Business students from Nelson and Colne College Sixth Form recently visited Hanson UK, part of the HeidelbergCement Group, to look at operations in a Primary industry.
The College frequently conducts outside trips and visits, to provide a more rounded approach to education and a more varied educational experience. Students are often able to visit local businesses and places of interest, which fosters good relations between the College and local employers.
Most recently, the College’s first year Business students were able to visit Hanson UK, a leading supplier of heavy building materials to the construction industry. Hanson UK is part of the HeidelbergCement Group, a German multinational company that specialises in the manufacturing of building materials. HeidelbergCement Group employs over fifty thousand people, in 40 countries!
The tour of Hanson UK was provided by two retired employees, who between them have over sixty years of service at the site. The tour took place primarily in the main quarry and the control room, where operations are run from and problems are highlighted.
Students were told about the process of extraction and crushing before the ‘clinkers’ were heated to 1500 degrees in the kiln. They learned about the ingredients needed to make cement and the importance of correct blending, and about the range of transportation methods used to move the cement. Near the end of the tour, students also had the opportunity to visit the packing plant, to witness cement being packed into bags before being stacked on pallets.
Saleh Ahmed, a student who attended the trip, said: “The visit was inspirational! We saw some great wildlife, which was quite unexpected. I understand now how cement is made and packaged. The tour was amazing and I learned loads!”
