ABE Mar-Apr 2020

EUROPE

MARCH/APRIL 2020 | VOL.14 ISSUE NO.2 | www.AggBusiness.com

A breaker production bounce PONSI BLY

RE

R

•

INTERVIEW Krzysztof Suchorz: Lafarge’s executive VP in Poland p08

F OO T P R

ON RB

PR TO

Q PROFILE Caterpillar Job Site Solutions at major European quarry p45

A

•

WEIGHING Big new payload management software partnership with top OEM p32

T

RES

IN

ED

I N T E D & PO S

T

Benefits of using a premium breaker in Italian limestone quarrying p28

DUCE OU

C

A WIRTGEN GROUP COMPANY

PRODUCTIVE. NO IFS OR BUTS. THE PRO-LINE FROM KLEEMANN

MC PRO

MCO PRO

WHEN FLEXIBILITY AND HIGH PERFORMANCE ARE PARAMOUNT. The MOBICAT MC 120 Z PRO mobile jaw crusher and the MOBICONE MCO 11 PRO mobile cone crusher are exactly what you need – perfectly combined with the mobile screening plants from KLEEMANN. Their high production output and low-maintenance operation make them a real alternative to stationary solutions. The PRO-Line from KLEEMANN: Power packs for the quarry. www.kleemann.info/pro

KLEEMANN GmbH · Manfred-Wörner-Str. 160 · D-73037 Göppingen · T: +49 71 61 / 206 0

CONTENTS

CRUSHING & SCREENING

Hillhead postponed for 12 months; Manufacturers demand a moratorium on Stage V engine deadlines

13 ASSOCIATION NEWS UEPG response to the Covid-19 pandemic

15 LEGAL UPDATE The legal implications of Covid-19

48 EQUIPMENT UPDATE Global OEMs’ new equipment launches and applications

A breaker production bounce Benefi

ts of using a premi um breaker in Italian limest one quarrying

All the key events in the quarrying & aggregates world

How screening buckets are being used to turn quarry waste into money

22 LOADING A top quarrying and construction sector excavator manufacturer’s big alternative fuel project

25 HAULING New haulers and hauling product solutions are helping quarry operators to increase the productivity of their sites

28 DRILL RIGS, HAMMERS & BREAKERS Leading global market manufacturers showcase new models and growth plans at CONEXPO-CON/AGG 2020

32 WEIGHING Accurate and efficient payload management systems can save your quarrying business big money

www.AggBusiness.com

LY

F OO T P R I

•

ED & P

Major new water processing and management plant launches for 2020

INTERVIEW Krzysztof Suchorz: Lafarge’s executive VP in Poland p06

Q PROFILE Caterpillar Job Site Solutions at major European quarry p17

ABE MA2020 Cover.indd 1

The importance of screening media is apparent when appraising the new products on the market

39 CONCRETE PLANT

25

Popular for many years in Western Europe and North America, quarrying machine rebuilds are now showing growth in Russia, Africa and the Middle East

Specials

37

08 INTERVIEW Krzysztof Suchorz, Lafarge’s executive VP and aggregates product line director in Poland, discusses current and likely future trends within the vibrant Polish building materials supply sector

16 RUSSIAN AGGREGATES SHORTAGE? Russia faces a potential aggregates shortage just when delayed key infrastructure projects are restarting

39

43 MARKET REPORT Harsh conditions in the Italian aggregates and quarrying equipment sectors

45 QUARRY PROFILE Lafarge’s Kujawy Quarry in Poland is achieving notable machine performance and efficiency gains thanks to its Caterpillar Job Site Solutions programme

DUCE OUR

CA

20/04/2020 15:06:32

37 SCREENING MEDIA

A premium concrete mixing plant is being used in the construction of what is claimed to be the world’s largest lock in the port city of Ijmuiden near Amsterdam

RE

WEIGHING Big new payload management software partnership with top OEM p43

Features 19 CRUSHING & SCREENING

P ON S I B

R INT

O

COVER STORY: An Indeco HP 9000 FS breaker at work at Ceglie Messapica limestone quarry in Puglia, Italy

41 REMANUFACTURING 50 EVENTS

RES

OS

D TE

NT

p36

35 WASHING – PART 1 06 NEWS

| www.AggBusiness.com

T

Think Poland when it comes to aggregates demand growth

| VOL.14 ISSUE NO.2

ON

05 COMMENT

MARCH/APRIL 2020

•P

Regulars

EUROPE

RB

Vol.14 ISSUE No.2 March/April 2020

“At a quarry in Italy, MB Crusher claims to have provided a method of fully exploiting waste and turning it into a duces resource that produces ” p19 wealth and value”

48 AGGREGATES BUSINESS EUROPE March/April 2020

03

HM300-5 ARTICULATED DUMP TRUCK ENGINE POWER 248 kW / 332 HP BODY CAPACITY, HEAPED 17,1 m³ MAX. PAYLOAD 28 ton Get a better grip Designed for complete control even in the worst ground conditions, the Komatsu Dash 5 ADTs feature the exclusive Komatsu Traction Control System (KTCS). Truly self-operating and intelligent, KTCS monitors wheel speed to determine optimal machine performance. It automatically sends more power to the wheels with the best grip on the ground, and gives your truck unbeatable traction and increased driving safety and comfort.

WWW.KOMATSU.EU Komatsu Europe International N.V. · Mechelsesteenweg 586 · B-1800 Vilvoorde · Belgium

All rights reserved

COMMENT

HEAD OFFICE EDITOR: Guy Woodford ASSISTANT EDITOR: Liam McLoughlin CONTRIBUTING EDITORS: Patrick Smith, Dan Gilkes EQUIPMENT EDITOR: Mike Woof DESIGNERS: Simon Ward, Andy Taylder, Stephen Poulton PRODUCTION MANAGER: Nick Bond OFFICE MANAGER: Kelly Thompson CIRCULATION & DATABASE MANAGER: Charmaine Douglas INTERNET, IT & DATA SERVICES DIRECTOR: James Howard WEB ADMINISTRATORS: Sarah Biswell, Tatyana Mechkarova MANAGING DIRECTOR: Andrew Barriball PUBLISHER: Geoff Hadwick CHAIRMAN: Roger Adshead

ADDRESS Route One Publishing Ltd, Waterbridge Court, 50 Spital Street, Dartford, Kent DA1 2DT, UK TEL: +44 (0) 1322 612055 FAX: +44 (0) 1322 788063 EMAIL: [initialsurname]@ropl.com (psmith@ropl.com) ADVERTISEMENT SALES SALES DIRECTOR:

Philip Woodgate TEL: +44 (0) 1322 612067 EMAIL: pwoodgate@ropl.com Dan Emmerson TEL: +44 (0) 1322 612068 EMAIL: demmerson@ropl.com Graeme McQueen TEL: +44 (0) 1322 612069 EMAIL: gmcqueen@ropl.com SUBSCRIPTION / READER ENQUIRY SERVICE Aggregates Business International is available on subscription. Email subs@ropl.com for further details. Subscription records are maintained at Route One Publishing Ltd. SUBSCRIPTION / READER ENQUIRIES TO:

Data, Route One Publishing Ltd, Waterbridge Court, 50 Spital Street, Dartford, Kent DA1 2DT, UK TEL: +44 (0) 1322 612079 FAX: +44 (0) 1322 788063 EMAIL: data@ropl.com

No part of this publication may be reproduced in any form whatsoever without the express written permission of the publisher. Contributors are encouraged to express their personal and professional opinions in this publication, and accordingly views expressed herein are not necessarily the views of Route One Publishing Ltd. From time to time statements and claims are made by the manufacturers and their representatives in respect of their products and services. Whilst reasonable steps are taken to check their accuracy at the time of going to press, the publisher cannot be held liable for their validity and accuracy.

PUBLISHED BY

© Route One Publishing Ltd 2020 AGGREGATES BUSINESS EUROPE USPS:

is published six times a year. Airfreight and mailing in the USA by agent named WN Shipping USA, 156-15, 146th Avenue, 2nd Floor, Jamaica, NY 11434, USA. PERIODICALS POSTAGE PAID AT BROOKLYN, NY 11256 US POSTMASTER: Send address changes to

Aggregates Business Europe, WN Shipping USA, 156-15, 146th Avenue, 2nd Floor, Jamaica, NY 11434, USA Air Business Ltd is acting as our mailing agent PRINT: ISSN 2051-5766 ONLINE: ISSN 2057-3405

PRINTED BY: Warners (Midlands) PLC Facebook @AggBusiness

EDITOR Think Poland when it comes to aggregates demand growth

I

have been keeping a close eye on the lively Polish aggregates sector for some time. The country has experienced a demand boom, with 2018 production of 330 million tonnes a national record. The Central European nation’s sky-high aggregates demand has been primarily fuelled by some significant infrastructure works co-financed by the EU, such as the S5 Expressway linking Ostróda, Grudziądz and Bydgoszcz in northern Poland with PoznaĔ and Wrocław in the west of the country.

Polish quarrying market experts, such as Jaroslaw Wojtanowski, of Caterpillar’s Polish dealer, Bergerat Monnoyeur, predict that 2019 aggregates demand will only have been down around 5% on 2018. Still, Wojtanowski does see an end to big national infrastructure projects leading to the market stabilising at about 240 million tonnes a year over the next five years.

Given the health of current Polish aggregates demand, my trip with Caterpillar in February to Lafarge’s Kujawy Quarry near Inowrocław, in north-central Poland, was well-timed. Poland’s biggest quarry, the Kujawy site is seven kilometres long, with an annual production of its limestone aggregates-based products at 7.5-8 million tonnes. You can read my report on how this quarry benefits from the use of Cat Job Site Solutions with its large Caterpillar machine fleet in this issue’s Quarry Profile.

During my trip to Kujawy Quarry I also got the opportunity to interview Krzysztof Suchorz, Lafarge’s executive vice president and aggregates product line director in Poland.

One of the country’s most prominent building materials suppliers, Suchorz highlighted Lafarge’s wide-ranging efforts to minimise the environmental footprint of its near 50 Polish operating sites. This includes extensive

rehabilitation of old quarry site deposits and use of alternative fuel sources, including recycled municipal waste, in between 80-90% of all the energy used in most of the company’s cement production. During one recent yearlong period, Lafarge returned more than 200 hectares of Polish quarried land to farming use and forestry.

Speaking to Aggregates Business in this issue’s management executive interview, Suchorz says Lafarge is keen to be seen as an innovator in Poland. He is pleased with customers’ interest in the firm’s new products, such as Airium, a very light cementbased mineral foam that is ideal for top tile insulation. The company is in the process of finishing the development phase of its new low CO2 concrete, to be produced at Lafarge’s Polish plants.

This issue of ABE also includes a Market Report feature on aggregates demand in Italy. As I write this column, the country has been the worst affected by the coronavirus pandemic in Europe by far. It has forced the delay of the keenly anticipated SaMoTerAsphaltica exhibitions until 21-25 October 2020 and left the nation’s building materials and construction and quarrying equipment industries unable to plan their trading approach with any degree of certainty.

However, after the coronavirus is eventually defeated in Europe and the rest of the world, Italy will remain home to some of the continent’s most innovative quarrying businesses. I have had the personal good fortune to visit and learn from some of those businesses over the last five-and-a-half-years as editor of this magazine. I look forward to visiting several more upon the return of more certain times. GW

gwoodford@ropl.com

Readers of Aggregates Business Europe can now also enjoy browsing on our magazine’s exciting new website, updated every weekday with all the latest news on the European and wider global aggregates industry. Fully viewable on smartphones, tablets, laptops and PCs, the easy-to-use website also includes exclusive web-only features and video content, making it the go-to tool for aggregates sector professionals.

LinkedIn Aggregates Business Magazine

Twitter @Agg_Business

AGGREGATES BUSINESS EUROPE March/April 2020

05

NEWS

TEREX CREATES NEW PROSTACK BUSINESS FOR BULK-HANDLING SOLUTIONS Terex has created a new brand, called ProStack, to offer products addressing the needs of the bulk material handling and productstockpiling markets.

The company says that key markets and applications that will be served by ProStack include aggregates, mining, recycling, agriculture, ports & terminals and many other bulk-material handling industries.

Terex chairman and CEO John Garrison (left) and Terex Materials Processing president Kieran Hegarty The ProStack launch portfolio consists of Terex’s bulk reception feeder range and its telescopic conveyor range, both designed to include a range of options to tailor these machines to meet customer demands.

Terex Materials Processing president Kieran Hegarty said Terex’s Fuchs materialhandlers business is developing and its products are now being used in river and sea terminals.

He added that the ProStack brand has been created as there is an opportunity for Terex to leverage some of its product knowledge and the distribution channels it has to further develop its presence in bulk-material handling and product stockpiling.

The new brand’s products will compete with bulkhandling equipment from suppliers such as Thor, Astec, Saxlund and Superior Industries.

06

Hillhead postponed for 12 months D ue to the ongoing coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, the 2020 staging of major UK quarrying equipment exhibition Hillhead is being postponed until 22-24 June 2021.

The popular bi-annual event at the former Tarmac Hillhead Quarry in Buxton, Derbyshire, central England, had once again been expecting to welcome thousands of attendees keen to see the latest plant and technology from the world’s leading quarrying-equipment manufacturers.

Richard Bradbury, Hillhead’s director, said: “The health and safety of exhibitors, visitors, contractors and employees is our number one priority and with the peak of the epidemic predicted to coincide with the show in June, this would be severely compromised.

“Following an extensive consultation process, the decision has been taken to delay the event by a year to allow market conditions to stabilise and to best support the construction and quarrying industry during this challenging period.”

Also, following industry consultation, the Plantworx construction and quarryingequipment exhibition – previously

Crowds in and around the JCB stand at Hillhead 2018

scheduled for next year – will be put back a year.

Rob Oliver, chief executive of the Construction Equipment Association, said: “Whilst we are, of course, reluctant to change our plans for Plantworx 2021, these are

Manufacturers demand moratorium on Stage V engine deadlines Associations representing the European non-road mobile machinery sector have called on the EU to adopt swift measures in response to disruptions caused by the COVID19 pandemic.

In particular they want compliance deadlines for the manufacture of Stage V off-road engines to be temporarily suspended.

In a joint letter sent on 25 March to the European Commission CECE, CEMA, EGMF, EUnited Municipal Equipment & Cleaning, Europgen and FEM asked for a moratorium on the application of 2020 and 2021 deadlines listed in Regulation 2016/1628/EU on exhaust emissions for NRMM (non-road mobile machinery) and 2018/985/ EU for agricultural vehicles.

“The situation is critical,” said Riccardo Viaggi, secretary general of European construction machinery manufacturers association CECE. “A temporary moratorium must be granted, with deadlines postponed until the situation can be reassessed. Neutral from an environmental point of view, the measure would prevent further economic damage caused by the COVID-19 pandemic to our manufacturing industries and the jobs

AGGREGATES BUSINESS EUROPE March/April 2020

unprecedented times. In the interests of both our sets of exhibitors and the industry as a whole, we will shortly announce our new dates for the next Plantworx in June 2022 at our Peterborough [Eastern England] home.”

CECE secretary general Riccardo Viaggi has called for a temporary moratorium on Stage V engine deadlines

that depend on them.”

According to the regulation, 2020 is the transition phase for Stage V engines in power ranges <56kW and ≥130kW and 2021 will be the transition phase for power ranges from 56kW to 130kW. Complying with the regulation’s deadlines, manufacturing and procurement of transition engines have been completed. Machine manufacturers have now until 30th June 2020 to produce the <56kW and ≥130kW machines fitted with these transition engines, and then until 31st December 2020 to place these machines on the EU market. Identical deadlines apply in 2021 for machines in power ranges from 56kW to 130kW.

www.AggBusiness.com

NEWS

HeidelbergCement researches use of climateneutral fuels in the UK HeidelbergCement’s British business, Hanson UK, is taking part in a research project on the use of climate-neutral fuels for cement production.

The study will investigate the potential to reduce carbon emissions by switching from fossil fuels to hydrogen and plasma technology.

The research project has been coordinated by UK industry body the Mineral Products Association (MPA) and is funded by a £3.2 million award from the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS).

Cement production using hydrogen and biomass fuels on an industrial scale will be demonstrated

at Hanson UK’s Ribblesdale cement plant. The research results will then be shared across the industry to maximise the environmental benefit of the technology.

Simon Willis, CEO of Hanson UK, said: “Cutting CO2 emissions is a key priority for us, and we are delighted to be playing a leading role in this project.

“We have been very effective across the group in reducing our CO2 emissions, partly through the steadily increasing use of alternative fuels,” said Dr Dominik von Achten, CEO of HeidelbergCement. “In addition to our activities in the field of carbon capture, use and storage, this project in the United Kingdom is

an important step towards realising our vision of producing CO2-neutral concrete by 2050.”

Headquartered in Heidelberg, Germany, HeidelbergCement aims to reduce its specific net CO2 emissions per tonne of cement by 30% compared to 1990 by 2030.

This target has been approved by the Science-Based Target initiative (SBTi) and is in line with the goals of the Paris Agreement, making HeidelbergCement the first cement company worldwide to have approved science-based CO2 reduction targets. In 2018, the reduction achieved was around 20 %; in 2019, it was already around 22%.

SaMoTer announces rescheduled date S aMoTer will now be held on 21-25 October 2020 in the wake of the impact of the COVID-19 virus.

This is the second rescheduling of the date for the international construction equipment trade fair (and its co-located event Aspahaltica), which takes place every three years in Verona, northern Italy.

It was originally diaried for 21-25 March, but in February organisers issued a notice that the event would be moved to May 16-20. This has now been moved back again to the new October date amid the ongoing impact of the COVID-19 virus.

SaMoTer and Asphaltica, the bitumen & road infrastructure sector event, have been re-scheduled to Wednesday 21-Sunday 25 October 2020 on the

www.AggBusiness.com

NEW EPIROC CEO TAKES OFFICE Helena Hedblom has started her role as the president and CEO of Epiroc, effective March 1.

She replaces Per Lindberg, who decided to leave his position after having successfully established Epiroc as a listed company.

Hedblom’s appointment was announced by the Sweden-based drilling and rock excavation equipment manufacturer last November.

She was previously senior executive vice president mining and infrastructure and is a member of Epiroc group management. She is a member of the boards of directors of IPCO AB and the Swedish Association of Mines, Mineral and Metal Producers (Svemin). She has an M.Sc. in Material Technology from the Royal Institute of Technology, Stockholm, Sweden.

“Helena has a strong business focus, an in-depth knowledge of the business and is an appreciated leader who is living and breathing the Epiroc values,” said Ronnie Leten, chair of Epiroc’s board of directors.

“As head of the mining and infrastructure business she has grown the business with increased earnings and a focus on strengthening productivity, safety and efficiency for customers.”

