With 2023 drawing to a close, the time has come to celebrate the successes of the year and prepare for the next one. 2023 has been a year of innovation, progression and a commemoration of Tarmac’s illustrious history.
As we take a look back over the year, here are five memorable Tarmac moments:
- 120 years of Tarmac
November 2023 marked 120 years since Tarmac’s founder Edgar Hooley first perfected how to make road surfaces ‘stick’ and started a company that has become part of the fabric of everyday life.
In celebration of this milestone, we hosted a ‘through the years’ campaign across our social media channels, showcasing the journey from supplying materials for the D-Day landings through to playing a part in iconic projects, such as the Channel Tunnel and the Shard.
It was fantastic to hear about people’s memories of the brand through the years and to delve into the Tarmac archives to share some real gems from our past.
- Lowest carbon local roads in UK
In a pioneering project, Tarmac partnered with Hartlepool Borough Council and Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council to deliver the lowest carbon roads ever to be resurfaced in the UK.
Together with international industry partners, we combined an extensive range of low carbon materials, techniques and plant equipment for the very first time to resurface sections of roads in Hartlepool, and Stockton-on-Tees.
The project delivered a reduction in carbon emissions of up to 80% compared to traditional methods and has helped to lay a new blueprint for how roads are maintained in the UK – something we’re super proud of.
- 25 years of technical centre innovation
2023 saw the commemoration of Tarmac’s longstanding history in more ways than one. Our technical centre in Wolverhampton celebrated its 25th anniversary after first opening its doors in 1998 to develop many of the new innovative materials used in roads across the country today.
As well as developing road surfacing with used tyres, our team of experts have worked hard to develop some of our most innovative materials including low carbon warm mix asphalt and glow in the dark pavements.
Our National Technical Centre’s work remains focused on creating the next generation of low carbon construction materials to support the transition to net zero and tackle climate change.
- One million tonnes of RAP delivered
In the face of the ever-growing need for low carbon innovation and development, Tarmac has taken strides in 2023 to support its transition to net zero. One way Tarmac is turning the decarbonisation dial is through the increased recycling of road materials.
We utilised over 1 million tonnes of recycled asphalt planings (RAP) this year; with plans to lay even more in 2024.
- Festive partnership with Mates in Mind
To end the year, Tarmac partnered with leading UK charity Mates in Mind to create a festive video with an impactful message.
The short film titled ‘The most wonderful time of the year?’ aims to remove the stigma around mental health in the workplace, particularly in the construction industry, and highlight the challenges that the festive period can bring for some people.
If you’re not ok, you’re not alone.
That’s a wrap!
2023 has been a year of celebrating heritage, building on new and existing partnerships and continuing to innovate to drive our decarbonisation agenda. Here’s to continuing our journey in 2024.
