Holcim UK is a leading manufacturer and supplier of sustainable construction and building materials including aggregates, asphalt, cement, and ready-mixed concrete materials. Based at the Duntilland Quarry, Holcim quarries and processes aggregates for the building and construction industry, where efficient water management is essential to operations for both environmental compliance and process continuity.
To support site operations, Holcim hires dewatering pumps from GAP to manage water flow and levels across the quarry. Their aims include supporting both efficient processing, and environmental performance.
Prior to partnering with GAP, the most significant challenge Holcim faced was the reliability of the pumps onsite, with pumps from previous suppliers often breaking down. There was a need for high-performance pumps, as water must be lifted 40 metres high to settling ponds whilst another pump pushes water 900 metres across the quarry for process plant. Each of these pumps depends on the other to supply the water volume required, so reliability was key as any issues could disrupt the entire water management process and cause flooding in process areas. The challenges were especially critical during the winter months, with increased rainfall putting even more strain on the system, making reliability even more important.
Holcim chose to partner with GAP for their pumping requirement for a number of reasons. The proximity of Duntilland Quarry to GAP’s Harthill Depot ensures rapid response times for any breakdowns and maintenance, ensuring minimal service disruption. Moreover, GAP offers competitive hire pricing, with a strong support team and service reputation.
Products Used
Since partnering with GAP, Holcim has experienced improved reliability with fewer breakdowns and better overall performance. Due to this, water is pumped quicker, reducing man-hours spent managing both water and the pumps. In addition to this, using GAP pumps supports lower fuel consumption, reduced hire costs and reduced downtime risk due to uninterrupted water supply to the process plant.
In day-to-day operations, the local support from Harthill Depot allows for quick mobilisation of additional resources during high-risk, winter months. This allows for enhanced ability to plan and execute shutdowns and projects with confidence.
Michael Davidson, Assistant Quarry Operations Manager, commented, “We have a good relationship with GAP, especially the two fitters, Mark and Martin, who do a great job of keeping the pumps running efficiently.”
Holcim valued the dependable service and support provided by GAP, which has translated into smoother operations, cost efficiency, and environmental compliance.
Reliable pumping solutions from GAP has enabled Holcim to maintain operational resilience and environmental compliance at Duntilland Quarry, especially during the most challenging winter months.
