ABI Jan-Feb 2021

INTERNATIONAL

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2021

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Cogent crushing meets savvy screening

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Image: Dalmia Cement

HEAD OFFICE EDITOR: Guy Woodford ASSISTANT EDITOR: Liam McLoughlin CONTRIBUTING EDITORS: Patrick Smith, Dan Gilkes EQUIPMENT EDITOR: Mike Woof DESIGNERS: Simon Ward, Andy Taylder 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

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EDITOR

Asian lessons on global building materials industry sustainability

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e all want a more sustainable building materials production industry. So, how do we achieve it? It’s a question that has certainly focused minds of large and medium- to small-sized companies in Asia, Africa and the Middle East, along with other global regions.

Sustainability has also been a key focus of Aggregates Business International. Indeed, reflecting its growing influence in our industry, our November-December 2020 edition included an in-depth feature on the work of major players CEMEX, HeidelbergCement and LafargeHolcim to reduce carbon emissions from the energyintensive cement and concrete production sectors. It also included an exclusive interview with recently appointed GCCA (Global Cement & Concrete Association) CEO Dinah McLeod, who conveyed her personal lifelong passion for sustainability while highlighting the roadmap to achieving the GCCA’s Climate Ambition 2050, delivering carbon-neutral concrete to society by 2050.

Prior to interviewing McLeod, I listened to an absorbing moderator-led panel discussion featuring Jan Jenisch, CEO of LafargeHolcim; Sanda Ojiambo, executive director, UN Global Compact; Daniel Balthasar, senior portfolio manager and head of Basic Industries & Utilities, Norges; and Mahendra Singhi, managing director and CEO of Dalmia Cement (Bharat) Limited, on day one of the virtual GCCA annual conference.

Speaking during the GCCA virtual conference panel discussion, moderated by former BBC journalist, television presenter and author Gavin Esler, Mahendra Singhi highlighted how his major India-based company is globally recognised for its ultra-low carbon footprint in cement production.

“For the last ten years, we have been working on sustainability alongside profitability. We have one of the lowest cement carbon footprints

globally at the same time as being the most profitable company in this sector in India. We are working towards producing carbon-negative cement by 2040.”

Asked by Esler whether India had distinct challenges when it came to reducing the carbon footprint of its cement production, Singhi said: “India thinks from a larger perspective. We have one of the world’s largest economies, and the Indian government is supportive of our sustainability efforts with its policies.”

On whether structural changes had been made to Dalmia Cement to enable the company to follow a more sustainable production path, Singhi added: “It was about having a change of mindset among our staff and our stakeholders. There was nothing else stopping us on this.

Our carbon footprints are now just 60% of the [industry] global average. The most important thing for us is working out how we 100% replace fossil fuel in production. We are reducing our CO2 emissions month to month, year to year. By 2030, 10% of our production will use renewable energy; this will include solar and wind power.”

Dalmia Cement’s efforts are a great example of how Asia can play an integral role in creating a more sustainable global building materials sector. And what struck me while listening to Singhi’s passionate account of his company’s sustainability work and his enthusiasm for the GCCA’s 2050 Climate Ambition was how this was only the latest example of how far the greener production agenda had progressed in Asia.

Longstanding readers of ABI will recall how we have reported over the past couple of years on similar sustainability programmes in quarries in China and South Korea, where I’ve seen first-hand how new technology and working practices are making huge differences in both immediate production environments and to the impact they have on their wider community. It is an Eastern success story with many more chapters still to come. GW

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CONTENTS

AFRICAN QUARRY HAUL ROADS

“Haul road maintenance practices play a huge role in the overall productivity and safe operation of quarries” p16

INTERNATIONAL

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2021

| Vol.9 ISSUE No.1 | www.AggBusiness.com

Vol.9 ISSUE No.1 January/February 2021

Regulars

Features

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48 EQUIPMENT UPDATE Global OEMs’ new equipment launches & applications

A top global market manufacturer has unveiled an eagerly anticipated large excavator line-up

26 HAULING 50 EVENTS All the key events in the quarrying & aggregates world

A big autonomous truck contract at a Norwegian quarry, and a new rigid hauler model for the vibrant Indonesian market

29 CONVEYORS – PART 1 Another leading quarrying equipment manufacturer has entered the conveyor market

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MARKET REPORT Philippine, Vietnamese & Thai aggregates markets remain stoic amid COVID-19 p12

AFRICAN QUARRY HAUL ROADS Why haul road maintenance matters p16

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LiuGong annual conference attracts nearly 500; Asian cement producers to increase alternative fuel adoption

A premium crushing & screening plant combination for a major motorway upgrade project in Vietnam; an Icelandic crushing contractor’s investment in high-quality plant is paying off

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Top-of-the-range plant combination for a major Vietnamese highway project p19

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Asian lessons on global building materials industry sustainability

Cogent crushing meets savvy screening

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TYRES Giant new RDT tyre rides out pandemic bumps p33

ABI JF2021 Cover.indd 1

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COVER STORY: A premium Kleemann crushing & screening plant setup has played a key role in a major National Route 1A upgrade project in Vietnam

33 TYRES – PART 1 The development and testing of a giant new tyre for rigid dump trucks has proceeded in India despite obstacles presented by the COVID-19 pandemic

37 CONCRETE PLANT International cement equipment manufacturers are deploying their latest models and technologies for a variety of applications in Kenya, Malaysia, Turkey, and Singapore

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39 SCREENING BUCKETS & ATTACHMENTS New products & partnerships in a lively sector of the quarrying equipment market

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37 Specials 08 INTERVIEW World Cement Association CEO Ian Riley discusses why new tech must supplement the old to cut cement’s CO₂ footprint

12 MARKET REPORT Building materials demand in the Philippines, Vietnam, and Thailand has proved mainly robust during a prolonged period of COVID-19-induced disruption

16 AFRICAN QUARRY HAUL ROADS Haul road maintenance at quarries requires a dedicated focus and should be addressed on a continual basis as part of the operational cycle since good roads boost your bottom line

43 QUARRY PROFILE Metso Outotec O-Series wear liners are proving a shrewd investment at an aggregates plant in southern Russia

45 REBUILDING BLASTDAMAGED BEIRUT Construction and building materials firms facing an uphill task

43 www.AggBusiness.com

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NEWS

TEREX FINLAY NAMES NEW LEBANON DEALER Terex Finlay has appointed M. Ezzat Jallad as its new dealer in Lebanon. M. Ezzat Jallad will distribute and support the full line-up of Terex Finlay crushers, screeners and conveying equipment, with aftermarket support, in Lebanon. Jallad was founded in 1873 and has grown into the premier supplier for construction, agricultural and industrial equipment in Lebanon. It is the authorised Caterpillar dealer in Lebanon, Jordan and Palestine and has a rich heritage of heavyequipment sales across the region. Recently, Jallad celebrated the milestone of successfully representing Caterpillar in the region for 90 years.

In Lebanon, it operates from five branches and three workshop and service centres strategically positioned to provide customer support across the country. It also maintains a large rental fleet to service its customers. The Terex Finlay product line will be managed by Khaled Sayfeddine.

Neil McIlwaine, Terex Finlay business development director, commented on the appointment of M. Ezzat Jallad: “Their ambition, experience and reputation will be invaluable in establishing Terex Finlay as the premier mobile crushing, screening and conveying brand in Lebanon.”

Khaled Sayfeddine of M. Ezzat Jallad said: “We are a customer-centric company and our team pride themselves in offering superior service and support to our customers.

Terex Finlay have a fantastic equipment line up that is complementary to our core product offering.”

M. Ezzat Jallad has a heritage of heavy-equipment sales across the region

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Asian cement makers eye alternative fuels A new survey among cement producers in Asia predicts an increase in fuel substitution over the next five years.

With the urgency of climate change accelerating and cement production emitting 7% of the world’s CO2, the cement industry is under scrutiny for its response to the issue.

At a series of industry webinars in late 2020, cement solutions provider FLSmidth asked participants about their status on alternative fuel.

The webinars saw a global and a regional Asia-Pacific (APAC) audience.

Asked ‘What is your current rate of fuel substitution?’, one quarter of the global cement professionals responded ‘Less than 20%’. On the same question, more than three

Asian producers are increasingly looking to replace the use of coal in their kilns with alternative fuels

quarters of their APAC colleagues responded the same.

However, looking ahead five years on what is the ‘desired’ substitution rate, there was a dramatic increase among the APAC producers, with 50% stating they would like to be in the 20-40% bracket, 26% would like to be in the 40-60% bracket, while 13% would like to be in the ‘greater than 80%’ bracket.

In a recent analysis of the global alternative fuels adoption in cement, FLSmidth pyro experts Mads Nielsen and Robert Krist concluded that countries such as South Korea and Japan have taken the lead in the region, with adoption rates similar to Europe. This is causing a second wave of alternative fuel adoption as places move towards 100% substitution rates.

First Zoomlion excavators roll off ‘intelligent’ assembly line Chinese equipment manufacturer Zoomlion has produced the first excavators at its new intelligent production facility in Changsha, Hunan Province.

The new Zoomlion facility uses 100 robots to deliver spare parts during the production process The first excavator rolled off the assembly line on December 31, 2020 at the Intelligent Excavator Manufacturing Park in Zoomlion Smart Industrial City.

The 20-tonne and 48-tonne excavators coming off the new assembly line were manufactured in an intelligent workshop with an area of 36,000m2. Eschewing conventional forklifts, more than 100 intelligent transport robots deliver over 9,000 spare parts instantly across the workshop, as well as other industrial robots to increase automation and intelligent production.

“The Park was designed in accordance with the highest international standards, fully implementing the concepts of intelligence, digitisation and ecological sustainability and has the most

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The new facility uses 100 robots to deliver spare parts during production

intelligent, flexible and precise intelligent factories and unmanned production lines,” said Zhang Chunxin, Zoomlion chairman and CEO. The “invisible intelligence” is reflected in the Park’s production process, from operation and management through to the convergence of intelligent logistics and production scheduling, industrial AI, digital twinning, industrial internet and big data technologies with the Park’s management and control system.

The Park will provide strong support for Zoomlion’s excavator machinery sector and upon full completion the industrial park – valued at CNY30bn (US$45.87bn) – will reach an annual manufacturing capacity of 50,000 of all types of intelligent excavators, with one excavator rolling off the assembly line every six minutes.

Zoomlion officially launched its Smart Industrial City factory cluster project in January 2019 with a total investment of 100bn yuan (US$15.29bn).

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NEWS

Middle East: First graduates on IQ Level 3 ILM Certificate Mineral extractives professionals in the Middle East are the first cohort of students to complete the Level 3 Certificate in Leadership and Management (ILM) from the Institute of Quarrying (IQ). At a COVIDsafe environment attended by a number of operations managers, the 14 successful candidates from quarrying company Stevin Rock and explosives company Arabian Explosives were awarded certificates from Julian Smallshaw, head of Education and Standards at IQ. Smallshaw said: “Ensuring good practice in people and site

The first graduates on the IQ Level 3 ILM Certificate management provides a safer and more efficient workforce, in addition to teams who can perform to the technical and competence requirements of the

business.” The Level 3 Certificate in Leadership and Management delivered by IQ has been developed to provide an internationally recognised qualification

LiuGong conference attracts nearly 500 T he Annual LiuGong Global Conference held in Liuzhou, China was attended virtually and physically by nearly 500 delegates and company representatives.

The Chinese quarrying and construction equipment manufacturer says visitors to the event on 15 December 2020 included dealer representatives from about one hundred countries and customers, industry association delegates and business partners, in addition to LiuGong’s management team and staff. The event shared the results LiuGong has achieved in the past year and outlined the roadmap for the future, an annual tradition since 2003. The management team reviewed the 2020 overseas business performance and shared its strategy and plans for 2021. In the first three quarters of 2020, LiuGong’s operating income has increased by 18.9% year-onyear despite this year’s tough situation. Stemming from that LiuGong, along with its customers and dealers, has revealed and agreed a higher sales goal for 2021.

LiuGong says the global conference goes beyond a corporate platform, and creates

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Bamburi starts Kenyan project

Delegates at the event in Liuzhou a valuable place where feedback, dialogue and collaboration take centre stage, all of which are immensely valuable to the future development of its global business.

This special year saw LiuGong adopt a new, digitalfirst approach to unveil its new products through using augmented reality. This allowed viewers to explore LiuGong’s wide range of machines from the Red Dot award-winning TD-16N to the powerful 990F excavator.

LiuGong also showcased its intelligent equipment manage-

with an extractives pathway to assist learners in developing skills and techniques to lead, supervise and manage workplace behaviour effectively. It is aimed at managers and supervisors looking to develop their leadership and management skills, as well as an opportunity for learners in office-based roles to build a greater understanding of the industry.

While the L3 ILM blended-learning course is predominantly done online, as part of the programme Smallshaw also gives one-toone tutorials.

ment system (iLink) and smart mining solutions.

Every year, the company presents awards to its highestachieving dealers around the world. LiuGong recognised many sub-Saharan African dealers who have shown a consistent and high performance from October 2019 to September 2020.

Amongst all developing markets in Africa the company says the performance of South Africa, Kenya, Nigeria, Zambia, Zimbabwe and Ghana has been prominent for earthmoving, forklift and crane equipment.

Bamburi Cement has launched the Houses of Tomorrow (HoT) project in Kenya as part of its low-carbon sustainable construction agenda.

The Nairobi-based cement manufacturer says the project involves the selection, design and use of materials which leverage low-carbon standards in the overall construction, especially the application of near-zero embodied-energy concrete designed by incorporating low-carbon content cement.

Some of the cement to be used for the project features a mix of Bamburi Cement’s products - Powermax and Nguvu pozzolanic cements for concrete works. Fundi masonry cement, a lowcarbon cement, will also be used for mortar and plaster works. The project, launched

by Bamburi’s parent company LafargeHolcim, is ongoing in several countries on each continent.

Bamburi Cement Group managing director Seddiq Hassani said that the launch of Houses of Tomorrow is another step in Bamburi’s transition towards even more sustainable building solutions and a more sustainable construction industry overall.

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INTERVIEW

New tech must supplement the old to cut cement’s CO₂ footprint Ian Riley has been a prominent figure in the cement industry for many years, both in senior roles with LafargeHolcim, and now as CEO of the World Cement Association. To achieve its ambitious carbon-emissions reduction targets, Riley told Aggregates Business assistant editor Liam McLoughlin that the cement sector must use a combination of newer technologies including carbon capture and established methods such as clinker reduction

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INTERVIEW

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ement and concrete production are highly energy-intensive and the estimated four billion tonnes of cement produced a year is responsible for a massive 8% of global carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions, according to research by think tank Chatham House.

Concrete is the most widely used construction material in the world and production of the cement which is a main ingredient of concrete is a major contributor to climate change. The chemical and thermal combustion processes involved in cement production are a large source of CO2 emissions.

Ian Riley is CEO of the World Cement Association, having worked in the industry for many years including senior roles at LafargeHolcim, and is a prominent voice in how the cement sector can address the issue and achieve decarbonisation, which he identifies as the most important sustainability target for industry.

Riley says that 90% of cement is produced in developing countries, so to have a global solution to decarbonisation it is vital that any new technologies can be used across all types of markets worldwide.

He adds that there is still some space to improve with the traditional CO2-reduction levers that the cement industry has been using for many years such as fuel efficiency, changing to lower carbon fuels including waste, and reducing the clinker content in cement. But new and innovative solutions are also needed to reduce CO2 emissions to intermediate industry targets such as 30%, and ultimately to net zero carbon emissions.

One such technology that is gaining traction is LC3 (limestone calcined clay cement). LC3 cement is based on a blend of limestone and calcined clay and has been developed by Swiss academic institution École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL) with partners in India and Cuba. EPFL says that LC3 can reduce CO2 emissions by up to 40%, and that its ingredients are available in abundant quantities, meaning it is cost effective and does not require capitalintensive modifications to existing cement plants.

“LC3 is the best example at the moment because it’s really hit the point where people are starting to use it, and it’s not a complicated technology,” says Riley.

“Calcined clay is something we have been using in cement for many years, as is ground limestone. The innovation with LC3 is that when used in the right ratio calcined clay plus limestone becomes a much better-quality cementitious material and can be blended in larger amounts with clinker. LC3 is beginning to take off and we can see new plants being built that are using this technology. Initially the technology will develop in areas where it offers significant production cost savings.”

Companies that have built dedicated LC3 plants so far include mid-sized regional players such as Argos in Colombia and Cimpor. Portugal-based Cimpor has built a new plant in Ivory Coast, West Africa, to produce LC3 with calcined clay from local deposits and imported clinker.

“I would say that the uptake is initially coming from mid-sized companies that are big enough to have some technical capability, and perhaps it’s a bit easier for them to move faster,” says Riley.

The processes involved in cement production are a large source of CO₂ emissions

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“Ninety per cent of cement is used in the developing world, so something that increases the price of cement dramatically is probably not going to work in those countries”

He predicts the global majors will start building LC3 plants in the next few years.

Ideally LC3 plants need to be near a clay reserve to make the economics work.

In terms of continuing to use established methods of reducing carbon there is still room to improve in areas such as cutting the amount of clinker used in making cement.

Traditional OPC (ordinary Portland cement) is around 95% clinker. More than 50% of cement-sector emissions are intrinsically linked to the process for producing clinker, according to the Chatham House report.

“Blended cements [such as LC3] can drop the clinker down to maybe 65% under current cement product standards,” says Riley. “With LC3 it is possible to make products that meet the application’s technical needs with lower clinker ratios, but this will require a change in product standards to accommodate these products. Beyond lower clinker factor, energy efficiency and fuel mix, we look at carbon capture as the next lever to reduce CO2 emissions, and either usage or storage.”

Carbon-capture utilisation and storage (CCUS) is an integrated suite of technologies that has a proven 90% capture rate of the CO2 produced from the use of fossil fuels in electricity generation and industrial processes, preventing the CO2 from entering the atmosphere.

There are a number of CCUS initiatives being carried out in Europe that are supported by governments. Of these, HeidelbergCementowned Norcem’s project at its cement plant in Brevik is among the most advanced.

With 400,000 tonnes of CO2 to be captured annually and transported for permanent storage, HeidelbergCement is planning for Brevik to become the first cement production

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INTERVIEW

facility globally to implement an industrialscale carbon-capture and storage (CCS) project.

Such CCS projects can require a large amount of capital outlay for infrastructure like pipelines, with the estimated cost of carbon capture at Brevik being around US$100 per tonne. For this reason, Riley says more economical carbon-capture and usage (CCU) initiatives may have greater potential for adoption worldwide.

“Ninety per cent of cement is used in the developing world, so something that increases the price of cement dramatically is probably not going to work in those countries,” he says. “I think carbon capture and storage will play some role, but possibly not a very large one. Carbon capture and usage has the potential to be more interesting and less expensive, because costs are potentially lower, and you have some revenue.

“There are companies that are making artificial aggregates using CO2 and calciumrich slurries, so this is one way. The quantities are tiny at the moment but potentially could be larger.”

Companies such as US-based Solidia are at the forefront of technologies to capture and use CO2 in concrete. Its patented processes cure concrete with CO2 instead of water, and Solidia claims its next-generation cement allows the entire industrial chain to reduce the environmental footprint of concrete by up to 70% compared to traditional concrete.

LafargeHolcim has partnered with Solidia to reduce CO2 across its operations. Lafarge says the two companies’ combined solutions emit up to 30% less CO2 during cement production and also capture and store CO2,

WCA CEO Ian Riley says decarbonisation is the most important sustainability target for industry

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Alex Cameron, CEO of Decarb Connect, says the use of modular technology can speed up cementsector decarbonisation

“We are trying to get some shared understandings in projects that are happening right now and the results that are being gained from them”

leading to a 70% carbon-reduced concrete.

“What Solidia have done so far has all been on pre-cast blocks, but they have some new products that are available now that can be used in ready-mix concrete as well,” says Riley.

Some carbon-capture companies such as Carbon Clean Solutions are adopting a modular approach to offering their technology which reduces the initial outlay required.

