Category: Company News

Brice Aggregates is proud to mark the one-year anniversary of its acquisition of Needingworth Quarry, a landmark site in the UK’s construction materials sector. Since officially taking ownership from Heidelberg Materials on 3^rd May 2024, Brice Aggregates has successfully integrated the site and workforce into its growing regional operations, and has made significant strides in enhancing both the commercial and environmental impact of the quarry.

Needingworth Quarry, one of the largest sand and gravel operations in the country, produces over 1 million tonnes of high-quality material annually. It plays a crucial role in supplying raw materials to infrastructure and development projects across Cambridgeshire, the East of England, and the East Midlands. The acquisition in 2024 marked a strategic expansion for Brice Aggregates into Cambridgeshire, complementing its existing operations in Essex and reinforcing its presence in one of the UK’s fastest-growing construction corridors.

The transition from Heidelberg Materials followed a directive from the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) as part of a broader divestment during their acquisition of Mick George. Brice Aggregates stepped in to support this process and ensure the long-term continuity and development of the Needingworth site.

In addition to continuing the site’s quarrying and bagging operations, Brice Aggregates has upheld its commitment to the quarry’s pioneering environmental restoration programme—developed in partnership with the RSPB—which is creating new wetland habitat at RSPB Ouse Fen. As a result of this, Ouse Fen will be one of the biggest reedbeds in the UK, is the UK’s largest quarry to reedbed restoration project, and has already become an important site for reedbed wildlife, including Bittern, Marsh Harrier and Bearded Tit.

Oliver Brice, Managing Director of Brice Aggregates, reflected on the milestone:

“One year on, we are incredibly proud of the progress made at Needingworth. The site has not only strengthened our ability to meet rising regional demand for construction materials, but it also stands as a shining example of how industry and environmental stewardship can work hand in hand. We remain committed to supporting our customers, our new colleagues, and our partners—including the RSPB and local authorities—as we look to the future of this vital site.”

Iain Wheller, Site Manager for Ouse Fen from the RSPB said of the continued partnership: “The Ouse Fen wetland project is already a conservation success story and we’re delighted to have Brice Aggregates’ continued commitment and investment in the project, so that we can unlock the full potential of the site, creating a nationally significant wetland habitat.”

Looking ahead, Brice Aggregates will continue to invest in Needingworth’s operations, innovation, and workforce while maintaining its high standards of environmental care and community engagement.

Brice Aggregates is proud to be playing a key role in a major civil engineering project as part of a nationally significant infrastructure scheme. The works involve placing and compacting an impressive 1.1 million cubic meters of inert material to form a substantial motorway embankment below ground level.

This technically demanding project is subject to stringent engineering specifications. Adhering to a strict specifications, our team is focused on achieving the necessary compaction factors to ensure the long-term stability and integrity of the embankment structure. The process is rigorously monitored through a comprehensive testing regime to demonstrate geotechnical and compaction strength.

Supervision is in place by a leading engineering service to ensure full compliance with specification requirements and to maintain quality throughout the build.

Once complete, the embankment will form the foundation for a new six-lane section of the A12, aimed at improving capacity and reducing congestion along this strategic route.

Since commencing the infill operation in May 2023, Brice Aggregates has successfully placed approximately one-third of the total required volume. This achievement reflects the efficiency and capability of our extensive fleet of heavy earthmoving equipment and the expertise of our skilled mobile plant operators.

Brice Aggregates remains committed to delivering this landmark project safely, efficiently, and to the highest engineering standards.

For more information about the rest of our services, visit briceaggregates.co.uk/aggregate-services

We were proud to attend Bauma 2025 in Munich, the world’s premier trade fair for construction machinery, building material machines, mining equipment, and construction vehicles.

Bauma is far more than a trade show – it is the heartbeat of the global construction industry. From April 7th–13th, the event brought together professionals, innovators, and suppliers from across the globe to share ideas, explore emerging technologies, and shape the future of construction.
A Spotlight on Innovation
A standout experience for Brice Aggregates was visiting the Liebherr exhibition, one of the largest at Bauma, spanning over 14,000 m² with more than 70 cutting-edge exhibits. The stand, themed “Hands on the Future,” showcased the latest advances in construction machinery, including:dsds

• Zero-emission equipment
• Autonomous machinery solutions
• Advanced digital control systems
• Sustainable concrete technologies
• These innovations reflect the direction of the industry and the standards Brice Aggregates seeks to uphold in its own operations.

