The Mineral Products Association (MPA) has appointed Dr Diana Casey as Executive Director for Energy and Climate Change, including heading up the MPA’s product groups for Cement and Industrial Lime. She takes over from Dr Pal Chana, who continues to provide support as a Special Advisor to the MPA.

In her new position on the MPA’s Executive team Diana will play a key strategic role in the sector’s acceleration towards net zero carbon, advocating for better Government policy to support decarbonisation and facilitating the growth of a whole raft of innovations being implemented by MPA members.

Diana joined MPA in 2010 as Technical Advisor for Energy and Climate Change after completing a PhD in Sustainable Lime Mortars at the University of Bristol and two years working for the Environment Agency.

Her work for MPA has included analysis of data from UK cement plants, modelling the impact of climate change and environmental policy including the UK Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) and Renewable Energy policies, and playing a key role in industry projects such as the UK Concrete and Cement Industry Roadmap to Beyond Net Zero and the MPA Lime Net Negative 2040 Roadmap.

In 2022 Diana took on overall responsibility for the MPA Cement product group which covers environmental regulation, products and standards, energy and climate change and delivery of a range of Government funded innovation projects. In addition to her MPA responsibilities, Diana sits on the Board of the Emissions Trading Group and holds the position of Emissions Trading System Policy Chair.

Diana said: “It’s a great honour to join the MPA’s Executive team at such a critical time. Both the UK cement and lime industries have made solid decarbonisation progress through early action in fuel switching and energy efficiency. Now we’re moving into a new phase to decarbonise both sectors, involving the deployment of technologies including carbon capture, which will require enabling actions from Government and others. The journey towards net zero that we are now making will demonstrate what’s possible to other industries and other countries.”

Jon Prichard, Chief Executive of the MPA said: “I am delighted that Diana is joining our Executive team. She has already played a major role in our industry’s journey towards net zero and her promotion is further evidence of our commitment to take on – and overcome - the challenges posed by climate change. I would also like to thank Pal Chana for his work leading several key MPA product groups and functions over the past two decades and look forward to his continued involvement as a Special Advisor.”

Cement is a staple of the UK construction industry whilst industrial lime is used in countless processes from the manufacture of metals, glass, plastics and foods to the purification of drinking water, treatment of sewage and control of air pollution.  Both cement and lime are energy intensive to manufacture and MPA has developed clear and credible roadmaps for decarbonising both industries. This will be achieved through production innovations and the application of new technologies, as well as enabling actions from Government and other industry sectors.

ENDS

About the Mineral Products Association:

The Mineral Products Association (MPA) is the trade association for the aggregates, asphalt, cement, concrete, dimension stone, lime, mortar and industrial sand industries. With the merger of British Precast, and affiliation of the British Association of Reinforcement (BAR), the British Calcium Carbonate Federation, the Cement Admixtures Association (CAA), CONSTRUCT, Eurobitume, MPA Northern Ireland, MPA Scotland and the UK Quality Ash Association (UKQAA), it has a growing membership of 520 companies and is the sectoral voice for mineral products. MPA membership is made up of the vast majority of independent SME quarrying companies throughout the UK, as well as the 9 major international and global companies. It covers 100% of UK cement and lime production, 90% of GB aggregates production, 95% of asphalt and over 70% of ready-mixed concrete and precast concrete production. In 2018, the industry supplied £16 billion worth of materials and services to the Economy. It is also the largest supplier to the construction industry, which had annual output valued at £172 billion in 2018. Industry production represents the largest materials flow in the UK economy and is also one of the largest manufacturing sectors.

For media enquiries, contact Elizabeth Clements at: Elizabeth.Clements@mineralproducts.org