Modular systems are prefabricated off-site by the manufacturer, containerised, and then delivered to the site ready to install. This approach can help with uptake, according to Alex Cameron, founder and CEO of Decarb Connect, which focuses on accelerating decarbonisation in hard-to-abate sectors such as cement, steel, oil & gas, power & utilities, and ceramics.

“I know from the cross-sector conversations I have had that it’s that confidence before you take an investment that’s probably our biggest challenge,” she adds. “Modular technology can bridge that and help people get moving.”

Most of these new technologies are at a very early pilot or pre-pilot stage.

“In terms of when they might get any critical mass in the industry, if you look at what happened with LC3 it’s quite instructive,” says Riley.

September saw a rush of announcements relating to decarbonisation targets in the cement sector.

In the UK, the concrete and cement industry launched a roadmap to become net negative by 2050, removing more carbon from the atmosphere than it emits each year.

Xi Jinping, general secretary of the Chinese Communist Party, told the United Nations General Assembly that China is targeting peak CO2 emissions by 2030 and carbon neutrality by 2060.

In the same month Cemex and LafargeHolcim set out the pathways to become net zero across their operations by 2050, and HeidelbergCement said it aims to reduce specific net CO2 emissions to below 525kg per tonne of cementitious material by 2025 - a reduction of 30% compared to 1990.

Riley says targets such as the UK’s of being net negative by 2050 are achievable, but there is still a lot of work to do.

“We know how to do some things that will continue to improve the situation,” he adds.

“But there’s a portion of it on the carboncapture side that, while we know how to do it, it’s terribly expensive.”

For the 2050 goal to be achieved, capital market-scale investment in decarbonisation technologies will also be required, says Cameron. She adds that most current investment in this area comes from in-house venture groups and private equity.

“If you want to go from an excellent pilot that’s done its job and are now going to scale it up across your operation, larger capital market investors are needed to get involved,” says Cameron, “and working out how to engage them is the next thing that’s required.”

The cement industry has been addressing

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INTERVIEW

the carbon issue for many years. The Cement Sustainability Initiative (CSI) was established in 1999 by major cement producers who set themselves some targets to reduce various emissions including CO2. They typically set targets of 20-25% CO2 reduction versus 1990 levels, which were achieved.

“I think the cement industry can say that we have been successful in reducing carbon emissions, but we’ve got to speed up,” says Riley. “As companies see their competitors moving then they move, but the incentives in most places to reduce carbon are not strong enough, and this is what we need policy makers to think about. How can they incentivise the behaviour that everybody wants to see, so that it moves faster?”

He adds that companies have done a lot to improve energy efficiency driven by the financial returns. However, potential future costs savings are limited, which is where the question of government incentives arises.

If there was a significant price on carbon emissions then incentives would encourage faster movement, with projects that today look unattractive becoming feasible.

Riley says that the European Union emissions trading system (ETS) has not resulted in lower carbon emissions in the cement sector. The system was set up in 2005 to fight climate change and is based on the ‘cap and trade’ principle. A cap is set on the total amount of certain greenhouse gases that can be emitted by installations covered by the system. However, cement companies received free allowances to protect them from imports.

Critics of the ETS say the system has loopholes that companies have exploited and that priority should be given to other policy options on carbon reduction, such as

regulation, taxation and subsidies.

“I think regulations everywhere have yet to provide a framework that is terribly effective in incentivising carbon-emission reduction,” says Riley. “But I think it’s very clear that unless we have a carbon price we won’t get the speed of movement that we need.”

The impact of China on the CO2 emissions issue cannot be understated as the country is responsible for around 57% of global cement production.

There is considerable research on the issue being conducted in China by companies such as CNBM (China National Building Material) which is the world’s largest cement producer. “They have experts in their research team who have done quite a lot,” says Riley.

“One of the key things they’ve been working on is a protocol for calculating carbon emissions.”

He adds that Chinese companies have in the past been reluctant to report on CO2 emissions because there wasn’t a Chinese national protocol on this, and they did not want to pre-empt government policy. He believes this could change over the next six months and the issue will see a lot of activity.

With Xi Jinping’s recent commitment for China to be carbon neutral by 2060, it is expected that there will be specific measures on carbon intensity included in the country’s next Five Year Plan covering the years 2021 to 2025.

Riley says the economic impact of COVID19 means that company investments on decarbonisation could be affected in the short term, but that the medium- and longer term impact of the pandemic will be to underline the importance of sustainability to the way that we live. In addition the construction

industry and the cement industry globally have not suffered as badly as some sectors.

“In most places it’s probably down 15 or 20% this year, obviously not good but it’s not at a level where it will be disastrous,” says Riley.

The major cement industry players such as CEMEX, LafargeHolcim and HeidelbergCement have been making a lot of progress in their decarbonisation efforts, so the question then arises: would they be willing (and is there a moral case) for them to share their technology in this area to help smaller players reduce their carbon emissions?

Riley responds that cooperation presents some genuine challenges: “The majors are very sensitive. They are nervous about breaching antitrust regulations and I think that’s a big constraint on cooperation.”

He adds that a lot of the most interesting innovations are not actually coming from the cement majors. Innovations in areas of cement technology such as energy efficiency are originating from engineering companies like Denmark-based FLSmidth, Germany’s KHD, France’s Fives FCB and China’s Sinoma International (all of whom are WCA members). Advances in milling and thermal process technology mean that new plants can be much more efficient than existing operations, especially in Europe and America where there are more plants using old technology.

New technologies often come from technology start-ups such as Carbon Cure or more mature technology companies like Solidia. Although these companies sometimes partner with cement companies, Riley says this is not always the quickest way to scale. AB

WCA partners with Decarb Connect In October, the World Cement Association started a partnership with Decarb Connect to accelerate cross-sector knowledge-sharing on the issue of decarbonisation.

Decarb Connect is an organisation which supports the scale and acceleration of industrial decarbonisation. It staged its Digital Festival on 2628 January 2021 at which WCA CEO Ian Riley spoke, sharing evidence-based strategies and road maps that are intended to encourage all stakeholders to follow the net-zero challenge.

Founder and CEO Alex Cameron said that, while the products and operations of different sectors have clear differences, there are some shared challenges, mostly around investment cycles and how companies invest in operations.

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“By bringing a cross-sector perspective together, one of the things we’re aiming for is to chisel our way out of the silos that exist between sectors and to help people see what is happening in other sectors,” she says. “How are others tackling things like energy efficiency and actual abatement and capture of carbon? We are trying to get some shared understandings in projects that are happening right now and the results that are being gained from them.”

She adds that a lot of companies are currently taking either a single-site or a single-company perspective on decarbonisation projects.

“If we look a few years in the future I think a lot more of the decarbonisation and emissions projects are going to be multisector,” Cameron says. “There’s a lot more interest now in looking

at value chain projects, such as the massive carbon-capture and storage initiatives like the Net Zero Teesside CCUS project and the Net Zero Carbon Cluster in the Humber region.”

She adds that value chain projects such as these two UKbased ones enable companies to invest in them together, share some of the risk in the investment and innovation process and then extract the benefits from it.

“I think particularly between construction materials groups in cement, glass, steel and others, there’s a real opportunity to start exploring that right now,” says Cameron. “People need to identify what is that technology group that they want to get behind to solve a specific operational issue, and then there can be ways that different sectors can work together to

offset the risk and get some mutual benefit from larger projects.”

The Decarb Connect Festival event in January was designed to be the first step in opening up doors and relationships, starting to share information and building a community of people that are learning cross-sector.

“The WCA has been very supportive in making sure that the programme not only has the balance that we want as a cross-sector event, but that also speaks to the cement sector,” says Cameron.

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MARKET REPORT

COVID-19-defying building materials demand in Southeast Asia Building materials demand in a trio of Southeast Asian countries, the Philippines, Vietnam, and Thailand, has proved mainly robust during a prolonged period of COVID-19-induced disruption. Guy Woodford reports

C

ement and mining equipment and linked technological solutions giant FLSmidth has a major presence in the Vietnamese building materials sector. Maxime Ramael, the Danish company’s country head for Vietnam, says the country of around 96 million people is one the fastest-growing cement producers in the world, thanks to robust domestic demand and its position as one the world’s top cement exporters. This success has brought challenges, however, and Ramael says the industry is now pushing to reduce its environmental impact, as well as optimising efficiency through the latest technology.

He continues: “Vietnam is continuing to grow its production capacity, and 7.1 million tonnes a year of capacity was expected to come online last year alone at [FLSmidth’s] Tan Thang (2.5 million tonnes a year) and Xuan Thanh 3 (4.6 million tonnes a year cement plant) – although that was before the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic. In total, installed [national] capacity is expected to reach 130 million tonnes a year by 2023.”

Ramael notes that much of this expansion is fuelled by demand for Vietnamese cement on the export market. “Of the 99 million tonnes of cement produced by the country in 2019, 34 million tonnes were exported, making the country one of the world’s leading cement exporters. China, the Philippines, and Bangladesh are the most significant buyers, although Vietnamese cement also made it as far afield as Peru.”

Vietnam’s position as an exporter owes much to its favourable geology, geography, demographics and climate, states Ramael.

“With its long coastline and deep-water harbours, the country is within easy reach of the Indian Ocean and the markets of South Asia and Africa, as well as the neighbouring markets of southeast and east Asia,” he continues. “Meanwhile, its plentiful and easily-accessible supplies of limestone, coupled with a large labour pool, enable the low-cost production of high-quality cement, allowing Vietnamese cement companies to compete with local suppliers in countries like the Philippines, even with the addition of freight costs.”

He also notes that Vietnam’s climate –

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with its wet and dry seasons – supports its export business with cement companies turning to exports when the rains come and domestic construction activity slows.

“That is not to say Vietnam is without challenges, however. In common with the rest of the world, the Vietnamese cement industry has been hit by COVID-19, which has slowed demand for cement both domestically and in key export markets. In response, the government has announced stimulus packages worth about US$12.1 billion to help reduce the impact of the pandemic on the economy.”

Although cement demand was anticipated to pick up again through the second half of 2020, Ramael stresses that export markets may be more problematic. However, he notes that Vietnam’s strengths put it in good stead to take advantage when demand begins to recover.

He adds: “COVID-19 has also posed challenges to the completion of CAPEX (capital expenditure) projects. Much of FLSmidth’s support of the new Tan Thang production line, which it supplied, is by necessity now being offered remotely, after the company had to repatriate workers home due to the pandemic. The plant

FLSmidth’s Maxime Ramael (pic: FLSmidth)

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MARKET REPORT

has now started up and is producing clinker as it goes through performance-guarantee testing.

“Thanks to our solutions and the professionalism of the team, we are able to support our customer remotely through final commissioning and to obtain stable production.”

Beyond the immediate challenge posed by the current health crisis, the Vietnamese cement industry is facing more long-term environmental and sustainability challenges.

Ramael says the country was ranked 15th by IQAir in its assessment of the most polluted countries in the world in 2019 with Hanoi, the capital city, often suffering from very poor air quality. Hanoi lies within easy reach of many of the country’s cement plants, underscoring the importance of improving the cement industry’s environmental footprint. To this end, the government has set objectives to improve efficiency and reduce the environmental impact of cement production.

“To support this objective, in February last year, FLSmidth and VICEM, the largest cement producer in Vietnam, announced a cooperation agreement to pioneer new solutions to improve the sustainability of the sector,” says Ramael. “The agreement will focus particularly on increasing use of alternative fuels from municipal and other waste streams, such as biomass from the country’s rice and forestry industries.”

He says the cooperation agreement is the latest development in a long history of FLSmidth support for the Vietnamese cement industry. He adds: “The company supplied Vietnam’s first cement plant, Hai Phong Cement, 120 years ago. It remains a major supplier to the industry, including the 5000 tonnes per day line at Tan Thang and a 12,500 tonnes per day production line at Xuan Thanh Cement, one of the largest in the world, with another similarly-sized line on the way.”

The construction industry in Vietnam is the best performing in the Asia-Pacific (APAC) region. Prior to the COVID-19 outbreak, the Vietnamese construction industry had recorded an average annual growth rate of 9.6% in the five years to 2019. However, construction activities were disrupted due to the stringent measures taken by the government to contain the spread of the virus.

Dhananjay Sharma, construction analyst at GlobalData, says: “Efforts to attract foreign investments through the public-private partnerships (PPP) model will support the construction industry during 2020-2024. In June 2020, the national assembly adopted a law on PPP investment, which is aimed at regulating investment activities and attracting private investment under the PPP model.

“Vietnam plans to speed up spending on infrastructure projects to help support the overall construction output growth, with focus on improving regional connectivity through the development of the country’s rail, road and air transport infrastructure, coupled

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ABOVE: FLSmidth is a major supplier to the Vietnamese cement industry, including the 5,000 tonnes per day line at Tan Thang BELOW: The FLSmidth-supported Tan Thang cement plant in Vietnam (images: FLSmidth) with efforts to boost energy production.”

A new report from Mordor Intelligence (Mordor) titled Infrastructure Sector in Vietnam - Growth, Trends, and Forecast (2020 - 2025) highlights that a series of new transport infrastructure projects are getting underway in Vietnam’s Ho Chi Minh City, creating significant demand for aggregates, concrete, cement, and other building materials.

In all, 13 key traffic projects are being carried out, having been planned by the Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC) management board for traffic projects. The works are worth a combined US$150 million. As one of the fastest-growing economies in ASEAN (The Association of Southeast Asian Nations), Vietnam has a seemingly endless wish list for infrastructure. In 2019, just 20% of the

country’s national roads were paved, and a recently approved plan to build a 1,372km north-south highway by 2030 is estimated to cost $14bn.

The Mordor study notes that the rising population in Vietnam’s major cities in recent years has strained and exceeded the capacity of the existing connectivity networks and utility systems. With 50% of Vietnam’s population expected to be living in cities within the not too distant future, Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City are building rapid transit systems exceeding US$22 billion in the hope of reducing private vehicle ownership and improving air quality.

Home to 107 million people, the Philippines is one of the most dynamic economies in the East Asia Pacific region.

With increasing urbanisation, a growing middle class, and a large and young population, the World Bank notes that the Philippines’ economic dynamism is rooted in strong consumer demand supported by a vibrant labour market and robust remittances. Business activities are buoyant with notable performance in the services sector including the business process outsourcing, real estate, and finance and insurance industries.

Sound economic fundamentals and a globally recognised competitive workforce reinforce the growth momentum. Having sustained average annual growth of 6.4% between 2010-2019 from an average of 4.5% between 2000-2009, the country is on its way from a lower middle-income country with a gross national income per capita of US$3,850 in 2019 to an upper middle-income country (per capita income range of US$4,046– $12,535) in the near term.

However, the World Bank notes that real economic growth has been challenged by the COVID-19 outbreak and the strict community quarantine measures imposed in the country.

Growth was projected to contract in 2020, driven by significant declines in consumption

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MARKET REPORT

and investment growth, and exacerbated by the sharp slowdown in exports, tourism, and remittances.

Nevertheless, economic growth is expected to rebound gradually in 20212022 assuming a containment of the virus domestically and globally, and with more robust domestic activity bolstered by greater consumer and business confidence and the public-investment momentum.

The Philippines construction industry, which was the fastest-growing in the AsiaPacific (APAC) region prior to the COVID-19 outbreak, has been devastated by COVID-19 and is expected to post a sharp contraction of 9.2% in 2020, reports GlobalData. However, the industry is expected to bounce back strongly in 2021 and grow at an annual average rate of 8.3% during 2021-2024.

Consequently, the industry’s output value (measured at constant 2017 US dollar exchange rates) is expected by GlobalData to reach US$75.1bn in 2024.

In the short term, the industry is expected to be affected by the disruptions caused to the construction activities due to the containment measures. The effect of COVID19-lockdown restrictions and the disruptions in the Philippines construction industry are evident in the latest value-add data, which recorded a year-on-year contraction of 33.5% in the second quarter of 2020, according to the data released by the Philippine Statistics Authority.

Global Data’s Dhananjay Sharma says: “Apart from the complete halt in the construction activities in the second quarter [2020], the output will also be affected [in 2020] by the re-allocation of government resources to address the current crisis.

In June 2020, the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) reduced the infrastructure spending target for 2020 by 15.8%, from PHP989bn to PHP833bn due to funding re-alignment to tackle the pandemic.”

Construction work resumed in mid-May 2020 with the government expecting the resumption of infrastructure projects to be a key driver in reviving the economy. Prior to the outbreak, the government had planned to invest around PHP1 trillion (US$18.9bn) on the Build, Build, Build (BBB) programme in 2020, and the implementation of the programme will play a major role in the postpandemic recovery of the country’s economy.

Holcim Philippines has partnered with UN-HABITAT to build homes for families displaced by conflict in the city of Marawi.

The company has also provided funding to train and certify masons and carpenters with the Philippines’ Technical Education and Skills Development Authority.

Up to December 2020, 116 apprentices had graduated, and more than 200 houses have been built using close to 40,000 bags of Holcim Philippines cement.

Holcim Philippines senior vice president

for sales, William Sumalinog, says the company is ready to provide reliable cement supply for the rehabilitation of Marawi and the construction activity in Mindanao.

“We are happy to know about the steady progress of Marawi. Being from a neighbouring province, our plant in Lugait, Misamis Oriental is well-positioned to support the city’s reconstruction with a reliable supply of high-quality cement. We are also ready to support all our partners in Mindanao as they implement construction projects that will help us recover from this year’s challenges and be more resilient moving forward.”

CEMEX Philippines is investing approximately US$235 million in a new cement line, which recently reached a milestone with the lifting of the new rotary kiln into position.

The new cement line at CEMEX Philippines’ Solid Cement plant in Antipolo city will add 1.5 million tons of cement to its annual capacity, increasing its output to 3.4 million tons.

“This milestone demonstrates our full commitment to the development of the country and brings us closer to further

© Alexey Kornylyev | Dreamstime.com

Limestone quarry in the mountains of Bohol Island, Philippines

ABOVE: The new rotary kiln being lowered into position at CEMEX Philippines’ Solid Cement plant in Antipolo city

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strengthening our position in providing the infrastructure and building needs for economic development,” said Ignacio Mijares, CEMEX Holdings Philippines CEO and president.

Tong Laigou, chairman and general manager of CBMI Construction (CBMI), the company contracted by CEMEX to build the new cement line, applauded the lifting of this new rotary kiln in the record time of two days. In a communication shared with CEMEX, he said that the CBMI and CEMEX Philippines’ teams worked under strict protocols to secure site safety and have also made great efforts to achieve this milestone.

The Solid Cement plant’s new cement line boasts of environment-friendly features that include the use of less energy as it is designed to reuse waste hot gases for drying raw materials, as well as the use of highefficiency bag-filter technology to significantly improve dust-emission control far below the actual regulation. Furthermore, CEMEX is prioritising sustainable operations through its proprietary ‘Low-Temperature Clinker’ technology that will reduce carbon dioxide emissions.

With aggregates demand of around 200 million tonnes a year, Thailand is a major player in the Southeast Asian aggregates sector. And Thai government plans to deliver public-private partnership (PPP) projects worth 1.09 trillion baht (US$33.39 billion) in the 2020-2027 period will have caught the attention of building material producers not just in the region, but globally. Such investment is an eye-catching part of prime minister Prayut Chan-o-cha’s plans to revive Thailand’s struggling economy amid the coronavirus pandemic, which has hit the country’s tourist sector particularly hard.

Reuters news agency reports Prapas KongIed, head of the State Enterprise Policy Office, saying that the 92-project plan includes 18 high-priority infrastructure projects worth 472 billion baht.

A country of 70 million people, the World Bank notes that the last four decades have seen Thailand make remarkable progress in social and economic development, moving from a low-income to an upper-income country in less than a generation. As such, Thailand has been a widely cited development success story, with sustained strong growth and impressive poverty reduction.

While Thailand has been successful in stemming the tide of COVID-19 infections over the last few months, the World Bank reports that the economic impact has been severe and has led already to widespread job losses, affecting middle-class households and the poor alike and threatening hard-won gains in poverty reduction Economic growth in Thailand was expected to contract in 2020, being among the sharpest projected declines in the East Asia and Pacific region due to a decline in external demand affecting trade and tourism, supply chain disruptions and weakening domestic consumption.

