Since then, association membership has widened to include lime suppliers. Membership stands at more than 80 companies, which between them produce in excess of 70 percent of the aggregates and allied raw materials used in New Zealand.

The association was formed in response to the need for an industry group to represent aggregate suppliers on a range of issues. The association's principle aims include:

The association is an incorporated society, with councillors elected from member companies around New Zealand. Its national secretary works from its office in Wellington.

The organisation's technical committee is regarded as an impartial expert body, both within the industry and by users of aggregates. The committee is heavily involved with members' concerns, particularly as an adviser to regulatory bodies such as Transit New Zealand and local government.

Training and education are also key concerns of the association (which along with the Institute of Quarrying New Zealand branch and other extractive interest groups has formed an industry training organisation). The association promotes good environmental practices to its members as well as health and safety matters.

The association is recognised as an influential lobby group on matters affecting resource use and supply issues. On behalf of members it employs an industry advocate to monitor individual and industry concerns and respond accordingly.

Aggregate & Quarry Association members extract and process stone and other industrial mineral products which am essential to New Zealand’s community social and commercial activity.

The product range includes quarried and graded rock, marine sands and gravel for use in building construction, limestone for reading and fertilisers, and clays used in the manufacture of bricks, chinaware and pottery.

In the development of community infrastructure, quarry products are a key component in the building of homes, subdivisions, schools, shopping malls, factories and hospitals.

The supply of community water-storage and sewage treatment facilities, the generation and reticulation of power, and the provision of sporting and recreation venues all demand the ongoing availability of high quality, affordable stone and industrial mineral supplies.

Industry, both primary and secondary, relies heavily on quarry and aggregate resources. The forestry sector demands high volumes of roading aggregates, and the rural sector uses both quarried stone for farm tracks and limestone for fertiliser.

Secondary industry, including manufacturing, requires quarried aggregates for materials to support construction and maintenance of gas and water pipelines, wharf and marine facilities, airports, and road and rail networks.

The fastest growing sector in New Zealand’s economy, tourism relies on the ready availability of quarried products to complete tourist developments, hotel and motel accommodation and tourist route construction and maintenance.