In addition to stepping down as president and CEO, Per Lindberg has also resigned from the Epiroc board of directors.

Veronafiere site, together with ICCX Southern Europe, the precast exhibition conference.

These events will now be held alongside Oil&nonOil, the energy, fuel and mobility services trade fair scheduled for 21-23 October.

Giovanni Mantovani, CEO of Veronafiere, commented: “We continue to monitor the scenario, together with the steering committee involving companies, partners and associations such as Unacea and Siteb which co-organises Asphaltica with us.

“The new postponement agreed upon is consequently the result of real-time listening to the market and careful assessments.”

AGGREGATES BUSINESS EUROPE March/April 2020

07

KRZYSZTOF SUCHORZ

INTERVIEW

Lafarge eyes long-running Polish success story Demand for aggregates, cement and other construction materials has been rising in Poland over the last couple of years largely thanks to partially EU-funded transport and other infrastructure projects.

Lafarge’s Poland business has been among the major domestic players that have benefited from this. Guy Woodford caught up with Lafarge’s executive vice president and aggregates product line director in Poland, Krzysztof Suchorz, to find out more about the current and likely future trends within the Polish building materials supply sector

08

AGGREGATES BUSINESS EUROPE March/April 2020

www.AggBusiness.com

INTERVIEW

keen runner who has already completed the Boston, Tromso and Berlin marathons and plans to tackle the London, New York, Chicago and Tokyo marathons in the next couple of years, Krzysztof Suchorz is up between 5am and 6am most days to go for a run prior to his drive to work to his senior management role at Lafarge in Poland.

“Running helps my focus a lot. It gives you a lot of time to think and it prepares me for my working day. Completing a marathon is an achievement that gives you self-confidence,” says Suchorz, speaking to Aggregates Business Europe magazine at Lafarge’s huge Kujawy limestone quarry, near Inowrocław, an industrial city in north-central Poland.

Originally from the northern Poland coastal city of Gdansk, 51-year-old Suchorz has had plenty of positive things to think about on his morning runs during the last two years, as strong building materials demand in Poland has translated into encouraging national sales for Lafarge.

Lafarge, now itself half of French-Swiss global heavyweight LafargeHolcim, began operating in Poland in 1995. Currently Poland’s second-largest cement producer, the company has around 50 facilities in the country. These include 30 concreteproduction sites, 14 active quarries, two large cement plants, a marine import terminal and three rail sidings, the latter connecting quarries with building materials supply to major Polish cities. Employing around 1,500 staff in Poland plus a significant number of contractors and their employees, Lafarge has a 21.8% market share of the Polish cement market. The firm also has a 10-12% share of the national aggregates market, and an 8% share of Polish concrete product sales.

“Building material demand strongly

A

depends on economic cycles. Over the last two years Poland has seen stable growth leading to a four per cent rise in GDP [gross domestic product] in both years. This has led to continued expansion of residential, commercial and infrastructure development,” explains Suchorz. “The next EU budget will provide further financial support for infrastructure projects in countries including Poland. This will help fund big projects such as the A2 motorway, east of Warsaw, the S5 expressway connecting Bydgoszcz and Poznan, in western Poland, and the western extension of the S6 Tri-city bypass connecting Gdansk, Sopot and Gdynia with Lębork.

I hope the coronavirus will not halt their implementation.

“We expect Polish aggregates demand to remain strong until 2022, with a slight

ABOVE: Krzysztof Suchorz (right) completing the 10K Grand Prix in Gdynia, northern Poland, in February 2020 decrease of around five-10 million tonnes after that. Annual aggregates demand in Poland will then stabilise at around 165 million tonnes. There will still be a lot of more local roads to be built and some ongoing big railways projects requiring building materials will also continue.”

Asked how Lafarge stands out from its Polish market competitors, Suchorz says the company was seeking to be a “truly trusted adviser” and “innovative in what is quite a conservative industry”. He says this means the firm needs to deliver its products and solutions better, faster and more efficiently to its customers.

Rehabilitation of a Sepólno Quarry gravel pit

www.AggBusiness.com

AGGREGATES BUSINESS EUROPE March/April 2020

09

INTERVIEW

The eye-catching rehabilitation of Lafarge’s Świerki Quarry

“In 2017, we started the LafargeHolcim Engineering Company (LHE) in Poland to better serve infrastructure sectors. It offers complete services, from design to construction and repairs. It’s delivering our products and concrete solutions to the country’s biggest infrastructure projects.

LafargeHolcim operations in other countries are interested in LHE’s development and success.”

Focusing on Lafarge’s popular product range for Polish customers, Suchorz says: “Our cement quality is homogenous and reputable. Last year, we launched iX, a special screed material. It is selling quite well among our network of building material wholesalers and do-it-yourselfers. We want to reduce our carbon footprint in our products. We are implementing a lot of new things on the concrete side of our business. We are finishing the development phase of our new low CO2 concrete, which will be produced at our plants in Poland. This year, we are also launching Airium, a very light cement-based mineral foam that is ideal for top tile insulation. It has been developed at the LafargeHolcim technical centre in Lyon, France. This is part of our sustainable development strategy.

“We have a full portfolio of in-spec aggregate material products. We offer sand, regular and hard gravel, dolomite, and basaltbased products sourced from our quarries. We

10

AGGREGATES BUSINESS EUROPE March/April 2020

also import granite from Scotland and other material from Ukraine. Our fastest salesgrowing aggregate is our ground carbonate calcium (GCC) which is used in roadbuilding and agriculture applications.”

Suchorz says Lafarge also develops products for the Polish chemical and agricultural industries such as limestone filler and fertiliser. Limestone fertiliser is widely used in the agriculture sector for soil treatment after harvesting. The Polish government has started paying farmers to use limestone fertiliser and it has become Lafarge’s fastest-growing Polish sales product, with more than 500,000 tonnes sold last year.

The company has just received its GMP+ (good manufacturing practices) certification for its limestone filler to be sold as a blend for animal feed. The very strict certification procedure meant the firm had to make a couple of adjustments to its production plants to enable it to increase production of limestone filler and fertiliser.

“My aim is to increase the percentage of our constantly-in-need product range, such as our limestone filler and fertiliser,” explains Suchorz. “This will ensure we have a more sustainable business, one that is not dependent on the fluctuations of the construction and infrastructure project markets.”

Suchorz highlights that environmental

protection is a major consideration in all Lafarge’s Polish working practices. Alternative fuel sources account for 80% of all energy used in most of the company’s cement production, and up to 90% of energy used in Kujawy’s state-of-the-art cement plant. The firm collects thousands of tonnes of municipal waste and recycles it to use as energy to power its various sites.

Suchorz notes that in the one-year period of 2017-2018 alone, Lafarge returned more than 200 hectares of Polish quarried land back to farming use and forestry. During 25 years in Poland, the company has already restored 1,102 hectares. These practices, he explains, help ensure that Lafarge’s Poland operations have the minimum impact on the area surrounding each of the company’s facilities.

“We use 60-65 hectares of land for our gravel production operations every year and aim to give back the same amount. We have a very good relationship with the agricultural industry as we have been rehabilitating used gravel deposits for years. In some instances, we have worked on hilly gravel-reach land and been able to return it flattened and much more suited to farming cultivation.

“Last year, we completed a state-of-theart rehabilitation of an old quarry deposit at our 2.3 million tonnes a year Radkowice dolomite quarry in south-east Poland. We stopped pumping water out and created

www.AggBusiness.com

INTERVIEW

a very nice 28-hectare lake, under strict supervision of local mining authorities. We have also planted more than 4,000 trees in the lake’s surroundings.

“We also helped turn an old quarry deposit here at Kujawy into a big diving centre. The diving centre opened in 2011 and people come from all over Poland as it has 15 metres of visibility. It remains a unique site in Poland.”

Suchorz says demonstrating environmental best practice also helps Lafarge secure further contracts in Poland.

“Two weeks ago, for example, we won the tender to use 208 hectares of a forest near Sepólno Quarry (Sepólno) in northern Poland as a gravel pit for the next 15 years. It shows the strong and trusting relationship we have built with the forestry authorities.

“Climate change and sustainability will further change the way companies like ours operate, as will AI [artificial intelligence].

That will lead to greater use of autonomous machines in areas with the greatest health and safety risk to workers.

“We want to use more and more recycled material in not only our sub-base products but also our concrete. There is a target in Poland for at least five per cent of aggregates products produced each year to be recycled aggregates by 2030. I also think that more building materials production levies across

www.AggBusiness.com

Europe and further afield will also grow and be more common. This means that recycled material will need to be used more and more.”

Lafarge has a long history of investing in premium quarry machine fleets. In Poland, this enables the company to optimise production and efficiency at each of its Polish facilities and gain high-level machineservicing support.

“At Kujawy, we have just invested in a new Caterpillar 988K XE [high-efficiency electric drive] wheeled loader as part of our environmental protection commitment,” says Suchorz. “The purchase came after I sent three of our wheeled loader operators to the UK to operate this machine in a quarry, as I was really keen to buy these kind of hybrid machines for our operators. They use seven litres less fuel an hour compared to a traditional wheeled loader model. When you equate it to daily working hours, it works out as a lot of money saved if you introduce these kinds of wheeled loaders to all our site fleets.

“Last year for our gravel pit at Sepólno we built a 2.5-kilometre high-speed conveyor connecting our existing deposit to our processing plants. Before that, we had been using hauling trucks to take the material to the plants. The new conveyor is good for the local environment and will save us the cost of 128,000 litres of fuel a year.”

Suchorz says machine-operating systems from Caterpillar, such as ProductLink and VisionLink, and those offered by other top-tier manufacturers are now basic work tools for Lafarge in Poland. He and his management colleagues in Lafarge’s Polish business do not find it a complicated process to access machine data and analyse it. The company also uses drone-based technology at its quarries via its own geological services division to help manage stockpile inventory and flag up any issues on an operating site, such as uneven haul roads.

Suchorz is also keen to emphasise the importance Lafarge’s Polish business

places in training its machine operators and maintaining high operator standards.

A former manager at UK-headquartered building materials suppliers Foster Yeoman Limited and Aggregate Industries, establishing and developing for the former highly successful businesses in Poland and Latvia, Suchorz took up his senior roles at Lafarge in 2016, following the Lafarge Holcim megamerger.

“When I started in this industry in the mid-1990s I remember having to work as a one-man band. At times I was operating a Cat 950F2 loading machine in my suit after coming back from customer sales visits.

Now I am in management and have in the aggregates element alone of Lafarge in Poland around 50 people working in the team.”

Commenting on his leadership style and future goals, Suchorz says: “I think it is important to build up your team, encourage cooperation and identify your successors. I aim to instil an entrepreneurial spirit and get my team to always think what is best for the company. As Steve Jobs [Apple co-founder] said: ‘It doesn’t make sense to hire smart people and tell them what to do; we hire smart people so they can tell us what to do.

“I also want to maintain Lafarge’s Poland market growth through innovation and expanding our existing footprint through bolt-on acquisitions for our aggregates and ready-mixed concrete operations.

“There has been a new approach to infrastructure projects in Poland in recent years that encourages the use of single design-build-operate contractors who use new building materials and solutions. This places all the responsibility on contractors but also offers big commercial opportunities.

As such, we are encouraging our customers to use more and more of our innovative products and services.”

For marathon man Suchorz, there is more distance left to run before Lafarge reaches its full Polish market potential. AB

Krzysztof Suchorz (second right) taking part in the 2019 staging of Barbórka, the feast day of St. Barbara, patron saint of Polish miners

AGGREGATES BUSINESS EUROPE March/April 2020

11

ASSOCIATION NEWS

UEPG role in helping to tackle the COVID-19 pandemic UEPG (the European Aggregates Association) is championing the needs of the continent’s mineral products sector in its continuing dialogue with EU decision-makers during the COVID-19 crisis

T

he current COVID-19 crisis already has and will continue to have an unprecedented impact on our way of life and economy. UEPG has been contacted by the European Commission to qualify and quantify the impact of COVID-19 on the European aggregates industry. Therefore, UEPG decided to interview each of its 23 national member associations across Europe and to act not only during the COVID-19 crisis, but also to prepare now for the subsequent economic recovery.

Lhoist Group, a leading global supplier of lime, dolime and minerals, has donated googles and other protective equipment to hospitals as part of the European mineral products sector’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic - pics: Lhoist

Background EU member states and regions in Europe have taken different steps and measures in response to COVID-19. This includes restrictions on the movement of people, repatriation of EU citizens to their home country, closing schools, encouraging telework where possible, offering flexibility on reduced working hours and financial support for companies. The European Commission has offered to suspend the EURO-stability criteria on public debts allowing members to help their economies with large financial packages and state aid.

Stay tuned – a dedicated UEPG COVID-19 website UEPG is gathering and publishing the different measures and support programmes taken by national governments on a dedicated website. This will give members an overall picture of the situation in Europe and allow them to refer to ‘best practice’ examples from other countries.

UEPG members have already indicated that companies’ highest priority is the health and safety of their employees and making sure they contribute to the containment of the coronavirus. Economic activities and the supply chain should be maintained, if feasible.

More attention should be given to financial state aid for companies which have had to close down or stop production due to low demand. None of the current measures should prevent companies restarting their operations once circumstances allow.

The UEPG General Secretariat will continually update the website on a permanent basis and we will be in contact with national associations and European policymakers.

Beyond Europe, UEPG is also in contact with other regions of the world through the Global Aggregates Information Network (GAIN). Some lessons could be learned from the experience of companies in South Korea and China.

www.AggBusiness.com

UEPG signs declaration of the European Construction Industry UEPG, together with several European construction sector associations, calls for urgent measures to protect workers’ health, support economic activity and accelerate the recovery after the COVID-19 crisis. As representatives of key raw material producers for the construction sector, the European Aggregates Industry joined a declaration addressed to European policymakers.

With this paper, the industry pledges to maintain the wellbeing of its workers at the heart of every decision. Secondly, the effects of the current crisis might be felt for years and millions of SMEs (small and medium enterprises) are already affected. This is why EU institutions as well as governments need to act to protect the economy. Finally, a quick recovery after the crisis will be necessary to help a key sector get back on its feet, and for this reason we need the support of decisionmakers at national and EU level. AB AGGREGATES BUSINESS EUROPE March April 2020

13

Add silence

A world with less noise is a better world. So now we proudly present our new compact electric construction machines, L25 & ECR25. They are here to Add Silence.

For more information and prebooking: www.volvoce.com/electromobility

LEGAL UPDATE

LEGAL IMPLICATIONS OF COVID-19 The full effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on aggregates businesses are not yet clear.

However, two issues where it is prudent to seek legal advice are contracts and employment law. Employment and commercial law experts from law firm Stephens Scown LLP address some issues to consider.

OVID-19 emerged in China towards the end of 2019 and is now spreading in many other countries around the world, with Europe particularly badly affected.

The World Health Organisation declared that COVID-19 was a pandemic on 11 March.

At the time of writing, several countries had instigated a ‘lock-down’, closing schools and asking people to stay at home, as well as introducing travel bans, in an effort to halt the spread of the virus.

The pandemic is likely to affect aggregates businesses in a variety of ways. Travel restrictions and personnel issues may affect business operations. In addition, the global supply chain is likely to be affected by manufacturing shutdowns in China and other countries affected by COVID-19.

This is a fast-moving situation and is up to date at the time of writing (15 March 2020).

This article is based on English law, although many of the issues will be similar in different jurisdictions.

C

What happens if your contracts are affected?

Tim Lane, a solicitor in the corporate team at Stephens Scown, explains the issues.

It is likely that travel restrictions, personnel issues and emergency regulations will impact obligations under high-value commercial contracts. It is important to check contractual terms if obligations are unmet because of coronavirus.

• Exclusion clauses: Check each party’s liabilities under contract – do the circumstances explicitly excuse performance of contractual obligations?

Alternatively, exclusion clauses may trigger pricing modifications, renegotiation, or dispute resolution. To rely on an exclusion clause, be sure that the event (Coronavirus, for example) is covered by the clause, and that non-performance was due to that event.

• Force majeure clauses: These clauses cover unforeseen events impacting a contractual party. The party affected by the event is excused from, or can suspend, performance of some or all of its obligations under the contract. It is important to establish if the event falls within the clause, and if non-compliance was caused by the event.

Force majeure events are usually extreme, and not caused by either party; they also usually

www.AggBusiness.com

Verity Slater of Stephens Scown require the event to have been unforeseeable, so a party relying on force majeure needs to prove that this was the case.

• Frustrated contracts: If Coronavirus makes it commercially impossible to fulfil a contract, the contract may be “frustrated”. This may provide recourse to the party seeking to rely on the event, as contracts are automatically discharged by frustrating events and parties are no longer bound to perform their obligations.

A party seeking to justify non-performance needs to ensure that they have met the relevant criteria. Assuming that a contractual obligation has been excused is risky, so legal advice should be sought.

Employment considerations Verity Slater, partner in the employment team at Stephens Scown, outlines the issues for employers.

Tim Lane of Stephens Scown are two rights that apply: parental leave or time off for dependants.

• Health checks. If you want to check the temperature of employees, you need their consent and would need to put in place a GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation) Privacy Impact Assessment Statement.

• Remote working. There may be some roles in your business which could be successfully fulfilled remotely, but you need to consider issues including, how and when you require employees to report in, whether they have a safe place of work, agreeing expenses working from home, if data is secure when they are working from home, what technology they are using and if you need insurance to protect them. Again, a Privacy Impact Assessment should be drawn up along with an IT and Remote Working Policy Document. AB

CONTACT

• Sick pay. The UK government introduced new legislation to ensure employers paid Statutory Sick Pay to all employees who are self-isolating due to COVID-19 from day one, provided they are following guidance published by Public Health England. If an employee is ill and you have a contractual sick pay scheme in place, employees may be entitled to that as well.

Verity Slater is a partner in the employment team and Tim Lane is a solicitor in the corporate team at Stephens Scown. The firm has over 70 years of experience in the mining and minerals sector and its specialist team is recognised by independent legal guides Legal 500 and Chambers.

• Impact of closure of schools. At the time of writing schools and nurseries remain open in the UK, but if they are to close and your staff need to be at home to care for children, there

To contact Verity or Tim please call 01872 265100 or email solicitors@stephensscown.co.uk. For more information visit www.stephens-scown.co.uk AGGREGATES BUSINESS EUROPE March/April 2020

15

RUSSIAN AGGREGATES

LSR Group is among leading Russian building materials suppliers providing aggregates for the Nord Stream 2 project

Russian aggregates shortage fears Russia may be short of aggregates for those major infrastructure works put on hold during tougher economic times. Eugene Gerden reports

T

he demand for aggregates in Russia is expected to significantly increase in years to come due to the ever-growing volume of housing construction and roadbuilding activities in the vast country, according to recent statements made by senior officials at the Russian Ministry of Economic Development and industry analysts.