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MARKET REPORT

An abandoned quarry in Thailand Global Data’s October 2020-published report Construction in Thailand – Key Trends and Opportunities to 2024 states that Thailand’s construction industry has also been affected by the disruption caused by the coronavirus pandemic. Although Thailand imposed a strict lockdown until May 2020, construction activities held up relatively well, as most of the construction work progressed without much disruption. However, the GlobalData study notes that certain projects are expected to face delays and subsequent cost overruns, as the pandemic has caused supply chain disruptions, and led to a shortage of labour in the construction industry.

During the remaining part of the forecast period, Thailand’s construction industry is expected to register an average annual growth of 3.7% between 20212024, supported by improving investor and consumer confidence, and government investments in road, rail, renewable energy and housing projects.

GlobalData notes that the Thai government’s pre-COVID-19 plans to develop transport infrastructure are also expected to drive the industry’s growth over the forecast period. Under the Southern Economic Corridor (SEC) project, the government plans to invest THB106.8 billion (US$3.4 billion) in the development of 116 projects during the period of 2019-2022.

Under the Eastern Economic Corridor (EEC) scheme, the government approved four more large-scale infrastructure projects; as a result, the total number of projects approved under the EEC scheme reached five, with a combined value of THB652.5 billion (US$20.2 billion); these projects are expected to be completed by 2023.

HeidelbergCement is well placed to cater for the wide-ranging infrastructure works planned in the country over the next couple of years. The Germany-headquartered multinational building materials maker has been present in Thailand since the

second half of 2016, when it purchased the Italcementi Group. Italcementi has a shareholding in Jalaprathan Cement (JCC), which was established in 1956 by the Royal Irrigation Department for the construction of Bhumibol dam, the first multipurpose concrete dam in Thailand. JCC has its plants in Takli and Cha-am.

In 1999, the group increased its presence in Thailand becoming a shareholder of Asia Cement (ACC).

ACC was founded in 1989 and operates a cement plant in Pukrang. In line with the group’s energy strategy, in June 2013 Asia Cement commissioned a waste heat recovery and power generation plant (WHR&PG Plant), based on steam, of 21MW gross power capacity in the Pukrang plant. This will help reduce energy costs in accordance with the principles of renewable energy while also minimising the use of fossil fuels, a way to develop clean energy that can effectively help in reducing greenhouse emissions.

In numbers, this 21MW power plant can produce 150 million kWh per year without using fossil fuels implying a carbon dioxide production decrease of 120,000 tonnes per year.

Meanwhile, Terex Washing Systems (TWS) recently made the first sale of an AggreSand 165 wash plant in Thailand. Manufactured at TWS HQ in Dungannon, Northern Ireland, the plant will be operated by one of Thailand’s largest construction companies, Chiangmai Construction, based in the north of the country.

The company processes three feed materials: one-inch rock, crusher dust and waste rock, and with the introduction of the AggreSand 165 modular wash plant, Chiangmai Construction can produce two aggregates and two manufactured sands (0-3.5mm and 0-5.5mm) to meet the C33 spec.

Chiangmai Construction is also dedicated to conserving water which can be achieved by the AggreSand 165 washing solution due to its efficient water management. AB © AGGREGATES BUSINESS INTERNATIONAL January/February 2021

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AFRICAN QUARRY HAUL ROADS

Haul road maintenance practices play a huge role in the overall productivity and safe operation of quarries

Haul roads – the heart of every quarry operation Haul road maintenance at quarries requires a dedicated focus and should be addressed on a continual basis as part of the operational cycle since good roads improve production, extend tyre life and reduce overall operating costs. By Munesu Shoko

H

aul road maintenance practices play a huge role in the overall productivity and safe operation of quarries. According to Nick Kyriacos, ADT product marketing manager at Bell Equipment, good haul road maintenance in a quarry operation is hugely important because a truck’s suspension system can only do so much to deal with poorly maintained roads.

“Two things generally occur as a result of poorly maintained haul roads – firstly, the operator slows down because of the discomfort, which directly results in reduced productivity. There is also accelerated wear on components, which leads to unscheduled and unnecessary downtime, thus negatively affecting productivity,” says Kyriacos.

While a strong relationship exists between haul road maintenance and economical, safe operations at quarry sites, the design aspect of haul roads cannot be underestimated.

A good quarry haul road design, says Caterpillar senior quarry specialist PeterValentin Sauter, means that trucks can travel in safe conditions at the most fuel-efficient level and rated speed with target payload, in all weather conditions.

“Crowned straight sections, superelevated curves and safety berms with drainage ditches on both sides that are constructed with well-graded sub-base material for lower rolling resistance are the hallmarks of a quality quarry haul road,” says Sauter.

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On most African quarries, especially in South Africa, he says, two-way traffic must be accommodated. Three-truck width is preferred for travel on straight haul road sections, day or night. This rises to at least four-truck width when applied to corners and bends. Such distance allows for safe and constant speed of loaded and unloaded trucks with optimum operator visibility, including the avoidance of blind spots in bends and at the top of the grade.

“A correct haul road width is vital. In reality, there will be areas where the ideal truck widths are not achievable. In these instances, truck speeds have to be slowed down and speed limit signs be introduced and thoroughly policed,” explains Sauter, adding that safety berms measuring at least one half of the wheel height of the largest

trucks in the fleet are usually a must for guarding haul roads.

To facilitate water drainage, he adds, well-designed haul roads are crowned in the straight sections. About 2% is sufficient for most regions, although 3% might be required in higher rainfall areas.

Graeme Armstrong, sales representative at Komatsu South Africa, believes that the first step in enhancing productivity at a quarry site is the optimal initial design

Cat Road Analysis Control, a haul road management tool, gives operators feedback on road conditions, quantifies the severity of the condition and allows quarry managers to make informed haul road maintenance decisions

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AFRICAN QUARRY HAUL ROADS

Bell motor graders have a blade float function that allows the operator to position the blade to just grade the surface.

and construction of haul roads, as the maintenance that follows will just be upholding a flawed design if the haul road was incorrectly designed and constructed in the first place.

“Ideally, keep gradients below 8%. This will reduce load transfer which can cause uneven loads on certain tyre positions, as well as reduce slippage [thus improving fuel consumption] and spin cuts [thus reducing cut separations of tyres and premature failure],” he says.

Poor design of corners and cut backs, adds Armstrong, can lead to excessive braking and acceleration, forces which cause increased tyre wear and heat build-up. He advises that haul road design should allow

in height between the inside and outside edges of the banks of a road’s bed.

“Well-designed, super-elevated bends ensure the load is correctly positioned over the tyres and truck chassis, lowering side forces on the tyre casing and leading to less scuffing and wear,” he says.

“Furthermore, super-elevation leads to more consistent and safer truck speeds.

Consistent truck speed maintenance allows for optimum fuel efficiency, since less braking and re-acceleration is required.

Super-elevation levels are based on the bend’s radius and the speed at which it is negotiated,” adds Sauter.

It’s key to achieve the right grade for each haul road when hauling uphill, adds Sauter, as it impacts on where the load rests on the tyres, while it reduces rock spillage. The ideal ratio is for 33% of the load to be in the front of the truck and 66% in the rear, and the perfect grade is 8 to 10%.

for wide turn radius where possible and adequate camber if achievable. This can allow for a more even cornering speed and improved productivity and reduced fuel consumption.

Haul distances are also important, says Armstrong, adding that consideration must be given to the tyres which will be used and their tread compounds. Incorrect TKPH (tons kilometres per hour) can lead to heat separations and premature tyre failure.

Unwelcome and potentially costly extreme tyre-wear-tread separation can be generated by the high lateral tyre forces trucks generate when negotiating bends in haul roads, says Caterpillar’s Sauter. This can be partially countered by super-elevation: the difference

“Uneven surfaces increase wear on all parts of the machine assembly and suspension” Nick Kyriacos, Bell Equipment

A Komatsu GD675-5 motor grader maintaining haul roads

“Super-elevation leads to more consistent and safer truck speeds” Peter-Valentin Sauter, Caterpillar

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AFRICAN QUARRY HAUL ROADS

“Consistent grades are critical for cutting transmission up/downshifting, lowering fuel consumption and raising drivetrain component life. Because they start at the loading face and end at the dumping point, the haul roads’ load and dump sites should be smooth, without any rocks and potholes.

Appropriate design of the bench and dump sites can prevent spillages and wear and tear on the tyres, while minimising the risk of accidents,” he adds.

The greatest risks to cut and damaged tyres, says Sauter, are rocks, debris and potholes in the haul road. Therefore, ensuring haul roads are rock- and debrisfree should be a priority on all quarry sites to optimise tyre life and safety. Meanwhile, airborne dust and debris can reduce operator visibility and therefore affect site safety – for this reason the need for efficient dust control cannot be ignored.

Commenting on how haul road maintenance affects tyre life at quarries, Armstrong says improved maintenance can reduce premature failures and vastly improve the tyre cost per hour, improving the percentage of tyres removed fully worn.

He refers to a survey conducted at one mine, which found that 44% of tyres were removed because of cuts (premature failure); 29% were removed for impact fractures (premature failure); 7% through tyre wear (fully utilised); and 20% removed prematurely for other reasons.

Overwatering of roads washes out fines, he says, and can cause rutting of the surface and deterioration of the road base, thus creating an uneven surface. This can result in pot holes and hollows which fill with water and, in turn, increase the chances of tyre cuts as the water acts as a lubricant.

“Uneven surfaces increase wear on all parts of the machine assembly and suspension. Haul roads clear of debris reduce premature failure of tyres. Most cuts and impact fractures occur around loading and dumping areas, as well as in areas with

steep gradients, sharp cutbacks and turns,” says Armstrong.

“Utilising a combination of tracked [Komatsu D65EX-16 or D85EX-15R] and wheeled dozers [Komatsu WD600-6], as well as motor graders [Komatsu GD675-5 or GD825-2A mining grader] to clear and maintain loading, dumping and haul surfaces will reduce the number of premature failures due to tyre cuts, impacts, and cut and tread separations,” he adds.

Armstrong agrees that failure to maintain drainage can lead to water pooling, damage to the road substructure and costly reconstruction. Un-watered haul roads, he says, can result in dusty conditions. Besides the environmental impact (especially where a quarry is located close to urban areas), poor visibility adds to safety risk. Furthermore, the dusty conditions can result in increased maintenance costs, with air filters or oils needing to be exchanged more frequently.

According to Kyriacos, the two important aspects in haul road maintenance are to keep the road as smooth as possible and to remove material or rocks that fall from the haul trucks. This is because the rougher the road, the more flexion occurs in the tyres.

This leads to increased heat building up in the tyres, resulting in a faster wear rate. If trucks are driven on smooth, well-maintained

Komatsu’s GD675 mining grader used to clear and maintain loading, dumping and haul surfaces

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A motor grader driven by a trained operator is crucial in clearing and grading haul roads

roads, the abrasion effect of the road is minimised and there is less wear from tyre scuffing.

“If rocks are not removed as part of road maintenance, it may lead to premature tyre failure through side wall cuts, and this can be extremely costly. For example, an operation may budget 6,000 hours from a tyre, which means they take the price of the tyre and capitalise it over the 6,000 hours to get to a running cost per hour. The operation thinks it will operate at, say, ZAR10.50 per hour for those 6,000 hours but when there is a premature failure, the tyre is replaced, and they start from scratch again at 6,000 hours and have to outlay for another new tyre. It increases the cost of operation substantially,” explains Kyriacos.

Good haul road maintenance practices by their very nature reduce overall operating costs. With poorly maintained roads, says Kyriacos, operations will suffer accelerated wear and strain on their machines, which could lead to additional downtime and impact on productivity and operating costs.

Tyre costs are a significant portion of owning and operating costs, he adds. “It varies according to regions and applications, but the hourly cost of tyres typically exceeds 10% of the total cost per hour over 10,000 hours.”

Although not a primary issue, adds Kyriacos, there is also potential for good haul road maintenance practices to influence fuel consumption. “On a long, smooth road, the operator is able to keep a consistent speed for more economical fuel burn, whereas on a poorly maintained road they will need to continuously slow down and speed up, which definitely increases fuel burn,” concludes Kyriacos. AB

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CRUSHING & SCREENING

Big premium plant returns A premium crushing and screening plant combination made simple work of a major motorway upgrade project in Vietnam, while an Icelandic crushing contractor also benefitted from investing in an advanced plant solution. Meanwhile, eye-catching new plant is coming onto the market. Guy Woodford reports

W

ith an immense total length of 2,236km, National Route 1A is particularly heavily trafficked along the section between kilometre 16 (Lang Son) and kilometre 170 (Hanoi). The stretch, which is narrow, steep, and winding in some areas, is used by lorries, cars, countless scooters and even pedestrians. It was therefore high time the performance and safety of National Route 1A were improved.

Licogi 16 JSC (Licogi 16) – one of Vietnam’s largest construction companies with 20,000 employees and a firm foothold in almost all construction industry sectors – won a contract for a near 100km section of a 154km-long National Route 1A bottleneck relief/motorway upgrade project. To help fulfil its brief, Licogi 16 used a track-mounted Kleemann five-plant combination – three crushing and two screening plant – to process basalt, an immensely tough rock, for the new highway surface course.

Licogi 16’s highly dynamic civil engineering division is carrying out a number

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TOP: Five interlinked plant – three crushing and two screening units – are processing basalt for National Route 1A motorway works in Vietnam ABOVE: Vitrac, the Wirtgen Group’s dealer in Vietnam, supplied a five-plant Kleemann solution to Licogi 16 JSC for its National Route 1A motorway contract BELOW: Kleemann plant at work on Licogi 16 JSC’s National Route 1A motorway application in Vietnam

of road and bridge construction jobs and maintains close business relations with Vitrac, the Wirtgen Group’s dealer in Vietnam.

This made the firm’s choice of premium Kleemann plant and technology an obvious one.

The Licogi 16 National Route 1A works are the first Vietnamese project for Kleemann crushers and screeners. As such, the models are attracting close attention nationally and across the rest of South-East Asia. Licogi 16’s Kleemann plant combination consists of an MC 110 Z EVO jaw crusher, an MCO 9 EVO cone crusher, an MS 703 EVO screening plant, an MCO 9 S EVO cone crusher and an MS 19 D screening plant.

In the quarry 40km south of Lang Son, the Licogi 16 team found itself facing two challenges: firstly, they needed to crush the hard and abrasive basalt and classify it into clean aggregate fractions. Secondly, they had to fulfil very high-quality requirements.

Armed with its new Kleemann plant combination, the Licogi 16 team was said to be able to meet the required project © AGGREGATES BUSINESS January/February 2021

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criteria with astonishing ease. The company discovered that the Kleemann crushing and screening plant takes care of everything almost completely autonomously once you know how to coordinate the machines.

Kleemann’s Continuous Feed System (CFS) played a key role in making the work easier.

In this case, the crushing plant in the first crushing stage, a Kleemann MC 110 Z EVO jaw crusher – only drew as much feed material into its crushing chamber as the entire line-coupled plant combination could process. This prevented overloads and, to the greatest possible extent, material blockages.

Electric is key when it comes to the cost-efficiency of Iceland’s largest crushing contractor Steypustöðin. At a quarry close to Reykjavik, Metso Outotec’s electrically operated Lokotracks are three to four times more cost-effective than the corresponding diesel-operated versions.

When compared to diesel operation, electric crushing achieves up to quadruple savings at the Hafnarfjörður quarry.

Steypustöðin is the market leader in crushing and concrete production in Iceland.

Over the course of a year, the company’s two main quarries produce approximately half a million cubic metres of crushed stone, most of which is used at the company’s six concretemixing plants.

Steypustöðin now has a total of 20 Metso Outotec crushing and screening plants, ranging from a G1814 cone crusher to Barmac VSI (vertical shaft impact) crushers, LT series jaw and impact crushers, and ST series mobile screens. Of these, one Lokotrack LT120E jaw crusher and LT330D crushing and screen plant are fully electric.

“For us, the most important characteristics of crushing and screening plants are good mobility and reliability. The climate in Iceland being what it is, we can only crush stone when the weather allows it—and when it does, the crushers must operate without interruption,” says Hörður Pétursson, the managing director of the operation of Steypustöðin.

“We have been able to rely on Metso Outotec’s equipment – which is why we have remained loyal to the brand in terms of our crushing and screening equipment. Metso Outotec is an important partner for us. If any problems appear, we can resolve them with the support of Metso Outotec’s representative Vélafl,” Petursson says.

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ABOVE LEFT: Hörður Pétursson, the managing director of the operation of Steypustöðin (right), and Sigurdur Sigursson, servicing manager, with a list of their twenty Metso Outotec products behind them ABOVE RIGHT: Stefán Logi Björnsson is one of Steypustöðin’s supermen who are not afraid of the Icelandic wind and snow Steypustöðin has three crushing teams that work at the company’s two quarries as well as doing contract work all around Iceland. While travelling, they mostly produce road foundation materials.

The crushing conditions in Iceland are some of the most demanding in the world: humid feed can easily coat the surfaces of crushers and screens. Furthermore, the wind is often so strong that the paint is quickly sandblasted off the surfaces of working machines.

In 2014, Steypustöðin built a new 12-km power line to the Hafnarfjörður quarry close to Reykjavik just for crushing purposes. The electric Lokotracks were taken into use in 2017.

“Direct electric drive has proven to be the right solution, and the investment will quickly pay itself back. When compared to operating on diesel, the savings are triple or quadruple.

The plant is also more reliable because there are far fewer parts to maintain,” says Sigurdur Sigurdsson, who is in charge of servicing.

“As an added bonus, there are less environmental emissions. Natural values are important to us; after all, tourism is currently

the most important industry in Iceland, even before fishing.”

The production process at the Hafnarfjörður quarry has four stages. The blasted crushed stone is first loaded into an LT120E jaw crusher plant with a wheeled loader, and then from there it is transferred to an LT330D crushing and screen plant where a three-deck screen separates fines.

The third crushing stage to make the final product cube-shaped is handled by a Barmac B7150 VSI. Finally, all the concrete aggregates are washed in a separate washing plant.

Steypustöðin’s six concrete-mixing plants make concrete elements from the company’s raw materials. Loftorka, a company that Steypustöðin purchased in 2017, turns the concrete into an extensive constructionproduct portfolio.

“Our quarry workers really are actual superhumans: they are not afraid of coming to work when it is windy and snowing. They need a strong disposition to work a full day under conditions where the wind can knock over a passenger vehicle or an empty truck,” says Hörður Pétursson, praising his employees.

When compared to diesel operation, electric crushing achieves up to quadruple savings at the Hafnarfjörður quarry

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The exceptional conditions also cause extra work. All working machines must be modified to withstand the extreme conditions in Iceland. It is quite usual for the working day to start using hot water to wash off fines that have stuck to the equipment because of the humid sea air.

Due to the climate, Steypustöðin’s crushing days in winter are shorter: approximately eight hours from Monday to Friday. In the summer, when the sun shines all day round, the crushers are operated for at least twelve hours a day, also on Saturdays.

EvoQuip, a Terex Materials Processing brand, has added the Falcon range of finishing screens to its product portfolio.

The Falcon 1220 and Falcon 1230 offer a solution for scalping, screening, and stockpiling in self-contained units. Both models are available to order now and will be shipped to customers in early 2021.

Barry O’Hare, EvoQuip business line director, said: “We are confident that these highly aggressive finishing screens will open up new opportunities for EvoQuip customers globally.”

The Falcon range with its exceptional screen angle range provides an efficient classification of fines and is ideal for multiple applications and processing materials including sand and gravel, crushed stone, coal topsoil and demolition waste. In keeping with the EvoQuip model ethos, both the EvoQuip Falcon 1220 and Falcon 1230 are compact, easily transported machines and offer operators rapid set-up and tear-down times.

The Falcon 1220 features a 3.65m x 1.5m (12’ x5’) double-deck incline screen with remote tipping reject grid, hydraulic screen tensioning of the bottom deck and three on-board hydraulic folding conveyors as standard, with the option of adding the double-deck vibrating grid.

