Top 10 Best Raw Material Suppliers in Blaby

Raw Materials and the Blaby Economy

Leicestershire has long been one of the UK's most important sources of raw materials. The county's granite quarries, including the famous workings around Bardon Hill and Croft, have supplied roadstone and aggregates for generations, and Croft itself sits within Blaby district. Add large-scale housebuilding at Lubbesthorpe and on village edges, a strong manufacturing base and major infrastructure links, and it is easy to see why reliable raw material supply matters so much locally.

Whether you need crushed stone for a road scheme, timber for a roof, steel sections for a mezzanine or bricks for an extension, choosing the right supplier affects cost, quality and programme. Here are ten raw material suppliers that serve Blaby's construction and manufacturing businesses.

The Top 10 Raw Material Suppliers

1. Breedon Group

Breedon Group takes its name from Breedon on the Hill in north-west Leicestershire. It is one of the UK's leading construction materials businesses, supplying aggregates, asphalt, ready-mixed concrete and cement. Its strong regional roots make it a natural partner for civil engineering and housing projects around Blaby.

2. Aggregate Industries

Aggregate Industries has its UK headquarters at Bardon Hill in Leicestershire and operates quarries, asphalt plants and concrete facilities across the country. It supplies crushed rock, sand, gravel, asphalt, ready-mix and precast products, and it is recognised for investment in lower-carbon materials.

3. Tarmac

Tarmac is a household name in construction materials, providing aggregates, asphalt, cement, lime and concrete. Its national network and technical expertise make it a common choice for highways contractors and large developers working on Leicestershire projects.

4. Heidelberg Materials UK

Heidelberg Materials UK, formerly Hanson, supplies cement, aggregates, ready-mixed concrete and asphalt. Its focus on decarbonisation, including carbon capture initiatives, is attracting contractors who need to meet increasingly strict sustainability requirements.

5. Travis Perkins

Travis Perkins is one of the UK's best-known builders merchants, with branches across Leicestershire. It supplies timber, bricks, blocks, cement, insulation, plasterboard and general building materials, backed by trade credit and delivery services that suit contractors of every size.

6. Jewson

Jewson has served British builders for well over a century. Its branches near Blaby provide heavy-side materials, timber and landscaping products, and it is known for strong local relationships and project quoting support.

7. Selco Builders Warehouse

Selco operates a trade-only warehouse model with competitive pricing and long opening hours. Tradespeople value the ability to pick up materials quickly, often early in the morning before heading to site.

8. Kloeckner Metals UK

Kloeckner Metals UK supplies steel and metal products including sections, plate, tube, sheet and processed components. Fabricators and manufacturers in the East Midlands rely on it for cut-to-size services and dependable stock availability.

9. Barrett Steel

Barrett Steel is one of the UK's largest independent steel stockholders. It offers structural sections, bright bar, tubes and engineering steels, and its processing capabilities make it valuable for engineering firms needing precise, ready-to-use materials.

10. James Latham

James Latham is a leading independent distributor of timber, panels and decorative surfaces. Joiners, shopfitters and furniture makers value its range of hardwoods, softwoods, sheet materials and sustainably certified products.

Trends Shaping Raw Material Supply

Sustainability is now central to the raw materials industry. Low-carbon concrete, recycled aggregates, responsibly sourced timber and steel made in electric arc furnaces are all in growing demand. Many developers and public sector clients now require carbon data for materials, and suppliers are responding with environmental product declarations.

Price volatility has also shaped buying behaviour. Energy costs, global demand and supply chain disruption have caused sharp swings in the prices of steel, timber and cement over recent years. Local businesses increasingly lock in supply agreements, order earlier and build relationships with more than one supplier to protect their programmes.

Digitalisation is another shift. Online ordering, live delivery tracking and digital proof of delivery are becoming standard, helping site managers coordinate deliveries on busy developments with limited storage space.

How to Choose a Raw Material Supplier

Quality and certification: Check that materials meet relevant British Standards and carry appropriate certification such as CE or UKCA marking.

Proximity: Heavy materials are expensive to transport. Suppliers with local quarries, depots or branches can significantly reduce costs and emissions.

Reliability: Missed deliveries can halt a site. Ask about fleet capacity and track record on similar projects.

Technical support: Specialist advice on concrete mixes, steel grades or timber treatments can prevent costly mistakes.

Sustainability data: Choose suppliers that can provide carbon and sourcing information to support your own reporting.

Planning Ahead on Local Projects

For contractors working in Blaby district, planning material deliveries carefully is as important as choosing the right supplier. Village centres such as Narborough and Cosby have narrow streets and limited parking, so smaller rigid vehicles or timed deliveries may be needed. Large housing sites benefit from scheduled call-off orders that match build stages. Working with suppliers early on, during design and tender, helps to lock in prices, confirm lead times and pick materials with lower embodied carbon. Many merchants also offer take-back schemes for pallets, surplus materials and packaging, which reduce waste costs and support the environmental commitments now expected on most commercial and residential projects.

Final Thoughts

Blaby sits at the heart of one of Britain's great raw material regions, with major quarrying and construction materials companies headquartered only a few miles away. For builders, fabricators and manufacturers, this proximity means competitive pricing, quick deliveries and access to deep technical expertise. Combining a heavy materials specialist with a strong builders merchant and a metals or timber stockholder gives most businesses the flexibility they need to deliver projects on time and on budget.