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Edinburgh Asphalt is currently being developed at Hillhouse Group’s Soutra Mains Quarry, with the plant scheduled to open in autumn 2026. During the pre-opening phase, this page will be updated with project progress, plant capability, product information, customer guidance and contact details.
Once operational, this page will become the permanent plant information hub for Edinburgh Asphalt.
Ammann ABA UniBatch 210
160-180 tonnes per hour
working capability
3.3 tonne mixer
1 tonne
2 x 50 tonne mixed material
storage bins
Direct loading chute for
hot boxes and small pickups
Weighbridge positioned
under the loading point
Designed to support controlled recycled material input
Reinstatement consumables
stocked on site
Edinburgh Asphalt has been designed to combine high-volume production with the flexibility required by real-world surfacing, maintenance and reinstatement work. With a working output of 160-180 tonnes per hour, hot mixed material storage, accurate loadout weighing and dedicated small-load arrangements, the plant is being built to support both major projects and day-to-day contractor requirements.
For larger schemes, this means dependable capacity for planned resurfacing, infrastructure works, local authority programmes and commercial projects. For smaller works, the plant’s ability to support lower-volume uplifts, hot boxes and collection customers means contractors can access the material they need without being treated as an afterthought.
For customers, the benefit is simple: reliable supply, reduced waiting time, efficient loading, better support for varied order sizes and a local asphalt source positioned for Edinburgh, Midlothian, the Lothians, the Borders and the wider east of Scotland. The result is a plant designed not only around production output, but around helping customers keep projects moving.
Bringing together significant investment in new plant with the experience of Hillhouse Group’s people, Edinburgh Asphalt is being developed as more than a new production facility. The plant will be supported by teams across operations, technical, commercial, transport and site management, combining modern asphalt production capability with practical knowledge of customer requirements, project pressures and day-to-day material supply.
This people-led approach is central to the service Edinburgh Asphalt will provide. From product guidance and order support to production planning, loading, delivery and technical assurance, customers will be supported by people who understand the importance of reliability, communication and getting the right material to the right place at the right time.
Brings deep quarrying and materials experience, helping ensure the site is run with practical control, clear communication and reliable operational standards.
Responsibility for maintaining and developing the systems, standards and governance that support quality, environmental, health and safety.
The investment in Edinburgh Asphalt is an important step in the continued growth of Hillhouse Group across the east of Scotland. Soutra Mains Quarry is already a strategically important location for us, and the addition of a modern asphalt plant gives us the ability to support customers across Edinburgh, the Lothians, the Borders and the wider region with greater capacity, flexibility and confidence.
There is a significant pipeline of construction, infrastructure, housing, regeneration and road improvement work planned across the east of Scotland, representing billions of pounds of investment over the coming years. For those projects to be delivered successfully, the market needs reliable local supply, experienced people, technical capability and a service that understands the pressures contractors and public-sector clients are working under.
This plant has been designed not only to produce asphalt at scale, but to support the way our customers actually work. From major surfacing programmes and infrastructure projects to smaller collections, hot box work and reinstatement activity, Edinburgh Asphalt will give customers a dependable local source of material backed by Hillhouse Group’s wider quarrying, materials, transport and commercial expertise.
For us, this is about more than opening a new plant. It is about strengthening our position as a long-term materials partner in the east of Scotland and giving customers the confidence that Hillhouse Group is investing in the people, facilities and capability needed to support the region’s construction economy for years to come.
Craig Kirkland
Commercial Director
Cold Feed System
Where the process begins. Aggregates are fed into the plant in controlled proportions before entering the drying and mixing process.
Filler / binder silos
Stored materials for controlled production. Dedicated silos support consistent supply of key materials used in asphalt production.
Dryer drum
Heating and drying the aggregate.
The dryer prepares aggregate for mixing by removing moisture and bringing materials to the correct production temperature.
Blower and burner group
Efficient heat generation. The burner provides controlled heat for the drying process, supporting consistent production and efficient plant operation.
Bitumen tanks
Stored binder for asphalt production.
Bitumen storage supports continuous production and reliable supply for planned works and customer orders.
Dust collection / filtration
Capturing dust and supporting cleaner operation. The filtration system captures fine material from the production process and helps control emissions from the plant.
Mixing tower
The heart of the plant. The mixing tower brings together heated aggregate, bitumen and filler in controlled batches to produce asphalt to the required specification.
Asphalt storage tank (not shown)
Reduced waiting and smoother loading. Two 50 tonne hot storage bins allow finished asphalt to be held ready for loading, helping reduce waiting time and support efficient dispatch.
3.3 tonne mixer
The mixer produces controlled asphalt batches, supporting both high-volume production and flexible smaller mixed product requirements.
Direct loading chute
Designed for hot boxes and smaller pickups. The direct loading arrangement supports cleaner, more controlled loading for small collections and split loads.
Loadout and weighbridge
Accurate loading and dispatch. With the weighbridge positioned under the loading point, vehicles can be tared and loaded accurately, helping customers maximise legal payload and reduce delays.
Recycled pre-feeder
The recycled pre-feeder allows reclaimed asphalt material to be introduced into the production process in a controlled way. This supports more efficient use of suitable recycled material, helping reduce reliance on primary aggregates while maintaining control over mix consistency and product quality.
Edinburgh Asphalt will supply asphalt products for a wide range of surfacing, maintenance, infrastructure, reinstatement and development works across Edinburgh and the east of Scotland. Built at Soutra Mains Quarry, the plant brings together modern batch production, local aggregate supply, controlled mixing and efficient access to the regional road network.
For customers, this means asphalt supply that is not only produced locally, but supported by practical technical knowledge, reliable logistics and a clear route to product guidance when specification, performance or application detail matters.
Edinburgh Asphalt will support customers working across:
Where appropriate to product specification, Edinburgh Asphalt will benefit from access to aggregates produced at Soutra Mains Quarry. This supports a more integrated materials supply chain, with asphalt production located alongside quarrying operations rather than isolated from them.
For customers, the benefit is a more joined-up supply model, supporting material availability, production planning and consistency across asphalt and aggregate requirements.
The Ammann ABA UniBatch plant is designed for controlled batch production, supporting accurate proportioning, repeatable mixing and the flexibility to produce different asphalt requirements for different project types.
Combined with Hillhouse Group’s technical and operational oversight, this gives customers confidence that asphalt supplied from Edinburgh Asphalt will be produced through a controlled process, with appropriate quality procedures and product support in place.
This will be supported by appropriate testing, quality procedures and technical oversight to help ensure the material supplied is suitable for its intended use.
Located at Soutra Mains Quarry, Edinburgh Asphalt is positioned to serve Edinburgh, Midlothian, the Lothians, the Borders and the wider east of Scotland.
The plant’s location, hot storage, loading arrangements and access to the local road network support efficient supply for both planned works and day-to-day customer demand.
Customer collections and haulage movements at Soutra Mains will be supported by defined quarry vehicle rules covering designated traffic routes, site speed limits, loading instructions, driver conduct, vehicle condition, load security and sheeting before vehicles leave the quarry. This helps support safe, organised and professional movement through the site.
Not every project has the same asphalt requirement. Edinburgh Asphalt customers will be able to access product guidance and technical support to help match material selection to the application, specification and working conditions.