The screenbox on the Falcon 1230 features three inclined decks (top and middle deck: 3.66m x 1.52m (12’ x 5’), bottom deck 3.00m x 1.52m (10’ x 5’) giving a large screening area of 170ft² to provide efficient, high-capacity screening - even at small fractions. The fourth product conveyor has variable tilt and side slew to discharge material for recirculation and stockpiling accurately. The screenbox features quick wedge tensioning (top and middle deck), access holes and bottom-deck hydraulic tensioning system to reduce the time required for mesh changes.

The Falcons come with T-Link telemetry system fitted as standard, providing the customer with real-time information on their machine’s performance, meaning effective machine management and maximising uptime.

MDS International (MDS) is enjoying great success with its innovative drum-cleaner solution for its trommel range.

Jason Purllant, UK and EU sales manager for Co. Monaghan, Ireland-headquartered MDS, said he was with a customer recently showcasing the now year-old drum cleaner to a new prospective buyer. The prospective buyer told them that he had heard a lot about

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MDS International says it is enjoying major success with its novel drum-cleaner solution for its comprehensive trommel range the product, but the proof of how good it was would be on his own material.

“He couldn’t get over how well it worked and how simple a solution it was,” said Purllant. “Like all the best solutions in life, the drum cleaner is so simple. We wonder ourselves why no one has come up with this solution before.”

Nearly all the trommels being sold by MDS are now being fitted with the innovative product.

Liam Murray, CEO of MDS, added: “The challenge for us was to make something that could withstand the rigours of metal and large rocks going into the drum whilst accurately meshing into the screening holes.”

Peter Scott recently used the MDS drum cleaner on his MDS M412 trommel at Scott Bros. in Teeside, north-east England. “Without the drum cleaner, we wouldn’t have been able to screen our wet and sticky recycled products. It gives us a competitive advantage in the market when others can’t produce clean aggregate material.

“It’s a foolproof solution to processing all our nasty overburden which would have normally been sent to landfill.”

Scott said Scott Bros. had previously tried processing the waste with a large screener from a leading OEM (original equipment manufacturer). He said it simply couldn’t handle the size of the aggregates they were trying to recover, and the stickiness of the soil and fines blinded over the screens within half an hour.

“I really couldn’t get over how well it cleaned up the aggregates in the muck-away and how easily it removed the fines from the rock. The feed product was the worst product we could find; we wanted to test the drum cleaner out to its full potential.”

For Scott Bros., the MDS M412 trommel fitted with the drum cleaner processed over 220 tonnes of waste per hour that would previously have been left. It provided aggregates to the crusher and fines to the wash plant when nothing else could. And it freed up space in the yard taken up by a previously “unprocessble” product that would have gone to landfill.

Another MDS customer, based in central England, who used the drum cleaner of their MDS trommel, said: “It’s an awesome bit of kit. I don’t often get excited by equipment, but this has changed everything.”

MDS says it has seen rapid growth in demand for trommels, particularly those fitted with the drum cleaner. As a result, the firm has recently appointed five new dealers across Europe.

Purllant continued: “The plan for next year is to grow our manufacturing capability by 40% just to keep up with our current demand.”

MDS is looking to hold an open day on a date to be fixed in May 2021 where existing and potential new customers will be invited to the company’s factory to see first-hand what MDS stands for and how the firm’s trommels and innovative drum cleaner can benefit their businesses.

The full MDS range features eight trommels: M412, M413 3-Split, M515, M518R Recycling, M615, M820, M820R Recycling, and M825. The firm also manufactures standard and heavy-duty apron feeders. AB

EvoQuip has added the Falcon range of finishing screens to its compact plant product portfolio © AGGREGATES BUSINESS January/February 2021

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LOADING

The next-generation Cat 352 hydraulic excavator offers contractors up to 45% more operating efficiency than its predecessor, the 352F

Loads new for quarry fleets A premium global market manufacturer has unveiled an eagerly anticipated large excavator line-up, while a top British construction industry supplier has made a UK-first wheeled loader investment. Guy Woodford reports

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aterpillar is introducing four new next-generation large excavators – the 352, 374 and 395 for Europe, North America, Japan, South Korea, Australia and New Zealand customers; and the 345 GC, 374 and 395 for Africa, Middle East and Eurasian markets.

The heavy construction- and quarryingsuited Cat 352 hydraulic excavator is a 50-tonne class model with variable gauge undercarriage said to offer contractors up to 45% more operating efficiency, up to 10% more fuel efficiency, and up to 15% fewer maintenance costs compared to the model it replaces, the 352F. Powered by a Cat C13 317kW engine, the Cat 352 has a new long-reach configuration reaching out to 19.6m and capable of digging down to 13.04m - making it ideal for steep slope work. Standard waterproof technology also provides precision excavation down to 4.5m; the optional submarine solution allows you to work down to 20m.

A heavy-duty, high-wide undercarriage and extra counterweight provide a stable platform for long-reach digging. Variable gauge undercarriage enables easier transport between job sites when retracted and adds stability when extended.

The next-generation Cat 345 GC 40-tonne class excavator is designed to deliver a balance of performance, reliability, and low-cost operation. The Cat C9.3B 258kW engine-powered excavator can increase fuel efficiency by up to 25% and lower operating costs by up to 30% compared to the 349D2. The new machine also incorporates

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significant engineering advances for safety and operator convenience.

Fitted with a premium Cat C15 362kW engine, the 70-tonne class Cat 374 offers heavy construction, quarrying and mining contractors high production, two times more structural durability, and up to 20% fewer maintenance costs than the machine it replaces, the 374F. The 94-tonne Cat 395 offers large quarry and mining contractors up to 10% more production. Like the Cat 374, the Cat 395, which features a Cat C18 405kW engine, comes with two times more structural durability and up to 20% fewer maintenance costs than its predecessor, the 394F. Speaking about the Cat 374’s and Cat 395’s high productivity, Brian Abbott, worldwide product manager for Cat large excavators, said: “A key to production is our new dedicated hydrostatic swing circuit.

The circuit enables regenerating swing brake energy and independent management of cylinder airflow. What that means for owners and operators is higher efficiency and smoother, more predictable performance when multitasking with the excavator.”

The Cat 352, 374 and 395 machines have three modes of operation: Power, Smart, and ECO. Power mode is maximum power at all times. ECO mode lowers engine speed and cycle times while maintaining breakout force.

The new Smart mode takes the guesswork out by automatically matching engine and hydraulic power to digging conditions, reducing fuel consumption and optimising performance. Engine speed automatically

lowers when hydraulic demand decreases, further reducing fuel usage.

The cooling system features a new on-demand fan designed to operate only when required, saving fuel and ensuring maximum efficiency. An available auto-reverse function assists with cleaning debris from the cooling cores — another plus for enhanced efficiency.

The trio of next-generation Cat large excavators is said to have the highest level of standard factory-installed technology in their size class, including Cat Grade with 2D. The system gives operators visual guidance to grade via the standard touchscreen monitor to make more accurate cuts. The system is readily upgradable to Cat Grade with Advanced 2D or Cat Grade with 3D for enhanced accuracy.

Cat Payload helps operators increase loading efficiency with on-the-go weighing; real-time payload estimates are calculable without swinging to help prevent overloading and underloading trucks.

Lift Assist quickly calculates the weight of the actual load being lifted and compares the result to the excavator’s rated capability.

Visual and auditory alerts indicate whether the machine is within a safe working range.

E-Fence prevents the excavator from moving outside operator-defined points. This helps protect the machine, underground utilities, and other objects from damage.

Cat Product Link provides a constant stream of wireless information available via the online VisionLink interface, allowing machine managers in the office to evaluate critical operating details quickly.

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The 70-tonne class Cat 374 has twice the structural durability of the 374F The 94-tonne Cat 395 large excavator comes with an up to 10% production gain and up to 20% fewer maintenance costs than the 394F

On the Cat 374 and 395, booms, sticks, and frames are twice as strong as those on the previous model — all to give owners reliable performance for the machine’s life.

Booms have increased top and bottom plate thickness; sticks have increased side, bottom, and bracket plate thickness; and frames have increased base frame and counterweight mounting plate thickness.

Additional reinforcements are built into the car body, track link, track rollers, boom, stick, and bucket cylinders to ensure longterm, trouble-free performance. Extended and synchronised maintenance intervals

contribute to the Cat 352, 374 and 395 large excavators’ lower long-term costs.

The new Cat air filter with an integrated pre-cleaner and primary and secondary filters provides double the previous design’s dustholding capacity.

The new Cat hydraulic return filter has a 3,000-hour service life — a 50% increase over previous filters. Fuel system filters are synchronised for service at 1,000 hours — a 100% increase over the previous filters.

The fuel system’s water and sediment drains and hydraulic system’s oil level check are positioned close together at ground level,

making routine daily maintenance faster, easier, and safer.

The Cat 352, 374 and 395 customers can choose between a deluxe or premium cab. Either option supplies operators with maximum comfort and safety. Performanceenhancing features like keyless pushbutton start, large touchscreen monitor with jog dial keys for control, and a sound-suppressed rollover protective structure (ROPS) come as standard.

Other cab amenities include a tilt-up console that allows easy cab entry and exit; advanced viscous cab mounts that reduce vibration by as much as 50% compared with previous models; and a Bluetooth integrated radio with USB ports for connecting and charging phones. Furthermore, each cab offers automatic climate control for maintaining temperature settings regardless of ambient temperatures; programmable joystick buttons for setting control patterns and hydraulic response rates; and large front, rear and side windows and standard rear-view and right-hand-side cameras to enhance visibility. Finally, an optional 360° visibility package combines images from multiple cameras to improve the operator’s sightlines in all directions.

The Mick George Group, a leading supplier to the construction industry in the East Anglia and East Midlands regions of the UK, has received Britain’s first new Doosan DL-7 wheeled loaders. As well as four new DL420-7 models, the order includes two DL580-5s and a DL300-5 wheeled loader working at quarries within the Mick George Group, with a further new DL320-7 wheeled loader arriving in mid-January 2021.

The new wheeled loaders were supplied

by Leicester-based Pioneer Plant Ltd, the new authorised Doosan dealer for Leicestershire, Northamptonshire, Cambridgeshire and the PE and NG postcode areas of South Lincolnshire. Providing increased peace of mind for the Mick George Group, the new wheeled loaders’ high reliability and quality are guaranteed by a 6,000-hour service package provided by Pioneer Plant.

The story behind the new wheeled loader order for the Mick George Group began when Pioneer Plant offered a demonstration of the Doosan DL580-5 wheeled loader at its very busy limestone quarry at Wakerley in Northamptonshire.

The Mick George Group has received Britain’s first new Doosan DL-7 wheeled loaders. Pictured is one of the company’s DL420-7 models

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“An engine overspeed protection feature Michael Plant, quarry managerslows at automatically Wakerley, said: “In the four days we had the down the machine to demo machine it proved to be good on fuel, within safe and operatcomfortable for the operators kept up with the crushing plants loading lorries. ing limits if and the driver We knew from then, that if we were to goes too fast” purchase two DL580-5 models, the company would save on quarry costs, replacing the three smaller wheeled loaders the company previously used to keep up with the demand.

“The excellent performance of the demo machine and the fact that all the Doosan wheel loaders could be supplied very quickly and put to work immediately made it an easy decision to buy the Doosan machines. At the Mick George Group, we are always busy, so we need wheel loaders we can rely on to help keep up with the high demand and reduce the cost of having to hire in.”

All the new wheeled loaders are used in loading and stockpile duties at quarries in the Mick George Group. As well as the DL580-5s at Wakerley, the DL420-7 wheeled loaders have gone into operation at the Waterbeach and Mitchell Hill quarries in Cambridgeshire, the Ringstead Grange quarry in Northamptonshire and at the Crimplesham quarry in Norfolk. The new DL300-5 wheeled loader is working alongside the DL420-7 at Crimplesham.

Plant added: “Since receiving the machines and putting them to work across the Group, all feedback coming from the operators has been positive - they believe they have speeded up loading times of HGV vehicles, they are burning less fuel, and the traction the machines put into the ground has stopped wheel spinning which is going to save us money on tyres by increasing their life span on the machines.”

Starting with a single tipper truck in 1978, the Mick George Group’s commercial fleet has grown to be over 400 HGV vehicles.

The group specialises in bulk excavation and earthmoving services, demolition and asbestos removal, a wide range of skip hire and waste management and aggregate and concrete supply.

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A Doosan DL-7 series wheeled loader filling up a Mick George Group truck with quarry-processed material In addition to the HGV vehicles, the Mick George Group has a wide variety of plant and machinery. The impressive collection of mobile plant machinery is used in various applications in its quarries and transfer stations and in its large earthworks projects.

The lorry fleet means the company can meet the high demand for providing a reliable muck-away and aggregate-delivery service to all its customers.

The company operates from over 39 sites, including the limestone/sand and gravel quarries where the new Doosan wheeled loaders work, landfill sites, waste transfer stations and concrete-batching plants. The Mick George Group provides the knowledge, expertise, and equipment to offer a complete package to complete any contract from start to finish.

Pioneer Plant (www.pioneerplant.co.uk) is solely responsible for sales and servicing of the Doosan crawler, wheeled and mini/midi excavator, wheeled loader, articulated dump truck and attachment ranges in its area.

As the latest addition to the UK dealer network for the Doosan Construction, Quarrying and Mining Equipment range, Pioneer Plant offers over 40 years of plant dealership experience for both new and used equipment. Together, Brian Conn and Steve Corner, joint partners in Pioneer Plant, and their team provide a wealth of knowledge and expertise to advise and support customers with their plant purchases and how Doosan products can benefit their businesses.

Pioneer Plant customers benefit from a

superb on-site service network, covering everything from emergency repairs to routine maintenance. The company’s factory-trained engineers have many years of hands-on experience of repairs and servicing of all types of plant and machinery.

Doosan’s new DL-7 wheeled loader range introduces a complete line of nextgeneration machines offering award-winning design, powerful engines, higher productivity, increased fuel efficiency and a low cost of ownership, coupled with a great environment and experience for the operator.

The new DL320-7 and DL420-7 are part of the first phase of the DL-7 launch, covering seven new models, with redesigned buckets offering up to 7% more capacity to provide easier and faster loading maximum bucket capacities from 2.8 to 6.4m³. They provide increased productivity for an extensive range of material-handling applications.

Hyundai Construction Equipment Europe (Hyundai) has unveiled the HL975A CVT wheeled loader – the first Hyundai model equipped with a continuously variable transmission (CVT).

The Hyundai HL975A CVT combines the benefits of a traditional automatic transmission and a hydrostatic transmission in one machine. The new wheeled loader forms part of Hyundai’s, award-winning, A-series machines that comply with the European Stage V emission levels, offering near-zero emissions.

A range of new technologies has been incorporated into this new model which significantly improves fuel efficiency, keeps harmful emissions to a minimum and delivers the maximum power and performance needed for heavy-duty work in severe conditions. Customers can also expect increased productivity, better safety, more convenience, and improved uptime management.

The state-of-the-art ZF CVT offers optimised power matching. This continually changes hydraulic to mechanical energy ratios, depending on load and speed, keeping the engine in a low rpm range for smooth, seamless acceleration. During deceleration, the CVT acts as a brake, reducing wear on the service brake and prolonging the axle oil life.

Compared to conventional transmission, CVT delivers fuel savings of up to 30% depending on the application, without sacrificing performance or power. Traction control, intelligent inching, and automatic differential lock management help to cope with various conditions. The operator will experience a fast and smooth acceleration over the full speed range and superior traction. Hyundai’s sophisticated onboard weighing system technology is integrated as standard on this machine and additional control, monitoring and maintenance features help to optimise daily performance and productivity.

Hyundai has prioritised durability throughout the development of the HL975A CVT, from design and manufacturing to

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Hyundai CEE’s new HL975A CVT wheeled loader is the first Hyundai model equipped with continuously variable transmission

quality control. All systems have been optimised for endurance and tested rigorously on a range of work sites - the result is a robust, reliable workhorse that minimises downtime for repairs and maintenance and helps Hyundai’s customers protect their profits.

The machine comes with optional extra safety features like the AAVM (Advanced Around View Monitoring) system, which secures 360° field vision via nine views.

This system also includes IMOD (Intelligent Moving Object Detection). The HL975A CVT also comes with an optional radar system that detects obstacles behind the machine day and night, with no blind spots. The distance between the obstacle and the loader is displayed on the secondary monitor.

The new Volvo CE EC380 crawler excavator was made and designed in China

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Hyundai designed the HL975A CVT cabin to be a productive, stress-free working environment – it’s both comfortable and spacious. It features state-of-the-art noise and vibration reduction technology, achieving a sound level of only 70dB, one of the lowest in this machine category. An optional door control allows operators to open the cabin door remotely while standing safely at ground level.

All A-series wheeled loaders will incorporate several new service features developed and tested to improve machine

uptime. The HL975A CVT is designed to make maintenance as convenient as possible: the engine hood opens wide to provide easy access for cleaning and routine tasks; all components and materials are manufactured to ensure a long, trouble-free life.

Machine diagnostics is an essential feature on modern-day machines. Hyundai’s HiMATE is a remote management system that gives access, no matter where the location, to vital service and diagnostic information for Hyundai machines. MCD (Machine Connected Diagnostics) enables the user to gather and analyse various data on the machine’s performance – resulting in more uptime.

ECD (Engine Connected Diagnostics) supports the aftersales technicians and dealers with an engine performance report via e-mail, mobile, app or HiMATE, Hyundai’s own telematic system.

With demand for excavators in China growing, at bauma CHINA 2020, held November 24-27 2020, Volvo Construction Equipment (Volvo CE) unveiled new standard and heavy-duty ranges. Each range is designed according to the varying needs of Chinese customers, promoting sustainable development of the industry with innovative technology.

Among the first to be introduced in H1 2021 will be the EC380 standard and EC380 heavy-duty excavators. A total of 10 models will be launched throughout 2021, showcasing how Volvo CE will continually and thoroughly mould the industry’s future with its new generation of electromobility, automation and connectivity.

Senior vice president of Sales Asia at Volvo CE, Tomas Kuta, said: “China is one of Volvo CE’s four most important sales markets in the world. Since the Asian headquarters moved to Shanghai in April 2020, through its twin HQ arrangement, Volvo CE has better served the local market with its innovative products and solutions. We have helped the rapid development of the Chinese economy through our shared vision of building a better tomorrow.”

The new ranges feature the latest fuelefficient Volvo engines, smart telematics and automation systems such as Volvo ActiveCare and Volvo Co-Pilot, and many safety configurations. This greatly increases the safety and connectivity of machine operations, effectively helping the customer lower equipment operating costs and increase productivity for business growth.

Innovation is in Volvo CE’s DNA. The company has continually developed and expanded its product portfolio to meet the needs of urban construction. Featuring 12-tonne models and 90-tonne pieces of heavy equipment, the two new product ranges cover the full range of work environments, from the common to the highly challenging and complex, offering customers a wide variety of products to meet their needs.

The new ranges were developed locally at the Volvo CE R&D centre in Jinan. AB © AGGREGATES BUSINESS January/February 2021

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HAULING

Steer’s technology will be used in a fleet of autonomous dump trucks transporting stones in Romarheim’s quarry on the Norwegian west coast

Autonomous advances in hauling A big autonomous truck contract at a Norwegian quarry, and a new rigid hauler model for the vibrant Indonesian market. Guy Woodford reports

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teer’s first major contract with a quarry partner will see the company develop its technology to use in a fleet of autonomous dump trucks transporting stones in Romarheim’s quarry on the Norwegian west coast.

“This is a milestone for Steer. With this contract, we are taking a giant step from our first contract in 2009 which involved clearing a large artillery range in the Norwegian mountains,” says Steer CEO Pål Ligård.

Steer chairman Ketil Solvik Olsen adds: “We can now utilise our technology with a customer within an industry with a lot of potential. This is very exciting!”

The project with Romarheim is innovative on several levels. Previously, Steer’s remotecontrolled construction equipment was primarily used in projects where health and safety had been the main concern. Projects have included the clearing of artillery ranges, and ones where the geographical conditions were challenging and dangerous.

