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Turning dirt into dollars GUY WOODFORDEDITOR
During the AGG1 exhibition in St Louis, Missouri, in March), Aggregates Business participated in a CDE panel discussion on turning extractive waste into high-quality saleable products.
A decade ago, turning dirt into dollars was rarely on the American aggregates industry agenda. Fast-forward to 2025, and the well-attended panel staged by CDE, one of the global leaders in the aggregates washing and recycling solutions business, shows encouraging interest among US industry operators in monetising what has traditionally been a largely overlooked section of the country’s marketplace.
Some of this new interest is undoubtedly driven by stricter individual state or federal environmental regulations, with the prospect of ever-rising taxes on primary aggregate extraction encouraging more and more producers to make up required production volumes with quality recycled products.
As in some European countries, it could be the case in the US that a growing number of states specify a percentage of any, for example, transport infrastructure or residential or commercial construction project that uses materials with a large volume of recycled products. This would undoubtedly be a big catalyst for change and could alter the legally required aggregate product specification for certain American construction applications.
As the US aggregates industry becomes more open to seeking commercial opportunities alongside the clear sustainability advantages of giving waste materials a second life, maintaining final product quality will be a big consideration. And investing in premium washing and recycling plant set-ups will certainly help with that.
of new and extending existing aggregate processing sites. America’s aggregate need cannot be met from recycled products alone. There remains a huge need for primary aggregates, and the swifter granting of new and extended extraction licenses would help producers meet demand. This would ideally be coupled with the award of many more permits to operate new extraction sites closer to urban centres, reducing delivery mileage and carbon emissions. It would also help attract a new generation of industry workers keen to take employment nearer to their home communities.
Greater economic certainty would be a welcome boost to the US aggregates industry and likely encourage more producers to invest in extractive waste recycling plants as part of their future-proofing business strategies. The good news that US inflation decreased just less than three per cent in February 2025, from three per cent the previous month, is tempered by the new administration’s almost daily talk of trade tariffs and, as National Stone, Sand and Gravel Association (NSSGA) interim chief executive officer Michele Stanley explained in an interview with Aggregates Business for this issue, there remains great uncertainty over funding for some aggregates industry-relevant grant programs and how long it will take to secure much-needed stone, sand and gravel tax reform.
In keeping with this column’s theme, Stanley told Aggregates Business that the NSSGA, which is celebrating its 25th anniversary this year, is starting a partnership with the Construction and Demolition Recycling Association (CDRA) to try to find more ways to collaborate on boosting recycled aggregate production.
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If public authorities and private companies commissioning construction works agree to pay higher prices for recycled aggregate products to help reach their sustainability goals, it could create a welcome win–win scenario for producer and customer. Having seen this increasingly play out in parts of Europe, such as the UK, it could be a game-changer in aggregate industry sustainability in the US.
As in Europe, any increase in turning extractive waste into saleable aggregate products must be accompanied by the speedier permitting
“We know that some of our members are recycling and that it will be needed in the future to help preserve reserves. We are also supporting our manufacturing and service [M&S] members on this and trying to develop best practice guidelines around recycled concrete aggregates and other recycling,” she said.
Elsewhere in this second edition of Aggregates Business America, you can read more expert analysis from Stanley, plus our special report on the US aggregates market, a comprehensive review of AGG1, and much more. GW
guy.woodford@primeglobalpublishing.com
Amrize lays out its vision
Amrize presented its business, growth strategy, capital allocation priorities and mid-term financial targets at its investor day in New York on Tuesday March 25 ahead of the planned spin-off from Holcim expected by the end of the first half of 2025.
“Today is an exciting milestone towards the planned listing of our North American business, as we formally introduce Amrize to investors,” Holcim chairman and chief executive officer Jan Jenisch said.
“With our track record of profitable growth, strong financial position, market-leading operations and broad range of advanced building solutions, we aim to be the partner of choice for our customers and to unlock value for all our stakeholders.”
According to Holcim, Amrize will be one of the largest building solutions companies focused exclusively on North America, where the construction market is expected to grow with a projected US$2 trillion in spending per year.
Amrize will comprise US and Canadian cement, aggregate, concrete, roofing, sheathing, and insulation production assets to be spun off from Holcim. It will offer
Baker takes on new role
Blue Water Industries chief executive officer (CEO) Ted Baker II was named the National Stone, Sand and Gravel Association (NSSGA) board chair for 2025. Outgoing board chair Jim Nickolas handed off the gavel during a ceremony at the 2025 NSSGA Annual Convention in March.
“I’m honoured to be the next chair of NSSGA. And what an honour to chair the 25th year of this great association,” Baker said.
“I want my tenure to be about welcoming everyone. When we work together and speak with one voice, we’re so much more effective than when we’re on our own.”
During his remarks, Baker shared his vision for the association, including opportunities presented to the industry and his leadership goals. He then shared his background in the aggregates industry, beginning in his family’s business and eventually running his own.
He closed his remarks by calling on attendees to take the energy of the event home with them and reminding members
that everyone in the industry is connected.
Baker’s experience spans decades at small, medium and large aggregates producers.
He first joined the industry by working in a concrete block
its customers a broad range of advanced building solutions from foundation to rooftop. With these resources, Amrize will serve all construction markets across infrastructure, commercial and residential, and from new builds to repairs and refurbishments.
With more than 1000 sites across North America, Amrize has extensive operations and a highly efficient and extensive distribution and logistics network to serve customers in every US state and Canadian province. Its strong mineral reserves and significant footprint in the most attractive and growing markets position Amrize for long-term growth.
Amrize has a record of strong performance and value creation with above-market growth, continuous margin expansion and leading cash generation. In 2024, Amrize generated $11.7 billion in revenue, a 13 per cent
CAGR (compound annual growth rate) from 2021; and achieved $3.2 billion in adjusted EBITDA (earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortisation), a 16 per cent CAGR since 2021, with an overall 27.2 per cent adjusted EBITDA margin.
Amrize will focus on serving attractive markets with various value-added solutions, while pursuing market-based pricing and operational synergies to drive margin expansion.
The company will invest in organic and inorganic growth, with a capital allocation strategy to drive growth and outperformance.
Holcim has also appointed Amrize’s executive leadership team, headed by Jenisch.
“I am excited about our world-class executive leadership team, which brings deep expertise and a proven track record of performance,” Jenisch said.
plant and ready-mix plant for his family’s business.
Baker currently serves as CEO of Blue Water Industries, which he founded.
The membership meeting also recognised outgoing leaders and
presented the Barry K. Wendt Memorial Commitment Award, the NSSGA’s most distinguished individual award.
The keynote discussion was moderated America football legend Archie Manning.
Jan Jenisch will head up Amrize as chairman and CEO.
Ted Baker II addressing the 2025 NSSGA annual convention.
Image: NSSGA
New era of leadership
Jaime Muguiro began his tenure as Cemex chief executive officer (CEO) on April 1, 2025, after being appointed by the company’s board of directors on February 10. This appointment is part of a planned leadership transition following former CEO Fernando A. Gonzalez’s decision to retire after a successful career at Cemex.
“I am honoured to take on this role and deeply grateful to our Chairman Rogelio Zambrano and the board of directors for their trust, and to Fernando González for his outstanding leadership,” Muguiro said.
“As Cemex’s new CEO, I am committed to providing the highest possible returns to our shareholders, which we will achieve
by being the best partner to our customers and having a laser-like focus on operational efficiency.
“This is a pivotal moment in our company’s history. Having achieved our deleveraging objectives and substantially consolidated our operations, we are now wellpositioned to transition from financial stabilisation to growth, looking primarily at opportunities in the United States while enhancing shareholder returns and driving sustainable value creation for all stakeholders, including our neighbouring communities.”
Muguiro joined Cemex in 1996 and has held several executive positions in strategic planning, business development, ready-mix concrete, aggregates
and human resources. He has also headed several regional operations for Cemex, including the Mediterranean, South, Central America, and the Caribbean, most recently as Cemex president in the US.
US construction materials prices up
According to new analysis by the Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC), construction materials prices have slightly increased in the US.
Based on a review of US Bureau of Labor Statistics Producer Price Index data, ABC said American construction input prices increased by 0.6 per cent in February, while non-residential construction input prices increased by 0.6 per cent in the same month.
Iron and steel, steel mill products and softwood lumber prices increased sharply in February.
On a broader note, the overall construction input prices are 0.3 per cent higher than a year ago, while non-residential construction input prices are 0.1 per cent lower compared to the same period last year.
“Non-residential input prices increased at a rapid pace in February and have risen at a far-too-hot nine per cent annualised rate through the first two months of 2025,” ABC chief economist Anirban Basu said.
“Iron and steel prices rose at a particularly fast rate in February, a result of tariffs providing domestic
producers with increased pricing power. Despite the sizable increase over the past two months, non-residential input prices are still down on a year-over-year basis.
“That will likely change in the coming months as tariffs continue to put upward pressure on prices. While ABC members are, on balance, still optimistic about their profit margins, according to ABC’s Construction Confidence Index, 23 per cent of them expect their profitability to decline over the next six months, the highest share since October 2024.”
GIANT STEPS FOR HEIDELBERG MATERIALS NA
Heidelberg Materials North America has completed the acquisition of Giant Cement Holding Inc. (GCHI) and its subsidiaries, Giant Cement Company, Dragon Products Company and Giant Resource Recovery, from the Fortaleza, Uniland and Trituradora groups.
The acquired operations include a cement plant in Harleyville, South Carolina, and four associated distribution terminals; a joint venture deep-water import terminal in Savannah, Georgia; cement and slag distribution terminals in Newington, New Hampshire, and Thomaston, Maine; and a deep-water import terminal in Boston, Massachusetts. The purchase also includes Giant Resource Recovery (GRR), an alternative fuel recycling business in the eastern US.
“We are pleased to complete the acquisition of the GCHI assets and further strengthen our position in the important southeastern US and New England markets,” Heidelberg North America president and CEO Chris Ward said. “We welcome the approximately 400 employees and the GCHI customers to Heidelberg Materials and look forward to the opportunities ahead.”
This latest acquisition by Heidelberg Materials continues a trend of focusing its portfolio in core markets, and positioning the company as one of the frontrunners on the path to decarbonising the built environment and growing the circular economy in the construction materials industry.
Jaime Muguiro is now CEO of Cemex
Image: Cemex
Construction prices have increased in the US.
Image: Rokas/adobe.stock.com
Image: Heidelberg Materials North America
Heidelberg North America president and CEO Chris Ward.
The great American equipment showcase
The 2025 staging of the AGG1 Academy & Expo and co-located World of Asphalt attracted thousands of stone, sand and gravel professionals to St. Louis, Missouri, to see the latest industry innovations and insights.
This year’s AGG1 Academy & Expo and World of Asphalt were held amid some uncertainty across the US stone, sand and gravel sectors, but the vibe among attendees was upbeat for the trade show’s debut in St. Louis, Missouri.
More than 11,500 industry professionals gathered at the America’s Center Convention Complex to explore the latest innovations, network with peers, and enjoy the vibrant atmosphere of the Gateway City.
More than half (59 per cent) of total attendees were under 45, reflecting the industry's positive future. In addition, 10 per cent of attendees were women, underscoring this growing industry segment. Visitors travelled from across the country and abroad, some as far as Australia, England, Argentina and Mexico, to participate in the leading asphalt and aggregates trade show and conference, including a special delegation from Nigeria.
The 2025 event featured a record amount of floor space, demonstrating the growth in cutting-edge equipment and technologies from exhibitors. The exhibit floor spanned more than 230,000 square feet of the America’s Center Convention Complex, a roughly 23,000-square-foot increase compared to the 2024 event held in Nashville, Tennessee.
“This success is a direct result of the collaboration and hard work of all our partners, exhibitors and staff,” World of Asphalt show director Brittany Schmidtke said. “The momentum and growth in the asphalt and aggregates industry is evident from what we saw exhibited on the show floor, which ultimately provided a richer experience for our attendees.”
Attendees engaged in more than 120 educational sessions through the ‘People, Plants and Paving’ conference and the AGG1 Academy, which covered topics essential to the asphalt and aggregates industries.
A few of the most popular sessions included ‘Lean principles: It’s about people, process and change,’ ‘Unleashing the power of intentional leadership: Leading yourself to lead others’, ‘Autonomous quarry trucks 101’, ‘Extreme ownership for business and life’, ‘Laydown best practices’, and ‘Compaction 101: Doing the right things, the right way’.
“Boosted by a significant expansion in exhibit space, we’re proud to have executed another tremendous World of Asphalt with our partner, the Association of Equipment Manufacturers [AEM], as well as the highly valued and well-attended ‘People, Plants and Paving’ conference that drives industry innovation and crew expertise,” NAPA president and chief executive officer (CEO) Audrey Copeland said.
“After a year off for CONEXPO/CON-AGG in 2026, we’re excited to bring World of Asphalt to New Orleans in 2027.”
One of the show’s highlights was the new community zone, which provided a dedicated space for attendees to relax, work and network. The community zone quickly became a favourite spot, fostering connections and creating a sense of camaraderie among participants.
Running concurrently with AGG1 was the National Stone, Sand and Gravel Association (NSSGA) annual convention, which featured the announcement of the 2025 NSSGA leadership, including board chair Ted Baker II of Blue Water Industries, and the presentation of the Barry K. Wendt Memorial Commitment Award to Ward Nye of Martin Marietta. The annual membership meeting keynote was a moderated discussion by American football legend Archie Manning.
On the show’s final day, Women of Asphalt celebrated the second annual Women of Asphalt Day. Women and allies nationwide participated in special programming and networking activities.
Silver Shark Construction’s Trish Morris is opening an Oklahoma Chapter of Women of Asphalt. She told Aggregates Business the event was a success.
“We’ve talked to a lot of women. A lot of men have come by and grabbed our cards so
they can get their team members signed up. I think it’s great they’re willing to take that step and get their ladies involved as well, even if they’re not here,” she said
Metso’s milestone
Metso celebrated 40 years of Lokotrack and the expansion of the Nordberg HPe range.
As the market evolves, Metso plans to stay ahead of trends and customer expectations by innovating its products. Last year’s launch of the new Lokotrack EC range showcases the brand’s legacy of quality and innovation. The new range enables low-carbon production and is part of the Metso Plus portfolio.
The company showcased after-market kits for the new HPe models and how its state-of-the-art screening technology ensures optimal screening performance, precise material separation, easy maintenance, and maximised productivity.
The new Nordberg HP600e and two larger plants from the same series, the HP800e and HP900e, are said to be well-suited to American aggregates processing customers. The range’s kinematical crushing action and crusher chamber have been further developed and optimised, resulting in significantly higher performance and grade of application flexibility.
HPe crusher liners can be installed without backing material. According to Metso, this will make the liner changes easier, shorten the breaks and positively impact the environment and operators’ safety. The new HPe models offer wider application coverage with new optimised and application-specific cavities, providing more ability to optimise crusher behaviour and performance.