The ongoing recovery of the Russian economy from the 2007-8 global financial crisis has already led to the resumption of a range of large-scale infrastructure projects.

At the same time, ever-growing investment into Russia is also contributing to a major growth in demand for some aggregates in local markets. This is forcing some leading local producers to consider a gradual rise in the volume processed by their production plant.

However, there is a high possibility that aggregates producers’ attempts to use more of their production plant capacities may be problematic.

According to latest data of the Russian Ministry of Economic Development, at present the utilisation of capacities for some major aggregates industry enterprises has already reached a critically high level of 82–95%. This means that most of them will be unable to expand their capacities at least in the near future.

This has already sparked concerns from the ministry, whose official spokesman has

16

AGGREGATES BUSINESS EUROPE March/April 2020

confirmed the existing threat of a shortage of capacities for production of some aggregates.

He added that this may result in the increase of prices for most of the aggregates industry’s product range.

According to Russia’s Kommersant business newspaper, a couple of months ago the Ministry of Economic Development sent a draft report to Russia’s president, Vladimir Putin, as well as the head of the government, Dmitry Medvedev, in which it assessed the aggregates needs of the Russian economy.

This is guiding the Russian government’s assessment of current need in some major sectors of Russian industrial production and the wider economy.

This is especially important due to the ongoing implementation of at least two major infrastructure projects in the country – safe and high-quality roads and housing and urban environment – which have a national profile and require a large volume of aggregates.

The implementation of both flagship projects is personally controlled by president Putin and, as analysts predict, will ensure a stable demand for aggregates in Russia for the next four to five years. In the meantime, the government plans to take measures to prevent an unreasonable rise in the cost of aggregates – especially as it will affect the final cost of the prioritised infrastructure works.

Statements by Yevgeny Dietrich, Russia’s

Minister of Transport, also stress how the lack of road-building materials, particularly aggregates, is considered by the Russian state as one of the main impediments to implementing major domestic infrastructure projects.

The Russian Ministry of Economic Development’s draft report also predicts that Russian sand consumption will grow by 42% by 2024, compared to current annual consumption. This will push the average utilisation of aggregates enterprise capacities up to 82%, representing an excessive figure for the industry and its major players.

A similar situation is expected to materialise in the case of crushed stone, the demand for which is expected to grow by 44% during the next five years, with an increase in aggregates enterprise production capacity utilisation to 95%.

Finally, the demand for bitumen in Russia is expected to grow by 48% by 2024. This will lead to an increase in production capacity utilisation to 86%, and 100% during peak demand periods.

In the meantime, in order to avoid potential shortages of aggregates and interruptions in their supplies to the domestic market, the Russian Ministry of Economic Development has already put forward an initiative to start the development of new quarries in various parts of the country, enabling some companies, especially major producers, to increase their aggregates

www.AggBusiness.com

ENGINEERED FOR RESULTS We are driven by the belief that all waste can be transformed into a valuable resource. Our expert engineers design customised solutions that converts construction, demolition and excavation waste into high-value sand and aggregates, opening new markets and revenue streams for our customers.

Our integrated water management systems recycle up to 90% of process water for immediate re-use in the system, significantly reducing the footprint and maintenance of settling ponds.

ENGINEERED FOR YOU. Visit cdeglobal.com

RUSSIAN AGGREGATES

product output.

The Russian government is said to be placing great hope in the delivery of the production expansion plan. However, government sources fear a lack of competition in the domestic aggregates market may prevent the planned production increase.

According to some independent Russian construction materials sector analysts, insufficient competition in the domestic aggregates sector could be explained by a lack of clear rules on the distribution of licences for the development of some major aggregates fields. The distribution rules tend to vary by region, creating unnecessary barriers for some enterprises. This can lead to big aggregates price differences in local markets. Prices can also be impacted by the geographical location of production facilities and the ability of producers to satisfy local demand.

According to a spokesman for Maxim Oreshkin, a former minister for Russian Economic Development, the final consumer price for aggregates in Russia may significantly exceed their initial production cost. Consumer purchase prices tend to be set by producers at more than two-and-ahalf times production cost for sand and more than two times production cost for crushed stone. The gap between production cost and final consumer price is also partly explained by high transport costs for the delivery of

Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev is personally overseeing efforts to tackle a potential shortage of national aggregates provision aggregates within Russia and the big margins of various intermediaries.

As the Ministry of Economic Development says, there is a high risk of a further increase in aggregates delivery costs. This may begin by the end of 2020 and be partly due to a shortage of gondola rail vehicles used to transport aggregates in Russia.

According to ministry experts, the price

of Russian aggregates may also increase due to the enforcement of a ‘tax manoeuvre’ – a state measure which reduces export duties while simultaneously increasing tax on mining activities.

The Russian government is looking into designing a unified procedure for distributing licences for aggregates field production, as well as increasing the volume of aggregates product rail deliveries to regions which currently experience the biggest shortages.

In the meantime, the ever-growing demand for aggregates in Russia is also noted by some of the country’s major producers.

For example, LSR Basic, an aggregates division of LSR Group, the leading Russian real estate development, construction and building materials company, has recently completed the next aggregates supply stage for the construction of the Nord Stream-2 gas pipeline, an offshore natural gas pipeline from Vyborg in Russia to Greifswald in Germany.

Since December 2018 as part of the Nord Stream-2 project, LSR Basic has delivered about 400,000 tonnes of large gravel for laying pipes along the bottom of the Baltic Sea. According to the company’s press service, the large gravel shipments were made from two LSR Group production complexes in the St. Petersburg region Granit-Kuznechnoye and Gavrilovo – and represent one of the largest deliveries of aggregates from Russia in recent years. AB

NEW FOR 2020

Aggregates Business' NEW state-of-the-art website www.aggbusiness.com

The newly designed Aggregates Business website will bring you the very latest in website functionality, with the most up-to-date content available relating to the quarrying and aggregates industry

18

AGGREGATES BUSINESS EUROPE March/April 2020

www.AggBusiness.com HOUSE AD.indd 3

20/04/2020 11:20:00

CRUSHING AND SCREENING

An Italian quarry in Lazio is using a screener bucket to enable waste to be processed and sold

Turning quarry waste into a saleable product Quarry waste or “tailings” often represent only a liability item in the balance sheet of companies. Liam McLoughlin reports on how screening buckets are being used to turn such waste into a marketable asset.

A

t a quarry in Italy, MB Crusher claims to have provided a method of fully exploiting waste and turning it into a resource that produces wealth and value. Material that had been excavated to start the cultivation of a new area of the quarry was being left aside, effectively as waste.

To address this, the Italy-based equipment company has attached one of its MB-S23 screening buckets to a Hitachi Zaxis 460 LCH excavator at the quarry site in Lazio.

The bucket divided the material into two parts. Fines material from 0mm to 100mm was sold for the construction of embankments.

The remaining rocky aggregates over 100mm left inside the screener basket were tipped out directly into a dumper and added into the processing cycle to be transformed into granulates for the building industry.

This simple separation solved an openended costly issue, according to MB Crusher.

The presence of clay and soil fractions made the material complicated to crush and therefore it was impossible to market, but by simply separating and cleaning the material it became suitable for sale and reuse.

MB says that the use of its screener bucket units has transformed the material into a “co-product” in a simple way, both from a technical and economic point of view, without risks for the environment.

“Given the simplicity of the operations, moreover, this intervention had a great economic benefit for the company that owns the quarry,” MB Crusher states. “No more storing the excavated material means full

www.AggBusiness.com

exploitation of the resources and also means fewer safety problems for those operating in the quarry.

“The systematic recovery of quarry tailings, together with a rational approach to the cultivation of the quarry itself, goes from problem to solution, from waste to a source of income.”

Finnish company Metso says that it has helped boost productivity at the Creuzeval quarry in Saint-Didier-sur-Beaujeu, France, by utilising its SiteBooster plant optimisation solution to modernise its ageing crushing plant.

The old plant had been operated by the CBR company for four decades at the quarry in the heart of the Beaujolais Geopark. The modest-sized 17-hectare quarry had an annual production of 250,000 to 300,000 tonnes of aggregates that supplied nearby asphalt plants.

Metso says that the stationary old plant – and more precisely the primary stage - was starting to lose productivity due to repeated stops to adjust settings and perform other maintenance operations. Nicolas Vignon, site manager at CBR, decided to use the SiteBooster solution to modernise the Creuzeval plant.

The maintenance cost of the existing scalper was around €20,000 to €25,000 per year. After an initial audit performed by Sébastien Thévenet, project manager of the SiteBooster team, it appeared that the jaw crusher was also starting to show signs of age.

Based on a budget of about €500,000, the SiteBooster proposal was accepted by the customer. The scalper, a Metso EDB 15-39, has been replaced with a new scalper of the same model “to avoid changing the frame,” and the

jaw crusher, an old VB 1311, was retired and replaced with a new Nordberg C Series C130 jaw crusher, bringing improved maintenance access all around the crusher.

The project started with a preliminary phase, auditing the plant to identify bottlenecks and taking accurate measurements. Jean-Yves Cognard, operations and services director at Metso, says this is necessary as dimensions are standard for the machine, but not for plant.

After this preparatory phase, three months were allocated to the plant redesign and the manufacturing of the two requested machines and ancillary parts. Then, all on-site operations, the dismantling of old equipment, the assembly and start-up of new equipment, took about a month. It was imperative to respect the short deadlines imposed by the customer, whose operations were not reduced during summer, as he had to continuously supply his products to multiple asphalt plants. In anticipation of the one-month plant shutdown, quarry manager Alexis Humbert had to store 50,000 tonnes of primary crushing products before revamping operations.

Commenting on the outcome Nicolas Vignon said: “The big advantage is that the new system is easier to use and more reliable. The primary crushing plant sees less downtime. When you have to tighten the jaws, now it takes five minutes using the hydraulic system, compared to the two hours previously.”

Terex MPS launched its latest crushing and screening solution, the Cedarapids CRH1113R closed circuit impactor crusher/screen plant.

The CRH1113R portable plant – launched under Terex’s Cedarapids brand – features a brand new crusher, screen, and feeder that are designed to maximise the production of the machine.

Designed as a one-piece tow, the portable crushing and screening solution is designed to be easy to transport on highways or to move onsite. Hydraulics on the screen and return conveyor are intended to give quick, easy, and safe set-up.

The machine is self-contained with AGGREGATES BUSINESS March/April 2020

19

CRUSHING AND SCREENING

on-board diesel power and generator. The 450hp variable speed Scania diesel engine direct drives both the crusher and 150kW generator with a hydraulic clutch. The rest of the plant is electrically powered and designed for maximum efficiency and minimal maintenance.

The plant features a TI4250 crusher which has hydraulic-controlled curtains to make adjustments and maintenance safe and quick.

The variable speed diesel allows optimum rotor speed to best match the application and desired product. The 6’x16’ (15.24cm x 40.64cm) two-deck screen dual-slope design features a steeper top deck to handle heavy loads and quickly stratify material.

The lower deck has less slope to increase retention time for maximum screening efficiency. The entire screen can be positioned with more or less slope to optimise production.

The new vibrating grizzly feeder is 48” wide x 18” long (121.92cm x 45.72cm) to handle feed from large loaders.

Terex MPS product manager Ed Sauser said: “The CRH1113R is the result of customer input and recognising the need for a highly portable plant that offers higher production and greater value than what’s on the market today. The brand new crusher, large screen & feeder, and low-maintenance electrically driven components make this one-piece towable machine great value for processing shot rock as well as concrete and asphalt recycle materials.”

Kleemann showcased four of its latest products at the March ConExpo event in Las Vegas, including three crushers and a screener.

The MC 120 Zi PRO jaw crusher is made for challenging natural rock quarrying operations.

The plant has an output of up to 650tonnes/ hour, features a powerful jaw crusher with a feed opening of 1.2m x 81cm (48” x 32”), and is equipped with an extra-long articulated crusher jaw.

To ensure the best possible material flow, the continuous feed system (CFS) adapts the conveying speed to the fill level of the crusher.

Should material bridging occur in the jaw crusher, the crusher can be reversed with the aid of the electric crusher drive to swiftly clear the blockage. The machines of the PRO line can be operated with the simple SPECTIVE control system via a 30cm (12”) touch panel, and all components and functions can be controlled from the ground.

Powercreen Trakpactor models can be utilised in aggregates, recycling and mining

20

AGGREGATES BUSINESS March/April 2020

Kleeman’s MOBICAT MC 120 Zi PRO jaw crusher at ConExpo

Also on display at ConExpo was the mobile MOBICONE MCO 11i PRO cone crusher, which Kleemann says is the perfect secondary crushing screen of the MC 120 Zi PRO. The MCO 11i PRO has a maximum output of 470tonnes/hour. Also part of the PRO line, the crusher is designed for permanent quarrying operation.

The MOBIREX MR 130 Zi EVO2 impact crusher is designed for flexible use so that it can be transported easily and rapidly made ready for operation. The direct diesel drive concept is designed to ensure a high output while simultaneously keeping consumption low. For better capacity utilisation and productivity, the system widths of the impact crusher plant open in the direction of material flow. The plant is also operated using the intuitive SPECTIVE control concept. The overall system itself has an output of up to 450tonnes/ hour.

Kleemann says the MOBISCREEN MS 952i EVO classifying screen is an ideal support unit for all three crushing systems and is suited for crushing plant contractors in both recycling and quarrying. The MS 952i EVO has a screening surface of 1.55m x 6m (5’ 1” x 20’) and has an output of up to 499tonnes/hour.

The high output is largely attributable to the good material flow through the plant, according to Kleemann. This starts with loading, which can be carried out both by wheeled loader and upstream crushing plant due to the generous feed hopper. The material is then transported on the extra wide feeding conveyor of 1.2m (3’ 11”) to the screen casing.

Powerscreen has launched the new Trakpactor 230 and 230SR impact crushers.

The Northern Irish mobile crushing and screening equipment manufacturer says the Trakpactor 230 and 230SR have been designed to offer both excellent reduction and high

consistency of product yield. The machines can be utilised in a range of applications including aggregates, recycling and mining.

The Trakpactor 230SR includes a postscreen system and recirculating conveyor which allows oversize material to be passed back to the crusher for further sizing.

Powerscreen product manager Neil Robinson said: “The new Trakpactor 230 and 230SR are very welcome additions to our mobile impact crushing range and are the first of many exciting new product development initiatives for Powerscreen this year.

Addressing feedback from Powerscreen dealers and customers, both machines are suited to small to mid-sized operations that require a reduced footprint without compromising on output performance.”

He added that the Trakpactor 230SR has the ability to convert to the Trakpactor 230 in minutes thanks to the quick-detach SR section, making it a suitable solution for regions with transport weight restrictions.

Robinson said the units have been designed to promote optimal flow of material and offer excellent serviceability to maximise uptime for customers.

The Trakpactor 230 & 230SR crushers both use an 860mm x 720mm impact camber with an output potential of up to 250 tonnes per hour (275 US tph) of crushed material.

The two new crushers come complete with the Powerscreen Pulse remote-monitoring, fleet management system allowing crushing and screening equipment operators and owners to have access to key data via a PC, tablet or smartphone. The system provides information on the GPS location, start and stop times, fuel consumption, tonnages, cone settings, wear ratings, operating hours, maintenance status, and other data.

R Collard’s new fixed crushing line became operational in March. The state-of-the-art plant will allow the Hampshire, south-east Englandbased company to produce 250 tonnes of high-grade recycled aggregates an hour, increasing its current capacity by over 200%.

With an investment of £2 million, the plant manufactured by Duo is bespoke to R Collard, built to the firm’s own specification and design.

The size of aggregates that will be produced by the new plant include -5mm, +5-20mm, +10-20mm, +20mm, and +40mm.

The new plant will not only allow R Collard to increase its production of recycled aggregates already produced by the company’s wash plant. It will also feed its concrete plant in the production of its ready-mix concrete. AB

www.AggBusiness.com

Visit us at Booth S5254

WHAT YOU GET WITH A RETROFIT

CAN AN OLD ASPHALT PLANT MEET NEW ENVIRONMENTAL STANDARDS? In a world where environmental standards are constantly changing, asphalt producers can survive – and even thrive – with the help of a plant retrofit.

A retrofit upgrades an old plant, so it meets new environmental standards – at a fraction of the cost of a new purchase.

All projects are managed by the Ammann Retrofit Centre in Austria, which relies on proven processes and experienced technicians to troubleshoot any issues and ensure superior results.

What can you get with a retrofit from Ammann?

• Increased RAP utilisation • An electrically heated bitumen tank system that is so cost effective it pays for itself in a few years • Noise levels that are reduced up to 20 dB without an impact on daily production • An ability to use low-temperature mixes that reduce fuel usage and emissions Contact us to arrange a free analysis to learn the best opportunities for cost-effective, environmental improvements at your plant.

For additional product information and services please visit : www.ammann.com PMP-2383-00-EN | © Ammann Group

LOADING

Future-proofing excavators

Hyundai will offer hydrogen fuel-cell excavators in the future

A major quarrying and construction sector-suited excavator manufacturer is working on an eye-catching alternative fuel project, while other excavator makers are also putting innovation to the fore with their new models and buy-back schemes. Guy Woodford reports

H

yundai Construction Equipment is working on the development of excavators that can use hydrogen as fuel in partnership with Hyundai Motors.

The project is commencing this year with a target date for the machines being ready for market set for 2023. According to the firm, the use of hydrogen for fuel cells suits duties with large construction equipment.

This offers easier capacity expansion than for all-electric machines powered by lithium batteries.

The agreement is set to give Hyundai Construction Equipment (Hyundai CE) a leading role in the future hydrogen-powered off-highway equipment market. It will also put the manufacturer in a good position to secure a better place in establishing a global standard.

Hyundai CE signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) regarding the joint development of hydrogen fuel-cell construction equipment with Hyundai Motors and Hyundai Mobis at its Mabuk Research Centre in Yongin-si, Gyeonggi-do. Together, the three companies will look to develop medium/large-capacity hydrogen-powered excavators over the next few years.

According to the MOU, Hyundai Motors and Hyundai Mobis will design and manufacture hydrogen fuel-cell systems, including power packs. Hyundai CE will design, manufacture, and evaluate the performance of excavators.

Unlike conventional diesel enginebased equipment, hydrogen-based electric construction equipment uses electricity produced through the chemical reactions between hydrogen and oxygen as its power

22

AGGREGATES BUSINESS March/April 2020

source, meaning no emissions of toxic gases into the air.

Hwang Jong-hyun, head of the R&D Division for Hyundai Material Handling at Hyundai CE, said: “With this latest agreement, we’ve prepared a foundation upon which we can secure core technology in hydrogen-powered construction equipment ahead of our competitors.