The key focus of the Romarheim project has changed to utilise the technology for a more efficient and cost-effective autonomous operation.

The contract involves work in a stone quarry in Osterfjord, north of Bergen. The plan is to load up autonomous trucks with stones, and these trucks will then follow a set route out of the quarry and dump the stones into a shaft leading down to a crushing plant. From there, the stones will then be transported by boat to both domestic and international markets.

“As you can understand, these are quite repetitive tasks, and this is a perfectly sized project to test our autonomous solution even further. In addition, Romarheim is a very forward-thinking customer who is excited to

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be part of this innovation project,”, says Steer co-founder Njål Arne Gjermundshaug. “We are able to develop our product through a clearly defined long term project.”

The plan is that the driver of the wheeled loader loading stones onto the fleet of trucks will also be able to oversee and direct the trucks using an iPad from his seat in the cabin.

“At the start of the project, we will place drivers in the remote-controlled trucks as a precaution to ensure that the technology is working correctly and meeting expectations,” says Gjermundshaug. The project is due to start in spring 2021. Steer is currently performing testing with miniature trucks in Oslo. “This is to test the technology, so it’s meeting the expectations we have for

Steer CEO Pål Ligård

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precision, safety, usability and operation time,” Gjermundshaug adds.

For Romarheim, this project is also about realising an idea the company’s founders had even before the company was founded in 2011. “Our focus has always been to be open to new ways of streamlining mass transport by automating some of the processes involved,” explains Kåre Romarheim. “With automation, we aim to improve consistency and remove hazardous and dangerous tasks for our employees, reducing the risk of injuries. The expectation is that this will also increase efficiency and reduce the operational and maintenance costs of the equipment.”

After Steer issued a press release about the launch of its remote technology for industry, Romarheim contacted Steer, and they soon started developing a solution together. As both Romarheim and its stone quarry customer, DC Eikefet Aggregates, were keen on the idea, this helped speed up the project’s delivery. “We were excited to do this pilot project. Our customer was also keen to look at measures to increase efficiency and improve health and safety for its employees,” says Romarheim.

“This is our first major delivery of autonomous dump trucks in a global market, and we see a large potential,” says Ligård.

Due to a significant increase in the interest in Steer’s technology, the company is now in the process of expanding its workforce and the organisation. Also, the company has received NOK 2 million [€190,600] in grants from the public innovation body ‘Innovation Norway’. Steer can now focus on developing technology with both the domestic and international market in mind. “We believe

Steer is currently performing tests with miniature trucks in Oslo ahead of the spring 2021 start of the Romarheim autonomous dump trucks’ project

“This is not the type of technology that you purchase online with a home delivery two days later” Ketil Solvik Olsen

the market is substantial, especially in North America and Australia,” says Olsen.

The launch of Steer’s technology on the international market was delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. An ongoing project at an oil refinery in the USA had to be postponed, but Steer has experienced an increase of interest from potential new international customers despite the pandemic.

Olsen continues: “This is not the type of technology that you purchase online with a home delivery two days later. Our solutions need to be properly integrated with the customer’s existing technology; safety is the highest priority. Our experts would normally travel to the customer to oversee the integration. With the travel limitations we experienced in 2020, we have not been able to do this as initially planned. At the same time, by focusing on domestic projects, we have had a great opportunity to establish a partnership with Romarheim. They have so far been a dream partner for us as they are a serious, down-to-earth and trustworthy partner. This may be beneficial for both of us.”

Indonesian customers can now place orders for a modified version of the Volvo R100E rigid hauler with a lighter body that allows for higher payloads and increased productivity.

The payload of the largest model in the Volvo rigid hauler line-up, the R100E, just got bigger thanks to a few clever modifications to the machine body. Using a lighter design, Volvo Construction Equipment (Volvo CE) has managed to increase the body’s capacity from 60.4m³ to 65m³, which is greater than

Autonomous dump trucks fitted with Steer’s technology will follow a set route out of Romarheim’s quarry and dump stones into a shaft leading down to a crushing plant. From there, the stones will then be transported by boat to domestic and international markets

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any competitor model in the 100-tonne class.

This enables customers to increase both their productivity and profitability.

Even in the standard 60.4m³ body version, the Volvo R100E rigid hauler is an extremely productive machine. The V-shaped body is designed for optimum load retention and minimal material carry-back, while the bodytipping system ensures efficient dumping.

Offering a 95-tonne payload and fitted with a premium 783kW engine, the R100E is ideal for all surface-mining and quarrying applications, where operational costs are critical. Volvo CE says customers can expect to spend less per haul with the R100E. The industry-recognised load-profile policy enables the operator to meet a consistent average target payload (95 tonnes). At the

“An engine overspeed protection feature automatically slows down the machine to within safe operating limits if the driver goes too fast”

same time, the speedy body-tipping system ensures fast cycle times for an all-round efficient performance.

Volvo CE builds on the high capacity and hauling speeds of its rigid hauler with intelligent monitoring systems.

The on-board weighing (OBW) option is an integrated system that ensures the machine moves the optimum safe payload to maximise production further and minimise operational costs. It uses exteriormounted pressure sensors to monitor and relay machine statistics to the operator’s on-board display. The machine information is viewable in real-time via the on-board display. It can also be remotely accessed via Volvo’s CareTrack telematics system, helping operators and fleet managers improve planning.

The combined drivetrain’s high torque capabilities provide unparalleled pulling performance and class-leading rim-pull for optimum travel time. The hauler yields impressive tractive effort meaning no terrain is too deep or steep. Operators can tackle harsh jobsite conditions and navigate gradients effortlessly for faster cycles.

Speed does not come at the expense of safety, however. An engine overspeed protection feature automatically slows down the machine to within safe operating limits if the driver goes too fast. A neutral coast inhibitor and transmission retarder

are also included as standard to protect the hauler in downhill operations. Fail-safe braking and secondary steering systems provide extra security.

The Volvo R100E also promotes a productive work shift through its comfortable cab environment. The Volvo air suspension seat and the tiltable telescopic steering wheel can be fully adjusted to match the operator’s preferred position. Meanwhile, all displays and controls are ergonomically positioned to keep the focus on the operation. The seat location to the cab’s left side and large windscreen combine for a commanding view of the jobsite. Built-in sound insulation eliminates distracting noises, while the viscous-isolated mounted cab and hydraulic suspension system minimise ground vibrations and surrounding jobsite noise.

By using MacPherson suspension, tyres can move up and down independently to adapt to the road surface, while muffling the operator cabin’s vibrations. This type of suspension enhances the drive comfort for operators and helps to increase productivity and safety.

While the Volvo R100E has been designed specifically for durability and ease of maintenance, customers can contact Volvo CE’s Indonesian dealer, PT Indotruck Utama, for swift replacement parts, local knowledge and global mining experience. AB

Offering a 95-tonne payload, the Volvo R100E RDT for Indonesian customers allows operators to meet production targets faster

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CONVEYORS – PART 1

Convincing conveying Another leading quarrying equipment manufacturer has entered the conveyor market. Meanwhile, new and proven conveyor belt makers and linked technology specialists have much to interest aggregate and other building material producers in 2021.

Guy Woodford reports

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ajor quarrying crushing and screening plant players such as Terex Materials Processing brands Powerscreen, Terex Finlay and EvoQuip, and the Wirtgen Group’s Kleemann brand have entered the conveyor belt market in recent years.

Now Metso Outotec has unveiled its first full range of overland conveyors. The range is said to provide economical and reliable bulk material transport for both open-pit and underground operations at the lowest total cost of ownership.

Lars Duemmel, vice president, Bulk Material Handling Systems at Metso Outotec, said: “In mining and minerals processing applications, conveying is one of the most efficient and safest ways to transport bulk material. It is often referred to as the backbone of the entire process. The robust design of our overland conveyors allows for capacities of up to 20,000 tonnes per hour, including over five kilometres on a single flight for a seamless process. What is also

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important is that you can achieve power savings of up to 30% with the patented Energy Saving Idlers (ESI).”

Duemmel said that thanks to Metso Outotec’s extensive process engineering capability and proven installations worldwide, the company can support its customers with complete end-to-end conveyor solutions. He added: “This includes concept studies and definitions for all types of terrains and route types with horizontal and vertical curves. Our expertise also covers post-installation services and maintenance, including a full range of accessories, belts and components featured in the recently launched Conveyor Solutions Handbook.”

Meanwhile, Continental has developed a service solution for monitoring conveyor belt systems to permit early identification of weak points along a conveyor belt before damage resulting in unscheduled and cost-intensive downtimes. The new technology-based approach developed to a prototype stage in the Incubator program of Co-pace, the company’s startup

Metso Outotec has unveiled its first full range of overland conveyors

organisation, offers a combination of visual and acoustic inspection. It also permits the highly accurate and efficient, dataassisted planning of maintenance intervals, replacing the conventional and usually very laborious manual process with sensor-based technologies.

Idlers are essential components of a belt conveyor and are crucial to ensuring smooth conveying operations. A conveyor belt on a medium-sized conveyor with a total belt length of 40 kilometres runs over some 120,000 idlers. Continental notes that around 30% of the operational faults with belt conveyors are attributable to idler defects that cannot be detected promptly. The new service offering is in response to this fact. It comprises a hybrid solution that addresses different applications and sections.

On the one hand, an inspection of open sections and operations is carried out from the air using a drone equipped with infrared and RGB (red, green and blue) cameras that monitor both sides of the belt conveyor.

As soon as the drone has flown over the section under inspection, it returns to an autonomous charging station to upload the data collected to the relevant cloud via an IoT (Internet of Things) module during the charging process. The image data is processed with an AI (artificial intelligence)assisted algorithm and analysed for any detected idler defects.

Continuous maintenance in covered sections or underground conveyors, on the other hand, is carried out using fixed microphones installed every 20 to 25 metres that capture frequency variations in the numerous idlers. The audio recording is conducted twice a day, with the data being © AGGREGATES BUSINESS January/February 2021

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CONVEYORS – PART 1

uploaded to the cloud specified above.

Events that indicate a damaged idler are then analysed using an AI-based algorithm.

“Conventional and often manual inspection methods can be very timeconsuming, imprecise or even dangerous for service technicians because of the belt length or local circumstances such as underground routing and enclosed sections. Documentation is also often performed manually, with reports having to be subsequently manually inputted into the relevant datasets. Maintenance intervals also frequently follow a fixed rotational principle, meaning that measures required on short notice to avoid or prevent conveyor failures cannot be carried out in a timely manner,” explains Clemens Panzer. He has played a leading role in the new development as a member of the interdisciplinary team set up for this project.

By contrast, sensor-based inspection permits data-assisted remote monitoring of system condition, with the result that potential damage can be detected at an early stage and avoided. Panzer says another benefit is that the data collected will automatically be made available in a digital form in the future via a user-friendly interface. He continues: “The data can be viewed at any time and permits the demanddriven planning of relevant service periods.

Changes in the conveyor condition over an extended period can be analysed significantly better using the stored historical data, and the anticipated service life of the components can also be better estimated.”

To date, the Continental solution has tested successfully in initial field trials.

Further pilot projects are likely with other interested parties. The system is due to be operational later this year.

The Incubator operated by startup organisation Co-pace provided the necessary environment for the rapid validation of technology- and market-relevant assumptions that underpin the concept and initial data collections and tests for creating the prototype. An expert interdisciplinary

Superior Industries’ has unveiled its new EXT Series Zipline conveyor

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LEFT: A drone inspects the conveyor belt system on open sections using RGB and infrared cameras RIGHT: In shielded track areas, stationary microphones detect possible frequency deviations of idlers team examined the system’s feasibility, viability and attractiveness based on data, interviews with experts and customer feedback. For instance, recording audio signals resulted in the successful analysis of idlers – whereas only a visual inspection had been initially planned. The journey from concept to prototype took just two months.

Superior Industries, a U.S.-based manufacturer and global supplier of bulk material processing and handling systems, is launching a new model of its popular Zipline Overland Conveyors. The new EXT Series expands the modular conveyor product line range for longer and wider material handling applications.

Zipline Conveyors target bulk producers looking for overland conveyors that require little or no pre-engineering for express deliveries and are designed for quick assembly in the field. Today, with the addition of the new EXT Series, Zipline Conveyors are available in lengths up to 2,500 (762m) feet and belt widths up to 48 (1,220mm) inches.

Between the head and tail are a series of 40-foot (12.2m) intermediate sections designed with an 8-inch (200mm) channel and 2-foot (610mm) tall support stands. Standard Zipline Conveyor models are equipped with mechanical take-ups for shorter distances, but the new EXT Series includes a gravity take-up tower to accommodate longer-distance overland conveying.

All of the conveyor components – like the

pulleys, idlers and scrapers – are also manufactured in-house. This unique advantage means higher quality, faster deliveries and all-inclusive support from Superior Industries.

BEUMER’s autopac loading technology has proven a big success among building material product producers and other industry customers for many years – with more than 1,000 machines installed globally.

The latest version of autopac – the 2400/3000 construction series - enables users to automatically load bagged bulk materials like cement on trucks and simultaneously palletise them - quickly and with the desired packing pattern.

The BEUMER autopac consumes very little energy, is reliable even in dusty environments and can be easily operated and maintained. The machine is also suitable for paper, HDPE (high-density polyethylene) and PP (polypropylene) valve bags.

The truck with the empty loading space slowly stops under the BEUMER autopac.

To load and palletise the cement bags, the employee enters the number of bags, the packing pattern and the desired number of rows and layers in the BEUMER Group Human Machine Interface (HMI). Laser positioning aids have been mounted to the left and right of the BEUMER autopac. They project the outer contours of the machine with a clearly visible red beam on the loading space, helping the operator to position the loading head on the truck.

The BEUMER autopac starts the automatic loading process, bag by bag, directly from the filling machine via belt conveyors onto the truck. “With our BEUMER autopac, we have a system in our product range that can load trucks automatically,” explains Markus Peitzmeier, senior sales manager at BEUMER Group.

“And it does so extremely reliably.” The use of an electronic bag counting system makes sure that the truck is neither underloaded nor overloaded. Manual corrections are completely omitted. “The program control recalculates the

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CONVEYORS – PART 1

height setting for each layer,” Peitzmeier explains.

In order to attain the highest possible degree of stability for the whole load on the truck, and in order to optimally utilise the loading space, two mirror-inverted layers are palletised next to one another. Two belt conveyors positioned one above the other flatten the bags before the loading process and thus remove the air from them. After being positioned, the bags are also pressed by the loading head, which makes the stack more compact and more stable. Meanwhile, the next layer is already being prepared.

The bag feeding lines can be adapted to the customer’s installation conditions.

Corresponding technical solutions are available for variable conveyor lines.

“The BEUMER autopac is ideally suited for use in emerging countries, where the transhipment of bagged bulk goods is increasing. In these countries, labour costs are rising, and it is becoming more and more difficult to find appropriate personnel for this kind of work,” says Peitzmeier. Manual truck loading is exhausting and usually requires two people who alternate with their colleagues for each loading process due to the heavy physical work involved.

Furthermore, there is the high level of dust formation, which negatively affects the employees’ health. During the manual loading process, the loading performance as well as the quality of the bag stacks often fluctuates. “These problems are eliminated with our BEUMER autopac,” says Peitzmeier.

“One employee is able to operate more than one machine.” This enables owners to optimise processes, achieve high loading capacities and work very efficiently from bagging up to loading.

Depending on the bag dimensions and their length and width ratio, the user has flexibility in layer formation. Patterns of ten, twelve and twenty bags per layer are possible. The very low positioning height of the loading head contributes to the gentle handling of the bags, as they are supported during the loading process and not lifted or possibly deformed, as is the case with vacuum suction modules.

The system provider uses the specially developed BEUMER Group HMI for operating the BEUMER autopac. This is a touch panel with optimised user interface and graphic navigation. This operator panel provides users with an easily understandable and intuitive interaction concept, enabling them to define efficient working sequences.

BEUMER Group says it is committed to thoroughly evaluating its products against economy, ecology and social responsibility.

“We follow a total value of ownership (TVO) approach. This means, we consider the system in its entirety, not only from its cost side,” says Peitzmeier. “For example, we continuously look to reduce energy and resource consumption in the production cycle and during operation of the systems, all while keeping emissions to a minimum. When loading 3,000 bags per hour, each weighing

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1

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1. The truck is moved under the BEUMER autopac 2. The operator positions the BEUMER autopac on the loading space of the truck 3. The BEUMER autopac loads the truck fully automatically 4. The BEUMER autopac loads the truck extremely reliably (all pics supplied by BEUMER Group) 50 kilograms, power consumption is held below 0.1 kWh per ton.”

The BEUMER autopac is both energyefficient and extremely robust, as demonstrated by the many systems that have been in daily use for decades. “The machine has been designed for heavy-duty operation to resist extreme ambient conditions like heat, high air humidity, dust formation and the three-shift operation in packing plants”, says Peitzmeier. In addition, the owner profits from a smaller footprint compared to other loading systems. With its compact design, the BEUMER system can be quickly and easily maintained, is reliable and safe to operate. “This is supported by the fact that we have only integrated electromechanical components,” describes Peitzmeier.

“This eliminates the need for hydraulic or pneumatic components, which wear out fast or require expensive compressed air.”

As for the sensors, the system provider installs contactless proximity switches that

reliably transmit signals without mechanical contacts. The use of high-quality photocells ensures signal transmission even under difficult environmental conditions. Also, the sensors used increase both machine capacity and product quality and ensure that a wide variety of materials and bags are safely handled with the BEUMER autopac. “Remote maintenance is also possible, around the clock, every day of the week, during which we can connect to the system from the BEUMER site,” says Peitzmeier. “This increases system availability because we can react faster without having to travel long distances.” The pre-assembled modules allow the BEUMER autopac to be quickly installed and commissioned at the customer’s site.

“The fully automatic loading process enables users to achieve a constantly high loading performance and stack quality,” promises Peitzmeier. “Our BEUMER autopac has proven itself in the cement industry worldwide for decades.” AB © AGGREGATES BUSINESS January/February 2021

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Martin Engineering’s Foundations online seminars are delivering effective conveyor safety and productivity training during the COVID-19 pandemic

Martin Engineering’s COVID-19-defying online training The COVID-19 pandemic has severely disrupted bulk material handlers, including limiting their critical training options to improve conveyor safety and productivity. With in-person visits curtailed for the foreseeable future, Martin Engineering has developed an extensive array of tools to continue its decadeslong tradition of educating those who maintain, manage and design conveyors for industrial operations. The result is a wide range of globallyavailable options to help improve safety and efficiency, reduce maintenance expenditures and extend equipment life, ultimately contributing to greater profitability.

In response to the restrictions that the virus has placed on face-to-face learning, Martin Engineering (Martin) has created a series of interactive online modules based on the same non-commercial curriculum that has served bulk material handlers so well over the years.

Designed to keep attendees engaged, and organised into 90-120 minute segments, the virtual classes cover topics such as best practices for safety, fugitive material control and belt tracking. Upon completion, attendees can receive either the Professional Development Unit (PDU) or Continuing Education Unit (CEU) credits.

“The Foundations online seminars deliver noncommercial, topic-specific, problem-solving information that can be put to immediate

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use,” says Todd Swinderman, CEO Emeritus of Martin and an industry veteran with more than 40 years of hands-on experience.

“There’s no sales pitch, and even the most remote locations can take advantage,” he adds.

“Conveyors are one of the best productivity-enhancing tools available, but conveyor injuries cost employers millions of dollars annually,” says customer development manager Jerad Heitzler, an instructor for Martin’s safety workshops since 2010. “Because of the size of their material cargos, the speed of their operation, and the amount of energy they consume and contain, conveyors are a leading cause of industrial accidents, including serious injuries and fatalities. But injuries are preventable with the right training, preparation and safety precautions.”

According to Heitzler, the company’s preferred platform is Zoom, but its expert trainers also have experience with Google Meet, Microsoft Teams and Webex. “We like Zoom because it provides the best experience for the learner,” he continues.

“It integrates very well with our marketing software HubSpot, so learners can easily register using Martin URLs. We can also prepare specialised content that is highly valuable to them, including sharing job stories, other content videos, relevant blog articles and Foundations book downloads.”

