Longcliffe Quarries

What Longcliffe Quarries does

Longcliffe Quarries Ltd is an independently owned, family-controlled UK industrial mineral processing company founded in 1927 by John Shields and led today by his great-grandson Robert Shields DL (Group Chairman) alongside Group Managing Director Paul Boustead and Group Finance Director Nelson Gonzalez. The company operates two Derbyshire quarries — Brassington Moor Quarry, which sits on one of the UK's purest carboniferous limestone deposits formed approximately 330 million years ago, and Ryder Point Quarry, acquired in 2010 for its naturally dolomitized "Golconda" limestone — jointly producing over one million tonnes of limestone and dolomitic limestone annually. Its product portfolio comprises Superlon calcium carbonate powders (600μm down to 2μm), Longcal granules (5mm to 300μm), 80+ aggregate grades, agricultural lime with 55% neutralising value, bagged products in 25kg and 1 tonne formats, and the Longfloor liquid floor screed sub-brand, complemented by telemetry, silo maintenance and HGV servicing.

The business is vertically integrated from extraction through crushing, screening, milling, classifying, washing and drying, to nationwide delivery via an owned fleet of more than 30 tankers and tippers with 45 drivers operating 24/7/365 and completing over 25,000 deliveries per year. Revenue is generated through quote-based direct sales to four primary customer segments: industrial manufacturers (glass, adhesives, sealants, plastics, rubber), construction and infrastructure, agriculture and farming, and FEMAS-certified animal feed producers, with secondary exposure to landscaping and aquaculture. Pricing is not publicly disclosed; products are sold bulk via the own fleet, in bagged format via carrier network, or collected direct from quarry.

Recent strategic activity includes the February 2025 outline planning permission to extend Brassington Moor Quarry into Aldwark South, the £2 million+ investment in two new air-swept horizontal 14-tonne mills in 2024, the £3.5 million washing plant installed at Brassington Moor in 2021, and ongoing capital projects (Pyro refurbishment, bagged warehouse expansion, 2.3MW wind turbines) that have lifted stockholding above 1,500 tonnes and reduced energy intensity. The company holds ISO 9001, 14001, 45001 and 50001, BES 6001 responsible sourcing, FEMAS, TASCC, FORS Gold and IRTE accreditations, with a Net Zero to the weighbridge target by 2030. Family ownership and a flat management structure have supported continuity for nearly 100 years, while the creation of a first HR Manager role and new Finance Director appointment in 2025 indicate professionalisation consistent with continued scale.

Name

Longcliffe Quarries

Legal name

Longcliffe Quarries Ltd

Website

https://longcliffe.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

1927

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Family-owned UK industrial minerals company quarried over 1 million tonnes of high-purity limestone and dolomite in Derbyshire annually, supplying calcium carbonate powders, granules, aggregates, agricultural lime, and floor screed to industrial, construction, agricultural, and animal feed customers nationwide.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Industrial Minerals (Limestone and Dolomite)

NAICS

Crushed and Broken Limestone Mining and Quarrying (212312), Stone Mining and Quarrying (21231), Nonmetallic Mineral Mining and Quarrying (2123)

SIC

Mining & Quarrying Of Nonmetallic Minerals (No Fuels) (1400)

akta.pro primary industry

Limestone Quarrying (Industrial & Construction Grade) (IMAKAHAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Crushed Stone Quarrying & Processing (IMAKAHAA), Aggregate Processing & Value-Added Products (Washing, Screening, Asphalt/Concrete Aggregates) (IMAKAHAH), Specialty Aggregates (Rail Ballast, Riprap/Armor Stone, Gabion Stone) (IMAKAHAJ)

Keywords

• Limestone quarrying
• Calcium carbonate production
• Dolomite aggregates
• Agricultural lime
• Industrial mineral processing