Hyundai Construction Equipment will do its very best to meet the challenges that lie ahead as countries around the world attempt to establish global standards in terms of certifying the performance of equipment and legislating relevant laws for the commercialisation of hydrogen-powered construction equipment, and play a leading role in the market moving forward.”

Volvo Construction Equipment claims

that its forthcoming EC300E HYBRID excavator can improve fuel efficiency by up to 20%.

The company says that this is achieved through the excavator’s boom-down motion which charges energy-storing accumulators that are used to power the engine system.

It adds that this differs from other systems that capture the swing energy of an excavator’s superstructure to electrically assist the engine. Instead Volvo’s hydraulic hybrid harvests ‘free’ energy generated by the down motion of the excavator’s boom and uses it to supercharge the engine system.

The powerful and regular boomdown motions charge 20-litre hydraulic accumulators, which then deliver energy to drive hydraulic assist motors that help

Volvo CE’s EC300E HYBRID excavator

www.AggBusiness.com

LOADING

The Caterpillar 395 excavator on the manufacturer’s outdoor stand at CONEXPO-CON/AGG 2020 power the engine system. Volvo CE says there are the same levels of controllability and performance as the standard EC300E, including the ability to work in ECO mode and hybrid mode simultaneously.

This process is claimed to help the engine deliver up to 20% higher fuel efficiency, and up to 17% less CO2 emissions with no loss of performance. When used in production ‘dig and dump’ applications (especially those within a 90° swing) Volvo CE claims the payback of this approach can be a little less than two years.

It adds that the system requires just a few add-on components that are simple to maintain.

Caterpillar claims that its new 395 excavator benefits from new technology that helps increase productivity by 10% over the 390F model it replaces. Swing torque and stick force have both been upgraded by 10%, boosting cycle times while the larger buckets further increase overall output.

Caterpillar claims that the machine is rugged and durable, featuring a strong chassis design enabling it to compete in the 90-tonne class. Meanwhile maintenance

points are said to be easy to access, reducing downtime when carrying out routine maintenance.

Hitachi Construction Machinery UK (HCMUK) has announced a new partnership with Topcon Positioning GB to provide automated machine control technology.

The partnership will see HCMUK install the Topcon X53-x automated machine control system on its range of excavators. This will give customers access to sophisticated technology that allows for a more efficient workflow, by minimising the risk of over-digging while improving productivity and helping to save time, money and materials.

The Topcon X53-x uses some of the same components as Topcon’s original machine control system but has been designed and developed with the addition of hydraulic, automated control. The system provides automated depth control, meaning digging to a design for flat, stepped or sloped applications is done precisely, even by a novice operator.

David Roberts, CEO of HCMUK, said: “Our customers are increasingly looking

A Hitachi ZW310-6 wheeled loader at work on a UK job site

www.AggBusiness.com

for enhanced productivity and efficiency in their excavators and, with connected technology like ConSite, Hitachi has been proactive in providing solutions for some time now. By entering into this partnership with Topcon, we are taking our intelligent machine offering to the next level, allowing our customers to choose from a base kit to future-proof their fleets, through to full automation as seen on the ZX225US-6.

“As well as the many benefits that this technology provides, our customers have the added peace of mind that it is installed

by Hitachi-trained technicians at our stateof-the-art preparation centre in Newcastle - supplied as a complete package, ready to go to work upon delivery. We’re excited to work in partnership with Topcon to achieve a common goal of ensuring our customers get the products and support they need.”

MJ Hickey Plant Hire & Contracts, a UK-based operational contract management and plant hire services company, has purchased two Hitachi ZW310-6 wheeled loaders for quarrying and bulk handling projects. Both models were supplied with a buy-back option from Hitachi Construction Machinery (Europe).

The first ZW310-6, fitted with a 4.5m³ general purpose bucket, was delivered in 2018 and is working in one of England’s largest limestone quarries, located in Leicester, central England. The second model was delivered in October 2019 with a 6m³ high-tip bucket and is used at a site in Wales.

“We ordered these models specifically for these projects and to meet our customers’ requirements,” said managing director Anthony Hickey. “There is a good residual value on Hitachi machines, so therefore it’s commercially viable for us. If the work dries up, and you’ve purchased an asset, then you have to consider what to do with it.

However, this kind of buy-back agreement lends a degree of flexibility and is suitable for short-term contracts.”

As part of the buy-back arrangement, both wheeled loaders are covered by a full package 6,000 hour/three-year warranty and maintained by HCMUK. The Hitachi buy-back scheme applies to ZW150-6 to ZW550-6 wheeled loaders. The machine must be in good working order, less than five years old and have worked a maximum of 2,000 hours per year.

Doosan has launched the new DX490LC-7 and DX530LC-7 Stage V 50-tonne crawler excavators, said to offer significantly improved performance compared to the previous Stage IV models.

These new units are said to supply the strength and productivity needed for heavyduty work such as large-scale earthmoving, moving rock, pulling down buildings, secondary breaking, loading haulers and pipeline projects found in quarrying and mining, highway, aggregates, demolition, utility and general construction projects.

To meet Stage V engine emission regulations, the DX490LC-7 and DX530LC-7 AGGREGATES BUSINESS March/April 2020

23

LOADING

Doosan’s new DX530LC-7 Stage V 50-tonne crawler excavator excavators are powered by the new Scania DC13 Stage V-compliant diesel engine, providing a higher power output of 294kW. The Scania engine offers a new solution to exceed Stage V with super-efficient DOC/ DPF+SCR after-treatment technology to ensure minimal emissions. Thanks to the new technology, maintenance of the diesel particulate filter (DPF) has been greatly reduced, with a claimed six-times-longer automatic regeneration interval (60 hours) and an ash-cleaning interval that is twice as long at 8,000 hours, compared with the previous DPF in the DX-3 generation

machines. The operator is now able to see the amount of ash build-up in the DPF from their seat in the cab via the gauge panel and that a regeneration has been successful.

In the DX490LC-7 and DX530LC-7, the enhanced performance of the DC13 engine is combined with a Virtual Bleed Off (VBO) hydraulic system (D-Ecopower+) and the new generation Smart Power Control Technology (SPC3), providing a claimed overall fuel efficiency increase of 11%.

Increased pump capacity and the higher power of the engine produces up to an 8% increase in productivity, said to be the best-

A LONG WAY

TOGETHER

in-class performance in the 50-tonne market.

At the CONEXPO/CON-AGG 2020 exhibition in Las Vegas, USA (10-13 March) LiuGong showcased new and latest machines including new F-Series excavators: the 9018F, 9027FZTS and 922F. Launched at BICES Beijing in September 2019, the F-Series is the sixth generation of LiuGong excavators. The F-Series platform allows for products to be adapted to suit different markets. It was designed for North America, Western Europe and China but is also suitable for emerging markets and is well suited to a variety of applications from construction and mining to forestry.

LiuGong’s new Stage V 856H and Tier 4 Final 877H wheeled loaders are further new standout models. The Stage V 856H was launched in Europe last April, while the Tier 4 Final 877H completes LiuGong’s wheeled loaders’ bucket capacity offering, making it complete from 1.91m³ to 5.42m³. It is already said to have received positive feedback from both LiuGong dealers and their customers.

Kevin Thieneman, LiuGong vice president and chairman of LiuGong North and Latin America, said: “We want to be the choice for customers who desire construction and material handling equipment that is affordable, reliable and can get the job done with the lowest total cost of ownership.” AB

EARTHMAX SR 41 E No o matter how challenging your needs, EARTHMAX SR 41 is your best ally when it comes to operations tha at require extraordinary traction. Thanks to its All Ste eel radial structure and the special block pattern, EA ARTHMAX SR 41 provides excellent resistance aga ainst punctures and an extended service life. In add dition to long working hours without downtime, the e tyre ensures extraordinary comfort.

EA ARTHMAX SR 41 is BKT’s response to withstand the e toughest operating conditions in haulage, loa ading and dozing applications.

For info: europe@bkt-tires.com

New ADV_Earthmax SR 41_UK_184x124, 3 AGGREGATES BUSINESS EUROPE.indd 1

24

AGGREGATES BUSINESS March/April 2020

12/03/20 12:19

www.AggBusiness.com

HAULING

One of Hogan Group’s new Volvo CE AD30 haulers at work in Anglesey

Efficient hauler support ensures continued business New haulers and hauling product solutions are helping quarry operators to increase the productivity of their sites. Liam McLoughlin reports

P

roduct reliability coupled with consistent and efficient aftersales support has led to the North Walesbased Hogan Group upgrading its hauling operations.

It replaced an existing Volvo L70 for its asphalt plant and, for the first time, added two new Volvo A30G articulated haulers for its quarrying operations on Anglesey.

Established in 1964, the Hogan Group is a family-run business which provides a comprehensive range of asphalt products, paving solutions, aggregates and concrete throughout the whole of North Wales and beyond.

SMT GB markets Volvo Construction Equipment products, together with K-Tec articulated hauler scraper boxes, in Great Britain. There are eight strategically placed Customer Support Centres, a dedicated National Used Equipment Centre and a network of utility equipment dealers to maintain customer support throughout the country.

“We’ve run Volvo loading shovels for many years at our asphalt plant here in Bangor,” said Hogan Group production director Jamie Hogan. “The machines have proved to be very reliable. But of equal importance is the fact that Volvo and SMT have provided consistent and efficient aftersales support for many years, which is vital for our 24-hour, 7-day week operation. The L70H is the optimal sized loading shovel for our plants, which produce asphalt and concrete products.”

He added that the new loading shovel is proving to be very fuel efficient, thanks to the engine’s maximum torque being reached at low rpm.

The L70H features a Volvo-designed and purpose-built powertrain, which includes the

www.AggBusiness.com

latest 6-litre Stage V 173hp Volvo engine, transmission and axles. Hogan Group has also opted for an optional boom suspension for its new L70H. SMT GB says the benefit of this is that it gives the operator a smooth ride, whilst ensuring full bucket loads are maintained with minimal spillage.

At the business end of the loading shovel, the L70H is fitted with a 2.3m³ heavy-duty, general-purpose bucket to handle the variety of materials destined for the batching plant.

Thanks to the hydraulic attachment bracket, the machine can easily alternate between bucket and loading forks to handle palletised material on-site.

For the first time, the Hogan Group has also opted to purchase Volvo articulated haulers, with two A30Gs going to work at the company’s aggregates division, which is located on Anglesey at Gwyndy Quarry.

Trimble’s Loadrite package offers haulage efficiency

Both A30Gs are powered by Volvo’s six-cylinder V-ACT diesel engines, which generate 264Kw and comply with all Stage V final emissions legislation. Representing some of the latest innovations in engine design, high torque is delivered at low engine speeds, which is claimed to result in excellent fuel efficiency, high performance, quicker engine response, less wear and a long service life.

The efficiency of the V-ACT engine is further improved by being matched to a purpose-built Volvo drivetrain, which is designed to ensure that all available power and torque is put to the best use possible, even in tough working conditions. In addition, a fast and adaptive fully automatic transmission and torque converter, with built in lock-up function, further increase the high fuel efficiency delivered by both A30G haulers.

With a carrying capacity of 28 tonnes, both trucks have been supplied with full cantilever tailgates and 200mm side extensions, giving a maximum heaped capacity of 18.4m³. One truck, which is deployed as the prime mover from the face to the crusher, has had optional Hardox 450 wear plates installed to combat the impact and wear from the highly abrasive nature of the granite being quarried at Gwyndy. The second A30G is deployed around the stockyard, rehandling a variety of crushed material. Additional spill plates have been added at the front of the skips, to prevent any possible damage to the cab and hitch areas of the trucks.

The latest solution from Trimble’s Loadrite business offers increased efficiency for materials haulage operations on quarry sites.

The Smart Haul solution means that electronic payload ‘tickets’ generated by loading machines such as wheeled loaders or excavators are automatically shared to the AGGREGATES BUSINESS March/April 2020

25

HAULING

trucks as the material is hauled away.

The site manager can see in real time where each truck is carrying every load and whether it is going to the crusher or a dump pile, for example.

The data can reveal truck productivity and the system will also provide machine health data on each item of equipment. Should a machine need attention, Trimble says this can be identified early or can indicate if additional operator training is required to address any particular issues over how equipment can be used more efficiently.

The Loadrite Payload Management tool is designed to provide all the important data on one platform. Trimble says that operators can access and analyse data more easily than before, providing greater transparency across an operation.

Philippi-Hagenbuch (PHIL), a major global off-highway truck customisation company, has revealed that production of its patented Rear Eject Body will begin in Brazil in the second half of this year.

PHIL’s line of Rear Eject Bodies is said to offer the ideal solution for challenging hauling applications during general construction, road construction and sand/ gravel to mine reclamation, and underground hauling situations where overhead barriers inhibit traditional dump bodies. The US-headquartered firm says the expansion of services in South America will better serve the construction and mining markets in that region.

PHIL’s Rear Eject Body debuted in 2000 as a safer alternative to end-dump bodies for articulated trucks. The patented design eliminates the need to raise the body of the truck when discharging materials. This allows for safer offloading while in motion and in the presence of overhead barriers such as power lines, roof lines or bridges, and in underground mining applications that have low overhead clearance. This versatility is said to increase efficiency without reducing stability by providing a lower centre of gravity and allowing discharge on downhill slopes and in conditions with soft footing.

Like all PHIL products, the Rear Eject Body is said by the firm to be engineered to provide productivity-enhancing solutions for the toughest hauling challenges. Manufactured exclusively out of Hardox 450 steel, the PHIL Rear Eject Body is, claims the company, the most robust ejector body available on the market globally. Additionally, with only one cylinder and no rollers, bearings or required greasing, the Rear Eject Body minimises maintenance while providing the reliability necessary for heavy-duty applications in extreme weather environments.

PHIL’s ejector bodies are currently operating throughout North America, South America, Europe, Africa and Australia.

Josh Swank, vice president of sales and marketing for PHIL, said: “By adding production for our world-class Rear Eject Body in Brazil, we are able to offer the product closer to where our clients need it. This helps reduce import tariffs and freight, while

26

AGGREGATES BUSINESS March/April 2020

Off-highway truck customisation company Philippi Hagenbuch displayed its solutions at ConExpo in March providing localised parts availability.”

Doosan Construction Equipment is launching the new DA30-7 and DA45-7 Stage V-compliant articulated dump trucks (ADTs).

The new vehicles replace the previous DA30-5 and DA40-5 Stage IV models, respectively. The DA30-7 has a payload of 28 tonnes, while that of the DA45-7 is 41 tonnes.

The DA30-7 is powered by the new Scania Stage V-compliant DC09 9-litre diesel engine providing 276 kW (375 HP) of power. The DA45-7 is driven by the new Scania Stage V DC13 13-litre diesel engine with an output of 368 kW (500 HP).

The core of the Scania engines has not changed, with the main difference in the new engines from their predecessors being the improved after-treatment system.

Other features include a new design for the front frame and bonnet components on the trucks, which Doosan says have been created by its design team in accordance with the latest market trends.

There are also a number of functional changes on the new ADTs to improve safety, comfort and serviceability. These include a new positioning of the diesel and AdBlue tanks. The latter are now much lower than before, enabling the operator to fill both tanks whilst standing next to the machine (groundlevel filling).

The new ADTs are equipped as standard with a real-time payload measuring system with a light indication for excavator operators, which is designed to help them place optimal loads in the ADTs and ensure excellent productivity and low fuel consumption.

The greasing system has also been relocated to make it easily accessible from ground level. Space has been provided above the automatic lubrication system (which is standard) for additional grease cartridges and a filling pump.

The transmission filters have been installed close to the greasing system, and are designed for ease of access. All of these systems are protected to ensure that any excess drops of oil/grease are collected and can be removed during service and maintenance. Doosan says that new improved maintenance access will also help operators to perform daily checks faster and more safely.

Both of the new machines are equipped with additional external round hand rails to prevent accidents and hazardous situations.

Inside the cab, there is a new additional grip on the right-hand side for increased safety for the operator. The electronic and hydraulic systems in the new trucks have also been upgraded to offer improved performance with extended functionality and new technology.

Metso is now offering tough, long-lasting truck bodies designed to suit any hauler. The Finnish company says that the lightweight and robust design can help to boost payloads and productivity. It adds that its innovative Metso Truck Body can allow customers to haul more with fewer truck cycles. The complete solution is available for all major off-highway truck models used in quarrying and mining operations. AB

The new Doosan DA30-7 Stage V-compliant articulated dump truck

www.AggBusiness.com

EXPERTS SAY YOU CAN ONLY FOCUS ON ONE THING AT A TIME. We chose articulated dump trucks

Contact us for more info or to book a demo at MolsonGroup.co.uk

DRILL RIGS, HAMMERS & BREAKERS

Three Indeco HP series breakers – an HP 9000 FS and two HP 7000s – play important roles at Messapica Inerti’s quarry in Ceglie Messapica in Puglia

The aggregate gains from drill rigs, hammers and breakers Drill rigs, hammers and breakers offer different means of gaining aggregates material in quarries. Guy Woodford looks at new products and hears how one Italian aggregates supplier is benefiting from one leading manufacturer’s proven breaker solutions

M

essapica Inerti operates a limestone quarry in Ceglie Messapica in Puglia, southern Italy, supplying quality aggregates to produce concrete and asphalt at its own and subcontracted production plants. The quarry is characterised by relatively compact limestone (i.e., not highly fractured) and values of uniaxial compressive strength of 30-50 MPa (megapascal) depending on the zone.

Messapica Inerti is one of many companies that has switched from explosives to using breaker attachments to gain aggregates material. Starting in the late 1990s, the firm decided to gradually abandon its use of explosives and transition to quarrying with breakers, carefully weighing which model would guarantee the highest productivity, reliability and profitability. After a set of comparative tests, Messapica Inerti settled on an Indeco HP 7000, a model that over the long term is said to have proven its ability to meet the production demands at the Ceglie Messapica quarry. Given the excellent output of its initial HP 7000 attachment, and a second HP 7000 purchased in the early 2000s, Messapica Inerti recently decided to purchase a further breaker.

“When faced with the need to improve production, we decided to switch to the HP 9000 FS and mount it on a Case CX 490D excavator. This was guided by the fact that the HP 9000 was able to increase our production by 30%, as was demonstrated in the quarry,” said Angelo Elia, purchasing manager at Messapica Inerti. “This new breaker will be added to the two HP 7000s we already own that are also key to achieving our total daily production goals. Based on our use of Indeco

28

AGGREGATES BUSINESS March/April 2020

breakers over the last 20 years or so, I can say that the HP 9000 FS possesses all the features that have led to the excellent results we’ve had to now, not to mention the advantages of the latest technology.”

Elia’s thoughts are shared, says Indeco, by many quarry-breaker users around the globe who recognise how the Italian manufacturer’s breakers’ balanced ratio between energy

input and energy output creates optimum application efficiency.