“Our platform is built to increase attendee engagement as much as possible,” Heitzler

adds. “Many trainers don’t use the available platform features effectively, because they were thrust into online training as a result of the pandemic. But we’ve worked hard at using engagement features to increase learner participation, with options such as a raise hand button, chat, Q and A, screen sharing, whiteboards, private breakout rooms and polling.”

Heitzler says that the Martin team has taught approximately 2,000 attendees using video conferencing since the virus’s onset. “We’ve presented these modules to learners in coal handling plants, cement manufacturing, aggregate production and pulp and paper mills,” he said. “We’ve also provided training for industry consultants, service providers and engineering firms who design conveyors and plants.

The company also engages with customers in various ways, including free webinars on critical concepts and best practices, as well as blog posts with insights by leading professionals detailing their experiences in the bulk handling industry. Customers can always reach Martin’s industry experts via phone, live chat, email or social media. Foundationslinked industry reference books can also be downloaded for free in five languages from Martin’s website.

Martin has a long history of investing in conveyor training for its customers since its first problem/solution literature in the 1980s. The company followed

up with its first edition of Foundations in the 1990s, a 500+ page volume that has become an internationally recognised resource for safety, maintenance and operations training -- with more than 20,000 print copies in circulation worldwide.

Swinderman estimates that the firm has trained more than 50,000 miners, quarry workers, operators, maintenance staff and management personnel globally.

There are two standard tracks: one for maintenance and operations personnel that stresses safe work practices and solutions to common conveyor problems; the other designed for technical and management personnel that emphasises the design and operation of conveyors for safety and productivity. Furthermore, Martin trainers and engineers can custom-design programmes for customers using conveyors and those needing training on the application of industrial vibration, air cannons, and silo cleaning.

“Both methods of training are highly interactive, effective and non-commercial, focusing on delivering timely information that can be put to immediate use,” Swinderman concludes. Training can be provided in different languages, with details available from regional Martin locations.

• For more information on available offerings or to schedule a session visit: https://www. martin-eng.com/content/ page/546/conveyor-systemtraining-education

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TYRES PART 1

Giant new RDT tyre rides out the COVID bumps The development and testing of a giant new tyre for rigid dump trucks has proceeded in India despite obstacles presented by the COVID-19 pandemic, while a technology partnership is enabling tyre intelligence to be incorporated into autonomous heavy vehicles. Liam McLoughlin reports

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ff-the-road (OTR) tyre manufacturer BKT has announced the giant EARTHMAX SR 468 57” (144.78cm) product which is designed to fit rigid dump trucks (RDTs). So far, the prototype has been made in the 40.00 R 57 size and is ready to be tested in the coming months by BKT engineers.

There is an interesting background to the development of EARTHMAX SR 468 as the new machinery to make the tyre reached the Indian plant in Bhuj last January, just before the lockdown.

Due to the emergency situation created by the COVID-19 pandemic, the machinery which reached Bhuj was not immediately installed. Only after a temporary shutdown of BKT’s manufacturing facilities, which was necessary to implement a rigorous safety plan for all staff, did activities finally return to full operation - including the installation of the new machinery for the EARTHMAX SR 468.

“Despite the pandemic and the extreme difficulties caused by the situation, in BKT we achieved the impossible: going ahead very determinedly but with a similar focus on people, who for us are the company’s real assets,” says Rajiv Poddar, joint managing

ABOVE: BKT’s giant new EARTHMAX SR 468 OTR tyre for RDTs BELOW: Goodyear is outfitting a Caterpillar 725 articulated dump truck with SafeAI autonomous software to monitor tyre health

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director of BKT. “With this giant 57” tyre, the prototype of which has been made thanks to the extraordinary determination of my fellow workers, we wish to send a positive message to the market, to our partner distributors and to our end users. In BKT, research & development into new products which help the company evolve but also the whole sector has not stopped.”

Dilip Vaidya, president and director of technology at BKT, said the EARTHMAX SR 468 will now be subject to rigorous testing through to spring 2021 to achieve the highest possible level of quality and reliability before the tyre is launched.

EARTHMAX SR 468 joins the other products in the EARTHMAX family, a range of radial tyres used on off-road vehicles and equipped with an all-steel structure which provides greater resistance to the casing and therefore limits damage. A major feature of the EARTHMAX SR 468 is the special tread design and the compound, created to limit © AGGREGATES BUSINESS January/February 2021

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the heat generated. The E-4 depth of the tread provides extreme resistance in highly challenging conditions.

BKT says of the unique circumstances surrounding the new tyre’s development: “At this critical time it is, above all, necessary to protect ourselves and protect others, but it is also necessary to think in a creative and ‘different’ way to face this incredible challenge.”

Meanwhile, the Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company has partnered with autonomous heavy equipment technology provider SafeAI to incorporate tyre intelligence into the programming of autonomous heavy equipment vehicles.

Through an integration with the SafeAI autonomous ecosystem, the companies say their strategic relationship will exchange site data to protect tyre health, eliminate downtime and contribute to smarter and safer standards. Tyre intelligence from Goodyear’s TPMS heavy-duty rim-mounted sensors will be deployed at an active construction site in Cupertino, California.

Through the collaboration, Goodyear will outfit a Caterpillar 725 articulated dump truck, retrofitted with SafeAI’s autonomous software, to capture pressure and temperature data and monitor overall tyre health. These sensors can identify and communicate adverse conditions before they cause maintenance issues and derail a project. Cat 725 vehicles are used by quarry operators, as well as on construction and mine sites.

Goodyear says that traditional construction and extraction sites are rife with inefficiencies, fuelled in large part by costly unplanned downtime rates as high as 20-30%, resulting in missed timelines and increased budget – and COVID-19 is

exacerbating these challenges. It adds that tyre intelligence can help mitigate these challenges by identifying early or potential problems, such as underinflation, before they cause unexpected delays – bolstering efficiency, safety and return on investment.

“No matter the vehicle – automobile, freight truck or dump truck – tyre intelligence can help elevate safety, performance and efficiency,” said Chris Helsel, Goodyear senior vice president and chief technology officer. “Through our work with SafeAI, we will not only empower site operators with greater visibility and efficiency, but also gain invaluable performance data to inform our future innovation in autonomy and heavy equipment.”

Bibhrajit Halder, founder & CEO at SafeAI, added: “At SafeAI, we strongly believe in a collaborative approach to deploying autonomy in construction and mining, at scale. We have purpose-built an interoperable autonomous technology that enables us to work with industry leaders like Goodyear and set the standard for autonomous heavy equipment.”

Germany-based multinational Continental has set out a new strategic programme for its tyres business area, with a focus on sustainability and digital solutions to differentiate itself from competitors in a fastchanging market environment.

Michelin has launched two new sizes in its CrossGrip tyre range for loaders

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Continental’s Taraxagum sustainable tyre project produces natural rubber from dandelions The ‘Vision 2030’ strategy is concentrated on the systematic customer-centric alignment of the organisation and all its business activities. In addition, Continental’s tyres business area - which encompasses products for trucks and passenger vehicles is targeting further profitable growth.

The manufacturer is particularly looking to expand its share of the growth markets of Asia and North America. In the passenger and light truck tyres segment, the focus will be on growing the global business with tyres for electric vehicles and ultra-highperformance tyres.

In the truck and bus tyre segment, Continental says its Conti360° fleet services offering will be a key driver across all regions.

“Excellent tyres are and will remain our DNA,” said Christian Kötz, head of the tyres business area at Continental. “They have made us one of the world’s largest tyre manufacturers. Now, with our ‘Vision 2030’ strategic programme, we are setting the stage to build on what is already a position of strength. Going forward, smart digital tyre solutions and the realisation of ambitious sustainability goals will be decisive for our success and as differentiators in the marketplace.”

Continental says its previous ‘Vision 2025’ strategy had seen the tyres business area drive substantial expansion of the company’s worldwide market share. It claims to already be the world’s third-largest manufacturer of passenger tyres and the fourth-largest truck tyre manufacturer.

In recent years Continental has pursued the targeted expansion of its worldwide production network. The company says that innovations at its production plants, such as fully automated tyre warehouses and the cross-company rollout of a global digital manufacturing system, will support even more efficient and environmentally compatible production in the future.

As a major global supplier of electronics, sensor systems and software in the mobility industry, the company says it has a decisive competitive edge in this respect. At the

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A LONG WAY

TOGETHER

EARTHMAX SR 41 No matter how challenging your needs, EARTHMAX SR 41 is your best ally when it comes to operations that require extraordinary traction. Thanks to its All Steel radial structure and the special block pattern, EARTHMAX SR 41 provides excellent resistance against punctures and an extended service life. In addition to long working hours without downtime, the tyre ensures extraordinary comfort.

EARTHMAX SR 41 is BKT’s response to withstand the toughest operating conditions in haulage, loading and dozing applications.

For info: europe@bkt-tires.com

TYRES PART 1

Marangoni uses a shearography machine to inspect the inner structure of OTR tyre casings

same time, the tyre manufacturer says it is also systematically entering development partnerships with customers and other technology firms.

Through this approach, Continental adds that the tyres business area aims to become the global leader for service-based digital solutions by 2030.

The company already offers smart tyres that permit customers to monitor their condition with the aid of sensors and software. In pilot projects, Continental says it is currently demonstrating the added value that it will create for its customers going forward by networking tyres, sensors, telemetry data, algorithms and the cloud.

The manufacturer says the resultant smart digital solutions will help to ensure that, in the future, tyres are serviced or replaced precisely when necessary.

Continental is also pursuing ambitious goals in the sustainability sector, aiming to become the most progressive manufacturer in the tyre industry by 2030.

In April 2020 the company brought all the relevant projects and activities worldwide under the umbrella of the newly-created sustainability department. Efforts here are centred around the strategic topics of climate action, low-emission mobility, the circular economy and sustainable supply chains, thus embracing all phases of the value chain.

By 2050 the manufacturer is aiming to gradually transition to 100% sustainably produced materials in its tyre products.

As part of Continental’s current Taraxagum project, the tyres business area already produces natural rubber from dandelions, opening up an alternative source of raw material.

Continental has also expanded its ContiOnlineContact digital online dealer portal, which now lists the entire OTR and agricultural tyre portfolio. The company

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says this enables dealers and customers from a range of sectors including quarrying, agricultural, industrial, earthmoving, ports and airports to order tyres flexibly and on demand.

Michelin has introduced two new sizes of its multi-purpose, all-season CrossGrip tyres for operators of backhoe loaders, skid-steer loaders, telehandlers and small tractors.

The new 440/80 R34 and 480/80 R34 CrossGrip fitments expand the range to 12 dimensions, available on both the original equipment and replacement markets.

Gordon Brookes, Michelin’s customer engineering support manager, says: “The CrossGrip has proved a popular choice for customers since the first tyres were launched in 2018. Expanding the range with these two key new sizes will widen its appeal even further.”

CrossGrip tyres form part of Michelin’s Compact Line range and offer a high load capacity and special rubber formula designed for year-round use. Its non-directional tread pattern is designed to ensure excellent precision for the driver when manoeuvring, in either forward or reverse gear, while the optimised tread pattern – with multiple biting edges – delivers traction.

In 2021, Italy-based OTR retread tyre specialist Marangoni says it will focus even more on quarry and mining applications and devote greater efforts to support end-users, utilising the company’s technical knowledge and long-standing experience. Another goal is the strengthening of the partnership with Westlake, thanks to which Marangoni can offer customers a complete new+retread solution.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Marangoni says shipping costs from Asia have jumped dramatically along the routes to Europe. New tyres are no exception, and the increase in prices is already substantial.

For this reason, Marangoni says it expects the retreaded tyres business to benefit during 2021 from the current market conditions.

Container availability has been disrupted by full containers being stuck in distribution centres and congested ports of entry, with logistics slowed down because of workforce shortages. Marangoni says that, in contrast to this, the tyre retreading short circular supply chain has proven to function even during the chaotic beginning of the coronavirus crisis.

In particular, Marangoni says it takes advantage of its efficient European logistics network and can leverage good availabilities in finished products and also a wide stock of casings.

The manufacturer adds that, in order to meet all customers’ requests, it keeps improving the quality and the extensiveness of its product portfolio for all dimensions and applications. New treads, like the M4D and the MTXL, have been recently introduced on the market and the R&D department, based in the company’s headquarters at Rovereto, is continuously working on the development of new patterns, not only on most-used sizes but also on bigger tyres (for example 29.5).

This year will be greatly influenced by the European Union “Green Deal” objective of reaching a climate-neutral economy by 2050, and Marangoni believes that the tyre retreading sector has all the characteristics to thrive again in this environment. It says this is the reason it is supporting the Recircle Awards, an initiative aimed at raising awareness of the importance of the circular economy by rewarding. The Awards provide prestigious recognition to the commitment in this area by operators in the recycling and tyre retreading sectors.

“For our company, it’s flattering to be among the Recircle Awards nominees,” said Matthias Leppert, Marangoni Group coordination operating officer. “But what matters most is that more and more businesses are considering tyre retreading as one of the best ways to preserve natural resources.

“The challenges we’re facing, both from a sanitary and environmental standpoint, need to be seen as a great opportunity to improve our future. Marangoni has always been working to reach this goal together with its customers and partners.” AB

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CONCRETE PLANT

Jilk says it will utilise its Ammann CBT 60 SL Elba concrete-mixing plant for major building projects around Kenya

Mixing up a range of applications International cement equipment manufacturers are deploying their latest models and technologies for a variety of applications in the diverse markets of Kenya, Turkey and Singapore. Liam McLoughlin reports

A

n Ammann concrete-mixing plant is helping Jilk Construction fill a key niche in the growing Kenyan market.

Nairobi-based Jilk recently purchased a CBT 60 SL Elba concrete-mixing plant, which is compact and easy to relocate between projects. Despite its compact dimensions, the plant has the production output to support large projects and the result is a mobile plant with high production potential.

Jilk has played a key role in public institution development, upgrading of infrastructure, commercial and residential building construction, project management design and supervision.

“We are in the process of obtaining the bigger projects in Nairobi and other parts of Kenya, and will use this plant on those jobsites,” said Sammy Maina, director of Jilk.

The CBT 60 has a production output of 60m3 per hour.

“Normally in Kenya, 60 cubic metres is considered a larger capacity, and the most common hourly output is 30 to 45 cubic metres,” Maina said. “Our aim is to get the large projects to utilise this plant’s capacity.”

Several options provide the flexibility needed to develop varied concrete types to supply mix to outside customers as well.

“We also will be using the plant for selling commercial concrete,” Maina said. “The plant has all the options necessary for commercial selling in targeted areas, such as additives, silica and cement.”

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Commenting on what in general is new in concrete construction processes Volker Kies, director of concrete plants sales at Ammann, says that high- and ultra-high performance concretes are finding their way into processes.

“This enables the production of highquality and freely designable concrete components,” he adds. “The design of buildings can thus be more efficient and filigree.”

In terms of how Ammann’s equipment fits

Volker Kies, director of concrete plants sales at Ammann

into these trends, Kies says that high- and ultra-high performance concretes require high-performance mixers. “The single and twin shaft mixers from Ammann Elba are ideally suited for these applications and have already proven themselves many times in this field of application,” says Kies.

“With special options on the mechanical side as well as on the side of the control system, we can achieve very short mixing times that are no longer than in the production of standard concretes.”

Asked what green initiatives there are in concrete construction and how this ‘ancient’ material is changing to meet today’s requirements, Kies says that two points should be emphasised.

“On the one hand is the goal of conserving resources,” he says. “More and more recycled materials are used for mineral aggregates.

“On the other hand, we are constantly working on optimising the energy consumption of our plants. The use of frequency converters for large drives reduces the current peaks when starting up.”

Regarding what the future holds, Kies says Ammann’s opinion is that the development of modern concretes is not finished yet. “New solutions in the field of mixing and control technology must be found,” he adds. “As a plant manufacturer with our own team of experienced development engineers we will answer this task accordingly.”

Alternative fuel is the focal point of an engineering and procurement order that Turkish cement producer Bursa Çimento © AGGREGATES BUSINESS January/February 2021

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CONCRETE PLANT

placed last year for the supply of a fully integrated clinker line from Denmark-based FLSmidth. The clinker line ranges from a crusher to the clinker cooler, and Bursa Çimento says it is expecting to harvest significant sustainability and productivity gains.

Situated in north-western Turkey, work at Bursa’s local site is under way with production from the new line set to start at the end of 2022. The order includes, among other equipment, FLSmidth’s HOTDISC Combustion Device, which will help increase the substitution rate to 86% - claimed to be the highest in Turkey.

“The modernisation of our Bursa site is a strategic investment, providing us with a more competitive cost base,” said Osman Nemli, general manager at Bursa Çimento.

“But just as important is the entire upgrade which focuses on reducing emissions and power consumption. In this way, we are proactively mitigating future possible environmental regulation.”

In a separate move FLSmidth has also launched the latest version of its advanced process control solution, ECS/ProcessExpert V8.5 software, which now includes the ability to integrate new AI (artificial intelligence)cognitive technologies and functions.

As one practical example of AI at work, the ECS/ProcessExpert V8.5 software facilitates predictive modelling of process data signals that are either unreliable or unavailable – such as real-time clinker quality measurements or O2/NOX measurements at the kiln inlet. These are then used to create a more accurate model and controller of the actual process conditions. FLSmidth says this provides benefits including better ability to maintain optimal setpoints and faster response to conditions that may result in undesirable situations.

“AI is opening the door to create new solutions that efficiently offer more value,” said Javier Pigazo Merino, FLSmidth technical product line manager. “We are excited by the possibilities this brings to improve further the intelligence of our process control solutions, which is a big part of our commitment to make cement plants smarter, more productive and increasingly sustainable.”

Concrete-solutions provider Pan-United has achieved Singapore’s largest two continuous ready-mix concrete pours in casting the raft foundation for a development project in the Labrador area of the island city-state.

The group’s subsidiary, Pan-United Concrete, set a national record when it poured 18,916m3 for 57 hours non-stop from 31 October to 2 November 2020. This first pour was followed by a second pour of 18,342m3 of concrete in a shorter time of 42 hours non-stop, from 27 to 29 November 2020, to complete the raft foundation.

The mixer truck convoys delivered one truckload of concrete non-stop every 60 seconds. The total concrete volume of the two pours, at 37,258m3, is equivalent to filling 14 Olympic-sized swimming pools. The previous

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Pan-United supplied 37,258m3 of concrete in two continuous mass pours in Singapore

Staff from Bursa Çimento and FLSmidth, following the Turkish producer’s order of an FLSmidth alternative fuel-based clinker line

Eco Readymix has invested in a new Rapid International pan concrete mixer record of 18,000m3 was in March 2015 for the Marina One raft foundation.

Ready-mixed concrete is produced just in time and typically has a brief two-hour workable lifespan. Pan-United designed a special concrete that remained workable for six hours to ensure the layers bonded integrally to form a solid raft.

The complex logistics planning for the production, delivery and casting of the raft foundation stretched over several months in close collaboration with Hyundai Engineering & Construction, the main contractor of the development.

Ken Loh, chief operating officer of Pan-United, said: “We are thankful to Hyundai for taking all the measures necessary to ensure safe distancing and to greatly reduce any health risks to the teams handling the massive pours. Pan-United also used our contactless processes such as e-delivery orders, e-concrete sampling, e-sign-offs, and

our customer portal to minimise physical interaction at the worksite.”

Rapid International recently supplied UK ready-mix concrete company Eco Readymix with a new R3000 3.0m3 Rapid pan concrete mixer.

The mixer from Craigavon, Northern Ireland-based Rapid International forms an integral part of Eco Readymix’s new batching plant at its Ellesmere Port site and will produce circa 70,000m3 of material annually.

Trading for over three decades, Eco Readymix supplies eco-friendly, readymix concrete, mortar and floor screed to a wide range of customers, including leading construction groups. The company’s two depots in Wrexham and Ellesmere Port serve customers across north Wales and north-west England.

After experiencing an upsurge in demand and having been satisfied with the performance of its existing R1500 1.5m3 Rapid pan mixer, Eco Readymix approached Rapid to supply and install a new mixer, offering greater output levels and flexibility.

