The UK Mineral Products Association (MPA) has appointed Martin Casey as its new senior director for cement and lime.
He succeeds Diana Casey (no relation), who leaves the organisation in April to take up a new role.
Martin will be building on the strong foundations Diana has put in place, applying his extensive experience in the cement sector. He worked at Cemex for over 20 years, latterly as director for communications, public affairs and social impact, and joined the MPA as a consultant last year to support the association’s engagement with Government, as it intensifies calls for urgent policy action to tackle UK cement’s competitiveness challenges.
The MPA says that, as a main ingredient in concrete, cement is an essential building material and will be vital to delivering the Government’s infrastructure pipeline and housebuilding target, as well as renewable energy facilities and climate adaptation provision. Industrial lime is used in manufacturing, wastewater treatment and control of air pollution, among many other processes.
Martin Casey’s appointment comes at a critical time for the cement and lime industries. UK cement production fell to a 75-year low in 2024 as domestic producers grapple with some of the highest industrial electricity prices in the world, as well as high labour and regulatory costs. Cement imports to the UK have tripled over the past 20 years and are at risk of climbing higher in 2026 following the introduction of new EU carbon border charges, which could see cement diverted towards the UK to avoid additional fees in the EU.
Casey commented on his appointment: “UK cement and lime are at a turning point. We’re up against some difficult challenges, but we also have an opportunity to secure a sustainable domestic industry that supports growth, national resilience and the transition to net zero. We need to continue championing both sectors and to make the case for fair and competitive conditions. Diana has done excellent work to highlight the issues, and I look forward to picking up the mantle, working with members and colleagues to ensure that UK cement and lime thrive in the long term, and to remind policymakers that both are indispensable to our shared ambitions.”