Since its introduction in 1985, Lokotrack has earned its place as a trusted name in the global aggregate crushing industry, with more than 11,000 units sold.
“We are excited to make the 40th anniversary of the iconic Lokotrack line a key highlight at all our events and trade shows throughout 2025, celebrating this milestone with our customers, partners and industry peers,” Metso vice president of Metso track solutions Jarmo Vuorenpää said.
Lokotrack has a strong market position and reputation and a portfolio of 23 machines, each offering 50 configuration options. More than 300 diesel-electric units have been delivered for cleaner, more efficient operations. Lokotrack also has an award-winning design, having been recognised with the iF Design Fennia Prize in 2014.
Triumph for Terex
Terex Materials Processing (MP) had a strong presence at AGG1, showcasing the digital tools and services that enable customers to get the most from their equipment and operations.
Terex MP’s digital focus was brought to life with interactive touchscreens and holograms, and key representatives from its aggregate brands, including Powerscreen, EvoQuip, Finlay, ProStack, Marco, Cedarapids, Simplicity, Canica, MDS, Terex Washing Systems, and MAGNA, were available.
“Our participation in AGG1 this year is an opportunity to demonstrate how far we’ve come in transforming the customer experience,” Terex Aggregates vice president Pat Brian said.
“We are highlighting the tools and systems that truly set us apart in the industry.
“From digital solutions that maximise machine uptime to e-commerce platforms that streamline parts-ordering, we are focused on helping our customers get the highest return on their investments. By integrating the latest technologies across all our brands, we provide customers with everything they need to thrive in an increasingly digital world.”
Terex MP showcased one of its newest support solutions in Terex Connect, a tool that allows Terex technicians to virtually “see” on-site issues through live video and interact with augmented reality annotations. This provides faster, more accurate diagnostics without sending an engineer on-site.
“This technology was recently used to solve a complex wiring issue on a machine in Italy from a Terex helpdesk in Northern Ireland, highlighting the power of remote support and real-time troubleshooting,” Brian said.
The NSSGA leadership team opens the 2025 AGG1 show floor for attendees.
The 2025 AGG1 show floor.
Image: NSSGA
Metso vice president of Americas distribution management Steve Cianci speaking during the manufacturer’s exhibition press conference.
Image:
Service and support are further strengthened by Ask Terex, a new multilingual artificial intelligence (AI) platform trained on extensive machine documentation and data. Designed to provide quick, intelligent responses to all support machine-related questions, Ask Terex searches Terex MP equipment manuals and delivers solutions in an average of seven seconds. Available 24–7, the platform also provides direct links to the source documents for further reference.
“Customer support is at the heart of everything we do, and the opening of our new Louisville facility is just one example of our ongoing commitment to making sure our customers always have access to the parts and services they need,” Brian said.
McLanahan makes its mark
Visitors to the McLanahan booth learned about the company’s complete line of equipment, which includes everything from crushing and screening to washing, classifying and tailings management.
In an education session titled ‘C&D recycling 101’, McLanahan director of sales for C&D recycling Neil Mullan talked about the growing demand for recycled aggregates due to significant infrastructure spending, increased mandates surrounding carbon emissions and an upward trend in sustainability efforts.
The session covered discussions on the wet processing of C&D debris, highlighting the importance of recycling in the industry and some of the challenges and strategies associated with material processing.
In another talk, ‘Meeting specs with sampling: The right way and the wrong way,’ McLanahan global product manager Adam Orner explained sampling methods that allow producers to ensure products meet strict specifications. The session illustrated the benefits, safety and accuracy surrounding sampling systems, how to analyse sampling data, and why it is so important to maintain a proper sampling operation. Orner showed how to plan for the future by adding a sampling system.
Two further McLanahan education sessions, ‘Creating profit from waste: The secret to recovering more fine and making more money’ and ‘Crushing 101’, led by McLanahan senior director of sales Rick Madara and McLanahan vice president of business development Mark Krause, were also good draws.
MAJOR marches on
One of the leading global high-performance wire screen media manufacturers, MAJOR displayed its FLEX-MAT screen media, technology, and signature OPTIMUMWIRE. Additionally, MAJOR hosted the educational seminar ‘Optimising screening performance: Wire selection and process customisation’.
The FLEX-MAT Modular Series binds the wire to MAJOR’s distinctive lime-green polyurethane strips. This allows the wires to vibrate independently from end to end under material contact. The high frequency, 8000–10,000 cycles per minute, adds to the vibration of the screen box to speed up material separation and passing.
MAJOR has said OPTIMUMWIRE is one of “the longest-lasting wires”, which can lower
the cost per tonne of material by increasing screen media throughput and wear life while eliminating blinding and pegging.
Advanced polyurethane strips are available for the FLEX-MAT Modular Series. This new variant increases the lifespan and effectiveness of screen media with greater chemical stability for wet and corrosive environments. Advanced polyurethane strips match the lifespan of OPTIMUMWIRE, maintaining screening integrity up to 10 times longer than traditional polyurethane in some cases.
The updated app combines the MAJOR App with the FLEX-MAT Sensor App, creating a single resource for aggregate producers. Depending on the user, it includes product information, expert documents, a newsroom with articles and announcements, radio-frequency identification (RFID) reader technology, and the FLEX-MAT Sensor.
Expertise on display
Haver & Boecker Niagara conveyed its aggregates production engineering expertise with a full-size Niagara F-Class portable plant.
“We wanted to flex our muscles at this year’s AGG1 and ‘wow’ showgoers by rolling in our full-size F-Class Portable Plant,” Haver & Boecker Niagara director of marketing Julie Andras said.
The F-Class portable plant on display featured a double-eccentric shaft assembly that maintains constant G-force during start-up, shutdown and extreme conditions, including overloading and surging. Its custom-built chassis holds the vibrating screen and periphery equipment, such as crushers or conveyors, to customise the plant depending on operational needs.
According to Haver & Boecker Niagara, the plant allows users to get it up and running quickly, with a hydraulic system providing set-up in less than 30 minutes. It also offers easy maintenance as the vibrating
MAJOR’s FLEX-MAT modular series binds the wire to the company’s distinctive lime-green polyurethane strips.
Image:
MAJOR
Terex MP showcased digital tools and services that enable customers to get the most from their equipment and operations.
Image:
Terex MP
screen can be lowered in less than five minutes for easy screen media change-outs. Inclined, circular motion technology uses gravity to help move material down the screen deck, reducing pegging and energy and horsepower requirements.
Experts from Haver & Boecker Niagara discussed diagnostics solutions with booth visitors. The company, with an extensive experience in diagnostics technology, offers operations a robust suite of solutions.
The Pulse Diagnostics portfolio, encompassing Pulse Vibration Analysis, Pulse Condition Monitoring, and the Pulse Impact Test, monitors the health of vibrating screens and identifies issues before they become critical, improving an operation's productivity and proficiency.
DEVELON delights
Asphalt paving and aggregates professionals saw three DEVELON machines during World of Asphalt: a DD130 dozer, a DTL35 compact track loader, and a DL280-7 wheeled loader.
The DD130 dozer delivers superior pushing power, excellent visibility, and easy operation to ensure surfaces are properly prepared for laying asphalt or other aggregate material. The machine has a 2D-grade control system and MY DEVELON fleet management. The DEVELON dozer can be customised as an after-market option with a 3D machine guidance and control system.
With top-of-the-line horsepower, the DTL35 compact track loader is designed for manoeuvrability, travel speed and power to move materials like sand, gravel and asphalt mix around job sites. DEVELON has a compact equipment attachment line-up for the DTL35 that offers more than a dozen attachments to enhance the compact track loader’s versatility.
The DL280-7 wheeled loader is an ideal size for many of today’s asphalt and paving projects. Small enough to work on busy job sites, the machine can perform asphalt tasks using a 2.29m³ bucket. It offers exceptional
operator visibility inside the cab and has the exclusive standard Transparent Bucket feature. A high-lift configuration is available for additional dump height and reach when loading trucks.
CDE takes centre stage
On the second day of AGG1, CDE staged a panel discussion where industry experts from the US and UK shared practical strategies and real-world scenarios for sustainable business growth, decarbonisation and a circular economy.
CDE believes that as environmental product declarations (EPDs) and carbon reduction regulations reshape the industry, sustainability is more important than ever. Companies are challenged to innovate with clever new ways to incorporate sustainability into their processes while staying competitive.
Volvo CE revs up
Volvo Construction Equipment (Volvo CE) was “ready to make news” at World of Asphalt when it showcased its newly redesigned articulated dump truck series, featuring the all-new 50-tonne, fullsuspension A50.
The new ADTs are built to take on the toughest jobs in the quarry and roadbuilding industries. The A50 delivers 10 per cent more productivity and eight per cent greater fuel efficiency than the previous generation’s A45G FS. It also features improved fullsuspension technology for faster travel speed and a smoother ride.
It also boasts faster cycle times and superior efficiency over its competitors and fills a market need with its 50-tonne capacity, innovative technology, unmatched power, and modern design.
“Volvo invented the articulated hauler, and we are proud to keep pushing the category forward with this new addition,” Volvo CE product manager for articulated haulers Tyler Smith said.
“Customers were asking for a truck with this payload capacity, and the A50 is a great way to achieve more for less with the same incredible strength and durability that make our articulated haulers the market favourite.”
Debut for wheeled loaders
Komatsu introduced the new WA475-11 and WA485-11 wheeled loader models. These versatile machines are designed to move material efficiently and effectively, increasing productivity while providing improved operator comfort and ease of maintenance.
The company has focused on reducing customers’ total ownership cost. The WA485-11 offers up to 12 per cent lower fuel consumption, 21 per cent more engine power and 13 per cent faster climbing speed than its predecessor, the WA480-8. The WA47511 provides up to seven per cent lower fuel consumption, 18 per cent higher engine power and 40 per cent greater climbing speed than the WA475-10.
Both loaders now include Komatsu Hydrostatic-Mechanical Transmission (KHMT), which is equipped with improved fuel efficiency and productivity.
DEVELON’s World of Asphalt/AGG1 machine line-up.
Volvo CE recently unveiled the A50 articulated hauler.
Komatsu believes operators will appreciate the large, comfortable four-pillar cab, angle feedback joystick steering, and independent work control, which help reduce fatigue on long operating days. The new wheel loaders also feature standard rear object detection to promote enhanced job site safety and a deluxe LED light package.
“In designing the WA475-11 and WA48511, we focused on what truly matters to our customers based on years of direct customer feedback: efficiency, power, safety and operator comfort,” Komatsu director of products and service Bruce Boebel said. “These wheeled loaders build on proven performance of previous models with innovative advancements designed to enhance productivity.
“We’re excited to introduce these machines and put them to use for our aggregate customers and beyond.”
Both models offer yard loader configurations with additional stability features such as a larger bucket, wide, low-profile tyres, and additional counterweight designed to support higher productivity in aggregate applications.
US expansion
CheckProof has celebrated a significant milestone after the Swedish-based SaaS (Software as a Service) company opened its first US office.
The announcement was shared when CheckProof CEO Håkan Holmgren fronted a press conference at AGG1 and World of Asphalt 2025.
The news of the office in Houston, Texas, came alongside confirmation that the company has registered its new US subsidiary, CheckProof US Inc. Texas, as a key market for construction materials producers and is part of the company’s expansion plans.
“Opening a US office brings us closer to our customers, providing dedicated support in their time zone while expanding our presence in this key market,” Holmgren said.
“To accelerate growth, we’re hiring four sales executives and two customer success managers and relocating two key members from our UK team.
“This ensures we offer hands-on expertise and service to our growing customer base. Our goal is to provide digital solutions that optimise operations and drive continuous improvement.”
CheckProof provides an all-in-one platform for maintenance, quality and environment, health and safety.
It is designed to meet the needs of the construction materials industry, with a focus on aggregates, asphalt, cement, and readymix concrete.
Pumped up
North American quarry and mine operators can now dewater deep mine water mains more efficiently with a breakthrough submersible pumping solution from Xylem.
The company has launched one of the only high-head fully submersible pumps for mining applications in the Flygt 2450.
According to Xylem,the pump eliminates the need for extra infrastructure to handle abrasive water, significantly reducing the total cost of ownership.
“Water shouldn’t have to be a complicated aspect of mining,” Xylem Americas director of sales and service Ken Albaugh said.
“Anything we can do to simplify water management enables the mine to boost efficiency and productivity. The Flygt 2450 addresses the challenges mine water presents and makes water management simpler, safer and less expensive.”
Due to Xylem’s hard-iron hydraulic end and dura-spin diffuser technology, the pump drastically reduces wear. It extends the time between servicing to up to 6000 hours, which Xylem said is three times the hours of standard submersible pumping equipment.
When operators at a large US open-pit gold mine replaced a parallel pumping system with a single Flygt 2450, it delivered 5500 hours of continuous, trouble-free runtime without requiring maintenance, significantly cutting costs, Xylem said.
Building on this innovation, Xylem has introduced the Flygt 2401, a re-designed version of the Flygt 2400 submersible pump. This versatile model offers mining application flexibility with two hydraulic configurations: optimised for high-head lifting and high-volume flow. Additional enhancements, including a redesigned bearing arrangement, larger connection box, and streamlined pump housing, allow for faster servicing and longer pump life. AB
A Komatsu WA485 wheeled loader at work on a US quarry site.
LEFT: Xylem’s Flygt 2450 dewatering pump. BELOW: Xylem Americas director of sales and service Ken Albaugh.
Image: Komatsu North America
Images: Xylem
Growth opportunities await
Despite various market headwinds, aggregate demand in North America remains robust, with a growing emphasis on worksite sustainability.
The United States Geological Survey (USGS) reported that American crushed stone production was about 1.5 billion tonnes in 2024, a decrease of six per cent from the 1.55 billion tonnes announced in 2023.
According to the USGS, the crushed stone was valued at US$26 billion in 2024. It was produced by approximately 1400 companies operating 3500 quarries and more than 180 dales and/or distribution yards.
The same source also said that US construction sand and gravel was at about 890 million tonnes in 2024, down eight per cent compared to the previous year. This production was valued at US$12 billion and was produced by around 3400 companies operating 65,000 pits and more than 200 sales and/or distribution yards.
Commercial and heavy-industrial construction activity, infrastructure funding, labour availability, new single-family housing unit starts, and weather often have an impact on rates of crushed stone production and consumption.
The USGS said the consumption of crushed stone and construction sand and
gravel fell in 2024 due to significant weather events and continued decreases in residential housing demand caused by interest rates at some of the highest levels in 23 years.
The USGS highlighted that longterm increases in aggregate demand for construction are influenced by activity in the public and private construction sectors and construction work related to infrastructure improvements around the US.
The 2021 Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act reauthorised surface transportation programs for five years and authorised investment of additional funding to repair roads and bridges and support major transformational projects. The 2021 law authorised US$1.2 trillion in funding and will expire at the end of the 2026 federal fiscal year. The funding included US$118 billion to the Highway Trust Fund – $90 billion to the highway account and $28 billion to the transit account. During the first nine months of 2024, total highway construction spending was eight per cent greater than in the same period in 2023.
