QPANI was formed in 1998 and has been affiliated to the British mainland trade association Mineral Products Association since 2009. The MPA also has a subsidiary called the Quarry Products Association (QPA) on the mainland.
QPANI is the trade association for the mineral products sector in Northern Ireland with 87 members employing just over 5,000 people.
QPANI director Gordon Best said: “Our move from QPANI to MPANI was endorsed by our members as they believe the time is right to take this important step. The reference to minerals in our new title recognises the fact that our membership base is wide and varied across our industry in Northern Ireland representing the extraction and processing of hard rock, sand, salt, lime and chalk into products that support and sustain our quality of life. Importantly we are also recognised by government, both locally and centrally, as a minerals sector. We have an excellent working relationship with MPA, and indeed all MPA regions across the UK and with our colleagues in the Irish Mining & Quarries Society (IMQS) in the Republic of Ireland.”
MPA chief executive Nigel Jackson: “QPANI has been a valued and important member of both QPA and latterly MPA ensuring that our work is genuinely national taking account of issues across the UK. QPANI makes an important contribution to our policy thinking and are a professional and energetic association in their own right. We are absolutely delighted that they have decided to adopt the MPA name, which will strengthen the important ties between our two organisations.”
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