All Indeco HP series breakers are installed with the ABF (Anti-Blank Firing) system, Indeco’s patented technology said to considerably improve breaker performance and durability. In addition to a hydraulic system with improved efficiency, the HP series is characterised by the FS (Fuel

Messapica Inerti’s recently purchased Indeco HP 9000 FS breaker attached to a Case CX 490D excavator at Ceglie Messapica limestone quarry

www.AggBusiness.com

DRILL RIGS, HAMMERS & BREAKERS

Saving) mark indicating that the breaker needs less hydraulic power to operate, resulting in a significant reduction in the carrier machine’s rpm and a claimed up to 20% fuel saving. While delivering claimed consistently excellent performance and maximum productivity, Indeco breakers are said to require a reduced quantity of oil per minute and a lower operating pressure.

This is said by Indeco to be a notable weight and performance advantage against rival manufacturer models of similar size that are gas or diesel-powered.

The latest member of hydraulic hammermaker Rammer’s Excellence Line, the 9033E, was unveiled at the CONEXPO-CON/AGG 2020 exhibition in Las Vegas, USA (10-13 March).

Designed for 65-tonne to 120-tonne class carriers, the 7.4-tonne 9033E has all the clever monitoring technology features found on existing members of the Excellence Line, but in a size and format that is said to deliver the extra punch demanded for breaking applications during major quarrying and demolition projects.

A key development within the Excellence Line is Rammer’s purpose-developed RD3 remote-monitoring device, claimed to be the first of its kind for hammers. RD3 is also available as an option for Rammer Performance Line hammers and as retrofit kit for older Rammer hammers.

The RD3 system uses the latest GPS and telematics technology and also offers a new and advanced telematics solution based on customer feedback. It uses the Rammer MyFleet Telematics service to track and monitor fleet equipment usage without the need to go to site to collect data. This will help dealers, rental companies, service managers and contractors and operators keep a remote eye on what is happening on site. The platform uses a cloud-based system to enable the hammers to be viewed and monitored via Google maps.

The design of the 9033E also means that it is able to work quietly, with a guaranteed sound level of 131dB. The Rammer Excellence Line continues the company’s 40-year tradition of delivering innovative hammers designed to improve profitability, safety and performance. With its new customer-focused features, the line demonstrates Rammer’s commitment to assisting businesses to enhance their performance.

Safety is also said to be at the heart of all Excellence Line breakers, whether they are being used in a quarry, on a demolition project, in a tunnel or on any other application. The 9033E and the rest of the newly updated range now include integrated smart technology for easier fleet management and more efficient processes.

During CONEXPO-CON/AGG 2020, Sandvik Mining & Rock Technology demonstrated its expanded high-pressure down-the-hole (DTH) drill rig for Tier 4F and Stage V-compliant countries with the new Leopard DI650i.

www.AggBusiness.com

Rammer’s new 9033E hammer was showcased at the CONEXPO-CON/AGG 2020 exhibition The model is designed for large hole sizes, and by balancing proven engineering solutions and innovative new components, it is said to offer excellent fuel efficiency, improved safety and higher productivity in challenging rock conditions.

The Leopard DI650i DTH drill rig is designed for demanding high-capacity production drilling applications in surface mining, as well as large-scale quarry applications. In addition to a powerful engine and compressor, the unit is said by Sandvik to incorporate a highly ergonomic iCAB cabin, excellent serviceability, mobility and fuel economy, along with scalable automation packages to offer excellent overall productivity.

In addition to its proven engine and compressor design, Leopard DI650i comes with a range of new or redesigned components to boost its productivity. The standard rotary head option, HTRH6, is said by Sandvik to have performed successfully on its other DTH drill rigs, whereas the new heavyduty option, MRH6, is a good fit with Sandvik’s powerful new RH560-series DTH hammers.

Pipe sizes range from 89mm to 140mm, depending on the size of the hammer. The maximum hole depth is 53.6m when utilising the carousel option with pipe sizes from 89mm to 114mm. The capacity range of the 403kW Tier 3 / Tier 4F / Stage V CAT C15 diesel engine and reliable compressor is said to be adequate for high-pressure drilling with 101mm to 165mm DTH hammer sizes.

Thanks to claimed excellent visibility of the drilling area and a single integrated touch screen for all monitoring, diagnostics and mining automation displays, Leopard DI650i’s silent, ergonomic iCAB cabin provides the rig

operator with a safer, more productive working environment. The maintenance crew can carry out all daily servicing tasks at ground level on both sides of the machine. The advanced serviceability and reliability features can, says Sandvik, increase Leopard DI650i’s availability by up to 20% compared with conventional DTH rigs at a similar technology level.

Sandvik also claims that intelligent control technology applied to both the compressor and the hydraulic system’s cooler fan can reduce fuel consumption by up to 15% compared with conventional DTH rigs. Leopard DI650i’s fuel efficiency is further boosted by the flow-controlled drilling control system that eliminates fluctuations in airflow, instead allowing the pressure level to fluctuate in response to more difficult ground conditions and increased back pressure (for example, due to groundwater or collapsing holes).

This makes maximum flushing pressure and penetration rates available in the most challenging of rock conditions, while still retaining the low fuel consumption of the traditional pressure control approach in easy ground conditions.

The Leopard DI650i joins Sandvik’s other i-series drill rigs in its compatibility with the newest scalable automation solutions. The latest onboard options include TIM3D drill navigation with wireless data transfer, My Sandvik fleet-monitoring system and full-cycle drilling automatics, which merge functionalities such as uncoupling, feed auto-aligning and feed auto-positioning into a single efficient sequence. These capabilities can be further upgraded with more advanced modules such as single-rig or fleet remote-control systems

by Automine Surface Drilling. AB

Sandvik’s new Leopard DI650i drill rig

AGGREGATES BUSINESS March/April 2020

29

DRILL RIGS, HAMMERS & BREAKERS

Drilling down into Epiroc’s DNA During the recent CONEXPO-CON/AGG 2020 exhibition (10-13 March), the world’s biggest construction and quarrying equipment showpiece event of the year, Aggregates Business editor Guy Woodford caught up with Epiroc’s Cetin Kara, the Swedish manufacturer’s North America, Mexico and China regional business manager in its Surface division, to find out more about the company’s current trading and its ambitious growth plans

C

etin Kara is in good spirits when I meet him on the Epiroc stand at CONEXPO-CON/AGG 2020.

It’s quickly apparent why. “The markets, especially the U.S. market, for crushed stone aggregates are really booming. It’s driving our business in the U.S, where we are the drill rig market leader” says Kara. “We are the top company for technology. That’s why we have a lot of innovative products. Our mission in the U.S. is to lead on top-tier products for the market, and help the customer lower their total cost of ownership.”

New and updated Eprioc Surface division machines and technology introduced at CONEXPO-CON/AGG 2020 included the automation-ready updated SmartROC D60 surface drill rig; the newly enhanced DM30 II SP (single pass) blasthole drill rig; the Tier 4 Final version of the PowerROC D60 surface drill rig; and the new My Epiroc digital fleet management solution, available on web and mobile devices with attractive features for increasing fleet efficiency and safety.

Epiroc also showcased HATCON, a remote-monitoring device for breakers and drum cutters that keeps track of location and operating hours to improve efficiency and safety.

The new Epiroc SmartROC D60 downthe-hole (DTH) surface drill rig for quarrying, mining and construction applications has been updated with Epiroc’s innovative automation-ready platform. The robust and dependable SmartROC D60 offers the intelligence and power to consistently and efficiently drill high-quality blast holes with accuracy and precision. It is loaded with smart features such as automated drilling and rod handling that increase safety, efficiency and consistency for a lower total cost of ownership (TCO).

The automation-ready platform also includes the new Auto Feed Fold feature.

With a single action, Auto Feed Fold enables the operator to fold the feed for tramming or position it for drilling. This also comes in handy when operating one or more drill rigs remotely with the BenchREMOTE option.

“The new SmartROC D60 is designed to offer the customer better efficiency, safety and more sustainability. People visiting our stand this week have really liked the

30

AGGREGATES BUSINESS March/April 2020

“Customers found the sophisticated technology a little bit scary at first, but then they saw how it ensured consistent production” Cetin Kara at the CONEXPO-CON/AGG 2020 exhibition

www.AggBusiness.com

DRILL RIGS, HAMMERS & BREAKERS

model’s design,” said Kara. “We’ve had our SmartROC machine in the U.S. market for a couple of years. Customers found the sophisticated technology a little bit scary at first, but then they saw how it ensured consistent production, that it was easy to use and how much their operators liked running the machine, as it offered an automatic drilling function. Rock-drilling tool life is also increased,” explained Kara.

“It was the mining customers who were driving the adoption of automation technology, but now the crushed stone aggregates customers want it more and more as they see the benefits. The reduced total cost of ownership gained by using the SmartROC D60, such as up to 20% more fuel efficiency than standard DTH drill rigs, gives customers a competitive edge.”

Available with a shorter boom specially designed for efficient and demanding quarry work, the SmartROC D60 can drill holes of 110mm to 178mm in diameter and to a maximum depth of 55.5 metres (m). All these features and flexibility are packed in a rig that is also more economical to run due to the intelligent control of the compressor and engine rpm. The SmartROC D60 also uses 299 litres less hydraulic oil than previous versions and features fewer hoses and pumps.

“While we are keen to promote the SmartROC technology, we appreciate that other customers prefer other products in portfolio; products that are simple to use and maintain. That’s why we have the widest product portfolio in the market.”

Epiroc’s new DM30 II SP rotary blasthole drill is said to be ideal for quarrying and small mining operations. The crawler-mounted, hydraulic tophead-drive rig offers faster holeto-hole drilling and a lower cost per tonne through single-pass capability.

Built off the same proven platform as the Epiroc DM45 and DML blasthole drill rigs, the DM30 II SP is suitable for a variety of singlepass rotary and DTH drilling applications. The Swedish manufacturer says the model can achieve a clean hole depth of 11m for singlepass applications. The small footprint of the DM30 II makes it easy to manoeuvre on tight benches and simple to transport within the pit and over the road between pits.

www.AggBusiness.com

Epiroc says its new DM30 II SP rotary blasthole drill rig is well-suited to quarrying and small mining operations

The DM30 II SP offers a low total cost of ownership, with a structure design life exceeding 45,000 hours. The single-pass capability allows for faster hole-to-hole drilling and decreases the cost per tonne.

Its design and layout grants quick and easy access to all major service points, simplifying maintenance.

The DM30 II SP is designed to handle 101mm-165mm drill pipes with a hydraulic pulldown of up to 133.4kN and a hole diameter of 140-200mm. An 11m singlepass tower option increases productivity for 8.85m-11m drilling conditions by eliminating the need to add a second drill steel.

Customers can choose a low- or highpressure compressor to create the right configuration for their drilling operation.

Epiroc’s PowerROC D60 hydraulic DTH surface drill rig for mining and quarrying not only drills the largest holes in the PowerROC family, it is now equipped with an engine that meets Tier 4 Final emissions regulations to reduce its environmental footprint.

The straightforward, robust rig can drill large holes ranging from 110mm to 178mm.

In addition, the 5+1 rod handling system makes it possible to drill holes down to a depth of 30m. Proven Epiroc technology also helps to ensure that holes are straight and high in quality.

Asked about Epiroc’s approach to drilling rig sales and its aftermarket business, Kara said it varies not only from country to country, but from a U.S. perspective, from state to state.

“We have direct sales and external distributor channels. If you look at America’s East Coast, there’s more quarry, crushed stone and cement applications. Then you go to the West and South-West of America and there’s more mining. It depends on states’ development plans, how much construction works they need and are allocating.”

This interview with Aggregates Business was conducted prior to the public lockdown policy being introduced globally to combat the Covid-19 pandemic. AB

Epiroc’s SmartROC D60 DTH surface drill rig now comes with the company’s innovative automation-ready platform

AGGREGATES BUSINESS March/April 2020

31

WEIGHING

Trimble LOADRITE’s L3180 SmartScale is now an option on Hyundai CE wheeled loaders across the European Union

Weighty matters for quarry operators Accurate and efficient payload management systems can save your quarrying business big money, while also helping to resolve weighing disputes and to identify and detect material theft issues. Guy Woodford reports

P

ayload management software has multiple benefits and is evolving thanks to the growing use of cloudbased platforms.

Trimble’s LOADRITE business and Hyundai Construction Equipment have announced the availability of Trimble LOADRITE L3180 SmartScale as an option on Hyundai Construction Equipment (Hyundai CE) wheeled loaders across the European Union.

The Trimble LOADRITE L3180 SmartScale uses weighing intelligence and solid-state sensors for more accurate, precise and faster loading. It also connects machines and devices for the collection and syncing

A Trimble LOADRITE L3180 SmartScale eTicket on an iPhone

32

AGGREGATES BUSINESS March/April 2020

of data via the built-in WiFi to the InsightHQ reporting portal. InsightHQ consolidates live, operational information from Trimble LOADRITE devices on loaders, excavators and conveyors across the site, to provide near real-time productivity and performance reports for extraction, processing and loadout operations.

Reengineered from the ground up, Trimble’s innovative, next-generation loader scale platform features smarter weighing, smarter data management and a smarter interface. Intelligence in the weighing software and new hardware gives operators of all skill levels the ability to load faster and more productively than ever before.

“Payload measurement is a great way to ensure every truck load is optimised,” says Kevin Garcia, general manager of Trimble Civil Specialty Solutions. “Trimble LOADRITE onboard weighing technology on Hyundai loaders enables our customers to maximize productivity and efficiency on every bucket loaded.”

The Trimble LOADRITE L3180 offers more precise weighing than any previous LOADRITE system in a wide range of conditions including adjusting for rough terrain, operator technique and machine movement using new weighing intelligence.

The system also features digital CAN-bus sensors for noise immunity and ground-slope compensation as standard.

The L3180 now offers in-cab key performance indicators (KPIs), including tonne/hour, tonnes and truck count to enable operators to monitor performance and achieve daily targets. When using Trimble’s cloud-based InsightHQ quarry reporting portal, personnel can gain access to site production and operator performance KPIs on desktop or mobile devices. Data is presented in dashboard or graphical formats,

including a new loadout performance heatmap, powered by built-in GPS. The system caches data locally and then syncs it with InsightHQ. The L3180 features a large touchscreen display, twice the size of previous generation displays. Colourful graphics, cleaner interface design and the new touchscreen allow for faster menu navigation and interaction.

New loading information detail, including customer and product for each job, can be customized on the interface by each operator to match their workflow and make it easier to see the right information for maximum productivity.

“Scale Watcher also allows loader operators to prepare an order as soon as a customer [collection] truck arrives. It keeps the truck driver happy as they don’t want to be waiting around too long.”

The Trimble LOADRITE L3180 SmartScale is available now as an option from Hyundai Construction Equipment dealers across Europe.

Due to go into production at some stage in Q2 2020, Intercomp’s TS30 CPU (central processing unit) gives users the ability to easily process weight-related data for monitoring and controlling loads. It can interface with static or portable weigh-in-

www.AggBusiness.com

CONEXPO 2020 NEW FOR 2020 10-14 MARCH, LAS VEGAS

Keep in touch ... Wherever you are

Sign up for a FREE digital edition and get

EXTENDED CONTENT www.aggbusiness.com/archive

CONEXPO 2020

10-14 MARCH, LAS VEGAS

A ROUTE ONE PUBLISHING SPECIAL PUBLICATION | L AS VEGAS 2020

Featuring interviews with the major manufacturers, industry news and announcements, expert coverage and LIVE photography of all the most significant product introductions from the key categories on show A supplement to:

Inside this issue...

A supplement to: www.worldhighways.com

www.aggbusiness.com

Quarry & aggregates production Earthmoving & excavation Engines, emissions, cooling, filtration & silencing Wear parts & components

Social icon

Rounded square Only use blue and/or white.

For more details check out our Brand Guidelines.

www.worldhighways.com

www.aggbusiness.com

WEIGHING

motion (WIM) scales, automatically classify vehicle WIM, and generate logs of all vehicles or selected datasets.

Sold in a self-contained, weather-resistant hardened case and featuring USB or Ethernet output, the TS30 CPU can communicate with a variety of devices including PCs and scoreboard displays, using RFX Wireless Weighing technology said to save time and improve safety. The solution can show the scale layout or list with weight units, total weight and centre of gravity. Additionally, gross, net and tare weights can all be viewed on the TS30 CPU’s large touchscreen display.

The TS30 CPU’s software allows five configurable user/session info fields and five optional vehicle info fields that are included on the ticket created by the built-in printer.

Command Alkon’s Apex softwarecompatible and web-accessible Scale Watcher system has been installed in 523 quarry and other work sites globally since its introduction in 2006.

The technology’s customers include Australian mining giant Boral; UK independent building materials supply giant Breedon; Lehigh Hanson of Canada, a HeidelbergCement company; Rudus in Finland; the Nigeria-based Azkiel Group and Cementos Progreso in Guatemala and several hundred customers in the United States.

The integrated and recently updated Scale Watcher provides photo verification of the weighing process. When Apex software sends a print signal to the printer, it activates the camera to take a digital still photo of the vehicle on the scale. The ticket information is then superimposed on the captured image which can later be moved to the central office using Apex Data Replication.

Intercomp’s TS30 CPU allows users to easily process weightrelated data for monitoring and controlling loads

Among Scale Watcher’s many features are the easy retrieval of the photos by ticket number; the supply of ironclad proof of vehicle pickup without signatures; optional anti-theft module capturing anomalous events; the ability to print or e-mail photos to customers; single images along with raw video storage for a complete accounting of any incident; and customisable ticket information on the video image. Furthermore, Scale Watcher can utilise multiple cameras, with total site security possible with add-on cameras.

Command Alkon claims that return on investment with the Scale Watcher can be as short as just one year.

The base Scale Watcher system provides hardware, software and one-year software maintenance for one camera and one scale.

The base system can accommodate up to four cameras without adding additional PC hardware. Software and hardware upgrades are required if more than four cameras are preferred.

Scale Watcher’s Theft Deterrent Module allows your NVR (network video recorder) to ‘listen’ for when the valve/gates open and close to release your product. If you release product from your silos and no ticket is generated from the software, then a valve alert will be captured with photos of the truck that was being loaded. You can also configure the system to automatically e-mail real-time alerts if desired.

Alert triggers include: No Ticket - Truck was on the scale and left but no ticket was generated; Tare Weight Contamination - Tare weight was above the threshold; Gross Ticket Mismatch - The maximum weight read from the scale was not within a reasonable difference from the actual ticket weight; Overweight - The weight read from the scale exceeds the vehicle’s designated GVW; and Scale Connection Lost/Restored - DVS cannot communicate with the scale indicator. AB

Command Alkon’s Apex softwarecompatible Scale Watcher system has been installed in more than 500 quarry and other work sites globally since its introduction in 2006

34

AGGREGATES BUSINESS March/April 2020

www.AggBusiness.com

WASHING – PART 1

CDE has launched the largest version yet of its Combo all-in-one wet processing and water management solution

Much ado about washing There have been some major new water processing and management plant launches launc in the first quarter of 2020. Liam McLoughlin and Guy Woodford report

C

DE has unveiled the largest version yet of its Combo all-in-one wet processing and water management solution. The new globally available Combo X900 features an increased capacity of 500-tonnes per hour.