The underlying factors supporting increased prices for crushed stone and
construction sand and gravel, the USGS said, are expected to be present in 2025, especially in and near metropolitan areas.
Shortages in some urban and industrialised areas will continue increasing due to local zoning regulations and landdevelopment alternatives. These issues are expected to continue and cause new crushed stone quarries to be located away from large population centres. Regional shortages of crushed stone and fuel costs could result in higher-than-average price increases in industrialised and urban areas.
In 2024, the crushed stone and construction sand and gravel industries continued to address health and safety regulations, permitting and zoning issues, and environmental restrictions.
In its Q2 2024 global market summary, Off-Highway Research (OHR) predicted that the US construction equipment market would decline in 2024 as one-off economic effects pass and demand cools after three strong years, with 2023 seeing a record 333,260 units sold.
“Even if sales fall by the 10 per cent forecast [to 300,214 units], it will still be
The US aggregates market is one of the world’s largest.
the third best year in the market’s history in terms of the number of machines sold,” OHR stated
Sustainability is a key industry topic and is increasingly involved in operating decisions made by US producers of stone, sand and gravel product.
The National Stone, Sand and Gravel Association (NSSGA) is the leading voice and advocate for the aggregates industry. Its members receive the latest news from Washington, DC that affects their business. The NSSGA team ensures the aggregates industry’s voice is heard on Capitol Hill and provides members with numerous webinars, industry best practices, and opportunities to speak out on their issues.
“NSSGA members value innovation that enhances sustainability throughout the supply chain and creates state-of-the-art solutions that improve our homes, businesses and schools,” NSSGA interim chief executive Michele Stanley said.
“The NSSGA supports incentive-based programs and a flexible sustainability strategy that allows our members to increase their operations’ sustainability efficiency during extraction, production and reclamation based on the individual needs of each business.
“In 2023, the NSSGA created a sustainability working group [SWG] to advance sustainability goals throughout the aggregates industry. The SWG created guiding principles focused on inclusion, education and resources, leadership and fostering partnerships within the industry.
“The group also publishes a quarterly newsletter highlighting industry best practices and news and updates happening in the broad world of sustainability.”
Stanley said there were potentially some imminent changes to industry regulations proposed to help US building materials processing businesses.
“One potential change that the industry could see is an advancement by getting the Waters of the United States rule amended to be consistent with the Supreme Court’s ruling on Sackett v. (US) EPA (Environmental Protection Agency),” she said.
“Under the Biden administration, the EPA and the Corps were not implementing the permitting process, according to Sackett. NSSGA will work with the Trump administration to ensure that disturbing isolated waters and dry areas as part of normal operations does not require federal permits.
“It is also worth noting that various states are in different stages of the maturity of Buy Clean legislation.
“The association believes this presents an opportunity to aggregate operations to better measure and address their energy inefficiencies and emissions. The NSSGA’s role in this space is to monitor and participate in these programs and provide members with additional training and educational resources related to these policies.”
Caterpillar’s creativity
According to Caterpillar senior market professional Jason Hurdis, the need for skilled labour, such as heavy equipment operators, is the consistent factor across all customer types and segments.
“To help address this challenge, Caterpillar has developed new technologies on our machines to make them easier to operate with enhanced safety features,” he said.
“These offerings help improve the operator’s skill level and performance by
reducing operator inputs and automating many redundant tasks.
“Operator ease of use features, such as AutoSet tyres and AutoDig, improve dig cycle performance for operators of all experience levels. Assist features like Boom Assist and Cross Slope can help reduce operator fatigue while improving machine accuracy.
“We have also introduced technologies such as Grade 2D and 3D and Command to improve operator performance and help in operator development.
“Many customers are seeking new or newer machines with more technology to improve their operator skill levels and help retain or extend the careers of more seasoned operators. Customers have found that providing newer machines with improved cab layouts, HVAC [heating, ventilation and air conditioning] systems, ride control systems, and safety features such as rearview cameras, 360° cameras, and motion-inhibit systems, combined with operator ease of use features, helps draw operators to their businesses.
“To introduce technologies such as Grade 3D, some customers rent machines with advanced technologies in a ‘try before buy’ process to prove the benefits on their job sites and with their operational teams.
An NSSGA young leaders quarry tour.
Caterpillar has developed new technologies to make its machines easier to operate.
Image: NSSGA
“In addition, some customers are turning to our Cat Command technology, which allows an operator to run multiple machines from an indoor station or use a remote console to operate equipment on site but outside the cab.
“Caterpillar has developed programs to promote this profession, including the Global Operator Challenge. This is the third time Caterpillar has held this global competition, celebrating the heavy equipment operator career. After local events organised by Cat dealers this year, the finals will be held in Las Vegas at ConExpo in March 2026.”
GlobalData has tipped the US construction industry to grow by four per cent in 2025, following an annual growth rate of two per cent and four and a half per cent in 2023 and 2024, respectively.
The business intelligence consultancy said growth would be supported by public and private investments in non-residential construction through government stimulus and support packages, the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) and the ‘Investing in America’ initiative. As of November 2024, investment as part of the Investing in America initiative have reached US$1 trillion.
“This investment has been directed towards key strategic industries, furthering the development of projects focused on semiconductors and electronics, clean energy production, manufacturing of electric vehicles and batteries, biomanufacturing, and heavy industry,” a recent GlobalData report stated.
“This will be combined with investments in manufacturing through the CHIPS and Science Act, which aims to increase America’s share of semiconductor manufacturing globally to around 20 per cent of the world’s most advanced chips. Chip companies and their suppliers have announced investments of US$327 billion in the US over the next 10 years. The incentive behind these schemes is mainly driven by the trend of ‘re-shoring’ and the need to relocate technology supply chains from Asia and China amid rising trade tensions over intellectual property.
“Following Donald Trump’s presidential victory in November 2024, trade tensions are not expected to relent in 2025; instead, a renewed impetus towards ‘America first’ policies is expected, with the threat looming of increased tariff policies and other protectionist measures. Furthermore, the longevity of public investment schemes –the IIJA, IRA and the ‘Investing in America’ program – has been cast in doubt. They may be curtailed if they are considered excessive.”
McLanahan’s mission
With headquarters in Hollidaysburg, Pennsylvania, McLanahan is a global provider of process solutions for industries that include aggregate processing.
McLanahan’s vice president of business development for North America Mark Krause said the company’s equipment order and
shipment schedule are very much in line with the production demand of the business’s end users.
“We are seeing a slight slowdown compared to almost three years of solid results. In the end, we expect 2025 to be very much like 2024,” he said.
“Higher interest rates will continue to drag on housing starts, which is one of three key drivers [along with commercial and highway] for aggregate demand, which results in the need for more equipment. Of course, higher rates, in this case, are due to a strong US
economy driven by consumer spending. Most Americans still feel very confident in the US economy. Thus, we expect demand to continue to ride this wave.
“We have almost two years left of the IIJA monies, which will help drive demand for highway building and repair areas.”
Krause said fines recovery and water management are driving interest and orders.
“Where we once thought this would only occur due to regulations, it is now driven by economic factors. The costs associated with buying water and handling tailings have risen quickly, thus increasing the demand for fine recovery units,” he said.
“Another growing demand, or trend, is requests for turnkey installations. End users want to cut one purchase order to someone who looks after all facets of the design and installation, including all civils. McLanahan has responded with an approach that utilises our internal engineers and service personnel, supplemented by outside vendors. The result is a seamless and efficient process for the end user, so they do not have to worry.
“Our project management team will work with the on-site team to ensure timely and coordinated design, build and delivery of your project. Coordination of the project through commissioning is handled through this one point of contact. There is no question as to whom to call.
“Since each site and design is different in some way, our project managers will work to understand your needs and preferred method of communication. Installation and start-up assistance are coordinated through them as well.”
McLanahan vice president of business development Mark Krause.
Image: McLanahan
Krause said marginal material deposits are among the biggest growth drivers for McLanahan’s sales in North America.
“Being able to process and transform marginal materials or deposits, as the ‘easy’ deposits are depleted or too below what is required for plants that can handle clay and lignite and other contaminants, also continues to drive demand,” he said.
Krause said that the handling and recycling of water for environmental or economic reasons (or both) are also critical issues in the marketplace.
“The lack of water, especially the further west you get, [increases] the need to recycle as much water as possible,” he said.
“Tie the cost and the handling of water with the added water needs to process the dirtier deposits, and it all adds up to solutions tailored to each site’s needs and constraints. Since each site has different issues and feeds, the testing of material has also grown.
“At McLanahan, our lab allows us to test materials and propose the best solutions given the varying parameters. This also allows us to dial in settings before installation rather than waiting until commissioning.”
Krause said sustainability is playing an important part in customer equipment choices. McLanahan helps address this situation in several ways.
“Construction and demolition [C&D] recycling is the process of recovering usable materials from the construction, renovation, and demolition of roads, buildings, and bridges,” he said.
“This recycling process saves contractors money by minimising the purchase and
disposal costs of the material. C&D recycling offers operations a sustainable solution to minimise the need for new aggregate products. It reduces the amount of materials sent to landfills, thus alleviating both environmental and financial impacts.
“Sand and gravel are limited resources. Recycling aggregate material from C&D waste reduces the reliance on natural sand and gravel resources by returning previously used construction materials to the industry in an as-new state.”
C&D recycling is not a new endeavour for McLanahan. Its universal line of crushers has been used to recycle construction materials for the last 40 years.
“RubbleCrusher equipment is designed and manufactured around providing C&D recycling to small and medium projects, and Anaconda’s track-mounted crushing units are being used in many recycling operations worldwide,” Krause said. “McLanahan wet processing equipment has also been used in certain applications to process C&D aggregate materials.
“The demand for recycling and sustainability efforts in Europe led McLanahan to expand our efforts there first with a dedicated team. As these initiatives are growing in North America, many of our large customers have set goals to meet certain recycling expectations in the next five to ten years. This, paired with the increased governmental regulations we’re seeing worldwide, gives us reason to push our message and solutions to market now while the industry demand steadily grows.
“McLanahan already offers the equipment needed to service this solution. Our extensive product line is well equipped to serve this growing industry in North America, and our ability to engineer complete systems will drive our success in the industry, offering
A CDE plant-inclusive repurpose aggregates site in Maryland.
customers an end-to-end solution that will differentiate us from our competitors in the space.”
America calls for CDE
One of the leading global manufacturers of natural and recycled building materials washing plants, CDE built a notable presence in North America over the past decade from its regional headquarters in the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex.
Business development manager
Adrian Convery is excited about growth opportunities. A recent Global Market Insights (GMI) report showed that the North American construction aggregates market is expected to reach US$210.8 billion by 2032 due to large investments in highways, bridges, and public infrastructure in the US and Canada.
“There are a lot of different investment drivers, from urbanisation and population growth to growing residential housing markets and industrial and commercial construction growth. For example, rebuilding efforts will be needed following the devastating California fires. In states like Texas, where population growth is rising, it is quite hard to get good concrete sand for construction,” Convery told Aggregates Business
“In Dallas, you have to drive two-anda-half to three hours to get it, so more companies are looking at recycling material to meet demand. Recycling waste to produce certain construction materials has a good way to go there, but once it kicks in, I can see good growth there.”
Convery said Los Angeles and the entire state of California also offer big growth potential for CDE’s construction and demolition waste recycling plant solutions.
“They are more open there to considering it,”he said. “The upcoming 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles are also a significant driver for demand and creating growth opportunities.
CDE business development manager Adrian Convery is excited about North American growth opportunities.
Image:
“Canada also has a very strong recycling mindset. It is very high on the government’s agenda. We also see demand for recycling plants being driven by operators who don’t have enough space to open new pits to meet rising aggregate demand.”
Local sand and building materials site operators have shown growing interest in portable washing plants, particularly for projects where flexibility is key. While static plants remain the preferred solution for many large-scale operations, Convery is seeing an uptick in enquiries from more rural-based building materials site operators.
CDE’s first waste recycling plant project customer in the US was Posillico Materials in New York. In 2019, it commissioned a firstof-its-kind 250-tonne-per-hour contaminated soils and C&D waste washing plant. The bespoke set-up produces two sand and three aggregate products.
“The northeast US is the most developed region in terms of our recycling waste washing plants,” Convery said. “We have multiple plants already in operation in the state of New York; CDE plants are successfully operating in New Jersey, Maryland, California, Calgary, Toronto and Vancouver, and in the first half of 2025 we’ll have customers operating in Philadelphia and Texas.”
Working with ‘preferred partners’ who have an existing customer base rather than via traditional dealer distributors, CDE’s North American market presence has markedly increased in the last five years.
“We also want to work with the customer, so we prefer the preferred partner approach,” Convery said. “We are becoming more of a household name in North America. We have PLCs [public limited companies] and major
building materials producers looking at our equipment. It’s a question of keeping and developing those connections.
“North America continues to be a key growth region for CDE, with increasing demand providing significant opportunities for expansion in the coming years.”
Terex telecasts a bright future Terex Aggregates vice president Pat Brian said that while the equipment demand environment remains relatively weak in North America, with the post-COVID spike leaving dealer inventories at elevated levels for much of 2024, equipment utilisation remains relatively strong, with signs of dealer inventories dropping.
Brian said Terex MP is heavily focused on supporting its customers as factors affected demand.
“The general economic uncertainty continues to negatively impact demand, with the early moves from the new US administration fuelling concerns that US interest rates will remain high through 2025,” he told Aggregates Business
“At Terex, we focus on helping our customers get the highest investment return. Whether it’s our digital tools or advanced parts distribution, such as our newly opened 134,000-square-foot facility in Louisville, we are constantly looking for ways to deliver greater value and support to our customers. We have seen customers extending rental periods and suspending outright purchase decisions.
“Over the longer term, we still expect good growth for the North American market based on onshoring activities and infrastructure projects. Concern remains over the Canadian political uncertainty and
the new US administration’s trade policy.”
Brian said that sustainability was becoming increasingly prominent in customers’ equipment choices, which was facilitated by Terex Aggregates’ solutions.
“Sustainability varies geographically, and also by customer segment,” he said. “Major aggregate producers have net-zero goals, so they focus on sustainability and renewable energy solutions. This is less pronounced with smaller- to medium-sized players.
“In the US, there is a greater focus in California than there typically is elsewhere. Meanwhile, we are seeing a real focus on recycling solutions in Canada, and we expect continued growth in that sector in this region.” AB
Terex MP’s parts facility in Louisville, Kentucky.
Pat Brian, Vice President within the Terex MP business segment of Terex.
Excellence recognised
NSSGA senior director of communications Kerry Lynch outlines the importance of the NSSGA Awards of Excellence program.
Across the country, National Stone, Sand and Gravel Association (NSSGA) members are doing great work supporting their local communities, providing a safety-first culture for employees and being environmental stewards of the land.
