These figures testify that the aggregates industry is by far the largest extraction industry in Europe. The figures also demonstrate how the industry is predominated by SMEs with an average of 1.7 extraction sites per company, with an average of 7 employees at each site, and with an average production at each site of 117,000 tonnes. On the positive side, it is evident that the aggregates industry continues to provide important, long-term, secure, mostly rural employment.
