Associated Asphalt Contracting has opened its Oxfordshire asphalt plant to contractors, developers and local authorities.
Originally established to provide a dedicated supply of asphalt for the company's work on the M40 between Junctions 8 and 15 on behalf of National Highways, the plant – located at Knightsbridge Farm in Yarnton – will now serve both private and public sectors.
While the company told Highways that it was 'unable to confirm the exact investment figure' that was invested in the plant, it did confirm that it was 'in excess of £1m' and that this was 'related to the establishment of the Oxford plant itself'.
The facility has been opened to the wider local market to serve contractors, developers and local authorities across Oxfordshire and the surrounding areas.
Officially opened to the trade on 1 August, the new facility is operated by six employees and is expected to produce up to 100,000 tonnes of asphalt annually. An advanced mix-to-order approach means that it is projected to deliver an average customer turnaround time of just 30 minutes.
This is Associated Asphalt's second expansion into the local collection market in as many years, following the opening of its East Peckham plant in 2025.
The site will also be used as a hub for Associated Asphalt's ‘ongoing sustainability initiatives' as part of its commitment to ‘supporting the transition towards lower-carbon infrastructure'.
Chris Marchesi, technical manager at Associated Asphalt, commented: ‘Having originally established the Oxford plant to support our delivery of the M40 maintenance programme, we're pleased to now make that investment available to the wider market.
‘With modern production technology and a strong focus on efficiency, the plant will help improve supply resilience in this vital catchment area while also providing a platform for future innovation, allowing us to continue developing lower-carbon approaches that benefit our customers and the wider industry.'
