Scottish Government Cabinet Secretary for Finance, Economy and Fair Work, Derek Mackay has visited the region’s only cement plant to see first-hand progress being made in a continued drive to improve the site’s energy efficiency and sustainability.
Mr Mackay, Member of the Scottish Parliament (MSP) for Renfrewshire North and West, spent time at Tarmac’s plant at Dunbar, one of East Lothian’s largest employers. The site has supplied cement to a range of major construction projects across the region, including the Aberdeen sea defences scheme and the V&A Museum in Dundee.
During his visit, he met with senior Tarmac managers and heard more about ongoing work to install a new cement mill, rail loading facility and waste-derived fuel area.
The new mill will replace two existing mills on site, with the installation of the latest technology delivering improvements in energy efficiency. The rail development will enable transportation of the cement product via the rail network, reducing the number of lorries on local roads. In addition, the fuel facility will help reduce the plant’s carbon footprint through increased replacement of fossil fuels with more sustainable waste-derived alternatives.
Commenting on his visit, Mr Mackay said: “Scotland has huge economic potential, and we are well placed to take advantage of the opportunities that come from our established strengths in energy efficiency and business innovation. I therefore welcomed the opportunity to visit this interesting site.”
Dunbar Plant Manager, Oliver Curtin, added: “It was a pleasure to host Mr Mackay here at Dunbar cement plant as the site upgrades for the future. These developments support our continual drive to improve efficiency and sustainability across our operations, which deliver high-quality construction materials for use in infrastructure projects across Scotland and beyond.”
Picture caption: Dunbar Cement Plant manager Oliver Curtin (right) shows Scottish Government Secretary for Finance, Economy and Fair Work, Derek Mackay (left) the cement kiln – the heart of the production process.