The NSSGA officially honours and celebrates these efforts with the annual NSSGA Awards of Excellence, which recognise company, facility and individual representatives from our membership across a host of award programs and categories.
The awards program is for producers of all sizes and helps to provide the basis for industry messaging when educating lawmakers, staff and local officials on the importance of having aggregates producers as members of the community. The specific stories used in the award applications are highlighted throughout our NSSGA communications and will be shared in magazine articles and social media posts.
Caldwell Stone, the 2022 Platinum Community Relations Award Winner, is a family-run operation in Danville, Kentucky. The company shared how it helped its local community, which was devastated by a deadly tornado in December 2021. Not only did Caldwell Stone assist by coordinating
with local and state officials, but the staff laced up their boots and volunteered their own time and equipment to help folks get their homes, streets and town cleaned up.
Caldwell Stone highlighted actions to ensure community relationships are central to its business plan. One of its most important relationships is with the local school systems.
“We want the local kids growing up knowing our quarry is an important part of Danville and that we are good stewards of the environment,” Caldwell Stone owner and vice president Clay Albright said.
“If we can show them at a young age, they’re more likely to grow up understanding how we impact the city in a positive way.”
The information from award applications is a critical component for NSSGA messaging, as it provides a forum for individual members to showcase their work and allows the
Caldwell Stone owner and vice president Clay Albright (middle) accepts the 2022 Platinum Community Relations Award.
NSSGA chair Jim Nickolas giving the opening remarks at the 2024 Annual Convention.
Images: NSSGA
association to highlight innovative processes and best practices.
Cemex’s FEC Quarry, the 2024 Platinum Environmental Award Winner, provides material for the growing metro Miami. The company shared how it can pump over 95 per cent of the water into the aquifer to ensure the region’s supply.
“The aggregates processing plant withdraws groundwater through the use of five well pumps,” Cemex public affairs, communications and social impact manager Jenna Emerson said. “The water is used to wash unwanted fines from the material stream and also works as dust suppression.”
The awards also help to highlight how today’s producers have moved out from behind their berms and are actively educating neighbours and the public. The FEC Quarry hosts tours and regularly serves lunch with panel discussions to many business and civic groups, as well as local, state and national legislative representatives. With so many requests for tours at FEC, the quarry has built two viewing platforms to help groups get a better view of the plant and blast.
“This operation is the most toured quarry we have in the east region,” Emerson said. “The Boy Scouts of America are regular visitors to the quarry and, as for any touring group, a special presentation is provided with educational information regarding environmental measures at our facility, wildlife, blasting, operations and safety.”
Having a plan and process for communication with the community helps to build trust and relationships. This allows quarries to proactively address concerns and avoid the challenges that misinformation can create.
The 2024 Platinum Community Relations Award Winner Chula Vista Stone, a Vulcan Materials Company that is located in San Diego, shared how a new housing development next to the facility led to its open-door community policy. The awardwinning initiatives included hosting a community day, leading quarry tours and donating to local schools and charities. This facility now works in close cooperation with all neighbours while maintaining blasting and day-to-day operations.
The rise of new communication methods has allowed the industry to expand its audience and showcase facilities’ daily work.
Caldwell Stone’s annual social media strategy is well-planned to educate locals on its services. It includes videos on how blasting is handled safely with minimal disturbance to neighbours. Communicating as a partner to the town and acting as a friendly neighbour has helped Caldwell Stone achieve a successful relationship.
The 2025 Awards are accepting submissions until May 2 in Community Relations, Environmental and Safety categories. While the mine safety and health administration judges the Safety Excellence and Louis Griesemer Sterling Safety awards, NSSGA members judge the Community Relations and Environmental awards.
The NSSGA will also present an Environmental Leadership Award to an individual for their outstanding commitment to environmental practices and a James M. Christie Safety and Health Professional of the Year to honour the contributions of an industry professional to safe operating practices. Any NSSGA member can submit a nomination for these individual awards.
The gold winners of Community Relations Excellence, Environmental Excellence, and Safety Excellence will receive their award plaques at NSSGA’s Legislative and Policy Forum in Washington DC. The top-scoring gold Community Relations and Environmental award winners are also presented with the ‘platinum’ status.
The NSSGA also awards the National Stars of Excellence Award, which is given to an operation with multiple gold awards in Safety, Community Relations or Environmental Excellence within five years.
The NSSGA will also host a “meet and greet”
with the gold award winners during the event, allowing winners to showcase their work with a table display and chat with members one-on-one about their work.
The NSSGA encourages every facility to share its outstanding accomplishments and apply for the NSSGA Awards of Excellence. Applications are due by May 2. AB
For more information, contact Kerry Lynch at klynch@nssga.org.
HOW TO APPLY FOR THE AWARDS OF EXCELLENCE:
• Visit the NSSGA Awards page
• Click ‘to apply’ and log in to your account
• Select the application(s) or certificate(s) you want to apply for (remember, you can always apply for all seven)
Top: Chula Vista Stone accepts the 2024 Platinum Community Relations Award.
Bottom: The NSSGA Annual Convention featured a political advocacy breakout session, ‘Politics is local’.
Creating a stronger industry future
National Stone, Sand and Gravel Association’s interim chief executive officer Michele Stanley spoke to Aggregates Business about the ongoing work to secure greater clarity for members and positive progress for stone, sand and gravel business operators in 2025 and beyond.
The inbox of Michele Stanley and her National Stone, Sand and Gravel Association (NSSGA) leadership team is full. Among the pressing priorities for the longstanding advocates is protecting the industry’s position during the reauthorisation of the Surface Transportation Bill (ie how money gets out to states for roads, bridges, and transit projects) as part of the US$2 trillion Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), also known as the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL), signed into law in November 2021 by then-President Joe Biden. Another big issue is securing vital stone, sand and gravel sector tax reform.
“The Surface Transportation Bill is up for reauthorisation at the end of 2026, and we are already laying the groundwork on Capitol Hill with the committees of jurisdiction and with our members on what we and our members want to see in the next bill,” Stanley told Aggregates Business
“We want certainty [over the supply of stone, sand and gravel]. There is a lot of uncertainty right now in Washington. For our members to plan and buy equipment and for states to plan projects out, they need certainty over five years.
“Our number-one priority in that Bill is the solvency of the Highway Trust Fund, the money guaranteed for projects. The way it’s set up right now with the Gas Tax, receipts have been going down over the years. It was also never indexed for inflation. We want to see the fund reformed so the money going into it is sustainable for the long term.”
NSSGA member and Vulcan Materials Company vice president of external affairs and corporate communications
Janet Kavinoky testified in January at the House Transportation and Infrastructure Subcommittee on Highways and Transit. Kavinoky told the America Builds: Highways to Move People and Freight hearing about the importance of a long-term, predictable funding plan for surface transportation infrastructure, as enabled by the IIJA. Kavinoky also spoke about other industry priorities, such as maintaining the Build America, Buy America Act (BABAA) exclusion for aggregates, and the need to support core highway programs and the Federal Highway Administration’s (FHWA) authority to administer Federal-aid highway programs.
“Talking to members of Congress, there is uncertainty over whether or not the Trump administration will introduce [trade] tariffs
for our materials,” Stanley said. “We also wonder if funding for some of our [industryrelevant] grant programs will be pulled. On the discretionary spending side of things, there are a lot of questions to be answered. Some of BIL has already been pulled back, including around half of the low-carbon transportation grants going out to states.
“Programs are being cut without any rhyme or reason. NSSGA plans to continue staying front and centre with members of Congress on these important industry issues and potential effects.”
Major milestone
The NSSGA is celebrating its 25th anniversary in 2025. Created by the mutual agreement and merger of the boards of the National Stone Association (NSA) and the National Aggregates Association (NAA), the association has more than 500 company members, including industrial sand businesses, operates 9500 quarries, employs over 100,000 people, and sources more than 2.6 billion tonnes of aggregates yearly to sustain Americans’ modern way of life and build the nation’s communities.
Stanley said the NSSGA is focused on securing tax reform.
“A lot of the provisions in the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act [TCJA of December 2017] are going to expire this year,” she said. “Many are important to our members, so we have been up on Capitol Hill vocalising their concerns
Michele Stanley (right) on stage with NSSGA member Gary Johnson to prepare the audience for their Capitol Hill meetings.
Image:
NSSGA
with our champions. We are ensuring that as they put together the next Bill, it will have important provisions for our industry.
“We want to see an extension of bonus depreciation, the restoration of the R&D [research and development] tax credit, and the maintenance of the percentage depletion deduction. That is something unique to our industry.
“We also want the estate tax exemption to be kept at US$10 million rather than reverting to US$5 million.”
Aggregates Business spoke to Stanley in early March, shortly before the popular AGG1 Aggregates Academy and Expo and World of Asphalt co-located exhibitions and the NSSGA 2025 annual convention in St Louis, Missouri. Thousands of visitors attended the exhibitions, which showcase new equipment and linked technology from 430 exhibitors. Attendees would also take in 120 education sessions staged across three days.
“One of the most important things about AGG1 is the education sessions our members help put together,” Stanley said.
“They focus on all the relevant issues of the day. There are a few sessions on sustainability, and one main focus is optimising efficiency in your operations, along with the digitalisation of the industry and the AI [artificial intelligence] components within that. It is great that our members can get all this education in one place.
“Exhibitions like AGG1 are also great for our members to see the best equipment to help their businesses work efficiently.
“The NSSGA annual convention is a really good opportunity for our members to network in a smaller group and to find out what the association is doing and what is happening in the [industry] regulation space. It also helps us learn how best to help our members.”
Advocating for change
Some US stone, sand and gravel businesses have reported difficulties accessing permits to extend existing production sites, but the NSSGA has been working to support its members.
“Permits are administered at the individual state or local authority level, depending on where you are. We use our state associations to support members on that side of their operations to ensure they have all the right collateral,” Stanley said.
“In the IIJA that passed in 2021, we worked to insert some language that resulted in the creation of the ‘working group on covered resources’ that would help the Department of Transportation put together some guidelines for procuring and locating aggregate to build new federal highways.
“It took a few years to get this going, but the list of people who will be on the working group was released in December 2024. We hope this group can meet and start its work after the [federal administration changeover] pause in stakeholder agency engagement.
“We hope the resulting guidelines show that the closer aggregate resources are to a federal highway project, the better. That will help with getting permits at a local level.”
Stanley said the NSSGA is working to promote the commercial opportunities available to its members in recycling construction and demolition (C&D) and other extractive waste.
NSSGA interim CEO Michele Stanley is a highly knowledgeable and experienced advocate for the US stone, sand and gravel industry.
A sand and gravel quarry in San Diego, California.
“I think this is driven here by the industry rather than by government, as is the case in some other countries,” she said. “The state you are in can also largely influence what recycling you are doing and your interest in the topic.
“We are starting a partnership with the Construction and Demolition Recycling Association [CDRA] to try and find more ways to collaborate on this issue. We know that some of our members are recycling and that it will be needed in the future to help preserve reserves. We are also supporting our manufacturing and service [M&S] members on this and trying to develop best practice guidelines around recycled concrete aggregates and other recycling. We have a couple of M&S members, like CDE, that are out front on this, and we want to give them opportunities, like at AGG1, to talk about what they can offer.
“I think eventually we will need to be having those [recycling extractive waste] conversations with state DOTs [departments of transportation] and the
Federal Highway Administration. The [product] specification will have to change if we use more recycled products.”
The next generation Stanley said the MACC Tech (Mining, Asphalt, Concrete and Construction Technology) program had been important in states such as Ohio, Kentucky and Indiana.
The MACC Tech is a 12-point industry credential approved by the Ohio Department of Education in 2019. It introduces junior and senior high school students to career opportunities available in the construction industry. After completing this curriculum, high school graduates are awarded the MACC Tech Industry Credential.
The credential signals that the students have completed the necessary courses and applied lessons to be considered for immediate employment in associated career paths, including aggregates, asphalt, concrete, construction, transportation, engineering and manufacturing.
Michele Stanley (left) and Rep. Richard Hudson (NC) tour an NSSGA member facility.
Stanley said the association and others are heavily focused on training future professionals in the stone, sand and gravel sectors.
“We partner with other associations representing original equipment manufacturers, like the Associated Equipment Distributors [AED] and its workforce foundation. We also work with the AEM [Association of Equipment Manufacturers] to encourage more young people to enter the industry,” she said. “Our workforce working group is putting together some ‘day in the life’ videos for the workforce development page on our website.
“This will show what the industry is all about and help those applying for, say, a haul truck driver post or a technician role by showing what your day will look like. The videos will also give the regular public more understanding that our industry is not dirty and scary. It offers good wages and safe places to go and work each day.
“We are also working to ensure that some federal money going to community
colleges is a little more flexible and covers programs for people who want to go into diesel mechanic, electrician or similar work in our industry. We have state associations that work closely with certain colleges and high schools.”
Stanley said the stone, sand and gravel industry’s increased use of digitalised and AI software-based solutions shows that it is still innovating.
“It helps on the workforce front, automating certain kinds of jobs. These solutions are a necessity for some of our members as they cannot fill all their vacancies. This space has so much innovation, with some of our members doing very interesting things,” she said “We are trying to get better collaborations between some of our producers and M&S members. Our engineering and technical committee has created a task force to explore this and ensure everyone gets what they need.”
Before joining the NSSGA a decade ago and her extensive work in the association’s government and regulatory affairs team, Stanley worked for two years in the government affairs team at the National Asphalt Pavement Association (NAPA). She also spent a decade working on Capitol Hill for two members of the US Congress.
Future planning
Stanley told Aggregates Business that the tangible nature of the industry initially drew her into the industry.
“Transportation was one of the issues I worked on while on Capitol Hill. I found it very interesting, and it was an area I wanted to work in after leaving the hill. As they say on the hill, I wanted to go to the other side,”
Stanley said. “I like that it’s a tangible industry: You can see that our members are building things. You can see where the money is going. I like that you are helping the industry and the public by fixing the infrastructure of the United States.
“I also like the diversity of the industry. You have people who make the widgets that go into crushers, and then you have big multinational companies quarrying worldwide. The exposure to lots of different kinds of businesses is fascinating.”
Stanley said changing public perception and securing regulatory relief for its members is at the top of the NSSGA’s wishlist.
“The lack of understanding among the everyday citizen about how important we are and what our members do; we are key to more than roads – all of our buildings, bridges, ports, and other infrastructure needs aggregates and industrial sand,” she said. “I take it as an opportunity to educate people on the true value of our industry
“I would like to see more regulatory relief for our members and for the Trump administration to understand our concerns better, especially around the MSHA [Mine Safety and Health Administration] Respirable Crystaline Silica rule.
“Wayne Palmer is now heading up MSHA and is a metal and non-metal person, which is a positive thing as we will have someone with experience in this area working with us. I hope the Surface Transportation Bill is reauthorised for five years, giving our members certainty. I also hope there will be some certainty on the [trade] tariffs side and for more movement on getting more people to work in our industry.” AB
Michele Stanley and NSSGA members meet with Rep. Bruce Westerman (AR), during the NSSGA Legislative and Policy Forum Hill Day.