Headquarters

HQ city

Matlock

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Operations, Personnel, Infrastructure, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Limestone and Dolomite Product Sales: Sale of high purity calcium carbonate products including specialty dried powders, granules, aggregates, and agricultural lime. Products supplied in bulk via tanker/tipper delivery or bagged formats (25kg, 1 tonne). Revenue generated through direct product transactions with industrial manufacturers, construction companies, and agricultural customers.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Longcliffe Quarries Ltd quarries and processes over one million tonnes annually of high-purity carboniferous limestone (calcium carbonate) and dolomitic limestone from two Derbyshire quarries. It produces and sells specialty calcium carbonate powders (Superlon) and granules (Longcal), limestone and dolomitic aggregates, ground agricultural lime, bagged products, and the Longfloor liquid floor screed sub-brand, delivered nationwide via its own fleet of tankers and tippers. The company also offers complementary services including remote silo telemetry, silo maintenance, and HGV servicing.

Product overview

Longcliffe Quarries is an independently owned industrial mineral processing company that quarries over one million tonnes of carboniferous limestone (calcium carbonate) and dolomitic limestone annually from Derbyshire. The product portfolio consists of two core product lines: Superlon Powders (high purity calcium carbonate powders from 600µm to 2µm) and Longcal Granules (calcium carbonate granules from 5mm to 300µm), both derived from premium grade limestone deposits. These are complemented by Aggregates (limestone and dolomitic aggregates in over 80 grades), Ground Agricultural Lime (with 55% neutralising value), and Bagged Products (25kg and 1 tonne packaging). The company also offers Longfloor (liquid floor screed via separate brand), and services including Telemetry (remote silo monitoring), Silo Maintenance, and HGV Maintenance and Servicing. The offering is a diversified portfolio of mineral products serving industrial, construction, agricultural, and animal feed applications, delivered through an in-house fleet of tankers and tippers.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Longfloor: BS EN 13813:2002 compliant free-flowing liquid floor screed product for flooring applications
• Superlon
• Longcal

