Home to two specific limestones - branded Cavendish and Caulfield - the quarry acquisition is a move that enables Burlington to provide an extended palette of natural stones that are native to Cumbria.

Serving to complement the company's existing five different colored stones that range from light and olive greens to silvers, blues, grays and blacks, the Baycliff limestone will form part of Burlington's architectural product offerings, as well as falling within Burlington's Aggregates and Secondary Products Division.

“We are all understandably excited about the acquisition,” said Managing Director Malcolm Hatch. “Not only are both types of limestone native to Baycliff quarry renowned for their technical properties, in particular how hard wearing they are, they have very tactile colorings and markings that complement our existing natural stones.”

Extraction of the limestone materials by Burlington has already begun, and end-use products are in the process of being fabricated at the company's main production facility in Kirkby-in-Furness.

Initially, production of limestone products will center on flooring, cladding, wall stone and crushed aggregates, the latter being used to satisfy demand within and around Cumbria. “By far, the biggest market for the two Baycliff limestones will be the architectural and specifier,” said Hatch. “To this end, we are developing an initial range of floor tiles. We have already identified a demand for limestone flooring products amongst our existing client base, and this emanates not only from the U.K. but across the globe.”

To satisfy expected demand, Burlington will initially launch floor tiles in both limestones and with a honed and flamed finish. Renowned for its hardness - making the limestone particularly suitable for heavily trafficked pedestrian areas - both Cavendish and Caulfield exhibit excellent all-round technical properties, lending the material suitable to both the interior and exterior environment, according to Burlington Slate.