Speaking at the CONEXPO-CON/AGG 2020 exhibition in Las Vegas, USA (10-13 March), Kevin Vallelly, director of engineering at CDE, said the new plant has been engineered specifically for materials processors in the Americas. “With our new Combo X900, we’ve doubled its capacity and created a next-gen solution for materials processors across North America and Latin America,” he added.

CDE launched the first version of the Combo plant at bauma 2019. CDE group managing director Tony Convery said the company has now sold over 2,000 plants globally and claimed it is the largest wet processing plant provider in the world.

Vallelly said that 15-20% of each Combo plant is customised to meet the requirements of the specific customer.

He added that the Combo X900 can process 500 tonnes per hour (tph) of feed material.

This includes natural sand and crushed rock, containing unwanted clay, silt and other organic contaminants to extract quality in-spec washed and graded sand products that are market-ready straight from the belts.

As well as its increased capacity, the control cabin of the new X900 has been repositioned to sit on top of the water tank, a design decision Vallelly says is directly influenced by the North and Latin American markets.

“In these regions, plant and machinery are subject to major temperature extremes and fluctuations,” he said.

“By positioning the control cabin on top of the water tank we’re able to better protect the operational heart of the plant and offer a solution that can be adopted throughout both North America and Latin America where high

www.AggBusiness.com

and low temperature extremes are recorded.”

CDE says that, while traditional washing systems typically have a separate standalone water tank, the new Combo X900 has integrated this into the design of the AquaCycle thickener tank. It states that this results in a peripheral wall for water storage, which has significantly reduced the overall footprint.

The Northern Irish company says that this provides customers with almost total independence of water supply and minimises the requirements for costly site engineering due to its significantly smaller footprint which is, on average, 30% smaller than other traditional wash plant set-ups.

“Traditional washing systems would typically consume up to 15 times more water than that required for the Combo X900,” said Vallelly.

The X900 enables materials processors to wash more than 500 tph with only 800 gpm (gallons per minute) - about the same amount of water that would be required to wash a truck, according to CDE. McLanahan has launched its new UltraDRY dewatering screen that can be added to a new

or existing system and is claimed to create a drier, ready-to-sell product.

The US company says customers can achieve moisture content as low as 7% by adding a McLanahan dewatering screen to the end of their screw washer. McLanahan adds that this creates a drier product that is easier to sell and allows better site stockpile management with a shorter inventory cycle, making the customer’s site more efficient.

The Ultra line focuses on a set of standardised units that can be containerised for shipping and supplied quickly.

McLanahan says that its dewatering screens that are part of the UltraDRY system have a high G-force, creating a deeper bed depth, a drier product and with more product processed.

Drive motors on the UltraDRY are oriented to ensure that screens do not need a brake or a VFD (variable frequency drive) to stop the side motion of the screen. Additionally, it can come equipped with a divided deck design so that two separate products can be made on the same screen.

A slurry pump can be added when pairing the UltraDRY with a screw washer to divert the

McLanahan has unveiled its new UltraDRY dewatering screen

AGGREGATES BUSINESS March/April 2020

35

WASHING – PART 1

Kolberg-Pioneer Inc. (KPI) has partnered with Tecnoidea Impianti to offer water clarification systems in North America.

At CONEXPO-CON/AGG 2020, Terex Washing Systems showcased its Terex FM UltraFines plant

KPI and Tecnoidea Impianti’s water clarification systems for North America will accelerate the process of filtering fines from dirty water for reuse in the processing plant screen’s underflow water back to the screw’s feedwell. McLanahan says this location is ideal for water placement as it limits the system’s water usage and allows material at the top of the screw to stay cleaner and drier. Also available is an optional spray bar, designed to allow operators to scrub away any remaining debris and put the final touches to their product.

Kolberg-Pioneer Inc. (KPI) has partnered with Tecnoidea Impianti to offer water clarification systems in North America.

The clarification systems accelerate the process of filtering fines from dirty water for reuse in the processing plant. These systems are designed to eliminate the need for large and expensive settling ponds by recovering up to 95% of the water that flows to the clarification system. This allows producers to use significantly less water in their system.

“Water clarification systems save producers time and money associated with building, using and maintaining settling ponds. This partnership with Tecnoidea Impianti will allow us to continue to offer a one-source solution for our customers,” said Brett Casanova, washing and classifying product manager for KPI. The water clarification systems will include flocculation preparation units, static vertical settling tanks, thickened sludge tanks, side and overhead beam plate presses and other accessory components.

At CONEXPO-CON/AGG 2020, Terex Washing Systems (TWS) showcased its Terex FM UltraFines plant, described as a crucial step in efficient management and recovery of ultra-fines material from wastewater streams, produced from washing processes.

The ultra-fines recovery unit can process up to 450m³ per hour of slurry, recovering material as low as 40 microns, thus reducing the volume of solids reporting to storage ponds or water treatment plant. Bringing together a centrifugal pump, a hydrocyclone cluster and a high-frequency dewatering screen on one chassis, the TWS FM UltraFines also boasts an innovatively designed conical tank and antiturbulence system, which is essential in the process of ultra-fines recovery.

MEKA Global (MEKA) showcased the most recent addition to its compact plant line,

36

AGGREGATES BUSINESS March/April 2020

the MCSP 1-150, at CONEXPO-CON/AGG 2020. The unit has since been delivered to its final customer in the U.S. and was due to be operational from early April.

The MCSP 1-150 plant is the first MEKA compact plant sold in the US market, with the sale said to have followed a lengthy purchase process. Every technical aspect was dissected and discussed thoroughly, with initial discussions focusing on areas including the plant’s components.

Each major component of MEKA compact plant is said by the Turkish company to be chosen in order to offer customers a plant capable of supplying predictable and reliable performance during its working life.

A company spokesperson said: “MEKA has an extensive knowledge base over the performance of its compact plant and we were able to present [to the U.S. customer] final product scenarios over a wide range of product feed distributions. Optional spray bars were added to correct a few fractions which proved to be out of ASTM C33 Specifications.

“Predicting performance on commissioning day when all the equipment is ready, and every parameter is under control is usually the easier side [of a sale]. Keeping the same performance several months or even years later is another challenge. The natural rubber liners in the MCSP 1-150 plant’s hydrocyclone and pump are among the longest-wearing parts available in the industry. Carefully studying the merits of each case, we make slight changes to our

plant to provide maximum wear life. How to ensure the best final product particle shape, particle size and mineral composition of the feed are important parts of our plant design process. We use different wear protectors including AR steel, UHMWPE, polyurethane, and natural rubber depending on the wear area in a MEKA compact plant. All these different wear parts options allow us to provide reliable performance over a longer time for each application.”

MEKA says that the MCSP 1-150 plant’s self-levelling sump tank with low-water sensor, overflow recirculation, high-volume sump tank, and oversized vibrators with bearing lifetime exceeding 20,000 hours all contribute to its long-term reliable performance with minimal supervision.

MEKA said that its range of compact plant displayed at CONEXPO-CON/AGG 2020 received great recognition from the firm’s U.S. distributors. The company spokesperson added: “This recognition has resulted in a new purchase order for a 1250m³ per hour dredge dewatering system to give 450 tonnes per hour of product to be processed as frac sand. Discussions for another three units are continuing.”

MEKA’s sand washing equipment line also includes attrition scrubbing plant, fine material washers, coarse material washers, log washers and water recycling equipment. The range is said to offer a plant solution for most challenging applications. AB

The MCSP 1-150 plant is the first MEKA compact plant sold in the US market

www.AggBusiness.com

SCREENING MEDIA

When selecting screen media, factors to consider include the operating environment, material characteristics, wear life and maintenance. Photo: MAJOR

Screens: A cheap media that can prevent expensive problems How choosing the appropriate screen media for the crushing and screening process can improve production and solve screening problems. Liam McLoughlin reports

S

creen media selection is an oftenoverlooked factor in mineral processing that can have a significant impact on overall efficiency. Though relatively cheap compared to the rest of the equipment in a quarry or mine, it could be argued that media has as much impact on productivity and material quality as the vibrating screen. It is important that operations give screen media as much buying consideration as they do the vibrating screen itself according to Lars Bräunling, director of product technology at MAJOR, which manufactures wire screens for the aggregates, mining and recycling industries For this reason, Bräunling says that a number of factors should influence the choice of screen media.

“Certainly, cost is a consideration, but it shouldn’t be reduced to purchasing price versus wear life,” he says. “A full cost analysis needs to include labour cost for change-outs and cleaning, loss of production during downtime, media performance — tonnes produced, for example — and indirect factors like crusher relief.”

Bräunling adds that thinking only in terms of monetary value can be shortsighted and end up costing an operation more in the long run. The operating environment — including material characteristics and recurring screening problems — should also be considered. From there, look at different media types to find out what fits best, and learn proper installation and maintenance to ensure long term success.

Selecting the proper screen media for an application first involves examining the

www.AggBusiness.com

screening plant and any issues surrounding it. Bräunling recommends starting by taking a look at the material being processed to get an idea of what the media needs to stand up against. Consider the drop height, material size, abrasiveness, weight and volume. The more impact the material will have on the screen media, the higher durability that media should have, at least at the impact point. Abrasive material like granite calls for resistant screen media, such as polyurethane or high-vibration wire media. Likewise, top sizes of 254mm (10”) or larger demand a more durable screen, including options like double wire screens, perforated plate or rubber.

Operators should also take a look at the flow of material. “A visual check or belt cut of the crusher feed belt is an effective way to see if there is saleable rock being sent to the crusher,” Bräunling says. “This could be the result of carryover or because the deck capacity is exceeded. The solution may be adjusting the cut, improving capacity or fixing screening problems like blinding or pegging with alternative screen media.”

In addition to the deck itself, the pile of discarded screen media can be a good area to look for insight into screening problems.

Bräunling says that operators should take note of things like broken wires, wear areas, pegging or blinding to pinpoint problems on their decks. Any of these can lead to material contamination and downtime, making them a significant cause for concern.

Depending on the operation, an hour of downtime could be expensive in terms of lost production, which makes choosing a screen media that maximizes uptime and

efficiency even more critical. Perforated steel plate and heavy rubber panels are, almost by definition, the most durable options. Rubber can be effective for screening material with a top size larger than 12 inches or for openings bigger than four inches, but tends to be more susceptible to pegging.

Perforated plate is an acceptable option for applications requiring a durable screen media with a lot of open area, but is often noisier and heavier, which can cause issues.

Both also typically have less open area than wire alternatives.

“Woven-wire cloth has been the traditional option for a long time for a reason,” says Bräunling. “It is relatively inexpensive and effective. But there are a number of advanced options available that offer more durability, throughput and versatility. And purchasing a traditional woven-wire design based solely on price may end up costing more in terms of wear life and more frequent change-outs.”

Synthetic modular media, such as polyurethane or rubber, is typically known for its long wear life and ability to reduce noise levels, but it isn’t without its own challenges.

Bräunling says this type of media typically has less open area than wire screens, leading to decreased throughput. This, in turn, also reduces the capacity of bottom decks because the material takes longer to make its way down.

Both synthetic screen media and traditional woven wire are very rigid and rely on the vibrating screen to do most of the heavy lifting. The static movement of the screens limits vibration to 800 or 900 cycles per minute.

AGGREGATES BUSINESS March/April 2020

37

SCREENING MEDIA

Operators should monitor screens to ensure the longest possible wear life. Photo: MAJOR “In most cases, this does not hinder the screen media from achieving adequate production and throughput, but it is not fully using screening equipment, either,” Bräunling says. “And often it results in common issues, such as blinding and pegging.”

He adds that high-vibration screen media offers a wear-life compromise between synthetic and woven wire, and often provides the most performance benefits.

The media features high-strength wire bonded by polyurethane or rubber strips to hold individual wires. The wires vibrate independently of one another — within opening size specifications — to amplify the screening process and increase throughput by as much as 40%.

Not all high-vibration screen media is the same. Most manufacturers do not customise the media specifically to each application to ensure optimum performance and wear resistance. When properly fitted to an application, Bräunling says that highvibration screen media can amplify the work of the vibrating screen with vibrations of 6,000 to 10,000 cycles per minute — up to 13 times greater than traditional, rigid media options.

“There are inexpensive options for every style of screen media, but operations should hesitate before choosing them,” he says.

“The lower price often comes with reduced performance and wear life as a result of poor quality with the material, weaving, trimming and hooking process for wire screens or, similarly, poor manufacturing and material with other styles of screen media.”

He adds that operators should start off correctly with proper installation and then monitor to ensure the longest possible wear life. They should inspect the condition of all components that come in contact with the screen, and replace if necessary.

“Selecting the best screen media involves taking a look at the big picture,” Bräunling states. “While not required, an operation can expedite the decision process with experience-backed recommendations from a screen-media OEM [original equipment manufacturer] or dealer. With infrastructure

38

AGGREGATES BUSINESS March/April 2020

on the rise, the potential for fewer screening problems, increased uptime and more profit flowing over the screen makes the whole process worthwhile.”

MAJOR launched three new products at the recent ConExpo show in Las Vegas that are aimed at maximising the productivity and efficiency of its popular FLEX-MAT range.

The FLEX-MAT ID-Enabled system has been designed to track and store screenmedia data such as panel dimensions and customer-defined details to offer users information at their fingertips for simple reorders.

The FLEX-MAT Sensor is said to be a valuable and easy-to-operate vibration data-measurement tool with which to review results and fine-tune screen machines without shutting down the equipment.

MAJOR has also launched a new smartphone app to give customers up-todate information and access to advanced digital tools. The MAJOR App is available for aggregates and mining producers and MAJOR dealers, with customisations for each.

It integrates with new MAJOR technologies, including the company’s FLEX-MAT ID-Enabled and the FLEX-MAT Sensor.

Also at ConExpo Durex promoted a number of screen-media options for the aggregates and mining sectors including the Accuslot, Armor and Livewire screens.

Accuslot Wire Cloth is designed to provide the accuracy of square openings with the production efficiency and cleaning ability of long-slot wire cloth.

Durex says that Accuslot screens help eliminate plugging and/or blinding, while minimising the passing of slivers. Clusters of wires can be spaced to match bucker bars.

The screen media is built for processing crushed stone, sand and gravel and materials that have high moisture content.

Durex says its Armor screens protect an operation with a long wear life, high open area and reduced noise. The screen is a combination of high-grade wire cloth and a moulded coating of premium polyurethane.

Durex states that this combination of technologies creates screens that have a much higher open area than conventional polyurethane screens and much longer wear life than wire screens.

The Livewire Wire Cloth is designed to boost productivity by reducing costly blinding and pegging problems while also delivering superior wear life. Livewire screens are a hybrid-type screen and available in four different opening styles for maximum output.

US-based Samscreen supplies the KleenSkreen finger deck replacement screen system. The system is made for difficult-toscreen materials where blinding, clogging and pegging cause problems with traditional screening media. The KleenSkreen can be retrofitted to existing portable and stationary screening plants, which the company says provides a viable and economical choice of not having to purchase a new piece of equipment similar to a StarScreen or trommel. AB

Durex provides a range of screen media options for the aggregates sector

www.AggBusiness.com

CONCRETE PLANT

The Liebherr Mobilmix 3.5 mixing plant has been deployed by Dyckerhoff Basal in the Netherlands

Mixer helps build massive new Amsterdam lock An easy-to-install and highly mobile concrete mixing plant is being used in the construction of what is claimed to be the world’s largest lock in the port city of Ijmuiden near Amsterdam. Liam McLoughlin reports

A

highly mobile concrete mixing plant has been proving its capabilities in the Netherlands.

Dyckerhoff Basal is the Dutch subsidiary of cement manufacturer Dyckerhoff and is a major supplier of readymix concrete and cement in the Netherlands.

In order to make the port of Amsterdam accessible for the new generations of ships with even larger dimensions, what is claimed to be the largest lock in the world will be built in IJmuiden. The port city of IJmuiden is located at the south of the 27km-long North Sea Canal, which connects Amsterdam with the sea.

The construction project comprises an investment volume of around €700m and is expected to take around seven years. The new lock is to be opened for shipping at the beginning of 2022 and requires around 300,000m³ of concrete.

For Dyckerhoff Basal, the most important criterion in selecting the concrete mixing plant was a rapid start of operation and the possibility of a rapid change of location in the future in order to be able to start concrete production at short notice for construction projects with limited time. In addition, a theoretical output capacity of up to 150m³/h was an essential requirement for the mixing plant in order to reliably cover delivery peaks throughout the day.

Dyckerhoff Basal has selected the Liebherr Mobilmix 3.5-C in container design with CSC (Concrete Sustainability Council) approval for cost-effective and worldwide ship transport.

The container design and installation on

www.AggBusiness.com

steel foundations are aimed at making the Mobilmix 3.5-C suitable for quick installation and relocation in temporary construction projects.

The plant can be relocated within four days. Thanks to the already integrated insulation, the Mobilmix 3.5-C is also equipped for winter operation. The mobile mixer is equipped with a Liebherr DW 3.5 twin-shaft mixer, which is designed to enable optimum concrete homogeneity thanks to the three-dimensional mixing principle. In addition, the mixer is suitable for short-term recipe changes.

With the Mobilmix 3.5-C, up to 150m³ of concrete can be produced per hour, and as a double plant even up to 300 m³. The plant is operated intuitively via Liebherr‘s own Litronic-MPS mixing plant control system at a PC workstation. All components

are accessible for maintenance work via steps and platforms and are designed to offer sufficient space for tools and working equipment.

Italy-based concrete machinery design and manufacturing company CIFA has inaugurated its branch office in North America. The CIFA North America facility which is located in Yorkville, Wisconsin, will work as an industrial machinery assembly plant as well as the customer service centre.

CIFA says the local hub will provide service in terms of sales, parts supply, technical support, service support and training with high quality and efficiency for customers in the US and Canada.

Marco Polastri, sales, after-sales & marketing director of CIFA, commented: “North America is of great strategic interest for CIFA, and we aim to increase our market presence in the United States and Canada.

Being in the area with a stronger local presence is of the utmost importance in order to provide quality products and service to satisfy the needs of our customers.”

CIFA has also been promoting its presence in the Gulf region, which it says is a strategic market for the company with the potential to increase in the forthcoming years. It adds that the Gulf is an advanced market with very well-organised groups, dealers and end users that will keep pushing towards the latest technologies and high-standard products.