The new R3000 3.0m3 Rapid pan mixer, outputs 3m3 per batch and provides double batching, which Eco Readymix MD Gary Billington says is a big benefit for his company to increase its truck turnarounds whilst loading.

The Rapid pan mixer has been specifically designed with the ready-mix industry in mind, offering high outputs and fast discharge time.

The pan’s mixing arms are designed to ensure all materials are kept in constant motion, in every direction, providing a thoroughly homogenised mix. AB

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SCREENING BUCKETS & ATTACHMENTS

Partners Steelwrist and Rototilt say the new standard is open to join for all global tiltrotator manufacturers

Developing a ‘global open standard’ for quick couplers The screening buckets and attachments sector has seen some major recent developments including a proposed global standard to combine couplers, tiltrotators and tools from different manufacturers, as well as the continuation of an international safety initiative that is targeting zero accidents caused by dropped buckets. Liam McLoughlin reports

S

wedish tiltrotator manufacturers Steelwrist and Rototilt have launched Open-S, which they describe as an open standard for fully automatic quick couplers for excavators.

The two companies say the standard they have jointly developed means that machine operators can combine machine couplers, tiltrotators and tools from different manufacturers which are in compliance with the standard and be confident that they will be compatible with each other.

Products that comply with the standard are to be marked “Open-S”, and the partners said they hope the first products bearing the standard will be on the market shortly.

“Open standards make everyday life easier, whether it’s plugs for electrical sockets, computer connectors or excavator quick couplers,” said Stefan Stockhaus, CEO for Steelwrist. “Open-S also builds on the independent and established standard that already exists for quick couplers, the S Standard.”

Stockhaus said that the S Standard enabled quick couplers to be used between

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products from different manufacturers, but did not include the oil connection. The new Open-S standard will encompass the oil connection between different tools.

Steelwrist and Rototilt claim that together they account for around 50% of the global tiltrotator market. The pair say they would like as many other tiltrotator manufacturers as possible to join the Open-S standard, which has a website at opens.org.

Commenting at the launch of the standard in late September 2020, Rototilt CEO Anders Jonsson said: “We believe in healthy competition, where the industry’s players compete to have the best products.

“We don’t want to lock customers into a closed interface. When customers buy a tiltrotator from Rototilt, they should feel confident that any hydraulic tool that complies with the Open-S standard will fit the tiltrotator.”

The standard is based on three pillars: Freedom for end-customers to choose the preferred equipment, with reliable safety solutions, and to benefit from continued technological development.

“Because we have agreed on how to

connect the products, customers can freely choose from the product portfolio from the manufacturers that comply with the standard,” said Jonsson. “It becomes clearer what fits together and which warranty provisions apply.”

Steelwrist and Rototilt say they are both seeing that more customers are adopting this type of solution, and that the Open-S standard makes it easier for contractors to take the first step towards a fully automatic quick coupler system.

Open-S is owned and managed by an independent organisation, Open-S Alliance, which in turn is led by a council of engineers from the member companies, currently Steelwrist and Rototilt. The two companies say they have had expressions of interest from other manufacturers about the initiative.

“Interchangeability is the point,” said Stockhaus. “Any reputable manufacturer who believes in the usefulness of a common standard is welcome. We are already in talks with more manufacturers who want to join in the Open-S standard.”

Sweden-based tiltrotator manufacturer Engcon has introduced additional smart © AGGREGATES BUSINESS January/February 2021

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SCREENING BUCKETS & ATTACHMENTS

features on its tiltrotators’ quick-hitch mechanism. The quick hitch had previously been adapted for installation of the detachable GRD grab cassette and SWD rotating sweeper. Engcon is now replacing nearly all the hoses in the quick hitch under the tiltrotator with a simple modular system.

The company says the hose-free design reduces wear and maintenance needs, increases service life and has the flexibility of adding more hydraulic functions which makes it easier for both customer, reseller and service partner.

The new quick hitch is modular with only two hoses remaining for the locking cylinder.

It will now be easier to install Engcon’s EC-Oil quick-hitch system in the lower bracket, as the hydraulic blocks are now bolted directly into a distribution block without any hoses.

The new hose-free design makes it simpler to install and retrofit hydraulic extra outlets to Engcon’s detachable tools: tool such as the grab cassette and the rotating sweeper, with the opportunity to add future tools from Engcon. ”With the new modular system, it becomes easier to maintain, supplement and replace components in the hitch. You get rid of almost all the hoses, that otherwise can be quite demanding to replace in a tight tool bracket,” said Fredrik Jonsson, development manager at Engcon.

Engcon is continuing its global ‘Dig Smart. Dig Safe’ initiative, with the aim of zero bucket-related accidents The new design also means an upgrade to the high-flow swivel which gets larger channels for increased hydraulic flow. The manufacturer says this is a much-valued function for those who need oil capacity, for example to operate a flail mower or similar tools by choosing to ‘directly feed’ one of the extra outlets, without going through valves as before. ”Thanks to the possibility to get both the quick-hitch system and manual extra outlets

in the same hitch, our customers can now choose to use their existing hydraulic tools with EC-Oil or manual couplings,” Jonsson said.

“What is unique about our system is that the customer can start with a ‘simple’ solution and then build on it themselves as and when there is a need for new tools for new assignments. It will also be very easy for the retailer to stock a ‘basic product’ that can be easily adapted to the customer’s wishes.”

CUTTER HEADS, FLEXIBILITY AND THE POWER OF ATTACHMENTS Italy-based Simex offers a range of cutter heads that comprises two different product lines: doubledrum cutter heads, and chain cutters with continuous cutting.

The company’s TF doubledrum cutter heads are suitable for quarrying, trenching, profiling rock and concrete walls, tunnelling, demolition, dredging, finishing operations and underwater works.

Marco Garofalo, engineering geologist at Simex’s application department, says they are effective where conventional excavation systems are too weak and percussion systems have little effect, due to material characteristics. “Their quiet operation allows them to be put to work near sensitive areas such as residential zones, bridges and infrastructures,” Garofalo adds.

The TF double-drum cutter heads comprise seven models for excavators from 2.5 to 70 tonnes, and all feature Simex’s patented direct-drive technology. Hydraulic power is directly transmitted to the drums and the shaft is free from loads due to the double support bearings for each drum granting high torque and high performance.

The direct-drive piston motor has

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no lubrication points and requires no ordinary maintenance.

In addition, the double security filter system preserves the excavator and the attachment from hydraulic system contamination, while the mechanical seals on drums protect against external agents, even when the attachment is submerged into water or muddy ground.

Finally, the shape of the frame, with a reduced distance between the drums, improves the total working width. The two sides of

The Simex range includes TFC cutter heads with continuous cutting

the frame have a symmetric shape which avoids rubble and stones becoming stuck between the drums and the frame.

Simex’s TFC cutter heads with continuous cutting range are characterised by the patented central chain that allows the whole width of the attachment to mill without gaps at centre or side footprints.

Garofalo says the benefits of this are many: “In finishing and profiling works there is a substantial saving of time along with high

performances: while working on the material, thanks to continuous cutting, there is no un-milled portion left between a pass and the other.”

In the excavation process, continuous cutting allows the trench width to be kept as narrow as possible since there is no need to move the excavator boom laterally.

The Simex chain cutters with continuous cutting range comprise four models, the TFC 50 and TFC 100 for mini-excavators from 1.2 to 4.5 tonnes, and TFC 400 and TFC 600 for excavators from 6 to 12 tonnes.

“There is no doubt that milling in general is a profitable and low-impact option for excavating,” says Garofalo. “Surface mining as well proves that, whenever possible, milling rock is an appealing option. With many units deployed around the world the idea of milling rocks - as opposed to ‘drill & blast’ or hydraulic hammer -developed over the years to smallscale operations as well.

“Cutter heads, on the other hand, due to their flexibility can also be used in concrete demolition, trenching, wall profiling and many different applications.”

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SCREENING BUCKETS & ATTACHMENTS

Engcon has added new smart features on the quick hitch of its tiltrotators Engcon’s hose-free quick hitch is available for all markets and has been developed for EC209, EC214, EC219, EC226 and EC233.

Sizes EC206 and EC204 are coming soon.

Engcon has also announced that it is continuing its ‘Dig Smart. Dig Safe’ global safety initiative which started in 2019 to highlight the use of smart technology in accident prevention. The company says the aim of the initiative is to create discussion around safety issues, and to establish an industry-recognised vision of zero accidents

due to buckets coming loose because of incorrect handling. The company says that its goal is a vision of zero bucket-related accidents but adds that there is a long way to go, with the issue needing to be higher on agendas around the world.

Ulrica Hellström, marketing director at Engcon, said that the launch of the initiative in 2019 had a positive impact, with as many as 38 in-depth articles being reproduced in media all over the world including the Nordics, Europe, North America and Asia.

She added that the issue has been in the spotlight in Norway, with the Norwegian Machinery Wholesalers’ Association taking an important step in the right direction.

They are issuing recommendations to apply safety requirements higher than international standards. The Norwegian construction consortium Veidekke demanded, effective from January 2020, that all excavators over five tonnes must have safety quick hitches. ”A vision of zero accidents due to dropped buckets is a challenge, one that can’t be solved with the attention of just a few players,” says Hellström. “All the industry actors need to be involved. So, we will continue to repeat the campaign ‘Dig Smart.

Dig Safe’ for many years to come.

“We’ll try as much as possible to make safety systems a part of our standard range.

We don’t want the excavator operator to consider cost as an obstacle to investing in a safe workplace. In the autumn, we started delivering our smart locking panel and safe locking function under the tiltrotator as a standard and this can easily be compared to an automatic braking system on a car. We help the driver to do the right thing. Hopefully we can offer further developments in the spring.”

Italian crusher bucket manufacturer MB Crusher has highlighted some of the most offbeat and innovative uses of its products by contractors over the last year.

BORN TO

SAVE MONEY AND TIME

ONE SYSTEM TO REDUCE > REUSE > RECYCLE IN MANY APPLICATION AREAS S C A N & P L AY i n f o @ m b c r u s h e r. c o m MBCRUSHER.COM

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SCREENING BUCKETS & ATTACHMENTS

One such case was carrying a crusher into position by helicopter. With the Bavarian Alps in the background, a lodge at a 1,844m (6,050ft) summit needed to be partially demolished and rebuilt. The lodge is also the starting point of a very long hiking trail. Traditionally the demo waste material would have to be hauled downstream and discarded.

The solution arrived at was to utilise a BF60.1 MB mobile crusher to process the material and use it as road base for the surrounding paths. How did they bring it to the lodge when a helicopter can only carry

a max of 1200 kg (2,645 lb)? A few of the crusher bucket’s heavier components were removed and then reassembled quickly on site.

The result was significant savings on both waste disposal and hauling fees, in addition to reuse of the resulting material directly on site.

An MB Crusher bucket was also used in the centre of a large city in Japan, where the goal was to tear down a 16-floor reinforced concrete building, surrounded by other properties and city life. Compact and agile machines were required to work on the roof

of the building to demolish it one floor at a time. The demo waste was then tossed down a hole that was opened in the centre of the building, to protect the surrounding area.

The contractor chose a BF70.2 MB mobile crusher that processed reinforced concrete in a narrow space. The crusher bucket was lifted to the sixteenth floor with a crane, and due to the unit’s size and weight this task was very easy.

The process resulted in material hauling time being saved, and a significant reduction of dust and sound emissions.

On another job to build an underground drainage canal in Southern California, the contractor needed to avoid flooding a high traffic road. The long, difficult and dark tunnel didn’t allow access to the traditional equipment used on similar projects, and the use of a hammer would have caused excessive vibrations.

The solution was to use a MB-R500 drum cutter to dig a tight and long tunnel. The compact machine is packed with power and resulted in no vibrations or cracked walls, and a precise removal of only the required material.

Saving thousands of dollars while developing more than 9,000km (5,592 miles) of surface in a vast area in Montana, in the United States, a contractor had the task of preparing the site of a new residential area.

During the excavation phase they ran in to large amounts of river rock.

To solve the problem a BF120.4 mobile crusher was used to break down river rock for immediate reuse as fill. This resulted in an estimated tens of thousands of dollars in savings on hauling and material handling fees while eliminating buyback expenses.

A hazardous material recycling company in Latvia needed a tool to handle large drums containing diesel fuel and paint. As a solution they used a MB-G900 grapple to easily grab hold and position the containers. This saved on both time and trucking, more work in safety and with a higher profit. AB

An MB Crusher BF60.1 MB mobile crusher is flown into position by helicopter in the Bavarian Alps

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QUARRY PROFILE

BOTTOM-LINE BENEFIT OF METSO OUTOTEC O-SERIES Metso Outotec O-Series wear liners are proving a shrewd investment at an aggregates plant in South Russia. Guy Woodford reports

I

n July 2020, the Maykopskaya Nerudnaya Kompania (MNK) site in the south of Russia offered to take O-Series wear liners for testing.

The site has been in operation for 11 years, and produces crushed stones, sand and gravel-sand mixtures for use in sustainable construction.

This crushing and screening plant is located a few kilometres away from the city of Maykop, and has been using solely Metso Outotec equipment since it’s been commissioned. Various Metso Outotec products on site include jaw and cone crushers, as well as screens and conveyors

of different modifications.

Due to working together for many years, the MNK site already had a long-established relationship with Metso Outotec. Therefore, the site had sufficient knowledge about the company’s wear and spare products and solutions.

Global product manager Evgeny Fedchenko joined Metso Outotec colleagues in Russia to supervise the installation. He stressed the importance of utilising an original equipment manufacturer (OEM).

“The competition in this region is quite tough and the customers are accustomed to very low prices,” says Fedchenko. “As an

OEM company, it is extremely beneficial for us to ensure that everything is correct and works smoothly. From the detailed design to the profile of each wear part, customers can be guaranteed to have sustainable quality with high availability.”

At the Maykop site, a set of O-Series liners was installed on a Nordberg HP3 crusher, which produces crushed stone and gravel of class one. With trust already built between the two companies, the site was happy to participate in a Metso Outotec O-Series trial.

“We are very considerate to the choice of manufacturers and suppliers of the wear parts,” says Konstantin Pyatchenko, MNK

The Maykopskaya Nerudnaya Kompania aggregates production site near the city of Maykop in southern Russia

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QUARRY PROFILE

deputy director of production and head of the Maykop site. “The quality of parts determines both the productivity of the plant itself and the quality of our final product. The economic benefit of using the O-Series is reflected in the affordability.”

“In the south of Russia, customers face an issue regarding the supplied wear parts being incompatible with the coinciding equipment.

Problems often arise in attachment points or slightly off dimensions. Due to the incorrect machine work, this leads to more services, thus more time and money for the customer.

Metso Outotec has the capability to address these issues, through our distribution partner, YUG Minerals, who offers value-added services such as providing supervision, installation, dismantling and maintenance crews,” says Fedchenko.

“The quality of parts determines both the productivity of the plant itself and the quality of our final product. The economic benefit of using the O-Series is reflected in the affordability,” says Pyatchenko.

Metso Outotec O-Series wear liners

“The operating time decreased slightly while maintaining quality” “This product is for customers who are looking for something sustainable when it comes to quality, affordable when it comes to price, and reliable with their operation and their safety,” Fedchenko continues. “A good support system with a product you can trust, with high quality and Metso Outotec warranty.”

After the success of the trial, the Maykop site has since decided to move forward using Metso Outotec O-Series liners as opposed to the previously used competitor alternatives.

“After calculating the economic component and the price of the kit per hour of operation, we saw a benefit for our company,” says Konstantin. “The total cost of the O-series was lower than the liners purchased earlier. At the same time, the operating time decreased slightly while maintaining quality, because the linings are manufactured at Metso Outotec. It also resulted in a small reduction in the cost of aggregates produced by our company.”

Metso Outotec worked in collaboration with Yug Minerals, the distributor partner for this project.

“We have been servicing the plant since its installation and were happy to offer the solution to improve the performance by using the types of linings that are suitable for the needs of this particular enterprise”, says Sergey Gurin, head of service at Yug Minerals. “The calculation of the O-series turned out to be economically profitable without compromising the quality of the end product.” AB

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Metso Global product manager Evgeny Fedchenko (left) and Konstantin Pyatchenko

The O-Series lowdown Available since September 2019, Metso Outotec O-Series wear liners are said to offer the right balance between performance, affordability, and reliability.

“Our customers rely on Metso Outotec’s wear solutions to ensure smooth crushing operations. The specific requirements of the business and process vary greatly from one market and application to another, calling for increased flexibility in terms of operating expenses too. The O-Series offers a value-priced alternative that is ideal when you need to focus on optimising daily operations, while our premium crusher wears range ensures additional

durability, performance and maximum return on investment,” says Olli Heinonen, head of O-Series development at Metso Outotec.

The O-Series complements Metso Outotec’s existing wear part offering, enabling the right balance between performance, affordability, secured fit and function for Metso crushers.

Utilising the knowhow from hundreds of applications combined with extensive experience in developing crushing wear parts, the Metso O-Series range is available for Nordberg HP Series and GP Series cone crushers as well as C-Series jaw crushers. The

range is sold through Metso Outotec sales offices, and the accredited distributors in China, Mexico, Central America, and Asia Pacific.

“The Metso Outotec O-Series was created in close cooperation and dialogue with our customers to especially meet the business requirements in rapidly developing markets.

We are excited about this new range and the new opportunities to help our customers get better control of their operations without compromising on quality.

Going forward, we’re looking into bringing further crusher models to the range as well as introducing it to additional markets,” Heinonen concludes.

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REBUILDING BEIRUT

Explosion site at the Beirut port area

The reconstruction of Beirut, following the August 4 twin explosions leaving around 200 dead besides injuring some 6,000 people, rendering 300,000 homeless and also causing extensive damage to the port as well as some 30,000 buildings in a two-mile radius, is going to be a humungous task for the builders, V L Srinivasan reports

T

he blasts took place when a huge stockpile of ammonium nitrate, said to be around 2750 tonnes, which was seized and stored in Hangar 12 of the Beirut port six years ago, caught fire levelling hundreds of buildings in its vicinity and damaging many more in the city. World Bank’s Regional Director Saroj Kumar Jha confirmed that the initial losses caused by the blast were approximately around US$8.1 billion and some $2.2 billion were needed for Phase 1 of re-construction which is due to complete in December 2021.

A delegation from the World Bank, the European Union, and the United Nations met with the Lebanese President Michel Aoun, to present him with a report on the damage caused by the Beirut blast.

The World Bank Group (WBG), the UN and EU conducted a Rapid Damage and Needs Assessment (RDNA), in partnership with Lebanese ministries, civil society organisations and other key stakeholders.

According to the RDNA’s preliminary estimates, the explosion caused between $3.8 billion and $4.6 billion in damage to physical stock, while losses including changes in economic flows as a result of the decline

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in the output of the economic sectors are estimated to be in the range of $2.9 and $3.5 billion.

Public-sector reconstruction and recovery needs for 2020 and in 2021 are estimated in the range of $1.8billion to $2.2 billion. While an amount between $605 and $760 million was required in the immediate term until December 2020, another $1.18 billion to $1.46 billion will be required in the short term for 2021.

Reconstruction means not only rehabilitation and reconstruction of damaged buildings and infrastructure, but also rebuilding of institutions and government structures.

In the port sector for instance, the report recommended that, beyond the emergency works needed to ensure Lebanon’s vital imports, the port needs to be rebuilt in a holistic and modern way, better sited and sized, and governed by the most efficient and transparent practices.

International aid In support of Lebanon, more than a dozen countries have announced aid to the tune of over $300 million. This amount can help only

© Paul Saad | Dreamstime.com

Beirut explosion: Construction firms face an uphill task

in cleaning operations while it needs at least $8 billion to restore the beautiful city to its pristine glory.

Qatar was among the first countries in the Middle East to consider giving economic aid to Lebanon to help it through its worst financial crisis in decades.

A fortnight after the explosion, Qatar’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani visited Beirut and told a media conference that his government had some ideas that would be discussed with the Lebanese government. Qatar provided USD50 million to Lebanon soon after the blast.

