Following hefty increases in insurance premiums for working their own mine at Machynlleth, Powys, Wincilate are considering ending production of their own slate, although they will continue to process Welsh slate bought from Alfred McAlpine.

John Lloyd, director of Wincilate, has signed an agreement to purchase more than 120 tonnes of slate a year in slab form from the McAlpine business Welsh Slate Ltd of a size and quality to produce memorials.

For now, the Heather Blue and Ffestiniog Blue Grey Welsh slates will complement Wincilate\'s own material, mined at Aberllefenni Slate Quarries, where Wincilate also process the slate as memorials and specialist architectural products such as cills and copings. But John Lloyd says mining might have to come to an end.

Wincilate are geared up to satisfy special, one-off orders and small runs, as well as larger orders, and say that the high quality standards to which they have always worked will be maintained.

John Lloyd says buying in slate will ensure Wincilate can continue to meet the needs of their customers for purpose-made architectural and memorial products.