CIFA is a main sponsor of the Big 5 building and construction show that was

CIFA exhibited its new K61L truck pump at the Big 5 show in Dubai

AGGREGATES BUSINESS March/April 2020

39

CONCRETE PLANT

staged in Dubai from November 25 to 28. The company also exhibited at the event, where it presented for the first time the new K61L truck pump, which is suitable for markets requiring long, tough truck pumps with high performance. It features a pumping unit with 25.4cm S valve and 260mm concrete cylinders that are designed to provide lower cycles per minute, low wear and low noise level during operations. The K61L features CIFA’s Smartronic Silver machine management: LCD monitor, user-friendly interface with counters, pumping unit management and advanced diagnostics.

In Austria, the Fröschl Beton company has been supplying construction sites in the Innsbruck area (Austria) with ready-mixed concrete for many years. Its 45-year-old mixing plant was technically obsolete and no longer met current standards. The company wanted to replace it with a set-up that covered the entire concrete logistics chain and delivered flawless concrete efficiently and flexibly.

After an extensive planning phase, the Betomat concept from Liebherr was chosen.

It enables the operation of two completely separate mixing plants within one mixing tower, and incorporates a compact design of the two weighing and mixing lines.

The Betomat holds up to 600m³ of stone in nine silo chambers. The mixing tower is fed with aggregates via two charging hoppers and a powerful bucket elevator with an hourly output of 200m³/h. The plant has seven silos for a binder supply of around 840 tonnes.

The new mixing plant is equipped with two mixer systems: a ring-pan mixer with agitator system and a double-shaft mixer.

Liebherr says this means that normal standard concretes as well as high-performance and special concretes can be produced very efficiently. When in operation with both mixer systems, the plant achieves a possible output of around 160m³ of compacted fresh concrete per hour. The tower is equipped with two lanes, and the separate weighing lines mean that two vehicles can be loaded simultaneously with different types of concrete.

Northern Ireland-based Rapid International has re-entered the concrete truck mixer market with the launch of its sister company Rapid Tumbler which supplies premium lightweight truck mixers.

Fröschl Beton’s new mixing tower is fed with aggregates via two charging hoppers and a bucket elevator

Rapid Tumbler’s first product to market is the RTM89 8m3 capacity truck mixer. The mixer’s 8m3 mixing drum is manufactured using long-life, high-strength Arcelor Mittal steel. The truck mixers feature premium components from Bosch Rexroth, Arcelor Mittal and ZF Germany. Rapid says the range is set to be expanded in 2020 to include other size options. The official launch of Rapid Tumbler took place in December 2019 at an open morning at Rapid’s headquarters in Tandragee, County Armagh. The event was attended by many local and national readymix concrete companies, as well as members of the Mineral Products Association Northern Ireland (MPANI).

Rapid International MD Mark Lappin expressed his delight that the company was re-entering the truck mixer market with the launch of Rapid Tumbler. “Having celebrated our 50th anniversary last year, it seems fitting to re-introduce one of Rapid’s original iconic products,” he added.

Garten Richter, a German company involved in construction work and concrete projects, has acquired a Carmix 3.5 TT concrete mixer truck for the production of

An SBM Mineral Processing lorry that transports the new EUROMIX 3300 SPACE mobile mixing plant

40

AGGREGATES BUSINESS March/April 2020

eco-friendly blocks from recycled materials that are in the shape of LEGO bricks.

The LEGO blocks the machine produces have enabled Garten Richter to easily build compartments for different aggregates, while at the same time optimising site management and material organisation.

Carmix claims its machines reduce concrete costs compared with existing mixing methods, have a greater capacity than screw mixers combined with tractors or other miniloader machines, and also simplify the mixing and unloading phases for more efficiency. In one working cycle, the Carmix 3.5 TT concrete batching plant chosen by Garten Richter produces concrete for five cement blocks, whose mixture is composed of 5,580kg of recycled material sized 1 to 12mm, 410l of water and 920kg of cement, to a final concrete resistance of C25/3 kp.

SBM Mineral Processing presented its EUROMIX 3300 SPACE mobile mixing plant for the first time at bauma 2019. Stephan Godel, MD and founder of German concrete producer GODEL-BETON, purchased one of the plants after seeing it at the construction and quarrying equipment event in Munich last April.

A few days later the machine was in operation at the GODEL location in Gelsenkirchen, Germany, and has since then been producing up to 1,000 m³ concrete per day.

Zacharias Funk, head of systems engineering at GODEL, set up the plant with his team in less than two days. “I think that under optimum conditions it is possible to produce concrete in only three days after the first transport,” said Funk.

The EUROMIX 3300 SPACE is provided with an insulated cladding as standard to ensure better production and operating conditions. AB

www.AggBusiness.com

REBUILDS

A Certified Power Train H (cylinders) rebuild of a Cat wheeled loader

Rebuilds an increasing option for vehicle operators Popular for many years in Western Europe and North America, quarrying machine rebuilds are now showing growth in Russia, Africa and the Middle East. Liam McLoughlin reports

Q

uarrying vehicle operators around the world are increasingly looking into whether a rebuild is a viable option economically as an alternative to buying a new machine.

That is the view of Andrew Walker, certified rebuild specialist covering Europe, Africa, Middle East and Eurasia at manufacturer Caterpillar.

Rebuilding refers to a machine rebuild or a component rebuild (of a powertrain or engine). This is distinct from remanufacturing (or ‘reman’), which refers to the remanufacturing of parts, where customers have the choice to buy new parts or remanufactured parts.

Walker says that the ‘certified’ portion of a rebuild means the programme is endorsed by Caterpillar, although it is performed by dealers. The rebuilds take place in the dealer’s workshop and follow a set process that is defined by Cat. The dealer’s technicians are all trained to certain standards and its workshops are equipped with the relevant equipment in order to be able to perform the certified rebuild.

There are different levels of certified rebuilds. The CCR (Cat Certified Rebuild) involves the complete machine, where the machine is stripped down to its frame and everything is rebuilt around the frame.

Every part is inspected, and Cat has re-use and salvage guidelines for dealers for more

www.AggBusiness.com

or less every component.

On average there are about 7,000 parts (from washers to cylinder heads) that are replaced as part of a CCR rebuild.

The next level is the CPT (Certified Power Train Rebuild) which is engine, torque conversion, transmission, and final drives. Then below that there is the CMCR (Caterpillar Machine Component Rebuild) where a customer can choose to rebuild only, for example, their engine, transmission or final drives.

In terms of the current major trends in the rebuild market, Walker says that these are taking place more frequently in customer behaviour rather than in the rebuilds themselves.

“More and more customers globally are looking into whether a rebuild is a viable option economically as an alternative to buying a new machine,” he says. “We see many customers target increased machine hours, multiple machine lives and lowering the total costs of ownership. We work a lot with customers to put together maintenance plans and rebuild strategies, and we find that those customers that are most successful in lowering total cost of ownership have those fleet management plans in place.”

He adds that medium to large wheeled loaders is where Cat sees the greatest demand for rebuilds among its quarrying and aggregates customers, followed by quarry trucks. When Cat machines are

initially designed, part of the remit for the engineers is to make sure that the machine can be rebuilt for second or third lives.

“A lot of factors contribute to how long a machine life can be, including the application, the operator and the harshness of the environment,” says Walker. “I’ve seen engines rebuilt three or four times.”

There are two types of updates in rebuilds - required updates that are safety related and also productivity upgrades. A 20-year-old machine will not be compliant with the latest emissions standards, but it will be upgraded with all the available updates for the age of that machine. This effectively takes the machine back to ‘as new’ status. Typically, regulations such as the European Union’s Stage V engine emissions standards only apply to newly built machines.

The Cat Certified Rebuild programme was introduced nearly 35 years ago.

Going back ten years, Walker says that the programme was most successful in the more developed markets such as North America and Western Europe. Take-up has continued in those markets, but over the last five years there has been growth in other regions, particularly Russia, Africa and the Middle East.

He adds that cost is a big advantage for customers who opt for a rebuild. A complete rebuilt machine is typically between 50% to 60% of the cost of an equivalent new machine.

AGGREGATES BUSINESS March/April 2020

41

REBUILDS

“There are other benefits,” says Walker.

“Last week one of our dealers in Africa told me that their customers love the fact that they have 25-year-old machines that their operators know how to operate. They don’t need to buy the latest emission-compliant machine so, from an operator’s standpoint, they essentially get their old machine back but in brand new condition with all the product upgrades that have been required

by Caterpillar for increases in productivity and fuel efficiency.”

The time a CCR rebuild takes depends on the size of the machine, but for a medium wheeled loader it can typically be anything from four to eight weeks.

Walker predicts that the rebuild market will continue to grow, as many customers are seeking to get more out of their existing fleet without having to invest in new equipment. He adds that fleet operators are looking to implement strategies in terms of maintenance and rebuild that will lower the operating costs over the life of a machine.

“In terms of innovations, we have leading-edge technologies today that will help our customers decide when is the right time to rebuild a machine,” says Walker. “We have our well-established S.O.S services programme that helps identify early signs of failure through routine fluid analysis, we have telematics, and have introduced more recently remote troubleshooting that analyses real-time asset data so the dealer can run diagnostics testing on the connected product and pinpoint potential issues. Condition monitoring and digital data give Cat dealers and customers more insight into when a machine might be ready for a rebuild, and planning is key with a rebuild.”

Telematics can be used to give

A Cat 988H loader prior to being rebuilt. Image courtesy of French Cat dealer Bergerat Monnoyeur

information to Cat dealer product specialists. This can be warning signs – or ‘repair indicators’ – such as higher than normal oil consumption or fuel burn, and various other things that give an indication that a machine might be ready for a rebuild.

The number of certified rebuilds Cat does globally is in the thousands per year and are designed to essentially reset the machine’s life to new. If the machine had 20,000 hours on it at the first rebuild, the second life would be similar to that.

“The number of hours really varies by product type and application, but the point is that once you reset it to new you get the same life as you did the first time,” says Walker.

“When remanufactured parts exist they can use these as parts of a rebuild. That will be a discussion between the dealer and the customer as to what is the best option for a particular rebuild.”

On a CCR machine rebuild there is a one-year ‘like-new’ warranty, and on a CPT there is a one-year warranty on the whole powertrain.

Cat rebuilds have supporting Equipment Protection Plans (EPPs) that give the option to extend the standard one-year Certified Rebuild Warranty. These are plans that can be extended from 12 to 60 months and from 1,000 to 10,000 hours, depending on the machine, and are intended to give customers peace of mind. AB

A Cat 988H loader after undergoing the Cat Certified Rebuild Programme. Image courtesy of French Cat dealer Bergerat Monnoyeur

42

AGGREGATES BUSINESS March/April 2020

www.AggBusiness.com

MARKET REPORT

Uneven construction sector creates uncertain outlook for aggregates

Strong construction investment in the first half of 2019 overcame a weaker investment performance in the second half of the year and helped drive demand for aggregates.

However, the impact of COVID-19 has “pulverised” any future predictions on the health of Italian construction activity and aggregates consumption. Liam McLoughlin reports fter strong growth in the first quarter of 2019, the Italian construction market saw a downturn in Q2, followed by a modest recovery in the third quarter (0.2%), thanks in particular to the residential sector.

Despite this weak performance in the second and third quarters, an industry survey published in December 2019 by SaMoTerPrometeia Outlook estimated that overall growth for construction investments in 2019 averaged 3.3% in Italy, due to the strong figures for the first three months of the year.

This uneven performance in the construction sector had created an uncertain outlook for the Italian aggregates and quarrying industry, even before the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic led to the government ordering the entire country being placed under quarantine on March 9.

Data from Italy’s official statistics body Istat found that the quarrying and mining industry performed the worst out of 16 industry sub-sectors in 2019, amidst an overall 4.9% year-on-year fall in industrial output.

The latest aggregates production data available from European aggregates association the UEPG shows Italy as being among the three lowest countries in Europe in terms of tonnes per capita (t/c) with less than 3t/c in 2017. Italy

A

www.AggBusiness.com

was predicted to show an increase in tonnage for 2018 of around 1%.

The Italian quarrying sector has a large amount of generally small operators with 1,120 producers and 2,800 extraction sites, according to the UEPG. The biggest product is crushed rock (91 million tonnes produced in 2017), followed by sand and gravel (65 million tonnes), and recycled aggregates (four million tonnes) giving a total overall production of 160 million tonnes a year, the seventh largest figure among the UEPG’s 39 member countries.

Crushing and screening attachment manufacturer MB Crusher says it sees opportunities for its products in Italy arising from the need to make the most of all available material, which has prompted astute quarry operators to use also the waste material which once was simply piled up, thrown away or sent for waste disposal.

One operator is using an MB Crusher BF135.8 bucket, fitted to a Hyundai Robex 500 LC-7 excavator, to recycle material at a marble quarry in Carrara. Previously waste from the site was sent to a large recycling centre which incurred high transportation and disposal costs. The operator was not allowed to use mobile or fixed crushers at the quarry so they started using the BF135.8 to crush the material directly on-site. The crushed material is used for

ABOVE: A Hyundai Robex 500 LC-7 excavator fitted with an MB Crusher BF135.8 bucket is used to recycle material at a marble quarry in Carrara

maintenance of the quarry and other projects outside the quarry site.

The company adds: “Our crusher and screening buckets can process all extracted material, in order to render it re-usable directly on-site. The precision of production allows for materials which were previously destined solely for disposal to be processed in calibrated batches, which can be re-sold or re-used on-site, thus leaving the mineral balance of the quarry unaltered.”

Veronafiere, organiser of the SaMoTer earthmoving and building machinery event, said its December 2019 construction market data for Italy points to continuing underinvestment following the 2008-2009 global financial crisis.

The Italian construction equipment sector – which is the fourth biggest in Europe and accounts for 7% of sales in the region behind Germany, France and the UK - had a relatively strong 2019 compared with other southern European nations such as Spain, according to data from domestic construction equipment association UNACEA. Construction AGGREGATES BUSINESS EUROPE March/April 2020

43

MARKET REPORT

equipment sales were up by 16% on 2018, with earthmoving equipment sales increasing by 15%. The growth was driven by replacement of obsolete fleet and incentives laws according to UNACEA, which says the Italian construction equipment market is at 50% of the record levels reached pre-2008/9 financial crisis.

Italy showed growth in construction equipment sales in all four quarters of 2019, according to data from European construction equipment association CECE, with three of the quarters seeing double-digit year-on-year percentage increases.

“The Italian construction equipment market was stable in 2019,” according to Sebastien Popp, secretary of CECE’s statistical commission. “Growth in Italy was above the European average.”

CECE’s 2020 annual economic report, completed before the nationwide quarantine was introduced in Italy, predicted that the Italian construction sector would grow by 2.1% in 2020. However, CECE said during the online launch of the report that the onset of COVID-19 will “pulverise any predictions”.

Popp commented on the current landscape: “Situations change on a daily basis, so any forecasts now would not be reliable at all.”

Overall investments in the Italian construction sector came to more than €139bn in 2018, according to estimates by the SaMoTer-Prometeia Outlook, and it estimates a further increase of 3.3% for 2019, worth around about €4.5bn.

Residential building was sustained by investments to upgrade the housing stock, in association with renovation requirements and benefits arising from tax incentives. New homes played a less important role, given the 0.9% fall in building permits in the first quarter of 2019.

The real estate market posted a positive trend with transactions on the residential market increasing at a higher rate (5%) in the third quarter of 2019 than in Q2.

The trends were more diversified in the non-residential market. The tertiary commercial segment saw strong growth (+7.4% compared to previous quarters), but the negative trend continued in the production sector with a fall of 0.9% in Q3. Despite this context of general recovery in transactions, house prices have not yet completely stabilised and actually posted a further slight downward trend in the second quarter (-0.2%), especially for existing homes, compared to an increase in the new housing segment.

The public works market confirmed the positive trend seen since 2017: the first nine

Komatsu is due to showcase its WA475-10 wheeled loader at the rescheduled SaMoTer 2020

months of 2019 saw an increase of 4.7% in the number of tenders published and even more significant growth (25.1%) in the value of tenders.

The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the country has led to Italy so far being one of only three European nations to have shut down virtually all construction activity (with Spain and Luxembourg being the others). Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte also issued a decree on March 20 ordering the immediate closure of most manufacturing activities in Italy as a measure to fight the spread of COVID-19.

Cement manufacturer Italcementi was among those to comply, suspending production activity at its plants. Aggregates machinery manufacturers contacted by Aggregates Business Europe who have production facilities in Europe were also stopping production.

HeidelbergCement subsidiary Italcementi said its offices had already been operating in “smart-working mode” for three weeks, adding that its branches in Bergamo will be closed indefinitely, controlled by surveillance and security staff.

Cement production equipment company FLSmidth has temporarily closed down its production in Lombardy.

Another victim of COVID-19 is SaMoTer, Italy’s premier international construction and logistics trade show, originally due to take place in March and which has now been rescheduled

twice, initially to 16-20 May and now to 21-25 October.

The international construction equipment trade fair and its co-located events (bitumen and road infrastructure show Asphaltica and the precast exhibition conference ICCX Southern Europe) take place every three years on the Veronafiere site in Verona, northern Italy.

These events will now be held alongside Oil&nonOil, the energy, fuel and mobility services trade fair scheduled for 21-23 October.

Giovanni Mantovani, CEO of Veronafiere, commented: “We continue to monitor the scenario, together with the steering committee involving companies, partners and associations such as Unacea and Siteb which co-organises Asphaltica with us.

“The new postponement agreed upon is consequently the result of real-time listening to the market and careful assessments. We took into account the need to ensure safety in health terms and safeguard the important investments planned by companies taking part. This unity of intent with stakeholders once again highlights the sector’s confidence in the capacity of the trade fair system to support it and be a tool for relaunching the sector, even in times of great crisis such as those we are currently experiencing.”

The organisers said the October dates are also the best option as regards the seasonal work needs of the reference supply chains, which are concentrated in summer. AB

*UEPG-Aggs-Production-2017 UEPG Status

Total Number

Total Number of

of Producers

Extraction Sites

(companies)

(Quarries and Pits)

Sand & Gravel

Crushed Rock

Marine

Recycled

Re-Used

Manufactured

Total

Aggregates

Aggregates

on Site

Aggregates

Production

0

160

(millions tonnes) AM

44

1120

2800

AGGREGATES BUSINESS EUROPE March/April 2020

65

91

0

4

0

www.AggBusiness.com

QUARRY PROFILE

Kujawy Quarry in Poland

A BIG STAGE FOR CAT JOB SITE SOLUTIONS The use of Caterpillar Job Site Solutions to monitor the performance and health of a large Cat fleet at Poland’s biggest quarry is producing healthy productivity and efficiency gains for Lafarge in Poland. Guy Woodford reports

S

tretching over nearly seven-and-ahalf kilometres and with an annual limestone aggregates production rate of 7.5-8 million tonnes, plus more than 1.5 million tonnes/year of overburden processing, Kujawy is Poland’s largest quarry.