Expanding the Fleet
Inspired by the event, Brice Aggregates is excited to announce an expansion of its concrete operations. Key investments include:
A new Mobilmix 2.5 concrete mixing plant, enhancing the company’s production capacity and efficiency
10 additional Liebherr HTM 905 truck mixers, complementing the existing fleet operating from Colemans Quarry, Witham
These additions build on Brice’s existing Liebherr equipment, including a Mobilmix plant installed in 2020, and reflect the company’s ongoing commitment to quality, sustainability, and operational excellence.

Experiencing Bauma
One Brice Aggregates attendee reflected on the event:
“Liebherr’s stand at Bauma is mind-blowing. The sheer scale and range of equipment on display is incredible. They really know how to showcase their products and engage their customers. It’s been amazing to attend – thank you, Liebherr, for your hospitality. This is a trip we will remember for many years.”

Looking Ahead
Bauma 2025 offered Brice Aggregates not just inspiration, but insight into the future of construction. The connections and knowledge gained at the fair will support the company’s ongoing investment in innovation, efficiency, and sustainable solutions across all its projects.
With these new fleet additions and strengthened partnerships, Brice Aggregates continues to set the standard for high-quality aggregates and concrete supply in Essex and the wider Eastern Region.

Needingworth is one of the largest quarries nationally with an annual production capacity in excess of 1 million tonnes of high quality sand & gravel. It is a key supplier of vital raw materials to the construction industry across Cambridgeshire, the wider East of England and the East Midlands. The quarry benefits from a substantial landbank of reserves and resources to support its productive capacity for many years to come.

The transaction on 3rd May saw the entire site, operations and workforce transfer to Brice Aggregates with trading under the new ownership commencing on Tuesday 7th May. This includes the quarrying operations as well as the on site bagging plant.

Needingworth is notable for its flagship restoration scheme which is creating the largest man made wetland habitat in Europe in collaboration with the RSPB. This longstanding and innovate partnership between the quarry and RSPB has and will continue to deliver substantial benefits for threated wildlife species and the local community alike.

The quarry was divested by Heidelberg Materials at the request of the CMA as part of their wider acquisition of Mick George. Brice Aggregates has been pleased to support Heidelberg Materials in this wider process by acquiring Needingworth.

The acquisition provides an immediate and meaningful expansion into Cambridgeshire for Brice Aggregates to complement existing operations in Essex. These geographies cover a high growth region of the UK with substantial forecast construction activity.

Brice Aggregates looks forward to continuing to develop the capabilities of Needingworth to meet the needs of the local and regional construction industry whilst attentively serving the needs of customers.

Oliver Brice, Managing Director, Brice Aggregates commented:
“I am pleased to announce this acquisition and welcome our new colleagues at Needingworth to Brice Aggregates. This quarry is the key sand & gravel supplier in the region and I look forward to working with all stakeholders including the RSPB, local communities and Cambridgeshire County Council to ensure this capability is maintained long into the future. Our standard of living relies upon sites like Needingworth to supply the vital raw materials to build the housing, schools, hospitals, workplaces and infrastructure on which we all rely. I look forward to continuing to meet the needs of our existing and future customers at Needingworth over the years to come”

About Brice Aggregates
Brice Aggregates is an independent supplier of construction materials and related services. Operations encompass, mineral extraction, aggregates and readymix concrete supply, haulage services, inert waste management, aggregate recycling, civil engineering, and quarry design and restoration. With locations in Essex and Cambridgeshire the business has grown significantly since commencing operations in 2016 and actively reviews new opportunities as well as seeking to continuously improve and expand to meet the needs of its customers.

Brice Aggregates is pleased to announce the opening of a new inert waste tipping facility at Colemans Quarry, Witham, further strengthening its position as a trusted provider of aggregate supply, waste management, and recycling solutions across Essex and the Eastern Region.
As of Wednesday 5th July, the site is now fully operational and accepting a range of inert construction wastes, supporting both efficient disposal and sustainable quarry restoration.

Inert Waste Tipping Now Available
The Colemans Quarry facility is fully permitted and designed to handle a variety of non-hazardous construction and demolition wastes, including:

Inert soils (17 05 04)
Clean concrete and hardcore (17 01 01 / 17 01 02 / 17 01 03 / 17 01 07)
Clean tarmac (17 03 02)
Screenable waste (17 09 04)

All materials received on site will be recycled or recovered as part of ongoing quarry restoration works, contributing to sustainable land use and long-term environmental benefits.
The site is particularly well equipped to handle large volumes of inert soils, making it an ideal solution for bulk earthworks and major construction projects.

