Hillhead 2026 ran from 23 to 25 June at Hillhead Quarry near Buxton, drawing around 20,000 visitors and over 600 exhibitors to a live working quarry in Derbyshire. It is a useful event to pay attention to because it shows where the sector is putting its focus and resource, rather than where trade media says the industry is heading.
Covered storage infrastructure, including industrial canopy structures for aggregate and recycling bays, had more serious buyers behind it over the last 12 months than in previous years. If you are planning infrastructure investment for your site before winter, the picture from Hillhead is worth understanding.
Covered storage investment moved from aspiration to operational priority
The aggregates sector has known for years that uncovered stockpiles cost money. Wet aggregate adds weight, raises transport cost, degrades material quality and pushes energy consumption up at the processing stage. Asphalt plant operators know exactly what moisture does to RAP: it needs heating before it can go into mixes, and that pre-heating has a direct cost attached.
According to event organisers, 77% of available outdoor exhibition space at Hillhead 2026 was committed well ahead of opening day. The level of re-booking from major players was high. For site operators, that level of activity is a reasonable indicator of where the industry is investing and what your peers are prioritising.
The case for modular covered storage, rather than permanent buildings, comes down to programme and capital flexibility. No groundworks, no planning application, operational within days, redeployable if the site changes or the operation moves. For sites expanding capacity or covering an existing bay, it is a faster route to dry, protected material than a permanent build, and typically at a fraction of the cost.
Newlay Asphalt made this decision when they expanded capacity in 2022. They installed an Opus structure specifically to reduce moisture in their recycled asphalt pavement stockpiles. Covered, dry storage removed the need to pre-heat RAP before use in mixes, cutting a direct energy cost. Jamie Brown, Operations Manager at Newlay Asphalt: “The site management has improved enormously with the Opus structure. It enables us to maximise the space on site. It has provided us with the best possible ROI in the shortest period of time.” Read how Opus improved RAP storage at Newlay Asphalt.
Dust compliance is getting harder to manage without covered infrastructure
HSE guidance on silica dust at quarry sites has been in place for years, and the enforcement environment around it has toughened. Respirable crystalline silica (RCS) is a classified occupational carcinogen, present in most rock types processed at aggregate and quarrying sites. Uncovered stockpiles of fine or dry material are a primary source of airborne particulate at rest.
The HSE’s quarry dust guidance is direct on this: fine, dry materials should be stored within buildings or with adequate wind protection, and stockpile positioning must account for proximity to sensitive receptors. A covered aggregate bay stops fine material becoming airborne during storage, which matters for worker health surveillance obligations and for staying within site boundary conditions.
Environmental permit requirements push in the same direction. Operators with waste management permits, which covers most recycling processors, are required to provide a dust and emissions management plan if they handle aggregates, concrete, asphalt or similar materials in the open. Where stockpiles cannot be covered, operators must document mitigation steps. Covering removes the problem rather than managing around it, and a covered bay is the straightforward answer when the Environment Agency comes to inspect.
Operational efficiency is where covered storage makes its commercial case
Site efficiency was a big talking point at Hillhead 2026. If you are evaluating storage infrastructure against what it actually costs to run your site, the numbers on covered storage are worth looking at.
Permitted reserves across the UK have declined by 46% since 2001, according to the Mineral Products Association’s 2025 industry profile, against construction aggregate production of 264 million tonnes in 2023. With infrastructure demand rising and reserves under pressure, protecting the material you have on site and keeping processing costs down is where margins are made or lost.
Covered aggregate storage has a direct effect on cost-per-tonne. Moisture absorbed by uncovered stockpiles adds weight to transported material before the aggregate leaves site. Covered material arrives at the processing stage in better condition, cutting reject rates and rework. A covered bay also reduces a common source of EA enforcement risk: airborne dust and contamination from uncovered stockpiles is one of the more frequent triggers for enforcement notices, and an enforcement notice is an operational disruption.
An Opus structure on Legato concrete blocks is operational within 48 hours of arriving on site, with no groundworks and no permanent foundations. For a site adding capacity or covering an existing bay, that speed matters when you are working to a seasonal window.
What this means for aggregate sites in Q3 and Q4 2026
Q3 and Q4 are the peak period for most aggregate operations, and also when uncovered stockpiles tend to cause the most problems. Rain adds weight to material in transit. Contamination risks rise. EA permit conditions come under more scrutiny as inspection activity picks up in the autumn.
If covered storage is on the agenda for your site, the build itself is quick. Getting to a confirmed installation date takes longer: a site survey, a quote and a slot in the installation schedule all need to line up. Starting that conversation in July makes the difference between being operational before the season peaks and planning for next year instead.
If you would like to discuss your site requirements, speak to the McGregor team.