Over 80 million tonnes of crushed stone extracted and sold, eight quarries and 146 employees – these figures characterise the three-and-a-half decades of operation of Colas Északkő Kft.. However, the company is much more than just a simple industrial player. Its products provide the raw materials for roads, bridges, railway lines and other infrastructure projects across the country. Our article on Based on Magyar Építők’s anniversary interview and feature.
The company’s area of operation stretches from the Danube Bend all the way to the Sárospatak region, and in the Tokaj-Hegyalja area, it also has a presence in Tállya, Tarcal, Bodrogkeresztúr and Sárospatak. These sites are key centres for the extraction and processing of volcanic rock in eastern Hungary.
A European-standard investment project has been completed in Tállya
To mark the anniversary, Zoltán Cseh, Managing Director, recalled that one of the most significant developments in the company’s history took place precisely at Tokaj-Hegyalja was realised.
Between 2020 and 2021, with an investment of nearly 11 million euros, the Tállya plant was completely refurbished and now operates using state-of-the-art technology even by European standards.
As part of the development, a new tertiary crushing technology, as well as a state-of-the-art finished product storage and dispatch system, were installed. One of the key outcomes of the investment is that the former processing plant, which had been operating close to the town’s residential area, has been closed down, thereby reducing the environmental impact.
Hungarian engineers and domestic suppliers were also involved in the implementation of the new technology, alongside French specialists from the Colas group.
The volcanic rock of Zemplén is of strategic importance
Colas Északkő primarily extracts and processes rocks of volcanic origin. These are used to produce the crushed stone that is essential for road, railway and other civil engineering projects.
According to the company, a key issue for the future of domestic infrastructure development is ensuring the long-term supply of high-quality construction materials. Zoltán Cseh believes that Hungary needs a comprehensive strategy for the management of its mineral resources, one that aligns available reserves with anticipated demand from the construction industry.
This may be particularly important in the case of projects such as the refurbishment of railway tracks or major transport infrastructure developments, which require significant quantities of high-quality crushed stone.
Fonthey also regard awareness-raising as a key factor
According to the company’s management, public perception of the mining industry is often one-sided, whilst the essential infrastructure of everyday life would be inconceivable without the minerals extracted.
For this reason, Északkő regularly welcomes groups of schoolchildren and university students, as well as trade visitors, to provide a closer look at how open-cast mining works and the role it plays.
The 35th anniversary is therefore not just about the history of a company, but also about the fact that Tokaj-Hegyalja and Zemplén’s volcanic rock resources continue to form an important foundation for developments in the Hungarian transport and construction sectors.
