The New Year may not seem so new any more but we are in the season for posting of full year results, so it is difficult not to still think of 2008 as new. From reviewing all the financial figures for last year, 2007 seems to have been another record breaker for most quarry operators with many recording double digit growth in both turnover and profits.

The release of financial results always turns talk to where the growth has come from and why, and in 2007 Eastern Europe and Asia seem to have been the stars of the show. Nonetheless most results there was an air of caution about the downturn in the US residential market and global credit crunch but in general most quarry owners seem to believe that any declines will be offset by growth elsewhere.

At ConExpo - which was held in Las Vegas, US in March - I spoke with a senior official from a major quarrying equipment manufacturer and he was adamant that the fears of recession are unfounded. He told me that the industry needs to be careful about not talking itself into a recession and should focus on improving the business. He did not deny that the US residential market is in decline at the moment, but said that the infrastructure sector - in the US and worldwide - is booming and this will continue to drive demand for aggregates.

The rising demand for quarried materials in Asia, and Thailand in particular, has brought us this month's quarry profile. Mike Woof visited Thai Crushing Plant's Chonburi Quarry to find out about the new 1million tonnes per year quarry that has been developed with the latest mineral processing technology to meet the call for construction materials in and around Bangkok.
The equipment distributor that helped set up the quarry said that the equipment being used there is "world class" and she described it as the first facility of its kind in Thailand. With this kind of investment underway it is not hard to see that quarry operators in the region are expecting the demand to continue long term.

But while we may not be entering a global recession, there are some construction markets that have not felt the impact of booming demand for raw materials over the last few years. Portugal is one country where recession is a reality and the construction market has been in decline, nonetheless, there is still money to be made in the aggregates business there.

I had the chance to visit a quarry during a recent trip to Lisbon and find out first hand how quarries are still operating under the difficult economic conditions. By stockpiling aggregates between projects that are willing to pay a good price for material and operating in parts of the day when electricity is cheaper, the Moita da Ladra quarry has still proved profitable. The plant manager at the site credits the investment in new equipment for the continued prosperity because not only is it more efficient but it also produces better material that can command a high price per tonne even in a tight market.

This brings us back to not talking the industry into a recession and focusing on improving the business to make best use of the resources available.

Articles..

Big brother benefits

Tarmac's UK Aggregates Products Division has announced earlier this year that it has signed a new deal that will help to improve delivery of materials to its .. Read more..

Weighing up the benefits

A new Norwegian weighing system can help save time and reduce fuel consumption. Alan Peterson reports .. Read more..

Building a concrete future

Although it celebrated its 40th anniversary last year, the European Ready Mixed Concrete Organisation is firmly looking to the future. Claire Symes reports.. Read more..

A strategic alliance

Pegson and Powerscreen are two of the major players in the quarrying and mining business and they now have common goals. Patrick Smith spoke to the companies%.. Read more..

Taking the initiative

Access to mineral resources is a problem in Europe but the European Aggregates Association (UEPG) is working to improve the situation through the European C.. Read more..

Declining demand

Staggering growth in the Spanish aggregates industry has curtailed recently due to the housing market fall-off. Adrian Greeman reports.. Read more..

Campaigning for common sense

Inclusion of the extractive industries in the recently rejected Soils Directive had threatened the aggregates sector with double legislation. Claire Symes rep.. Read more..

Raising the bar

A new quarry in Thailand is setting higher aggregates industry standards in the country for efficiency and quality. Mike Woof reports Thailand's fast g.. Read more..

Rich investment

New crushing and screening equipment investment at the Isle of Man's historic Poortown Quarry has given the site a new lease of life The Isle of Ma.. Read more..

Prosperity in recession

Investing in new equipment and selective working has enabled Alves Ribeiro's quarry near Lisbon to remain profitable despite Portugal's ongoing recession... Read more..

Contracting safer practice

Risk to direct employees in quarries has been cut significantly in recent years but the potential for preventable accidents among contractors. Efforts to impr.. Read more..

High demand

Call for new crushing equipment is almost as high as the demand for higher quality aggregates from customers. Claire Symes reports Europe's crush.. Read more..

Maximum returns

Geophysical ground exploration techniques could give a clearer view of a prospective aggregates resource and the cost of extracting it without lifting any turf%.. Read more..

Supply chain solution

Tyre shortages have been a serious issue for quarry operators for some time and with no quick fix on the horizon, fitting of tyre protection chains could prov.. Read more..

Heavy weight ambitions

With plans for a 52tonne excavator, JCB has ambitions to move into the quarrying sector. Dan Gilkes reports JCB is strengthening its range of JS .. Read more..

First tracked VSI unveiled

Metso Minerals has unveiled its first vertical shaft impact (VSI) crusher .. Read more..

Record hammer from Indeco

Italian breaker manufacturer Indeco is pushing the back barriers of breaker design with its new 11tonne HP18000 hydraulic hammer. This is now the world's la.. Read more..

Loading solution

Telestack's latest development brings mobile technology to the truck unloading conveyor market. The company developed the system specifically for an iron or.. Read more..

Alternative power

Volvo has developed an innovative hybrid wheel loader prototype, which was on display at ConExpo, and demonstrates the results of company's ongoing altern.. Read more..

Performance drilling

Atlas Copco's latest ROC L8RC drill rigs are designed to offer high performance multipurpose drilling for mining and large scale quarrying operations. The n.. Read more..

Locking in performance

Secure bucket tooth connections are essential in the aggregates industry to avoid them becoming detached and getting caught in the crusher. The latest develop.. Read more..

Conveyor maintenance

Horizon Conveyors' latest development offers safer and easier access during maintenance of conveyor rollers. According to Horizon, development of the new .. Read more..

Pump upgrade

Grindex has unveiled its upgraded drainage pump range and the company claims that the new design triples the durability of the units. The added service life c.. Read more..

On the right track

Europe's railways rely on high quality aggregate to maintain both line speeds and passenger comfort. ABE reports on the technical aspects of railway ballast.. Read more..

Smooth operator

Developments in asphalt mix design are now being matched by hi-tech innovations in paving technology. ABE takes a look at one of these in action on site in .. Read more..

Crushing heritage

Cone crushers are now accepted technology but in the 1920s the Symons Brothers innovation was an unknown quantity, although an enduring one with some original.. Read more..