Longcliffe expands on-site laboratory capabilities
Derbyshire-based Longcliffe Quarries Ltd is investing in its in-house laboratory capabilities, strengthening both team expertise and equipment as the business continues to grow.
The team has recently expanded with the appointment of Johnson Akor as a Laboratory Technician. Bringing previous experience in agricultural and food product testing and an MSc in Industrial Microbiology. The company will also be recruiting for a Night Laboratory Technician; these roles will support the extended operating hours of the Lab and the testing requirements of the company’s new agricultural lime granulation plant.
Demonstrating Longcliffe’s commitment to people development, Julie Carey, who has been with Longcliffe for 23 years (currently in the role of Laboratory Supervisor), has started a Leadership Apprenticeship. A first for the company, and managed by the BPP Lyceum Education Group, the course will develop Julie’s management and leadership skills.
Lab team members Emma Mycock and Daisy Salt will soon be commencing on vocational training as they continue to develop their skills and careers. And Quality and Environmental Compliance Officer Sarah Wholey completed a level 6 NVQ in Health and Safety last year.
Longcliffe has also extended its investment in equipment, with the recent purchase of a new XRF (X-Ray Fluorescence) Spectrometer for chemical testing of products. The new machine will eventually replace an older spectrometer; in the short term, the two will run side by side, giving the company more flexibility with the testing, reducing sample testing times, and ensuring continuity of service for customers.
Overseeing these developments is Quality, Compliance and Environmental Manager Tony Hutton. He comments: “We are pleased to be making such significant improvements to our Laboratory. Our investment in people will contribute to the success of our business into the future. The new XRF Spectrometer will shore up our current facilities, and we are also looking to purchase more lab testing equipment in preparation for the agricultural lime granulation plant coming online later in the year.”