Partnership with Breedon Group aims to accelerate innovation and improve national resilience

The University of Derby has signed a five-year strategic partnership with Breedon Group plc an international construction materials group with the aim of delivering economic and research outcomes of local, regional and national significance.

The partnership with Breedon will bring together industry and academia to improve productivity, attract and develop talent and accelerate innovation. It will also aim to respond to climate change and strengthen domestic resource and supply-chain resilience.

Breedon, a leading vertically-integrate construction materials group which operates in Great Britain, Ireland and the United States, supplies essential construction materials across infrastructure, housebuilding and industrial markets, including aggregates, cement, asphalt and ready-mixed concrete.

With a £1.7 billion group revenue and more than 350 operational sites, Breedon plays a key role in ensuring that the UK’s ambitions for housing, transport, energy, water and wider infrastructure can be delivered effectively.  

Professor Chris Bussell, Provost (Industry and Enterprise) at the University of Derby, said:

“Industry engagement is central to Derby’s identity and strategic framework. Our  partnership with Breedon will bring together academic and industrial expertise to translate knowledge into practical impact.

“Research themes have already been identified, spanning across carbon reduction and capture, biodiversity and digital material passports alongside wider opportunities to improve material and environmental performance.

“This partnership will address challenges in the industry that cannot be effectively tackled in isolation to create the environment in which sustained university and industry collaboration can add value.”  

The Strategic Partnership anticipates engagement with regional stakeholders including East Midlands Combined County Authority, strengthening local supply chains and developing wider industry-university networks, including opportunities for cross-working with other major regional businesses.  

The partnership supports Breedon’s plans to develop a leading research and innovation centre with the University, creating the potential for a much deeper interface between industrial capability, academic expertise, students and applied research. 

Mike Pearce, CEO of Breedon GB, said:

“As a business, we want to be at the forefront of innovation, responding to the changing needs of the UK’s construction and infrastructure sectors and our customers. Our partnership with the University of Derby will bring industry experience and academic expertise together to explore new ideas, develop practical solutions and improve the sustainability and resilience of the materials we supply.

“By strengthening the links between research, industry and education, we can  develop the skills and talent our sector needs for the future. This is a long-term partnership with the potential to deliver meaningful benefits for our business, the wider industry and the region.”

The University of Derby is home to the Centre for Mineral Products, representing a longstanding commitment to training and development in the mineral products industry, working closely with industry bodies and organisations. 

Based at the Enterprise Centre, the Centre delivers face-to-face training sessions and qualifications via experienced staff to ensure that the content is always relevant to the needs of employers.

Professor Bussell added:

“The Centre for Mineral Products already works with employers and professional bodies to provide industry-relevant education, from apprenticeships and professional programmes through to degree-level learning, with knowledge deliberately applied back into business.

“This new partnership with Breedon strengthens the University of Derby’s commitment, and we are looking forward to seeing the relationship develop further.”

The University of Derby is committed to creating positive social, cultural, economic, health and environmental impact through its teaching, research and civic activity.

The University holds a Bronze Watermark from the National Co-ordinating Centre for Public Engagement (NCCPE), recognising its commitment to embedding public engagement across its work and strengthening partnerships with communities and stakeholders. 

Find out more about the Strategic Framework