcontractor warning over future Aggregate Industries work. RoadTransport.com 19 November 2010
- ^ "Strike Ballot At Aggregate Ind". gmb.org.uk. Retrieved 11 September 2012.
- ^ Aggregate Industries faces pay day strike threat constructionenquuirer.com Friday 14 September 2012
