Skip to main content

Asphalt demand slows in the UK

Research reveals that demand for asphalt has slipped in the UK. This comes after good sales of asphalt in the UK during 2015 and on the back of two years of market growth. The latest figures suggest that the asphalt market could fall by 3% in 2016, after recovering by nearly 20% in the previous two years. These are some of the conclusions of BDS Marketing’s annual report on the sector that has just been published, called ‘Estimated outputs of asphalt plants in Great Britain’. Commenting on the report,
November 17, 2016 Read time: 2 mins
Research reveals that demand for asphalt has slipped in the UK. This comes after good sales of asphalt in the UK during 2015 and on the back of two years of market growth. The latest figures suggest that the asphalt market could fall by 3% in 2016, after recovering by nearly 20% in the previous two years.

These are some of the conclusions of BDS Marketing’s annual report on the sector that has just been published, called ‘Estimated outputs of asphalt plants in Great Britain’.

Commenting on the report, Andy Sales from BDS Marketing said, “The current decline is not due to the Brexit vote. Asphalt markets started to fall at the start of the year. The picture is not consistent across the whole market. There is a largely north-south divide with growth so far in 2016 only in Scotland and across northern England.”

BDS expects the market to stabilise by the middle of 2017 before further growth in each of the next two years. This is due to the timing of major road schemes and an anticipated increase in 8100 Highways England expenditure.

The BDS report lists the estimated outputs of all 275 asphalt plants currently operating. It identifies 2399 Tarmac as the largest asphalt supplier with around one third of the market. The top five companies also comprise 2297 Aggregate Industries, 2644 Hanson, 3016 Cemex and Breedon. Between them, these companies are estimated to have over 80% of the market. The rest of the market is represented by around 30 companies.

BDS estimates that the typical ranking of companies at a regional level shows that Tarmac is the largest asphalt producer in seven of 10 regions. Aggregate Industries is usually the second largest company in each region.

Asphalt companies are gearing up for improved markets. BDS has identified six new asphalt plants that have opened in the last year. A further six mothballed plants have also re-opened. The consultancy has also picked up proposals for eight new plants at some stage in the planning system.

For more information on companies in this article

Related Content

  • Construction machine sales strengthening in Italy
    November 28, 2016
    Construction machine sales are strengthening around the globe. A report from the SaMoTer-Veronafiere Outlook reveals that 7,551 construction machines were sold in Italy over the period from January-September 2016. This represents a gain of 32% from the same period in 2015 and a further increase of 37% is estimated in Italy for the two-year period 2017-2018. Worldwide the first nine months of 2016 saw sales around the world of 496,500 earth moving machines, a drop of around 5,000 less (1%) compared to th
  • Market bullish at bauma China 2016 exhibition
    February 1, 2017
    Key manufacturers reported a return to business confidence in China at the recent bauma China 2016 construction equipment exhibition The event was held at the Shanghai New International Expo Centre (SNIEC) and attracted 170,000 visitors from 149 countries, despite the cold weather and constant rain that plagued its first two days. The healthy attendance is a reflection of the gradually improving Chinese market. The Chinese economy suffered a slump in business levels in recent years, following a boom per
  • CE reveals UK construction machine sales fluctuation
    February 23, 2017
    UK exports and imports of construction and earthmoving equipment saw fluctuations in demand during 2016 according to the Construction Equipment Association (CEA). The latest CEA report shows that UK exports of construction and earthmoving equipment showed a modest increase in the fourth quarter of 2016. However the sales ended the year at 1.8% lower than 2015 in weight terms (tonnage of machines), and 7.4% lower in value terms. The USA remained the top destination for exports, but saw reductions of over 20%
  • CEA: UK equipment manufacturing output remains high
    March 20, 2017
    UK output from companies involved in manufacturing equipment and parts continued on an encouraging upward trend in January, according to Office for National Statistics (ONS) data. Output in January was 2.3% higher than in December, and 9.5% up on January 2016. In fact, output in January was the highest monthly output since the first quarter of 2015 and the six-month moving average has returned to mid-2015 levels. On a quarterly basis, output ended 2016 on an improving trend, with October/December 1.1%