International Women’s Day Takeover at Elstow Asphalt Plant

To mark International Women’s Day 2025, colleagues from across Tarmac came together to run a full operational “female takeover” at our Elstow asphalt and readymix plant. The event showcased the skills, leadership, and technical capability of women working across our business, while inspiring the next generation to consider careers in STEM and construction.

Context and Purpose

International Women’s Day (IWD), observed globally on 8 March, celebrates the social, economic, cultural, and political achievements of women. “Accelerate Action” was 2025’s theme, emphasising the need to drive meaningful progress on gender equality and greater visibility of women’s contributions.

At Tarmac, IWD is an important moment to:

· Celebrate the achievements of
women across the business
· Raise awareness of the experiences
of women in the workplace
· Demonstrate our ongoing commitment
to inclusion, equality, and opportunity
· Inspire future female talent to enter
and thrive in our sector

As Louise Houston, Head of Talent, Diversity and Inclusion, explained, “the day is an opportunity to celebrate achievements and ensure every colleague feels empowered to aim high and challenge stereotypes.”

The Elstow ‘Takeover’

On 27 February, an all‑female team took over the full operational running of both the readymix and asphalt plants at our Elstow site. Women from a range of teams and locations came together to lead site operations for the day, supported by colleagues across the business and coordinated by Tarmac’s Female Voice Community.

The group also hosted two school groups, giving students a close-up view of what happens behind the scenes at a live plant. From the control room to loading shovels, participants demonstrated the breadth of roles women hold across our sites, and the opportunities available to the next generation.

In Their Words – Highlights from the Day

The takeover created space for colleagues to reflect on their own career journeys and inspire others.

“We’ve taken over the readymix plant and the asphalt plant and run it for the day solely with women. We’ve had two wonderful schools in with fantastic students… It’s been amazing.”
Debbie Fowkes

“There are so many girls out there who could be interested in this industry — it’s all about exposure. When I was at school, I had no idea about the job opportunities here. Hopefully today inspires some of them to become the future of our company.”
Vanessa Saunders

One particularly memorable moment came when a student, initially hesitant, became inspired after meeting a female loading‑shovel driver. By the end of the day, she confidently shared an ambition to pursue that role in the future.

Looking Ahead

The Elstow takeover shows how powerful visibility and hands‑on experiences can be in inspiring future careers and fostering a more inclusive workforce. With strong enthusiasm from colleagues, students and the Female Voice Community, this event has laid the foundations for continuing initiatives that promote gender equality and support the next generation of talent.