Brookland Sand & Aggregates Ltd has purchased a suite of six machines worth £1.5m, with help from the Truro-based vehicle and asset finance provider, Ignition.
Brookland is an independent family business working out of Littlejohn’s Pit near St Austell, which recycles and processes china clay waste into high quality sustainable secondary sand and aggregates. Formed 12 years ago by parent company, Norman Cleave Plant Hire, the company produces granite aggregates and sands suitable for roads, paths and driveways and for general building use. It also supplies producers of ready-mix concrete.
Since its inception, the company has expanded rapidly and has been awarded a number of substantial contracts. In order to keep up with this increasing demand, it has invested in a suite of used machinery over the last six weeks, including two cone crushers, a jaw crusher, an excavator and a loading shovel, worth around £1.5m. All have been obtained on a Hire Purchase finance agreement arranged by Ignition, meaning that the purchase cost is spread by regular repayments over a set period of time.
According to Finance Manager, David Mitchell, the new machinery is already helping to boost productivity:
“Demand for our products has soared in recent years. This is partly due to an increase in road construction, building and home improvements across Cornwall, but also thanks to our reputation for providing excellent quality products at a good price and with exceptional aftersales.
“In the early days, we used to process around 1,500 tonnes of waste on a busy day. Now we regularly process 8,000 tonnes per day, and obviously need reliable machinery to support this.
“The machines and equipment have been purchased second-hand and have been re-purposed so that they are perfect for our needs. We’re already benefiting from our investment and are grateful to Ignition for helping us secure them.”
Nicola Hambly, Associate Director at Ignition, comments: “Brookland Sand & Aggregates is an excellent example of a successful local business taking the opportunity to increase production to meet industry demand. It’s been a pleasure working with the team, and we’re looking forward to supporting them further as the company continues to grow.”