The Lafarge-owned and -operated site near the small industrial city of Inowrocław in north-central Poland is the only limestone quarry in a region dominated by agricultural industry. Quarrying on the vast site dates back to the 1860s.

Cement production began onsite in 1969, with Lafarge acquiring Kujawy Quarry

www.AggBusiness.com

(Kujawy) in 1995. The quarry’s management is currently in regular discussions with local community leaders about extending its quarrying production at the north end of the site, which would enable them to tap into more of the quarry’s 1.1 billion tonnes of geological reserves. Lafarge’s current operating licence allows it to quarry at Kujawy until at least 2054.

Kujawy’s limestone aggregates products are used in cement and road-based construction projects. They are also used to make soda lime, lime fillers and fertilisers, the latter for farming customers and a growing area of business. The site has four open pits

– Wapienno East, Wapienno West, Bielawy West, Bielawy East, two overburden dumps – Wapienno and Bielawy – and four crushing and screening plant lines, operated from an ABB software-equipped control room. One plant line produces aggregates of various sizes for road construction and cement making, others produce road sub-base product, grits, and washed aggregates material.

Magic Mountain, the washed aggregates plant line, is generally idle over two or three winter months. Quarry-face blasting takes place up to three times daily – with silo- and stockpile-loading work carried out seven days a week.

AGGREGATES BUSINESS EUROPE March/April 2020

45

QUARRY PROFILE

Blasting to gain aggregates material at Kujawy Quarry

Major Polish infrastructure projects using Kujawy limestone aggregates products of various sizes include the S5 Expressway linking Ostróda, Grudzia˛dz and Bydgoszcz in northern Poland with Poznań and Wrocław in the west of the country.

Playing a key role in ensuring Kujawy’s huge annual production output is a comprehensive Cat machine fleet consisting of two Cat 990 and two Cat 982 wheeled loaders, one Cat 988K wheeled loader, seven Cat 775G rigid dump trucks, a hydraulic breaker

A Cat 988K XE loading a 775G rigid hauler at Kujawy Quarry

A Cat 982M wheeled loader digs into stockpiled material

46

AGGREGATES BUSINESS EUROPE March/April 2020

attachment for crawler excavators and a Cat Certified Rebuild 772 rigid dump truck, reconfigured as a giant dust suppression/ water sprinkler truck for Kujawy’s site haul roads. Kujawy management has also just confirmed an order for a Cat 988K XE (with a high-efficiency electric-drive system) wheeled loader with a high-efficiency drive system, and another 775G rigid truck.

The large Kujawy fleet’s performance and health has been monitored for the past three years by a Caterpillar Job Site Solutions (Caterpillar JSS) program devised by Lukasz Kuczer, Caterpillar Fleet Manager Job Site Solutions – Europe, Asia & Middle East; Jaroslaw Wojtanowski, Quarry & Aggregate market manager at Cat Poland dealer Bergerat Monnoyeur (BMPL); and Sylwester Sroka, Industrial Performance director for Lafarge Aggregates (Poland).

Key performance indicators (KPIs) covered by the Kujawy Caterpillar JSS program, implemented via the use of VisionLink web-based machine fleet monitoring technology, include individual machine productivity and efficiency measuring, looking at, among other things, machine production volumes, operator capability, machine idleness and fuel consumption. Fleet operation and maintenance planning and Cat SOS (scheduled oil sampling) are other important elements of the bespoke program.

Caterpillar JSS programs are also being followed at five other Lafarge quarries in Poland, with a total of 25 Cat machines covered across the company’s six sites.

“Lafarge [Kujawy] needs to earn money from their machines and expects us to help keep their machines running,” stresses Kuczer.

“Every month I am sending a Caterpillar JSS fleet summary report to Sylwester and we arrange a call if there are things he wishes to discuss. I also every week have an internal call with BMPL’s [machine] service department where we discuss the fleet’s performance, partly via machine technical codes, and scheduled maintenance times during upcoming weeks.

“Then every quarter at a different Lafarge

www.AggBusiness.com

QUARRY PROFILE

Aerial view of part of Kujawy Quarry

“Our advantage is that there are no other sites around us producing limestone aggregates” Hubert Włodarsk,Kujawy director

quarry we have a meeting with Sylwester, other members of the Lafarge management team in Poland and BMPL where we present the results of the different Lafarge Caterpillar JSS fleet management programs over the last quarter. We cover how did the machines perform and their utilisation, including fuel consumption. We also look at health and safety concerning operator driving events and how best to tackle them. Lafarge, BMPL and Caterpillar treat health and safety as a high priority. At the end of every meeting we draw up an action plan. All this helps Lafarge keep their machines running and optimise their utilisation.”

“Caterpillar is supporting us with good management of our equipment,” says Sylwester Sroka. “They also help us to work very closely with our equipment operators, with a Cat operator training day taking place at the quarry every year. We always see operator efficiency improvements after these days.

“Through Caterpillar Job Site Solutions our equipment fleet is definitely achieving higher productivity and fuel consumption is less. We are also seeing less machine downtime due to our ability to be pro-active on maintenance.”

Sroka says Kujawy has been purchasing Caterpillar equipment for many years, with the eldest loading model at the quarry around 15 years old.

“We like to have long-term relationships with our equipment suppliers. Cat models compare well against similar premium equipment manufacturers on price, fuel consumption, maintenance cost and productivity. For example, we choose to run Cat 60-tonne class rigid dump trucks [775G] because of these qualities.”

Asked by Aggregates Business whether Kujawy’s Cat equipment fleet could be improved in any way, Sroka says that he is working with Wojtanowski of Bergerat Monnoyeur to address feedback from some of Kujawy’s loading machine operators who perceive the fitted four-point cabin seatbelts to be uncomfortable.

Kujawy director Hubert Włodarski heads up the quarry’s management team with the whole site operated by 127 Lafarge staff, plus

www.AggBusiness.com

more than 100 contractor employees involved in onsite material loading and hauling.

“Our advantage is that there are no other sites around us producing limestone aggregates,” says Włodarski. “Since 2018, we have reopened quarrying activities in

what were two non-active pits - Bielawy West and Bielawy East. The 8 million tonnes of aggregates we produced in 2018 was the quarry’s record production year. Last year we produced 7.6 million tonnes and we expect to produce a bit more than that in 2020.” AB

A Cat 775G rigid hauler transporting limestone aggregates

Cat 14M motor grader used for haul road maintenance at Kujawy Quarry

AGGREGATES BUSINESS EUROPE March/April 2020

47

EQUIPMENT UPDATE

The HX220AL is one of Hyundai’s first Stage V-ready machines

Hyundai launches Stage V A-series excavator Hyundai Construction Equipment Europe (HCEE) has launched the A-series HX220AL crawler excavator, one of its first Stage V-ready machines.

The 22-tonne HX220AL comes with a new engine platform (Stage V), a new hydraulic flow regulation, improved operator controls with 2D/3D machine guidance, new safety features, and improved uptime

and productivity. It is powered by a 130kW/174hp Cummins B6.7 engine.

The HX220AL will incorporate some of Hyundai’s new technologies, which include EPFC (Electric Positive Flow Control).

Hyundai says that EPFC results in the improvement of fuel efficiency and controllability by a flow reduction technique for excavator operations.

Peter Sebold, product specialist at HCEE, commented: “The HX220AL kicks off the introduction of our new A-series – a range of machines with intelligent features, that will cater for the demand of our modern society for smart machines, clean machines, but still robust and productive p powerhouses. And that hat is Hyundai’s strength — solid and nd unbreakable products.”

The excavator features Auto Safety Lock which is designed to prevent unintended operation/start of the excavator and improve safety.

Eco guidance indicates ‘inefficient operation’ status to prevent fuel consumption by inadequate working habits which is displayed on the machine cluster.All A-series excavators will also incorporate several new service features that have been developed and tested with the aim of improving machine uptime.

ECD (engine connected diagnostics) will support the after-sales technicians and dealers with a diagnostics report (via e-mail, mobile, app or HiMATE, HCE’s own telematic system) on the engine performance. This results in an improved engine fault-code monitoring and will ensure that the after-sales technicians arrive on site with the y tools to fix the error in necessary one visit.

www.hyundai.eu

DXB Pump & Power launches new Stage V pumpset DXB Pump & Power has launched its new 300mm, Stage 5 emission-compliant portable pumpset for high-volume dewatering jobs and flood control in quarries and mines. The pumpset integrates the worldclass Cornell high-flow pump and a Scania 13-litre 300kw engine to develop over 1700m³/hr flow rates while still passing solids up to almost 100mm, often seen in open-lagoon conditions.

Packaged in a sound-attenuated canopy with integrated four-point lifting and optional hook lift skid, the pumpset is said by DXB Pump & Power to offer the highest performing 300mm pumpset on the UK and European markets. The pumpset contains some novel features including its own in-house

telemetry systems that allow XB quarries, hire companies and DXB Pump & Power itself to monitor the performance and health of the engine and pump 24 hours a day anywhere in the world, including the ability to send urgent gent communications to all parties concerned.

Containing over 1,000 hourss of research and development, Simon on Ruffles, managing director of DXB XB Pump & Power, describes the new pumpset as a market-changing piece of equipment that lays the foundation for large,

environmentally friendly pumpsets in the UK, assisting industries such as quarries and mines to achieve lower carbon emissions in 2020, especially those that currently have older equipment equipment. www.dxbpumppower.com

Komatsu approval for Continental tyres Komatsu has approved the E3/L3 and E4/L4 versions of Continental EM-Master tyres for use in applications with different ground conditions.

The approval means that customers in Europe are now able to select the Continental radial tyres in the sizes 20.5 R25, 23.5 R25, 26.5 R25 or 29.5 R25 if they buy one of the Komatsu Dash 8 wheeled loader Series (WA270-8, WA320-8, WA380-8, WA470-8, WA-480-8, WA500-8).

Continental’s EM-Master is tailored to the needs of construction sites and mining sites where articulated dump trucks, wheeled loaders and dozers are used. The

48

AGGREGATES BUSINESS EUROPE March/April 2020

EM-Master E3/L3 has a normal tread depth and a larger distance between the tread blocks for good self-cleaning properties,

A Komatsu Dash 8 wheeled loader fitted with Continental EM-Master tyres

traction and manoeuvrability even on soft and muddy ground.

The open-tread pattern design ensures better cooling properties

and thus lower heat build-up, resulting in higher mileage.

Compared to the E3/L3, the EM-Master E4/L4 has a larger block size with a smaller gap between the blocks. The tyre therefore offers high carcass protection and good cut resistance, reducing the risk of punctures and thus downtime.

The smaller spacing of the tread blocks with the five-edged block design ensures smoother running and good traction even on hard and rocky surfaces. Due to its high tread wear volume, the EM-Master E4/L4 also offers a high mileage.

www.continental.com

www.AggBusiness.com

EQUIPMENT UPDATE

Volvo Penta extends Stage V mobile genset range with D8 & D13 engines Volvo Penta launched its first Stage V-compliant engine for mobile gensets, the D16, in March 2019. By adding the D8 and D13 engines into the mix, Volvo Penta has built a range that features a variety of solutions for customers. The D8 is a completely new addition to the manufacturer’s genset family; the design is based on proven and mature technology concepts already existing today across the Volvo Group.

“This is a key milestone for Volvo Penta, as we now offer an extensive Stage V-compliant engine range for both the off-road and power generation markets,” says Giorgio Paris, head of Industrial at Volvo Penta. “Not only is this beneficial to our customers, but it is also helping us to build a better, greener society.”

As with the other Stage V engines, the D8 and D13 additions have been developed with ease of installation, operation and maintenance in mind.

Lower maintenance requirements and significantly lower fuel consumption (compared to Stage IIIA) combine to deliver improved total cost of owner-

ship. Volvo Penta has also improved the user environment by lowering the noise output.

Volvo Penta’s Stage V-compliant D8 genset engine is a premium dual-speed engine, switchable between 1,500 rpm and 1,800 rpm and delivering up to 218kWm at prime power. It is available in three power nodes: 150, 200 and 250kVA at 1,500 rpm at prime power.

Similar to the D8, the D13 engine is also a dualspeed engine. Switchable between 1,500 rpm (50 Hz) and 1,800 rpm (60 Hz), it delivers up to 345 kWm at prime power and is also available in three power nodes: 300, 350 and 400 kVA at 1,500 rpm (50 Hz) at prime power.

www.volvopenta.com

Sandvik’s well-drilled DC410Ri

Sandvik’s renamed Dino DC410Ri remote-controlled surface top hammer drill rig contains two years of upgrades Sandvik Mining & Rock Technology showcases two years’ worth of upgrades on the new remote-controlled Dino DC400Ri surface top hammer drill rig.

The upgraded rig, renamed Dino DC410Ri, offers claimed 15% higher tramming power and other smaller but nonetheless important updates for improved

www.AggBusiness.com

mobility, reliability and productivity.

Dino DC410Ri is a major all-round upgrade from its predecessor Dino DC400Ri, originally launched in 2014. A compact machine for 51-76mm hole sizes, Dino DC410Ri continues to offer mobility and stability for contractors tackling cramped urban construction sites, as

well as for demanding quarry and infrastructure applications.

The remote radio control, 14kW RD414 rock drill, advanced em i-series torque control system rea and up to 18m² coverage area nd add up to a cost-effective and mandproductive solution for demanding jobs. ely The Dino DC410Ri entirely onds new electrical system responds ents to challenges with components such as I/O boards. Severall een mechanical details have been elreinforced, including a steelframed tramming support for sed the feed beam and ruggedised rod-handler arms.

A range of new options available for Dino DC410Ri ities creates even more possibilities ious to customise the rig for various DC applications. NoiseShield-DC oiseis a simple and compact noisereduction solution for Dino 7.5 dB DC410Ri, offering up to a −7.5 ound reduction in A-weighted sound pressure within a 16-metre radius of the drill rig.

ABB smart sensors for Dodge gear reducers ABB Ability Smart Sensors provide wireless condition monitoring for Dodge gear reducers delivering information that can prevent unexpected downtime and extend equipment life.

The ABB Ability Digital Powertrain concept has now been extended to cover Dodge gear reducers fitted with the smart sensor for mechanical products. The Digital Powertrain enables real-time health monitoring of all the critical elements in industrial processes, such as drives, motors, pumps, bearings and gearing.

Immediate access to this key data enables operators to maintain optimal conditions for maximum productivity and safety.

Dodge gear reducers provide an enclosed gear train between a motor and the machinery it is driving.

They enable the output speed to be reduced while increasing torque.

This is a vital function on a variety of industrial equipment, including the bulk material handling conveyors typically found in the aggregate, cement and mining industries.

Fitting the gear reducers with the smart sensor for mechanical products provides an early indicator of any potential problems by collecting vibration and temperature information.

The smart sensor is easily mounted on the gear reducer and communicates wirelessly via a smartphone or other device. This capability keeps employees safe by enabling easy, remote monitoring for equipment installed in hard to reach and potentially hazardous areas. www.abb.com

ABB smart sensors provide real-time health information for Dodge gear reducers

www.rocktechnology.sandvik AGGREGATES BUSINESS EUROPE March/April 2020

49

EVENTS | FOR A FULL LIST OF EVENTS VISIT WWW.AGGBUSINESS.COM/DIARY

2020 SEPTEMBER 8-11 bauma CTT Russia Moscow, Russia Organiser: Messe Muenchen Rus Tel: +49 89 949 20251 info@bauma-ctt.ru www.bauma-ctt.ru

21-25 Asphaltica 2020 Verona, Italy Organiser: Veronafiere S.p.A. Tel: +39 045 8298 338 trentini@veronafiere.it www.asphaltica.it

2021

JULY 07-10 EIG 2021 Exeter, UK Organiser: EIG Conferences marcus.dorey@hanson.biz www.eigconferences.com /future-conference-2020

OCTOBER

OCTOBER

JUNE

21-25 SaMoTer 2020 Verona, Italy Organiser: Veronafiere S.p.A. Tel: +39 045 8298561 customercare@samoter.com www.samoter.it

22-24 Hillhead Hillhead Quarry, Buxton, Derbyshire, England Organiser: The QMJ Group Tel: +44 115 945 4377 Email: Harvey.sugden@qmj.co.uk www.hillhead.com

MEET THE TEAM Aggregates Business travels the globe attending conferences, events and equipment shows, keeping you informed of the latest offerings. Come and join us for a chat at any of the events below.

JUNE 2021 22-24 Hillhead 2020 Hillhead Quarry, Buxton, Derbyshire, England

13-16 bauma CONEXPO AFRICA 2021 Johannesburg, South Africa Organiser: AEM and Messe München GmbH Tel: +49 89 949 21480 johannes.manger@messemuenchen.de www.bcafrica.com

JULY 2021 07-10 EIG 2021 Exeter, UK

NEW FOR 2020

www.aggbusiness.com NEW state-of-the-art website The newly designed Aggregates Business website will bring you the very latest in website functionality, with the most up-to-date content available relating to the quarrying and aggregates industry HOUSE AD.indd 2

19/02/2020 12:15:59

ADVERTISERS INDEX VOL.14 ISSUE NO.2 MARCH/APRIL 2020

Advertisers in AGGREGATES BUSINESS can now be contacted via their websites - for instant links to all the websites listed below, by category, go to: www.AggBusiness.com COMPANY

PAGE NO

WEBSITE

COMPANY

Ammann BKT Tires CDE Global Indeco

p21

www.ammann.com

Metso

OBC

www.metso.com

p24

www.bkt-tires.com

Rockmore

p18

www.rockmore-intl.com

p17

www.cdeglobal.com

Terex Trucks

p27

www.molsongroup.co.uk

p12

www.indeco.it

Volvo CE

p14

www.volvoce.com

Kleemann

IFC

www.kleemann.info

Komatsu Europe

p4

www.komatsu.eu

50

AGGREGATES BUSINESS EUROPE March/April 2020

PAGE NO

WEBSITE

www.AggBusiness.com

NEW FOR 2020

Aggregates Business' NEW state-of-the-art website www.aggbusiness.com

The newly designed Aggregates Business website will bring you the very latest in website functionality, with the most up-to-date content available relating to the quarrying and aggregates industry.

The site is fully optimised for desktop, tablet and mobile and has a growing social media audience.

The website is constantly being updated, with the Aggregates Business' editorial team posting 4-5 new items every day.

Metso Nordtrack™

Made to make contracting more productive Nordtrack™ mobile crushers, screens and conveyors make it easy for you to get your operations up and running on time and on budget.

With pre-configured products and a limited, well-defined choice of options that are backed up by a worldwide sales and support network, Nordtrack is ideal for contractors who need to meet project timelines and capacity quickly. metso.com/nordtrack