Fast Turnaround & Easy Access
Efficiency is at the heart of the operation. Colemans Quarry offers:
Quick turnaround times, with typical tipping completed in 10 minutes or less
All-weather access, ensuring year-round reliability
Direct access to the A12, allowing for smooth and convenient haulage
This ensures minimal downtime for operators and improved productivity for customers.

Expanding Our Service Offering
The launch of the tipping facility marks an important step in Brice Aggregates’ continued growth, complementing its established services in:
Primary aggregates supply
Ready-mix concrete production
Haulage and logistics
By integrating waste acceptance with quarry restoration, the business delivers a more circular and sustainable approach to construction materials management.

Strong Availability of Primary Aggregates
Alongside the new tipping operations, Brice Aggregates has made recent improvements to its production processes, ensuring strong availability across its core primary aggregate products, including:
Sharp sand
Soft washed building sand
10mm, 20mm, and 40mm shingle
10mm and 20mm ballast
Reliable supply and consistent quality remain central to supporting construction projects across the region.

Site Information & Compliance
Tipping hours:Monday to Friday, 07:30 – 16:00

Important requirements:
All inert soils are subject to site approval and review of soils reports prior to acceptance
Soil reports must be submitted to: wastecompliance@briceaggregates.co.uk
A valid waste carrier’s licence and Brice Aggregates tipping reference number are required for all loads

Please note:
Topsoil is not currently accepted
No hazardous waste is permitted on site
Any non-compliant material will be rejected and may be removed at the consignor’s expense

Get in Touch
For current tipping rates, material acceptance, or aggregate supply enquiries, please contact the Brice Aggregates team.
With the opening of this new facility, Brice Aggregates continues to invest in efficient, sustainable, and customer-focused solutions for the construction industry.

Brice Aggregates Open new tipping facility at Colemans Quarry, Witham

Waste

Brice Aggregates is pleased to announce that as of Wednesday 5^th July, they will be accepting a wide range of wastes for tipping into Colemans Quarry, Witham.

 The following wastes will be accepted into site:

• Inert soils (17 05 04)
• Clean concrete / hardcore (17 01 01 / 17 01 02/ 17 01 03 / 17 01 07)
• Clean tarmac (17 03 02)
• Screenable (17 09 04)

The site is fully permitted, and all materials tipped will be recycled or recovered by helping to restore our old quarry workings.

We are particularly geared up to accept large volumes of inert soils. The all-weather facility offers quick turnround times with typical tip times of 10 minutes or less with direct access onto the A12.

This represents a new activity for the business in addition to our existing primary aggregates, ready-mix concrete, and haulage functions.

Aggregates

We have also undergone recent improvements in the production processes of our primary aggregates and are pleased to announce a healthy availability for deliveries across our primary product range:

• Primary Sharp sand
• Primary Soft washed building sand
• Primary 10mm shingle
• Primary 20mm shingle
• Primary 40mm shingle
• 10mm / 20mm ballasts

Hours of operation for tipping are 07:30 – 16:00 Monday – Friday

Inert soils will need to be subject to site approval & review of soils reports prior to acceptance. Soil reports should be sent to wastecompliance@briceaggregates.co.uk for approval and issuance of a tipping reference. All parties tipping will need to hold a waste carriers license and a Brice Aggregates tipping reference number for the load carried.

Unfortunately, we are not accepting topsoil for tipping at present. No hazardous waste will be accepted on site. Any non-compliant wastes tipped on site will be removed at the expense of the consignor.

For up-to-date rates please get in touch.

Brice Concrete has today commenced sales from its new Witham readymix batching plant. The state of the art, high output plant will produce quality wet batched concrete for distribution throughout Essex in the company’s fleet of mixers. Alongside by the company’s renowned customer service, this represents part of the ongoing strategy of increasing the offering of products and services. Utilising the company’s in situ abundance of quality primary aggregates, Brice Concrete will be able to service jobs of all sizes from single loads up to the very largest and most demanding of pours.

Oliver Brice commented “this represents part of the business’ ongoing strategy of increasing our offering to the construction industry. It is a pleasure to launch Brice Concrete at the end of 2020 during what has been a challenging but ultimately successful year for Brice Aggregates. Having worked hard throughout the year to continue building our reputation for quality products combined with excellent and attentive customer service, I look forward to building on this reputation as Brice Concrete becomes known in the marketplace for the same qualities as we move into 2021”