Stanley and the NSSGA advocate for the aggregates industry on Capitol Hill.
CDE and Freehaven will host an open house event on May 14.
Turning dirt into dollars
Freehaven Materials is transforming construction and demolition waste into in-spec aggregates with help from CDE.
On Long Island, New York, construction waste has been a growing problem.
With each new project, contractors are left with piles of excavation material and demolition debris. However, with landfill closures and rising disposal costs, getting rid of this waste has never been more expensive.
For Freehaven Materials, finding a solution to this problem meant staying competitive in a market where material costs were climbing and landfill space was disappearing.
In 2023, Freehaven found its answer: a partnership with wet processing experts CDE and a cutting-edge 150 tonnes-perhour (tph) wash plant installed right on its Brookhaven site. Suddenly, the dirt was no longer an issue. Instead, it became a new revenue stream.
Freehaven managing partner Tom Hayes discussed the turning point for his business.
“We were paying fortunes to dispose of perfectly good material, and it just didn’t make sense,” he said. “With landfills closing and transport costs rising, we had to innovate to remain competitive.
“Partnering with CDE to install a wet processing plant allowed us to turn what was once waste into a valuable product. Now we’re recycling that material and putting it right back into local projects.”
In early 2024, Freehaven commissioned a 150tph construction and demolition
(C&D) waste recycling plant engineered by CDE’s team. The Freehaven plant now outputs a range of high-value products, including ASTM C33-spec concrete sand for high-strength mixes, clean fine sand, and three grades of crushed stone ranging from pea gravel to larger aggregate. These recycled aggregates are used in road base and concrete infrastructure projects across Long Island.
Instead of filling up landfills, it’s building the critical infrastructure across the island.
“Throughout the whole process, CDE provided us with a comprehensive consulting approach from engineering experts, which in turn gave us the confidence we needed to get this plant up and running,” Hayes said. “We’re really proud of this plant.”
The modular wet processing system washes and sorts mixed loads of excavation soil through a multi-stage process. It removes organics, cleans clay-bound materials, and scalps off overburden, ensuring only highquality material is recovered.
The system then dewaters and cleans materials for use straight off the belts. Its integrated water recycling technology minimises strain on local water sources, reducing environmental impact. Screens and classifiers then separate that material into specific gradations, producing sand and aggregates suitable for various construction uses.
“There’s no shortage of construction waste on Long Island, and Freehaven recognised its potential,” CDE business development manager Joe Teahl said.
“By investing in this solution, Freehaven Materials not only reduced its costs but also created a sustainable local supply of aggregates. Freehaven’s success demonstrates that you can turn a challenge into an opportunity with the right technology.”
High disposal costs and virgin material scarcity is not isolated to New York. It is an emerging issue across North America, especially in the greater metropolis area as landfills fill up and natural sand and aggregates dwindle. This means it is hard to get the vital materials needed without transportation and CO2 emissions going through the roof.
Teahl said the plant demonstrated a forward-thinking approach.
“Freehaven is setting the example here. They’ve proven that recycled aggregates can meet industry needs without compromising on quality,” he said. “It’s inspiring others in our industry to reconsider what’s possible with waste.”
In partnership with CDE, Freehaven Materials is inviting fellow aggregate producers, contractors, politicians and industry stakeholders to witness the 150tph waste recycling plant firsthand.
CDE and Freehaven will host an open house event at the plant site in Brookhaven in May. Guests will receive guided tours from experts equipped to answer questions, share insights and discuss how the solution can be tailored to other operations. AB
SAMI TAKALUOMA
Pursuing a new era of Metso success
New Metso chief executive officer Sami Takaluoma shares his plans to build on the company’s market position and sustainability goals while continuing a culture of innovation.
Sami Takaluoma became Metso's president and CEO on November 1 2024 after leading the company’s services business area since 2021.
Many have spoken of how the first 100 days in office can define a government.
After taking up the leadership role of president and chief executive officer (CEO) of Metso, Sami Takaluoma was keen to show that the sentiment was just as valid in the world of aggregates and mining products and services.
“We all knew that Pekka [Vauramo] was finishing at the end of 2024, and I wanted people to focus on their work and get energised about the future. With that in mind, I established our new leadership team on my second day as president and CEO,” Takaluoma told Aggregates Business
“I also spent a lot of time in November and December [2024] with our investor community so they could meet me and understand that the company would be in good hands. After the Christmas break, we started a strategic review of our aggregates and minerals [mining] business segments and laid out what the next three to five years for Metso will look like.
“That work will continue until the summer, and then there will be a capital market day in early October where we will explain the full strategy. As I come from inside the company, I know where to look and what questions to ask to gain some improvements.”
Takaluoma said Metso is focused on the current global demand its products and services in several key markets.
“[The year] 2024 was a low capital investment year in the global aggregates and minerals industries,” he said. “We know that the aggregates market is cyclical and is driven by site operators’ trust that there will be demand in the future. The drivers in this market are also more regional. Europe has its [growth] drivers, as does the US, China, South America and Africa.
“Whatever macro-level indicators you look at, there is still a need to do a great deal worldwide on infrastructure, like building and maintaining roads.
Metso’s
significant global services expertise includes 3700 field service professionals and technical support experts.
“I think construction will come back. There are still a lot of developing countries that need aggregates to realise their growth ambitions.
“There are many roadwork project opportunities, and I want to ensure we are fully equipped to go after them. I am looking at how processes flow when we are serving customers. For instance, are we getting all the benefits from our acquired data to best support them?”
Having been a member of Metso’s leadership team since 2017, Takaluoma became president and CEO after leading the company’s services business area from 2021 until his appointment to the top job.
Under his leadership, the services business grew and added significant value, partly through Metso’s July 2020 merger with Outotec, a Finnish-headquartered global provider of process technologies and services for the world’s metals and mining, industrial water treatment, and chemical industries.
After nearly three years of trading as Metso Outotec, Metso Corporation (Metso) was born in May 2023, reflecting the successful integration of Metso and Outotec into a single company.
Metso is a global business staffed by more than 17,000 employees from over 100 nationalities. Aggregates-related business accounts for 25 per cent of its annual revenues, with mining-related trading accounting for 75 per cent. Combined (aggregates and mining) equipment and solutions sales represented 42 per cent of total sales, with 58 per cent being (aggregates and mining) services sales.
In 2024, Metso achieved total business sales valued at €4.9 billion, including €1.3 billion Metso Plus sales. The latter sustainability-focused sales included, among others, optimised spare and wear parts for more efficient processes, repairs and upgrades extending the lifetime of customer assets for reduced waste, Metso Truck Body units for offering more payload and less fuel burn per hauled tonne, and energy-efficient modular in-pit crush and conveying.
Geographically, 24 per cent of Metso’s sales (mining and aggregates segment) were in Asia Pacific, 22 per cent were in North and Central America, 21 per cent were in South America, 18 per cent were in Europe, and 15 per cent were in Africa, the Middle East and India.
“Metso benefits from being a truly global business – as two slowing market regions are balanced by two or three others seeing far stronger demand for aggregates and minerals products and services,” Takaluoma said.
Metso’s new president and CEO said the ‘green’ evolution of the Chinese quarrying industry has created attractive new business opportunities in the world’s biggest aggregates market.
Fuelled by the Chinese Government’s focus on carbon reduction and key industries’ sustainability, China’s extraction sites are down from 56,000 a decade ago to around 13,000. While this has seen production drop from nearly 20 billion tonnes in 2020 to around 16.8 billion last year, a sizeable number of the remaining extraction sites –dubbed ‘super quarries’ – produce around 100 million tonnes of aggregates annually.
“The super quarries in China want the best production plants and technologies. Some of these producers hadn’t been in quarrying before. They have said they need the best equipment to produce the best final aggregate products,” Takaluoma said.
Metso NW Rapid plants at a Veidekke quarry in Norway.
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“When working your site 24–7, 365 days a year, having the best and most reliable plants and machines makes sense.
“They also appreciate our comprehensive after-market services and solutions offered through Metso Life Cycle Services. Some Chinese quarries can lack some of the technical competencies required to get the best out of their operations, and we can help supply that.
“We have benefited from the super quarries being, in effect, ‘mini mines’. We could take the service support we offer to our mining customers and offer something similar to our aggregates customers.
“We have also invested in our service workshops and spare parts warehousing in China, and recently we announced an agreement to acquire the screening solutions business and operations of Selm (Beijing) Technology Company. It is renowned for its heavy-duty industrial screens and will further enhance our offering to Chinese mining and aggregates customers.
“China will be a very important market for us in the future.”
Metso’s comprehensive global services expertise includes 3700 field service professionals and technical support experts, 140 service locations and repair centres, three performance centres, six own foundries and selected partner foundries, seven rubber and poly-met part factories, and five aggregates equipment factories for the Metso brand and five for other brands.
Metso has invested big numbers regarding its innovation and research and development (R&D) capacity.
The company invested €103 million in R&D in 2024, has 40 locations around the world with R&D, testing or laboratory capabilities, and has secured 7900 patents.
Furthermore, 24 Metso Plus-inclusive products were launched last year (now totalling over 100).
Metso Plus helps customers cut their CO2 emissions and achieve their other sustainability priorities, such as water and energy efficiencies, by operating Metso’s
Metso Plus-inclusive products. In addition to direct emissions reductions, Metso Plus products can decrease the carbon emitted in manufacturing and delivering products and offer the potential for recycling materials.
Metso has invested significantly in its aggregates segment offer in recent years by acquiring McCloskey International, McCloskey Environmental, MWS Equipment, Lippmann, Jonsson, Tesab Engineering, Screen Machine Industries, Diamond Z, SR Heavy, and Tedd Engineering.
“These brands are performing well within the Metso family, and each has a business development plan,” Takaluoma said.
“We are not the kind of company that acquires another company and says, ‘Right, over to you to get on with it’,.”
A consistent annual global aggregates demand of around 45 billion tonnes creates many commercial opportunities for Metso and its aggregates segment brands.
“The election of Donald Trump as US president will likely see the return of investments in federal and state infrastructure. This means that 2025 should be a year of growth for us in America,” Takaluoma said.
“I would love to say the same about Europe; much of it depends on the situation in Ukraine.
“If a firm enough resolution and peace are achieved, it would lead to renewed infrastructure investment across Europe, with aggregate producers feeling confident about investing in new plants and services.”
South America is another big business portfolio growth region for Metso.
“It’s a hot spot for greenfield mining development, and there’s a lot of infrastructure work needed to build roads and rail links for these mines – which creates great need for aggregates,” Takaluoma said.
“Like in China, we have developed our services network and improved our wear
parts distribution capabilities to meet growing customer needs.”
In addition to being a big hit among Chinese super quarry operators, Metso’s Life Cycle Services (LCS) packages are becoming increasingly sought after in other big regional aggregates and mining markets.
In 2024, Metso secured over 100 new LCS contracts with global and regional mining companies, large quarries and aggregate contractors.
LCS encompass Metso’s after-market portfolio, from spares and wears to advanced maintenance, remote monitoring, and other expert services. The company assists customers in enhancing safety and environmental standards, boosting reliability and production for greater resource efficiency, and optimising the overall cost of ownership.
Takaluoma said that Metso’s aggregates business segment customers now account for around a third of the over 550 active Metso LCS contracts.
“Through Metso LCS, we are increasing equipment lifetime by taking good care of it,” he said.
“It is good for sustainability, as the customer does not need to replace their equipment earlier than before, and it is good economically, as the customer gets more productivity and efficiency from wellmaintained equipment.
“We are an [aggregates crushing and screening plant] market leader – in our plants, our wear parts and the services and support we offer our customers. Our Metso Plus offering supports this, helping customers get extraction permits through dust and noise suppression and lower emissions. Our new Lokotrack EC diesel-electric [plant] range is an example of this kind of equipment and wider operating solution.”
Future ambitions
The first two products of Metso’s new Lokotrack EC Series crushers and screens were launched in the spring of 2024.
The Lokotrack LT400J is a 68-tonne mobile jaw crusher designed for the primary crushing of hard rock and recycled aggregates. The Lokotrack LT350C is a 50-tonne mobile cone crusher for secondary and tertiary crushing.
The LT350C features the new Nordberg HP350e cone crusher for high-capacity production, while the LT400J counts on the proven Nordberg C120 jaw crusher. Both units can be seamlessly combined with the Lokotrack mobile screens to produce highquality aggregates.
The Lokotrack EC range has been developed using new modular architecture, which reduces the number of components and provides scalable solutions that can be adapted for different applications and capacities. The full range will be introduced to the market over the next few years.
“There is great demand for the first Lokotrack EC Series crushers. Our factories have a good amount of them in
Metso’s Life Cycle Services packages are becoming increasingly sought after.
production,” Takaluoma said. “The feedback has been really good.
“These plants are hitting the sweet spot in helping our quarry operator customers secure their environmental permits.
In 2025, Metso is celebrating the 40th anniversary of its Lokotrack mobile crushers at various industry exhibitions and company events worldwide. At April’s bauma 2025 in Munich, one of the world’s biggest quarrying, mining, construction and recycling machinery exhibitions, Metso showcased its Nordberg HP450e cone crusher, designed to improve performance and efficiency in tough environments. Another successful product is the HRC8 crusher, which transforms quarry waste streams into valuable, sellable materials such as manufactured sand.
“The HP450e is perfect for European aggregates processing customers, especially when fines are re-crushed with the HRC8. Both are great innovations by Metso, and you can see the energy efficiency and productivity gains they offer,” Takaluoma said.
Before bauma 2025, Metso displayed its Nordberg HP600e cone crusher and promoted two larger plants from the same series, the HP800e and HP900e, at the AGG-1 exhibition in St Louis, Missouri, in March.
“The Nordberg HP cone crushers are the crushers for the US market. The ‘e’ models ensure less downtime and servicing requirements while offering the best cone crusher productivity worldwide,” Takaluoma said.
“I believe strongly that all the HPe crushers will be a success in America. They are great for large quarries and meet a need for mobile crushers. Our excellent distributor partners in the US are part of why we are strong there. It is a very important market for Metso.”
Takaluoma sees the development of Metso’s screening plant and screening media offering as just as important as the company’s crusher plant and linked technology advances.
“I think we had a scattered screening plant portfolio in the past. Now we have a very clear screening plant offer for mining and aggregates customers. That side of our business is in very good shape,” Takaluoma said. “We offer polyurethane and wire mesh screening media depending on the customer's application. We will continuously
develop our screening offer regarding what we are doing and potentially through further mergers and acquisitions like the recent one we announced in China.”
Takaluoma said Metso has seen a notable increase in its crusher remanufacturing and upgrade retrofitting business.
“Around four years ago, we started considering extending our offer in this area,”he said. “We’ve always offered a repair service, but then we did some R&D and engineering work to see how that might work. There is definitely a market for extending the life of each piece of equipment.
“An upgrade retrofit can reduce crusher energy usage or increase production capacity. It’s great news for the customer at a fraction of the cost of purchasing a new crusher.