He said Qatar has drawn up plans to reconstruct Lebanon’s schools in cooperation with the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF). He also promised that Qatar will meet the urgent needs of families who were impacted by the tragedy.

“We have a short-term strategy aimed at dealing with the damage caused by the explosions and another long-term plan aimed at offering another kind of support,” he said after a meeting with the Lebanese president.

The Bahrain Red Crescent Society (BRCS) donated USD150,000 to the Lebanese Red Cross, which represents the outcome of the charity campaign recently launched by the society themed ‘Bahrain Relief Beirut’.

BRCS Director-General/Act General Secretary Mubarak Al Hadi said the Lebanese Red Cross would use these donations to © AGGREGATES BUSINESS INTERNATIONAL January/February 2021

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contribute to the financing of a massive project currently being implemented in Beirut based on the restoration of thousands of homes and apartments that have been affected by the explosion to help the victims return to their homes.

Besides Qatar and Bahrain, Algeria sent a vessel with 6000 tonnes of cement to Beirut while Kuwait has confirmed that it will re-build Lebanon’s only large grain silo in Beirut, which was destroyed by the port explosion.

Financial troubles But rebuilding the city is not an easy job as the Lebanese government already has significant financial troubles, defaulting on around $30 billion of Eurobonds in March and having to seek a bailout from the International Monetary Fund.

Besides, the government still has to pay huge dues to the contractors for projects undertaken before the blast, according to a report in Saudi Arabia-based English daily Arab News.

The report, quoting Chairman of the Syndicate of Contractors of Public Works and Buildings in Lebanon, Maroun El-Helou, said the amount owed to contractors, engineers and consultants by the Lebanese government was approximately $600 million.

“The irregular payments, plus lack of a clear roadmap for state action in light of the exceptional conditions that Lebanon is experiencing has put all projects in limbo,” he said.

“This will be directly reflected by the decline of environmental, health and living conditions. The investments and projects will be lost because of the government’s lack of seriousness in dealing with the burning issues,” the report said.

El-Helou even warned that if the construction industry collapsed due to non-receipt of payments, it will directly affect 700 contracting companies, 300 consulting firms, and 15,000 engineers working in companies or as freelancers in the public and private sectors. The collapse will affect 3,000 engineering offices and subcontractors and more than 150,000 administrators, technicians, and workers, in addition to workers in all other construction-related jobs. “This will also lead to an exodus of skilled and specialized manpower as well as unemployment and starvation in Lebanon.”

Most of the projects carried out by contractors under the Council for Development and Reconstruction are related to infrastructure such as roads and water.

El-Helou said there were 18 projects under construction costing around USD150 million and the government should cancel their contracts. Bills worth around USD40 million were pending as the Ministry of Finance did not release funds in 2018 and 2019.

He said around 30,000 buildings were impacted and the severity of the damage across different buildings is variable. It will require lots of time, efforts, and money for Beirut to recover from it, he pointed out.

Firms optimistic However, the country’s ready-mix concrete and construction companies are optimistic that the city can be rebuilt from the dust despite problems facing the industry. The explosion shook the world and has raised concerns on how the capital will be rebuilt from scratch.

MCM Concrete Sarl General Manager Joseph A. Zbeidy said that there is still hope

“Losses are immense indeed, but there is hope thanks to respectable companies and honourable leaders in this sector” Joseph A. Zbeidy, general manager, MCM Concrete Sarl Lebanon and the construction sector is going to be the main focus for the next chapter of this tragedy. “Losses are immense indeed, but there is hope thanks to respectable companies and honourable leaders in this sector,” he averred.

MCM Concrete has been active in Lebanon for more than a decade delivering high-quality ready-mix concrete and figures among the top 10 such companies in Lebanon.

“With our capital city in ruins, our company is now, and more than ever before, devoted to investing the same high-end product into rebuilding the city from the ground up, with the help of concerned

Maroun El-Helou, chairman, Syndicate of Contractors of Public Works and Buildings Lebanon

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© AGGREGATES BUSINESS INTERNATIONAL January/February 2021

© Joseph Khoury | Dreamstime.com

“The irregular payments, plus lack of a clear roadmap for state action in light of the exceptional conditions that Lebanon is experiencing has put all projects in limbo”

Destroyed buildings and cars in Beirut after the explosion on August 4

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REBUILDING BEIRUT

parties, which possess and provide the materials needed to reconstruct the affected area. There sure is a long way ahead, but it is our own responsibility to restore the streets and buildings of our beloved capital,” he said.

For Beirut to rise again, he said that it needs support from the World Bank, European Union and the Arab Gulf countries and the city can be brought back to its pristine glory within two years.

“With Lebanon rich in mineral resources, there is no need for us to import ready mix concrete or aggregates from other countries unless the government enforces new rules to prevent suppliers from extracting the needed raw materials,” Joseph Zbeidy added.

Construction majors such as Khatib & Alami (K&A) in Lebanon have deputed experts to provide vital expertise in response to the tragedy.

“We wanted to provide the best help we could for our people and country and act as quickly as possible in the face of this massive tragedy,” said Samir Al Khatib, K&A’s Executive Vice President.

“One of the most important relief efforts

at this critical time has been to assess the immediate impact of the disaster in order to secure funding for recovery and reconstruction in the immediate and short term,” he said.

A technical team of specialists was deployed to conduct impact assessments and the members visited damaged residential and commercial buildings in the most-affected neighbourhoods including Karantina, Gemayze, Medawar, and Remeil to carry out surveys, visual inspections, and investigations of building structures and damage patterns. This has helped classify areas at high risk, as well as identifying households that were in urgent need of evacuation and funding relief.

Another Lebanese construction firm - General Engineering and Contracting Company (GECC) – has focussed its efforts on finalising all the current projects including GECC 48, Mousaitbeh 1622, Ashrafieh 1729 and Royal Hills Project, and deliver them to its clients in time.

The company’s spokesperson, who did not wish to be quoted, said the main challenge

Metso Outotec helping to rebuild Beirut Metso Outotec has supported the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) emergency programme in Beirut, Lebanon, in collaboration with UNICEF Finland, by donating equipment which will be used in the reconstruction of the disaster area in order to secure clean water, sanitation and healthier living conditions for thousands of children and families. The donated equipment was expected to arrive in Beirut in December 2020.

The explosion in August 2020 caused massive destruction of buildings and infrastructure. The equipment that Metso Outotec donates will be used to clear up the explosion

The Metso Outotec-donated Lokotrack LT106 plant leaving the factory for Beirut in October 2020

waste, such as concrete from buildings and asphalt from roads and paving.

The equipment will also be used in recycling and production of aggregates for reconstruction. “When UNICEF approached us for financial support, we realised our equipment could help the people and the destruction area in a very concrete way,” says Eeva Sipilä, the chief financial officer at Metso Outotec.

“We are happy that through collaboration with UNICEF, we can offer our expertise and do our share in the enormous effort to rebuild the city.”

“We are extremely grateful for this donation. As COVID-19 cases continue to

surge and there is a high risk of water-borne diseases in the affected area, it is more critical than ever to ensure that children and families have access to safe water and sanitation. With Metso Outotec’s help we will be able to clear the explosion waste and help rebuild sanitation services more rapidly”, says Marja-Riitta Ketola, executive director of the Finnish Committee for UNICEF. The donated equipment includes one Lokotrack LT106 mobile jaw crusher and two Lokotrack ST4.8 mobile screens. In addition to the equipment, Metso Outotec will provide training and technical support to operate the equipment.

the construction companies like GECC were facing was the limit of cash and financial resources. “Unfortunately, Lebanon relies on imported goods and now most of the supplies including for construction companies are counting on cash notes,” the spokesperson said.

Preserving heritage Not only residential and commercial buildings but around 800 heritage structures were completely destroyed due to the blast, and a tenth of them are on the verge of collapse. Estimates show that $500 million is needed over the coming year to rebuild and renovate museums, galleries, historic buildings, and cultural institutions.

The International Union of Architects (UIA) said that in certain older neighbourhoods, traditional buildings with stone walls and pitched red tile roofs have been extensively damaged. Many such structures date from the 19th and early 20th century and a number of them were listed.

The Order of Engineers and Architects in Lebanon has identified and indexed these buildings and made it its mission to oversee their protection and rehabilitation.

Some of the heritage buildings in imminent danger of collapsing have been quickly stabilised. UNESCO too has launched a fundraising appeal aimed at bringing in at least a substantial portion of the estimated $500 million needed to restore heritage and cultural sites. AB

“One of the most important relief efforts at this critical time has been to assess the immediate impact of the disaster in order to secure funding for recovery and reconstruction in the immediate and short term” Samir Al Khatib, executive vice president, Khatib and Alami

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© AGGREGATES BUSINESS INTERNATIONAL January/February 2021

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EQUIPMENT UPDATE Caterpillar and Guardhat are delivering expanded safety solutions for surface miners

New Ty-Deck Ultra Screen Media Haver & Boecker Niagara’s new Ty-Deck Ultra modular screen media is said to be polyurethane screen media offering a robust solution for mining and quarrying operations seeking more sustainable options in applications requiring production increases combined with high abrasion resistance.

Ty-Deck Ultra’s accelerated screening action cleans material without the use of water, reducing the need for tailing dams. With a 50% longer wear life than the original Ty-Deck, the screen media panels are an ideal choice for screening ores, especially on a vibrating screen’s second deck. The new product has been developed based on customer feedback indicating a need for screen media that eliminates water use.

Ty-Deck Ultra screens feature H-shaped openings made up of individual strips of polyurethane.

Each opening is separated by two independent extensions parallel to each other. The strips vibrate independently to increase material acceleration, improving material separation and cleanliness, and often eliminating the need for a rinsing screen. The rapid movement of the strips is also said to virtually eliminate pegging and blinding. www.haverniagara.com

Caterpillar collaborates to deliver safety solutions Caterpillar is collaborating with Guardhat to offer their proven safety solutions to surface mining operations through Cat dealers. The two companies are also developing a new system, Cat Connected Worker, which will use wearables to provide added protection for people. The new system will also deliver event-based monitoring and mapping to aid analysis and enhancement of the mining environment.

“Leveraging Guardhat technology, proven in challenging industrial settings, will speed development of a comprehensive, digital solution sought by mining customers,” said Bill Dears, Cat MineStar Solutions marketing manager.” As a component of Cat MineStar Detect safety capabilities, Connected Worker will provide insight that will enable managers to create safer operations—and to respond quickly if an incident does occur.”

Indranil Roychoudhury, chief operating officer at Guardhat, said: “Our safety monitoring and data analysis system is a multi-product, featurepacked intelligent safety and productivity system that integrates cutting-edge wearable technology and advanced proprietary software. It is equipped

to detect, alert and help prevent industrial workrelated incidents, and it is designed to collect and analyse data to support and improve worker safety and productivity programs.”

When developed, Cat Connected Worker will provide the precise location of all workers to the mine monitoring system, and it will allow communication between individuals, teams and sites. Data will enable monitoring personnel to understand the environment workers are facing in near real time, which will facilitate decision-making. As part of Cat MineStar, Connected Worker will be supported by Cat dealers worldwide. The same Cat dealers are equipped to supply current Guardhat technology to surface mining operations of all types.

Connected devices in the Guardhat line include hardhats, personnel tags, asset tags and smartphones using Guardhat applications. The system is Wi-Fi and cellular-compatible for communications with the Safety Control Centre. For more information about Guardhat systems for surface mining, contact the local Cat dealer.

www.caterpillar.com www.guardhat.com

Eagle Iron Works introduces Eagle Trek plant Eagle Iron Works (EIW) is launching the Eagle Trek line of portable wash equipment, including the same well-known solutions and proven Eagle equipment designed into a standard array of sizes.

If your site is looking to produce aggregates to specifications using a highly compact, quick to set up, and easily moved unit, the Eagle Trek line is said to be what you need.

Moving quickly from site to site means more time operating, which increases your productivity and profit.

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The Eagle Trek TSP portable wash plant EIW is currently offering two standard portable lines available in a wide range of sizes depending on your need. The first is the Eagle Trek TSP, which is an EIW classifying tank over the top of a double screw washer.

© AGGREGATES BUSINESS INTERNATIONAL January/February 2021

EIW’s Water ScalpingClassifying Tanks and reblending controls have proven themselves through the years in many plants that continue to provide excellent results throughout the world.

Combined with an Eagle Double Screw Fine Material Washer, two typical construction-grade sand specification products can be made simultaneously.

The second unit, known as the Eagle Trek SSP, contains a horizontal screen and a double screw washer. For the first time, this plant includes an Eagle triple-shaft horizontal vibrating

triple-deck screen, which can size your washed rock products for direct stockpiling. Integrating with an EIW CONDOR (standard) or Classic (optional) Double Screw Fine Material Washer, the Eagle Trek SSP can size and wash three aggregate products and one sand product.

Based on years of experience with portable plants, all Eagle Trek plant can be easily transported. Customers can work with Eagle dealers directly to receive complete service and support.

ww.eagleironworks.com

www.AggBusiness.com

EQUIPMENT UPDATE

SDLG launches LG953 wheeled loader in Indonesia The new LG953 wheeled loader from Linyi, China-headquartered SDLG is described as an ideal allpurpose machine.

SDLG launched the LG953 wheeled loader for the Indonesian market at the end of 2020. With its ability to handle tough working conditions and its durable build, this medium-tolong wheelbase wheeled loader is designed for use in the country’s construction sites, factories, ports, quarries, and mines.

“With the growth in construction, mining and manufacturing sectors expected to restart alongside investments in infrastructure, this is a good opportunity for us to release a new model of our trusted loaders,” said Gerrit Lambert, SDLG commercial director in Indonesia. “The LG953 will be a great addition to any job site that requires a powerful and reliable loader that can handle a wide range of materials and conditions.”

The 5-tonne-rated LG953 is powered by a 162kW engine, has a bucket capacity of 2.8m³, a maximum breakout force of 175kN and a tipping load of

110kN. The wheeled loader features a highly efficient Wei Chai Tier 2 Engine and a reliable SDLG F2/R1 planetary power shift transmission.

The LG953 boasts an extensive range of features that makes it an excellent, general-purpose performer for most environments. The new loader features an SDLG special reinforced drive axle said to increase the reliability of transmission and deceleration by 60%. The loader also has an enhanced movable arm and plate that increases the payload deliverable with each movement. With its mediumto-long wheelbase, the loader is able to deal with all kinds of loads, including high-density material such as coal ore, aggregate, wet sand, and minerals.

The fast bucket cycle time will increase your production.

The LG953 wheeled loader is made to be easy to operate and maintain. It features an ergonomically redesigned cab design and control box equipped with a wide-vision and low-noise cab and adjustable armrests so that operators can perform at their best. There are a circular

SDLG’s LG953 wheeled loader for Indonesian customers

fuel gauge and sensor to allow operators to easily check the oil level.

When the loader needs to be repaired or maintained, the machine’s internals can be easily accessed with a rotatable fuel tank and a removable step ladder.

“SDLG wheeled loaders have always been popular in the Indonesian market. The launch of the LG953 in Indonesia demonstrates our continued commitment to providing effective and reliable solutions to the market,” Lambert said.

www.sdlg.com

McCloskey RF80 & RF80R mobile feeder stackers McCloskey International has introduced the RF80 and the RF80R to its mobile feeder stacker range.

Versatile in its use across industries, the RF80 facilitates the handling and stockpiling of materials including, but not limited to, aggregates, coal, construction & demolition (C&D) waste, sand and gravel, topsoil, and compost. All can be fed into the large feed hopper with large loaders and excavators, while variable speed prevents material from building up, allowing for more controlled flow of material.

Both the RF80 and the radial RF80R stackers are designed for low-level rear feeding, making them more accessible for various loader sizes. Rear feeding can also be advantageous in applications where space is constrained.

www.AggBusiness.com

The McCloskey RF80 mobile feeder stacker The track mobility of the RF80 ensures the machine is versatile on-site. When moving site-tosite, the RF80 can be compacted for transport on a low loader, reducing costs and logistics.

The 800 tonnes per hour production capacity RF80 features a 100kW CAT engine, dual hydraulic central drive system, and four-metre tracks for superior manoeuvrability and stability.

It also boasts a hydraulically adjustable discharge height of up to 10 metres, a fuel-efficient hydraulics system, user-friendly hydraulic controls, and an 80ft(25-metre) long main conveyor with a 40-inch (1.01m-wide) belt.

The model also comes with a hydraulic folding heading section for transport, minimising setup time.

The RF80 also offers many options to align the equipment to the requirements of the owner/ operator. These include complete remote functionality, various hopper liners, such as Hardox, a head scraper upgrade, and full skirting on the main conveyor.

Different belt types are also available. The RF80 is available in dual power and diesel/hydraulic.

www.mccloskeyinternational .com

© AGGREGATES BUSINESS INTERNATIONAL January/February 2021

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

2021

JULY

30-31: Hillhead Digital Online Organiser: The QMJ Group Tel: +44 (0) 115 945 4367 www.hillhead.com/digital

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

MAY

SEPTEMBER

25-28: bauma CTT Russia Moscow, Russia Organiser: Messe München Rus Tel: +49 (0) 89 949 20251 info@bauma-ctt.ru www.bauma-ctt.ru

15-18: Geofluid 2021 Piacenza, Italy Organiser: Piacenza Expo Tel: +39 (0) 523 602711 Email: alessandra.bottani@ piacenzaexpo.it www.geofluid.it

MARCH

21-23: IFAT Eurasia 2021 Istanbul, Turkey Organiser: Messe Munchen Tel: +90 212 241 81 71 Email: genc@mmi-eurasia.com www.ifat-eurasia.com/en/

NOVEMBER

JUNE 10-12: RecyclingAKTIV & TiefbauLIVE Karlsruhe Trade Fair Centre, Germany Organiser: Messe Karlsruhe Tel: +49 (0) 721 3720 2300 Email: verena.schneider@messekarlsruhe.de www.recycling-aktiv.com 22-24: Hillhead Hillhead Quarry, Buxton, Derbyshire, England Organiser: The QMJ Group Tel: +44 (0 )115 945 4377 Email: Harvey.sugden@qmj.co.uk www.hillhead.com

15-18: Construction Indonesia Jakarta, Indonesia Organiser: PT. Pamerindo Indonesia Tel: +49 3999905 0 contact@merebo.com www.ci.merebo.com

03-04: 4th Construction Equipment Forum Berlin 2021 Estrel Convention Center, Berlin Organiser: IPM AG Tel: +49 511 473 147 90 www.constructionforum.eu/

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 JULY 2021 07-10: EIG 2021 Exeter, UK

2022 MARCH 29-31: World of Asphalt 2022 Nashville, Tennessee Organisers: NAPA, AEM & NSSGA Tel: +1 (414) 274 0644 www.worldofasphalt.com/

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

04-10: bauma 2022 Munich, Germany Organiser: Messe München Tel: +49 89 949-11348 Email: info@bauma.de www.bauma.de/en/

These dates were correct at the time of going to press, but please note that the COVID-19 pandemic means some events may be rescheduled with little advance notice

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Sumitomo

IFC

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MB Crusher

p41

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Cogent crushing meets savvy screening Top-of-the-range plant combination for a major Vietnamese highway project p19

Ready, steady, go for big plant engine fuel efficiency

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INTERVIEW WCA CEO Ian Riley on how new tech can cut cement’s CO₂ footprint p08

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AMMANN ARS SOIL COMPACTORS PRODUCTIVE. SUSTAINABLE. COST-EFFECTIVE. Ammann ARS Soil Compactors utilise advanced technology that meets the latest emissions standards, reduces fuel usage and gives operators valuable data that eliminates unnecessary passes.

That’s just the beginning of the advantages these machines offer.

• Multiple vibration frequencies and centrifugal forces enable productivity on a wide range of materials and compaction thicknesses.

• The new ECOdrop initiative and new technologies improve efficiency and reduce fuel consumption and the amount of required fluids.

For additional product information and services please visit : www.ammann.com MMP-2511-02-EN | © Ammann Group

• The compactors are extremely manoeuvrable and stable thanks to the no-rear-axle structure.