Products and services

• Superlon Powders Premium grade calcium carbonate powders sourced from the Brassington Moor limestone deposits, available in particle sizes from 600µm to 2µm. Suitable for industrial applications including adhesives, vinyl flooring, cement replacements, plastics, rubber, and animal feeds.
• Longcal Granules Premium grade calcium carbonate granules with low iron oxide and heavy metal content, sourced from the Brassington Moor quarry. Grades range from 5mm to 300µm, ideal for glass industry, animal feed supplements, fertilizers, and industrial products.
• Aggregates (Limestone and Dolomitic) Range of limestone and dolomitic aggregates from two Derbyshire quarries. Brassington Moor produces light grey carboniferous limestone aggregates; Ryder Point produces buff coloured dolomitic stone. Over 80 different aggregate grades including MOT Type 1, fill materials, single size, washed and decorative aggregates.
• Ground Agricultural Lime High-quality ground agricultural limestone materials for soil condition improvement and maximizing crop yields. Has neutralising value of 55% (CaO equivalent on dry weight basis) with consistent granularity of less than 3.35mm suitable for modern spreaders.
• Longfloor Liquid Floor Screed BS EN 13813:2002 compliant free-flowing liquid cementitious floor screed. Ready for foot traffic in 24 hours. Sold as a separate sub-brand with its own website at longfloor.co.uk for flooring contractors and construction professionals.
• Bagged Products (25kg and 1 tonne bags) Superlon and Longcal products available in 25kg bags and 1 tonne tote bags for delivery throughout UK and internationally. 25kg bags packed as 40 bags per pallet, shrink wrapped and palletised. Over 1500 tonnes held in stock for 3-4 working day delivery.
• Telemetry (Silo Monitoring Service) Remote silo content monitoring system providing real-time information on silo contents and raw material usage, enabling better stock control and cost management for industrial customers.
• Silo Maintenance Bespoke silo maintenance packages covering safety critical features including pressure relief valves, filter units, high level alarms and automatic cut off valves requiring regular testing, repair and maintenance.
• HGV Maintenance and Servicing In-house garage and skilled mechanics maintaining and servicing the fleet of tankers, tippers and quarry vehicles. Service extended to external fleet companies and local hauliers.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 1 million tonnes of limestone quarried and processed annually
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Derbyshire Wildlife TrustcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2018Longcliffe partners with Derbyshire Wildlife Trust for management of two nature reserves at former operational sites: Peak Quarry and Hoe Grange Quarry. The partnership involves practical conservation work, habitat management for biodiversity, and corporate membership. DWT provides expertise for wildlife habitat creation and restoration objectives for operational quarries. Eight years of sponsorship and partnership celebrated in 2026.
• Butterfly Conservation East MidlandscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2018Joint management of Hoe Grange Quarry as a butterfly nature reserve. The reserve hosts 28+ butterfly species including three UK BAP priority species. Butterfly Conservation runs volunteer-led transects for butterfly monitoring. Collaborative approach to biodiversity enhancement in former limestone quarry.
• British and Irish Calcium Carbonates Federation (BICCF)minorOthersThrough membership of BICCF, Longcliffe provides Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs) for limestone products, produced by the Calcium Carbonate Association - Europe in accordance with EN 15804+A2 and ISO 14025 standards.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Breedon Group: Breedon Group is a UK-listed vertically integrated aggregates and construction materials producer with limestone quarries, ready-mixed concrete, and asphalt operations. It is the most directly comparable UK peer to Longcliffe, with a similar geographic focus and product mix spanning aggregates, agricultural lime, and industrial mineral products.
• Aggregate Industries: Aggregate Industries (owned by LafargeHolcim) is a leading UK supplier of aggregates, concrete, and asphalt, with extensive limestone quarrying operations. Its scale, product breadth, and customer overlap in construction and industrial markets make it a direct competitor to Longcliffe's aggregates and Longfloor screed lines.
• Tarmac (CRH): Tarmac, part of CRH, is the UK's largest aggregates and construction materials supplier with national limestone quarrying operations. It competes head-to-head with Longcliffe in aggregates, concrete products, and packaged building materials across the UK market.
• Hanson UK (Heidelberg Materials): Hanson UK operates limestone quarries, aggregates, concrete, and cement businesses across the UK under Heidelberg Materials. Its broad aggregates and industrial mineral product portfolio directly overlaps with Longcliffe's offerings in construction aggregates and ground limestone.
• CEMEX UK: CEMEX UK is a major supplier of aggregates, ready-mix concrete, cement, and related construction materials, with limestone quarrying operations. It is a direct competitor in aggregates and a relevant peer for benchmarking Longcliffe's industrial mineral and construction product volumes.
• Singleton Birch: Singleton Birch is an independently owned UK limestone quarrying and processing company producing quicklime, hydrated lime, and ground calcium carbonate from North Lincolnshire deposits. Like Longcliffe, it is a privately owned, independent UK-focused limestone operator serving industrial and construction markets.

Broad incumbents

• Imerys: Imerys is a global leader in mineral-based specialty solutions including ground calcium carbonate (GCC) for industrial applications. While a much larger player, it competes with Longcliffe's Superlon and Longcal powders in industrial mineral markets such as paper, plastics, paints, and coatings.
• Omya: Omya is a leading global producer of industrial calcium carbonates (ground and precipitated) used in paper, plastics, paints, adhesives, and more. Its UK and European ground calcium carbonate offerings directly overlap with Longcliffe's Superlon premium powder range for industrial applications.
• Sibelco: Sibelco is a global material solutions company producing industrial minerals including silica and nepheline, with operations relevant to specialty industrial mineral supply chains. While broader in mineral scope, it competes for industrial mineral customers overlapping with Longcliffe's industrial powders and granules business.
• Marshalls: Marshalls is a UK-listed hard landscaping and building products company producing aggregates, concrete products, and natural stone for construction and landscaping. It competes with Longcliffe's decorative aggregates and landscaping products portfolio, especially the Golconda dolomitic decorative stone range.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCpHuSytHn5wxeEFmYR4W_Xw/about
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/lonrho-hotels
• Xx.com/longcliffe

Compliance12 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles28 records

Subsidiaries2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Longcliffe Quarries