“An upgrade can also include installing enhanced digital services, ensuring more production optimisation. With our digital services, our experts can offer better advice and support when we can remotely see what is happening with a customer’s production. The remanufacturing or upgrade retrofitting option best suits longtime quarry operators running fixed sites. It also fits well with our Metso Plus philosophy.”
Metso is investing €150 million in a modern technology centre in Tampere, Finland. The company will gradually move its operations in Hatanpää, Tampere, to a new Lokomotion technology centre built in Tampere’s Lahdesjärvi district.
In the future, Metso will design, test and manufacture technologies, equipment and components for the production of aggregates and sand at the new Lahdesjärvi facility.
Acquired by Metso in 2021, the Lokomotion Technology Centre site covers 23 hectares. It will host over 900 Metso employees. The initial total building area of the centre is about 66,000m², the first phase of which will be about 34,000m². Construction began in July 2024 and will include assembly and testing facilities for manufacturing mobile crushers and storage facilities for components and materials used in aggregate equipment.
Investment in 2024 is estimated at around €30 million. Production of the Lokotrack track-mounted crushing plants is scheduled to start in Lahdesjärvi during the third quarter of 2027.
According to Metso, the crusher factory, research centre, maintenance workshop and office facilities will move from Hatanpää to Lahdesjärvi later. The new technology centre is expected to be fully completed by the mid-2030s.
“R&D is at the core of Metso. We significantly invest in it, and we will continue to do so in my time, perhaps investing even more,” Takaluoma said.
“We want state-of-the-art facilities for our R&D teams. We must keep innovating and bringing new technologies to the market to improve our industries. This will lead to more and more energy-efficient production and less waste.”
Takaluoma said Metso is particularly interested in producing new premium crushing and screening plants that can recycle concrete and building debris into new, sellable aggregate products.
“This area of our business led to the acquisition of Diamond Z, a US company specialising in equipment that crushes debris from natural disasters, like hurricanes, and turns it into reusable building products. Sustainability is not just a buzzword,” he said. “We need to recycle more, and what better way to do that than to recycle a widely used material like concrete?”
Takaluoma said that a crucial aim of his new leadership role is to simplify life for his leadership team as it navigates Metso’s next chapter.
“There was not a need for a full transformation of the company. We will accelerate certain things and identify areas where we can do even better,” he said.
“The foundation is very strong. My leadership style is about removing obstacles from my executive team’s way. I want to see just how good a business can be. I like a very open team discussion that leads to the execution of our goals.” AB
A Metso Lokotrack ST4.10 high-capacity mobile aggregates screen at work.
The Madrid marvel
Kleemann has given its support to one of Spain’s largest processors of construction waste.
Recicam has earned its reputation as one of Spain’s largest recyclers of construction waste over many years. The family business, located in central Spain, has a daily throughput rate of 4000 tonnes of material and, for its core business, relies on Kleemann plants for its crushing and screening requirements.
“Our collaboration with Kleemann came about through a customer and friend who was working with a Kleemann MOBICAT MC 110 EVO2 at the time,” Recicam managing director Juan Manuel Camacho said.
“We took a look at the plant, and it was an excellent match for our application.”
Recicam’s initial investment in Kleemann saw it purchase two used plants. The recycler was impressed by their performance and product quality, and its employees shared positive feedback on the machine’s handling and design.
Recicam’s management experienced Kleemann’s equipment again at bauma 2022 and decided to invest in the latest Kleemann equipment at the time. Soon after, a MOBICAT MC 120i PRO jaw crusher, a MOBISCREEN MSS 802i EVO coarse material screening plant, and a MOBIREX MR 130i PRO impact crusher were headed to Madrid.
Overall, Recicam has eight Kleemann plants within its machine fleet and is supported, like all Spanish Wirtgen Group customers, by Spanish dealer EMSA Maquinaria y Proyectos S.L.
“Of course, the machines are powerful and efficient. But what really convinced us was the overall package,” Camacho said. “We feel very well looked after locally, it’s easy for us
to get hold of spare parts and, in production, the costs per tonne are unbeatable.
“The plants are intuitive to operate, welldesigned and very robust – key factors when you consider that we process thousands of tonnes of material here every day.”
Depending on Recicam’s requirements, the Kleemann plants can be deployed in different combinations to suit their needs.
Recicam combines the MOBIREX MR 130i PRO impact crusher with the MOBISCREEN MSS 802i EVO coarse material screen for processing contaminated demolition material. The screen can handle 260 tonnes per hour, with one-third directed to the crusher and the remainder used for drainage construction.
For large feed material, Recicam can pair the MOBICAT MC 120i PRO jaw crusher with the MOBIREX MR 130i PRO impact crusher. This combination is utilised to produce final
grain sizes of 0–20mm and 20–40mm while maintaining a high load as part of Recicam’s daily production of 4000 tonnes.
“These two effortlessly handle materials in sizes of up to 1200mm and deliver an end product of excellent quality. And all that with an impressive output of up to 250 tonnes per hour,” Camacho said.
The Kleemann plants have a range of features, such as magnetic separators and wind sifters, to help remove ferrous foreign materials and light materials like wood and plastic from the final product. These features help to provide Recicam with greater confidence in product quality.
“The quality of our end product is decisive because, as a supplier of recycled material, we are always in competition with natural stone suppliers,” Camacho said. “Consistent cubicity and purity of the material are our hallmarks.”
“The quality of our end product is decisive because, as a supplier of recycled material, we are always in competition with natural stone suppliers. Consistent cubicity and purity of the material are our hallmarks.”
Juan Manuel Camacho
Kleemann crushing plants are used by Spanish producer Recicam.
Image: Kleeman
All of Kleemann’s crushing plant is equipped with its SPECTIVE CONNECT platform, which enables operators and managers to see key machine data in real-time. Camacho said these features have helped operators easily operate the Kleemann crushing plants.
“Previously, we had to keep going back to the plant to read information. Now we get all the data directly on the display, no matter where we are on the site – production capacity, consumption, everything,” he said.
“This makes a huge difference. We can respond immediately when we notice that something needs to be optimised. This saves a lot of legwork, and is more efficient and much safer.”
Metso’s mega milestone
Metso has celebrated the 40th anniversary since its Lokotrack mobile crushers were introduced to the global aggregate crushing industry.
The Lokotrack mobile crushers debuted in 1985, and over 11,000 units and more than 300 diesel-electric units have been sold around the world in that time.
When it was known as Lokomo, Metso developed the Loktrack prototype in collaboration with its customer Telamurska, which specialised in crushing contracting. The goal was to create a mobile, trackmounted crusher that would eliminate the need to transport rock to quarries and the finished product back to job sites.
The prototype was enthusiastically received in the aggregates industry, and by 1987 Metso was serially producing Lokotrack crushers.
According to Metso, Lokotrack crushers can be found on every continent on Earth –even Antarctica.
The current Lokotrack range features a portfolio of 23 machines, each with 50 configuration options. Metso launched the Lokotrack EC range last year for businesses looking for low-carbon production options.
“We are excited to make the 40th anniversary of the iconic Lokotrack line a key highlight at all our events and trade shows throughout 2025, celebrating this milestone with our customers, partners, and industry peers,” Metso track solutions vice president Jarmo Vuorenpää said.
“The latest Lokotrack units feature a new diesel-electric power line, enhanced design and lighting, and improvements for easier, safer use and maintenance. Equipped with cutting-edge crushing technology and digital tools, the EC range ensures high-quality products on time and at the right price.”
Optimised for industry
Superior Industries has launched its new learning platform to support construction aggregate producers. The OptimizeU initiative is a flexible, on-demand learning
ABOVE: Metso is celebrating 40 years of Lokotrack crushers.
BELOW: The Lokotrack crusher was launched in 1985.
Image: Kleeman
Image: Metso
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Metso
program for operators who want to study real-world challenges and how they can achieve high production rates.
OptimizeU features crushing, screening, washing and conveying courses to improve technical skills, expand product knowledge and develop best practices. Current courses include Cyclone Fundamentals and Understanding Gradations.
Options are available for beginners through to advanced workers, who can learn everything from troubleshooting to understanding applications without the need to travel or rely on classroom-based training. The current catalogue has 60 training programs, while Superior Industries plans to expand the platform by 50 sessions a year.
“OptimizeU was created to meet the needs of today’s aggregate producers,” Superior
Industries training coordinator Kristen Randall said.
“We understand the value of flexible learning in an industry where time and resources are precious, and our goal is to equip producers with the tools they need to succeed at any experience level.”
Powered up in India
Powerscreen has added two new distributors to its global dealer network.
Time Equipment has signed on to be Powerscreen’s new dealer in north India and cover the Delhi NCR, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Haryana, Punjab, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir territories. Time Equipment will facilitate Powerscreen machine sales and stock genuine spare parts for customers in these territories.
Druk Trading Equipment has been added to Powerscreen’s network as Bhutan's dealer. The agreement furthers Druk Trading’s
portfolio of heavy equipment, which has continued to grow since it was established in 2006. Druk Trading Equipment will offer Powerscreen’s mobile crushing and screening solutions in Bhutan.
“We are delighted to strengthen our Powerscreen coverage in south Asia with the additions of Time Equipment and Druk Trading Equipment, respectively,” Powerscreen sales director Indra Gokhale said. “Both companies have a shared philosophy of providing exceptional customer support, and we look forward to many shared successes.”
Finlay’s finest
Finlay has launched its C-1550+ tracked cone crusher for customers looking for high-capacity crushing in the aggregates industries.
The new model takes over from its predecessor, the C-1550, and features the Terex 1300X cone crusher at its core. According to Finlay, this crusher can achieve 15 per cent increase in tonnage and production compared to the C-1550.
“At Finlay, we are committed to delivering innovative solutions that drive productivity and profitability,” Finlay business line director Matt Dickson said.
The C-1550+ is lighter for transportability with a hydraulically folding hopper, which adds to its versatility for owners, operators and contractors. It has a full hydraulic closedside setting (CSS) adjustment with electronic monitoring for precise operator control.
The large hopper/feeder has an automatic reset hydraulic tramp relief system that protects the chamber and minimises downtime if uncrushable material enters the chamber. This system helps to minimise downtime by automatically removing contaminants via the purge chute.
“The C-1550+ combines increased production capacity with features that enable our customers to achieve more with less, all while ensuring safer, more streamlined operations,” Dickson said. AB
Finlay has introduced the C-1550+ tracked cone crusher.
Powerscreen added Time Equipment and Druk Trading Equipment to its dealer network.
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Image: Powerscreen
Loaded in Europe
Wheeled loaders are at the heart of many operations because they maintain productivity and efficiency. The latest updates from manufacturers are prioritising these key factors.
Hitachi’s wheeled loader solutions are used all around the world, including in Italy, where a construction company has utilised one of these machines to boost its production capabilities.
Italian company CarBa srl has taken on a second Hitachi ZW250-7 wheeled loader at its facility in Soncino. The ZW250-7 was delivered at the end of 2024 by Hitachi authorised dealer SCAI, as CarBa srl looked for a machine to help its concrete and asphalt production.
CarBa has long specialised in roadworks, adding asphalt production to its operations in 2024 to complement its concrete and steel production. This expansion in operations facilitated the need for another wheeled loader as the company, led by chief executive officer Mauro Carminati, wanted to optimise its supply chain.
CarBa already operated one ZW250-7 wheeled loader, and positive operator feedback led to the purchase of a second model from SCAI.
“This machine will remain exclusively at the Soncino site, managing aggregates for our batching and asphalt plants,” Carminati said. “It’s a vital all-rounder that allows us to keep operations running smoothly and efficiently.”
CarBa operators were impressed by machine’s user-friendly design, including its multifunction joystick and all-round visibility from the cabin. The ZW250-7 wheeled loader features the Aerial Angle camera system, which provides a 270° bird’s eye view and rear obstacle-detection system.
“With two plants now in operation, internal traffic has increased,” Carminati said. “The obstacle-detection system was a necessary addition to enhance site safety.”
CarBa opted for additional enhancements to its second Hitachi ZW250-7 wheeled loader. The newer model has a larger 3.60m³ bucket and an integrated payload weighing system to provide precise load measurements.
“We knew exactly what we were getting with this machine,” Carminati said.
“The ZW250-7 has already proven its reliability, and these new features make it an even more valuable asset for our operations.”
The next generation
When Caterpillar unveiled the Cat 395 front shovel (FS) large excavator as part of its bauma 2025 showcase, it marked the company’s first new front shovel configuration in more than a decade.
While it is expected to be officially launched to the market later this year,
attendees of bauma 2025 in Munich had the opportunity see the new machine up close.
The Cat 395 FS is designed for quarrying and mining operators, delivering better fuel economy and low maintenance costs than previous models.
The new excavator is equipped with a reinforced, extra-durable undercarriage, additional cylinder guards, and long-life fuel and hydraulic oil filters. The cabin is designed with the operator in mind and features include an ergonomic seat, touchscreen display, climate control, noise insulation, and vibration reduction.
“The 395 FS has an official target launch of October 2025, but there’s no better place than bauma to showcase the pre-production model and have potential customers ‘see it in the metal’,” Caterpillar product and sales consultant Vincent Migeotte said. “We’re excited to have the 395 FS join the large excavator line-up.
“At the top of the design wish list for the 395 FS were three primary objectives: robust digging and breakout force, lightning-quick loading cycles, and rigorous bucket full.
“Customers repeatedly told us that they need a machine that not only offers peak performance but can operate consistently at those peak levels.
CarBa srl purchased a second ZW250-7 wheeled loader.
Image: Hitachi
“That’s borne out in the 395 FS, with a maximum ground level digging force up to truck height, matched by a powerful breakout force at the bucket cutting edge that promises superior material penetration and optimal bucket fill factors.”
Expanding in North America
Volvo Construction Equipment (Volvo CE) has announced a multi-year agreement with Herc Rentals, expanding its presence in North America.
The new agreement will see several hundred Volvo EC37 compact excavators added to the rental company’s fleet across North America and be made available to customers in the region. The first phase of Herc Rentals’ order was completed earlier this year, and more models are expected to be delivered to branches in the US and Canada throughout 2025.
“This is the culmination of a cooperative effort to build a machine spec that renters will appreciate, and we’re excited for Herc Rentals customers to have such great access to the EC37,” Volvo CE head of national rental accounts Kent Somerville said.
“The three-to four-tonne range makes up more than a quarter of the compact excavator market in North America. It’s a competitive market, but the versatility and comfort of the EC37 definitely make it stand out.”
Volvo CE sought feedback on the EC37 excavator from Herc Rentals technicians, salespeople, and other staff at the Herc Rentals ProExpo in early 2024. This input directly influenced the final version of the model, including updates that made it easier to change attachments, a larger cabin with enhanced ergonomic features, and factoryinstalled telematics.
According to Volvo CE’s data, the EC37 excavator provides 10 percent better fuel efficiency compared to earlier Volvo models.
“Collaborating with Volvo on the EC37 allowed us to incorporate essential features that significantly impact our customers’ success,” Herc Rentals vice president for
2025.
product support and fleet operations Matt Gavin said.
“Our partnership with Volvo is invaluable. They resonate with our core values and prioritise what truly matters to us, demonstrating their commitment to creating an exceptional customer experience.”
Ready to work
Komatsu Europe has debuted the new WA700-8 wheeled loader after more than a “decade of development”.
Komatsu showcased the WA700-8 in a live demonstration at bauma 2025.
The engineers at Komatsu Europe have revamped the WA700-8 based on customer feedback, emphasising safety and operator wellbeing as essential considerations during the purchasing process.
A new safety package comes as standard in the WA700-8, including emergency push buttons, certified anchorage and tie-down points, and battery, starte, and hydraulic lockouts. A new advanced joystick steering system and electronic pilot control levers are designed to make it easier for the operator.
“I'm very excited to introduce our WA700-8 in Europe, which offers a perfect match with our 60-tonne rigid dump truck,” Komatsu Europe deputy general manager of product marketing Jo Monsieur said. “Without any doubt, it will excite any operator with its performance, large cabin and wealth of safety features.
“After more than a decade of development, this reinvented giant is now fully ready to claim its place in quarries across Europe and beyond.”. AB
The WA700-8 was featured in a live demonstration at bauma
Komatsu Europe has debuted the WA700-8.
Image: Komatsu
Image:
Komatsu
Hauling to the top
Rokbak’s global customer base has been impressed by the manufacturer’s articulated haulers, which are delivering results from Scotland to Spain.
Scottish engineering has become a driving force at Loughran Rock’s quarry in Northern Ireland.
The family-owned Loughran Rock Industries runs its quarrying and aggregates business in County Armagh. The operation, supported by Sleator Plant, recently received a Motherwell-manufactured Rokbak RA30 articulated dump truck (ADT).
“We’ve not only reinforced our quarry operations with the addition of the Rokbak truck, but we believe we’ve also strengthened our position as a trusted supplier in the region,” Loughran Rock quarry manager Colin Loughran said.
Loughran Rock relies on robust equipment to support its operations, which have thrived since 1985. Its concrete production and stone supply facilitate significant infrastructure projects.
The Rokbak RA30 articulated hauler has been operational in Cláidigh Bheag, about an hour south-west of Belfast.
Loughran Rock produces 450,000–500,000 tonnes of aggregate each year, supplying it to local contractors, housing developments and farmers. Such a high level of production requires durable equipment, and that is why Loughran approached Sealtor Plant, the authorised dealer of Rokbak trucks in Northern Ireland.
“We proposed the RA30 to Loughran Rock for the truck’s agility, dependability, independent suspension for operator comfort, and the ability to carry lighter products efficiently,” Sleator Plant general manager Aaron McCaul said.
“We thought the RA30 was the perfect choice for Loughran Rock’s needs, offering reliability, durability and the backing of our responsive aftersales support.”
The RA30 articulated hauler has a 28-tonne maximum payload and a 17.5m3 heaped capacity. Its double wishbone design allows for fully independent suspension and wheel movement.
The RA20 was tailored to Loughran Rock’s requirements with body side extensions to enhance its load capacity. Loughran uses the RA30 to transport stone, sand and rock fill from the quarry to the main crusher and to fill up lorries and block machines.
The Rokbak RA30 has drawn praise from Loughran Rock’s operators, who believe it is suited to the Northern Ireland quarry.
“Visibility is important on any site, especially a big quarry such as this,” Loughran Rock operator Cathal Devlin said.
“The rear vision camera and monitor and heated mirrors makes my life a whole lot easier when I’m reversing into tight spots. When you’re driving around quarries,
you need comfort – I’ve been operating for three years now with trucks of all sizes, and the Rokbak truck is definitely the comfiest machine I’ve driven to date.
“I’ve also been impressed by its fuel efficiency. With our previous truck, we had to fill it up approximately every two days. With the Rokbak, it’s now every three to four.”
Loughran Rock has been supported by Sleator Plant’s engineering team and local presence in Northern Ireland since it took delivery of the RA30. Sleator Plant has been
Loughran Rock has added a Rokbak RA30 articulated dump truck.
Sleator Plant general manager Aaron McCaul.
Image: Rokbak
Image: Rokbak
able to help the construction materials producer with maintenance support and spare parts on its newest articulated hauler.
“The RA30 has been nothing but reliable, with minimal maintenance requirements and prompt support from Sleator Plant when needed,” Loughran said.
“It’s well made and it’s a good, sturdy machine. In the future, I would not hesitate to use Rokbak again.”
A cleaner future
Volvo Construction Equipment (Volvo CE) will implement low-carbon emission steel into all of its serially produced haulers manufactured in Braås, Sweden.
The announcement builds on Volvo CE’s previous showcase of a concept hauler, which was built using fossil-free steel in 2021 in partnership with Swedish steel manufacturer SSAB. Volvo CE delivered a construction machine made from fossil-free steel to a customer for operational use in 2022.
“We are proud to lead the way in the industry and move forward towards minimising our climate footprint across the entire lifecycle of our products,” Volvo CE head of lifecycle assessment program Rickard Alm said.
“While emissions from product use represent the vast majority of carbon output in our industry, it is important to also act to cut emissions in the production phase, including materials like steel, in close collaboration with our global supply partners.”
Heidelberg Materials turns to the future Heidelberg Materials has provided a glimpse into the future of its operations after signing an agreement with US-based autonomous technology provider Pronto.
The agreement will see Pronto’s Autonomous Haulage System (AHS) deployed on more than 100 trucks in Heidelberg Materials’ fleet worldwide. Pronto’s system is designed to be retrofitted onto an existing fleet and leverages advanced sensors, cameras and artificial intelligence (AI) to autonomously operate haul trucks.
“Meeting industry challenges with technological innovation has always been a central part of our target to create a more productive and sustainable future,” Heidelberg Materials managing board chairman Dr Dominik von Achten said.
“As a company leading the way in transforming our sector, we strongly believe in fostering strategic collaborations across industries. This partnership will accelerate the adoption of cutting-edge solutions across our sites and regions, leveraging synergies on a global scale.”
The announcement builds on the previous collaboration between Heidelberg Materials and Pronto, which saw a pilot project in Bridgeport, Texas. The successful pilot program at Heidelberg Materials’ quarry was subsequently deployed on a fleet of mixed original equipment manufacturer haul trucks.
The global agreement will roll out the Pronto system to more than a dozen North America, Europe, and Asia Pacific sites.
“By teaming up with Pronto, we will deploy a scalable solution to our fleet of haul trucks that will contribute significantly towards our production efficiency, safety and sustainability efforts while also addressing the challenge of recruiting skilled operatives,”
Heidelberg Materials and Pronto have signed a new agreement.
Heidelberg Materials chief technical officer Axel Conrads said.
Expansion in Germany
Develon Germany has unveiled its new headquarters in Mannheim Friedrichsfeld, Germany, as it looks to expand its presence.
A brand of HD Hyundai Infracore, Develon has set a goal of growing its market presence in the German, Swiss, and Austrian regions (GSA) following the opening of its headquarters. The company has also confirmed it is looking into expanding its rental services for those within the GSA dealership network.
The new German headquarters features 10,650m2 of usable space and houses sales, service, rental and spare parts alongside a training centre, training workshop and test area.
“The new headquarters of Develon Germany is a clear commitment to Germany as a location,” Develon said. AB
Volvo CE has committed to using low-carbon emission steel.
Image: Pronto
DRILL RIGS,
Be even better drilled with Epiroc
Epiroc’s new DTH 5 hammers are designed to deliver in the face of all drilling requirements.
Epiroc, a global market manufacturer of drill rigs and hydraulic breakers for the mining, quarrying and construction industries, has launched its DTH 5 (down-the-hole) hammers. The Swedish manufacturer describes this as a revolutionary new range designed to maximise efficiency, boost profitability, and redefine versatility in drilling operations.
The Epiroc DTH 5 hammers are said to deliver an exceptional rate of penetration (ROP) and longer service life, setting a new standard for performance and cost-effectiveness.
Designed to excel in all drilling assignments, Epiroc said these hammers are the perfect choice for companies looking to expand their capabilities, take on new lucrative projects, and increase their competitiveness.
Epiroc’s DTH 5 hammers deliver an exceptional penetration rate and longer service life.
Among the key benefits is versatility, making them ideal for high- and low-impact energy scenarios.
Epiroc stressed that its DTH 5 hammers tackle any rock formation and feature many configurations in a single system. The new range is said to offer superior performance, boosting productivity with fewer interruptions and quicker task changes. There is also an eco-friendly impact, as with the DTH 5 hammers’ reduced manufacturing and transportation needs contribute to lower CO2 emissions and customer sustainability goals.
“We’ve combined the best of our hardstriking QL and robust COP
Gold hammers to create a product that not only performs but transforms operations,”
Epiroc Rock Drilling Tools global product manager DTH Delaney Erickson said.
“The Epiroc DTH 5 hammers truly pack a serious punch, offering our customers the tools they need to take their businesses to the next level.”
Epiroc said the DTH 5 hammers allow operators to drill more metres per shift, rebuild hammers up to three times with its exclusive E-Kits, and enjoy a lower total cost of ownership (TCO). They can fit all leading brands of compressors and rigs, representing an ideal opportunity for growth and cost savings.
From rig to bit, the Epiroc DTH 5 hammers are designed to optimise every part of your operation, delivering maximum efficiency, profitability and reliability. AB
Images: Epiroc
THE NEXT GENERATION OF MINING
ASIA-PACIFIC’S INTERNATIONAL MINING EXHIBITION
23-25 SEPTEMBER 2025
Adelaide Showground, South Australia
Register to attend AIMEX’s inaugural event in South Australia
Dust busting in quarries and mines
Dust suppression is vital to maintaining site workers’ health and wellbeing, and meeting increasingly tight environmental licensing conditions.
Helping prevent haul road overwatering and underwatering, the new Cat 789D autonomous water truck (AWT) enhances productivity by enabling mine operations to digitally track water consumption and reduce waste.
Fully integrating into a site’s Cat Command autonomous haulage fleet to control haul road dust, the market’s first commercially available AWT is built on the field-proven 789D mining truck chassis and integrates the truck, tank and Cat water delivery system (WDS), connected with Cat MineStar technology.
Featuring Command for hauling, the new 789D AWT offers the same potential for greater utilisation than staffed equipment. The fully autonomous truck reduces shift changes, meal breaks and other operational delays to help improve efficiency. Complying with watering plans, the truck seamlessly interacts with other autonomous equipment and integrates with customer processes and systems managed by MineStar.
The 789D is the largest Cat water truck product offering, accommodating up to 165,000L, depending on tank configuration. The AWT senses when the water tank is running low and can be programmed to integrate with the refill station to fully automate the process. The auto-shutoff feature prevents tank overfilling.
“To meet customer requirements for dust control, Caterpillar implemented a MineStarintegrated watering model based on many years of site watering studies and Cat WDS performance data,” Caterpillar, general manager and vice president, technology and global sales support Corey Wurtzbacher said.
“This model allows the truck to monitor traffic, weather and road conditions, prioritise what areas need to be watered, when the areas need to be watered, and how many passes it should take to apply the correct amount of water saturation for the given conditions.
“The integration of Caterpillar’s many years of autonomous truck operations and water delivery development have been combined to make a high-performing autonomous watering solution.”
When Caterpillar set out to develop an autonomous water truck, integration with Cat MineStar Command for hauling and the Cat WDS was key to the integration process. The team began building communication between the truck’s on-board systems and the office control console to work with the Cat WDS interface.
To ensure seamless operation and proper communication between the WDS and MineStar, a compatibility check has been implemented in Cat WDS to confirm all truck control systems were running compatible software and reporting any on-board failures to the MineStar system for appropriate corrective action. Fully integrated into the truck’s design, the exclusive Cat WDS varies
waterflow based on speed and automatically determines the correct amount of water needed to control dust. Knowing where, when and how much water to dispense, the 789D AWT helps customers conserve water, a scarce resource at many quarrying and mine locations.
When truck speed drops below the minimum watering speed setting, which determined by site operations, the system halts water delivery to help prevent overwatering, poor traction and damage to haul road intersections and other stopping areas. When the minimum watering speed setting is exceeded, the system begins depositing the specified amount of water commanded by MineStar.
Cat WDS actively monitors the water level and automatically turns off watering once the tank is empty. To reduce potential damage, the system has multiple safeguards to prevent the pump from running dry, which helps prolong water pump life and extends service intervals.
The automated system’s flat, controlled spray pattern delivers optimal litres-persquare-metre (gallons-per-square-foot) coverage across the haul road. Larger, heavier droplets designed to reach the ground help reduce spray loss to wind and evaporation.
Reducing health hazards associated with airborne particles, automated water delivery supports the reduction of dust that limits operator visibility for staffed equipment to enhance overall site safety. Remote tankfill control, complete with auto shut-off to prevent overfilling, eliminates the need for a worker to be involved in refilling, reducing the potential of slips and falls.
Mines can quickly switch the flexible 789D AWT from autonomous to staffed mode for tasks like front water cannon operation. The cannon can distribute up to 2839L/min (759gal/min) and has a spray distance of 60m (200 ft). Even with the staffed operation, auto mode water delivery automates the process to leverage variable water flow and automatically determine the correct amount of water needed to control dust.
Cat Water Solutions integrates the 789D truck chassis with the proven Cat WDS and innovative MineStar technology.
In the event a site is not yet ready for a fully autonomous water truck, MineStar has cloud-based solutions that will work in the interim and allow customers to utilise, track and measure the productivity of the 789D before it is put into autonomous operation.
Basic and premium packages are available.
The flat, controlled spray pattern of the Cat 789D delivers optimal litres-per-square-metre.
Image: Caterpillar
The basic package allows sites to track their asset and see when, where and how it is performing in terms of location of truck, water level, fuel level, watering mode, truck speed, truck refills, water dispersed, and truck utilisation per shift.
Premium will allow sites to track how their water trucks are tending to the site’s watering needs:
• Watering heat map to show the age of water currently put down by all trucks in a shift
• Watering heat map by truck to show where each truck watered and what mode was used
• Utilisation of fill spots by each truck
• Replay of truck watering activity for up to eight previous weeks of data, depending on how many assets are tracked
• Suggested area to water based on age of water and traffic utilisation
When the site is ready for full autonomous mode, the water truck can be integrated into the MineStar ecosystem to work alongside the rest of the mining fleet.
The Cat dealer and parts network fully support this integrated autonomous water solution. Covered by a Caterpillar factorystandard warranty, the 789D AWT is eligible for Cat equipment protection plans) and customer value agreements. Retrofit kits are also available for existing Cat 789D truck platforms in the field.
A holistic approach
RST Solutions is an Australian business that operates around the world. It has three decades of experience developing tailored solutions for various fine particle challenges across numerous industries, processes and material types.
The company notes that sediment control in quarry and mining operations is a critical challenge, particularly in regions that experience high levels of rainfall. Uncontrolled sediment runoff can lead to significant long-term dust challenges, as well as initial operational inefficiencies, increased costs, and environmental compliance issues.
A holistic approach to sediment management is needed to prevent fine particulate movement from all open ground areas, reducing the need for costly remediation efforts.
Sediment build-up at quarry and mine sites typically results in several issues:
• Sediment runoff from open ground areas –fine particles erode from all open surfaces, including benches, stockpiles, waste dumps, roads and exposed working areas, contributing to significant sediment loads
• Roads as major sediment pathways –roads are a major source of sediment generation and act as large drains, channeling turbid water across the site and accelerating sediment transport
• Pit floor sediment build-up – fines washed down from open ground areas accumulate at the pit floor, forming material that is too thick to pump and too sloppy to excavate and haul
• Dust emissions – once dried, these fines become a major source of airborne dust, posing environmental and health risks
• Drainage issues – channels and drains act as pathways for sediment transport, contributing to further sedimentation problems downstream
Treatment with flocculant-based dust suppressants prevents fine particles from becoming airborne dust when dry and from washing out as sediment when wet. A three-tiered approach tailored to treat the key areas of a quarry or mine site is recommended to obtain a long-term solution while achieving immediate results. These three high-trafficked areas need to be treated simultaneously.
Open ground areas
Flocculant-based sediment binders/crusting agents can be sprayed on open ground areas –including faces, benches, stockpiles and waste dumps – to prevent fine particulate movement. Strategic drainage design to effectively direct water flow is achieved through excavation of controlled drainage channels. Flocculant blocks placed within these drains settle sediment in runoff water before it reaches sediment ponds or other water collection points.
Roads (major sediment pathways and drains)
The type of treatment can vary depending on application methods. It is highly recommended to implement two or more approaches for enhanced sediment control:
• Liquid additives compatible with dosing/ injection pumps for automated application
• Water cart application (or additional protection, a wider spray pattern to cover spoon drains along roadsides is recommended)
• Flocculant blocks placed in spoon drains to capture additional sediment levels along road drainage pathways
• Effervescent powder in a dissolvable bag is an easy and cost-effective alternative treatment for up to 20,000L of water per bag, simplifying application without bulk liquid storage or pumps
Channels and drains
A simple method of strategically placing flocculant blocks in secondary channels and drains to further reduce sediment loading
in water before it reaches sediment ponds or final discharge points.
Despite best efforts, some sediment will inevitably reach collection dams. To meet approved discharge levels, a range of liquid flocculants and coagulants are used to clarify water by rapidly dropping turbidity and separating fines.
When sediment fines aggregate in a wet form after treatment, they become larger, more stable particles that are easier to control rather than stay as fine particles that turn into dust when dry and silt and sediment when wet.
Using a flocculant treatment reduces future dust emissions by binding fines together more effectively. This results in enhanced material stability and a reduction in the likelihood of recurring sediment issues. It also improves overall site management, streamlines operations, and reduces ongoing maintenance costs.
RST Solutions takes a comprehensive approach to fine particle management, designing cutting-edge solutions that can be applied using standard mining equipment. Strategies are designed to integrate advanced technologies and systems to address challenges across the entire supply chain, from quarry and mining operations to material transportation.
Innovative approaches designed by fine particle specialists such as RST Solutions treat the causes, not just the problem. Dust control, soil stabilisation and erosion control all come into play when designing a solution, with regular site visits an integral part of their service. This enables the team to customise solutions to a site’s specific attributes –topography, earthworks, materials and weather conditions – and think outside the box to deliver solutions for unique problems.
A holistic approach to sediment control addresses many aspects of fine particle management. It helps to prevent problems in other areas of an operation by stopping fines from moving, stabilising roads, clarifying runoff, and ensuring long-term dust control. Implementing this multi-tiered strategy can help operations achieve significant cost savings, improve environmental compliance, and streamline sediment management processes. AB
A liquid treatment being applied at an Australian coal mine.
Image: RST Solutions
RFID tags eliminate guesswork by providing digital access to specifications.
Screening media matters
A big acquisition by a major quarrying name and several product introductions have created a lively global screening media market.
Metso, the Finnish quarrying and mining equipment market giant, is expanding its screening solutions in China. The initial investment includes an agreement to acquire Selm (Beijing) Technology Co, a privately owned company’s screening business, operations and key assets.
By combining the new offering with its own expertise in screening equipment, media, repairs and services, Metso can strengthen its services to better support mining and aggregate customers in China.
“The acquisition is a significant step in advancing our screening regional strategy of being closer to our customers, fostering a market-focused approach. We are excited to enhance our role in China as a leading provider of screening solutions for large projects like super quarries,” Metso vice president of screening Jouni Mähönen said.
“We warmly welcome new colleagues to contribute to our growth targets and improved customer service.”
Xiaofeng Liang, Metso president of the Great China market area, is happy to be acquiring a company with “products and services well recognised by customers in the mining and aggregates industries”.
“The acquisition will further enrich Metso’s product portfolio and strengthen our competitiveness and market position,” he said.
“This move will enable us to provide comprehensive screening solutions in China, where Metso has a strong customer base and service capability in the mining and aggregates industries.”
The acquisition is subject to conditions precedent and is expected to close during the second quarter of 2025. The parties have agreed not to disclose the transaction value, which has no material impact on Metso’s financials.
Selm is a Chinese manufacturer of mining and aggregate screens and technologies,
including micro-sizing screening solutions. The company has around 180 employees and operates in Shenyang, northeast China.
“We have been developing our screening business over the past years, building expertise and a strong reputation among customers,” Selm founder Huifeng Tang said. “Moving forward, the screen offering will benefit customers as part of Metso, and our employees will get a valued new employer.”
Metso’s screening solutions for aggregates and mining customers include banana screens, horizontal screens, inclined screens, mobile screens, portable screens, ultrafine screens, screening media, and capital screen-related parts, repairs and services.
Metso vice president of screening Jouni Mähönen during a recent visit to the company’s facility in Alwar, India.
Image: Metso
Simplified screening
MAJOR vice president of global sales and marketing Ian Edwards explained how radiofrequency identification (RFID) technology is simplifying screening.
“Each aggregate and mining application is unique, meaning that screen media must be sized specifically to fit the quarry or mine’s needs,” he said.
“Traditionally, inventory management and ordering new screen media processes have been time-consuming and prone to sizing errors. To address these challenges, some manufacturers are integrating RFID technology, specifically near field communication [NFC], to streamline these procedures.
“These electronic tags are inserted into the polyurethane strips or frames for easy access. The tag can be scanned and read through an RFID reader or an app, which transmits data, including the inventory number for the screen media, the sizing of the wire, wire openings, and more.”
Edwards outlined the key benefits of RFID technology.
Convenience for inventory management
Many RFID inventory management systems require a specialised RFID reader. Operations should look for a manufacturer that includes an integrated RFID reader tool into its company app, allowing operators to use only their smartphones. This simplifies tracking inventory in a single, easy-to-use platform.
RFID technology reads specifications through the tag, so operators can be sure they’re putting in the proper screen media before start-up.
If Wi-Fi is unavailable, NFC technology can store data offline and sync it once a connection is restored.
Some manufacturers also include inventory management alongside the RFID reader in their app. Features often include additional options like product ordering and the ability to calculate screening efficiency and open area.
Orders are recorded electronically, ensuring easy access to order histories and reducing the risk of misplacing essential information.
Sizing accuracy
Previously, operators manually measured each screen media panel with a measuring tape to determine the size of new panels to order or to ensure the correct panel was being placed.
In this situation, even the slightest error meant ordering or installing the wrong size screen media. Not only does this result in the screen media not fitting the screen box, it can also mean the final product doesn’t fit specification, leading to lost profit over time.
RFID technology reads the specifications of the screen media through the tag, which means operators can be sure they’re putting in the proper screen media before start-up.
The RFID reader also makes it easier to switch out screen panels with different open areas by recording the size of the screen media. If a screen media panel needs to be replaced, operators can use the reader to
quickly pull up the specs of the screen media and the wire.
Simplified reordering
While traditional screen media specifications – including part numbers, sizing specs and inventory data – are printed on the side of the panels, these markings can wear off over time. RFID tags eliminate guesswork by providing digital access to these specs, ensuring operators always have the necessary information on their devices. In addition, this technology allows for custom notes and details tailored to each operation’s specific requirements.
Edwards notes that RFID technology makes inventory management simpler and more precise, regardless of the material being screened. He advises looking for a manufacturer who embraces this technology and provides easy-to-use, intuitive, app-centred warehouse management options.
Top-tier solutions
After a rigorous three-year testing period, FLS used Electra Mining 2024 to officially launch its NexGen polyurethane, a heavy-duty and hard-wearing screen panel for large particle applications. Combining the physical properties of rubber and polyurethane elastomers, NexGen offers excellent wear resistance in
Image: MAJOR
Image: MAJOR
highly abrasive applications such as early-stage screens and trommels.
As part of its dedication to providing top-tier screening media solutions tailored to meet the demands of commodity areas, FLS has brought its NexGen polyurethane screen media panel to market. Designed to offer long wear life, the NexGen polyurethane panel is ideally suited for early-stage screens and trommels where high abrasion is the order of the day.
“Due to its extremely durable properties, it lasts longer than rubber or standard polyurethane in high-impact applications. In some instances, it has been proven to offer double the screen panel wear life of rubber in these high-abrasion environments,” FLS service line manager Chris Currie said.
One of the major benefits of long wear life is the reduction of costs. Frequent replacement of screen panels increases maintenance and operating costs while lowering equipment productivity. Regular replacement also means maintenance personnel have to spend a considerable amount of time on the screen changing panels, increasing the safety risk in the process.
“With increased wear life also comes a significant reduction in waste, not just in the material itself but also in the supply chain,” Currie said. “Less frequent panel changes mean that there is less energy used, less transport required and less stock needed, which in turn is a huge sustainability tick for our customers.”
According to Currie, screening efficiency is a very big factor in profitable operations with
The NexGen panels being poured at the FLS facility.
The FLS NexGen polyurethane screen panel is a robust and durable solution that blends the strength of rubber with the flexibility of elastomers.
screen panels, which is why FLS maintains a minimum 95 per cent screening efficiency target in all of its designs.
The premium material used in the NexGen polyurethane panels means the company is able to run a smaller ligament that can provide more open area. A higher percentage of open area in screening panels improves efficiency and material throughput because it gives particles more opportunities to pass through the screen.
In several trials conducted during the test period, the NexGen polyurethane proved to be in a league of its own in terms of wear life. For example, at a major iron ore mine in South Africa’s Northern Cape, the NexGen polyurethane increased wear life by at least six times compared with standard thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) injection-moulded panels, injection-moulded rubber, and other open-cast polyurethane options.
In a coal application, the NexGen polyurethane panels survived for 10 weeks, compared to the five weeks most of the standard polyurethane panels lasted.
“Doubling the screen media wear life lowered maintenance time and media costs while increasing safety and productivity,” Currie said.
Informed decisions
The right screen media can unlock a new level of efficiency within an aggregate processing plant.
McLanahan director of sales in the UK and Ireland Donal McNicholl said the choice of screen media is influenced by material throughput, product quality, and operational costs.
“Understanding the various types of screen media and their applications is essential for plant operators aiming to enhance performance and profitability,” he said. Screen media is primarily available as woven wire cloth, perforated and punch plate, synthetic media, including polyurethane and rubber, and self-cleaning screen media.
Each has various advantages depending on the application of the aggregate plant in which it is used, which is where businesses should consider the material characteristics, open area percentage, operating conditions, durability, and wear life in their operations.
Many operations need to consider balancing open area percentage, which facilitates greater material flow, against durability, which extends the wear life of the screen media. This balance is primarily determined by the operational priorities of the business, as well as the material characteristics of the application.
By considering all of these factors, businesses will be able to exert a greater influence on the long-term economic impact their screen media will have on the business, including maintenance and replacement costs.
“Selecting the right screen media is a multifaceted decision that significantly impacts the efficiency, cost-effectiveness, and overall success of aggregate processing operations,” McNicholl said.
“By thoroughly evaluating material characteristics, operational conditions, and economic factors, operators can make informed choices that align with their specific needs and objectives.
“Collaborating with experienced manufacturers and conducting regular performance assessments further ensures that the chosen screen media continues to meet the evolving demands of the industry.” AB
McLanahan has a wide range of screening media.
Image: FLS
FLS service line manager Chris Currie.
Awash with quality and consistency
Premium aggregate and recycling wash plant solutions deliver significant quality and sustainability gains for customers worldwide.
With high-quality silica sand resources scarce around the world, Fife Silica Sands has partnered with CDE to commission a 210-tonne-perhour (tph) silica glass sand plant to meet the market’s growing demands.
Fife Silica Sands, located at Burrowine Moor Quarry in the central lowlands of Scotland, is owned and operated by Paterson Quarries.
Founded more than 50 years ago, Paterson Quarries operates five sites throughout Scotland. It supplies a range of materials, including concrete, specialist sand and recycled aggregates, across the UK. Paterson Quarries is now a third-generation family firm that acquired Fife Silica Sands in 2002.
Passionate about delivering high quality across its operations, Paterson Quarries has provided sand to prestigious golf resorts across the UK and Ireland, including Loch Lomond and Ardare Manor, as well as for professional football and rugby facilities.
CDE, a leading provider of wet processing solutions for the natural and waste recycling sectors, has been working with Paterson
Quarries for more than 15 years, with the two companies first partnering on a modular sand-washing plant in 2011.
Having developed a strong working relationship, the team at Paterson Quarries knew CDE would be the right partner to work with Fife Silica Sands to meet market demands.
Showcasing its capabilities in providing solutions for silica sand, CDE welcomed Fife Silica Sands to its manufacturing facility in Northern Ireland, taking the team to reference sites across the UK so they could see the technology in action.
“From previous projects and years of experience working together, we knew that CDE would be the right choice. Our ultimate goal was to deliver top-quality silica sand to customers across the UK and Ireland,” Paterson Quarries managing director Tom Paterson said.
“CDE’s team meticulously tested material in their lab to understand our expectations and the materials we wanted to produce so that they could design the right plant for us.”
CDE director of customer solutions Chris McKeown believes such good relationships are important because, in the
case of all the projects CDE has delivered for Paterson Quarries, “the customer’s input has been critical within this process, and we try to incorporate all the requests into the plant design”.
“This included visiting multiple reference sites, testing the material in our lab, and flying over for inward visits with our design team in-house,” McKeown said.
The glass industry is the largest end-user of silica sand production, accounting for more than a third of the global market. This is followed by sands for foundry, hydraulic fracturing, filtration and abrasives applications.
The construction market, rising automotive production and technological advancements such as smartphones, televisions, solar control glazing for automotive and building glasses, lightweight glazing glass, and advanced nanotechnology in flat glass are all increasing the demand for high-grade silica.
Consistency is critical with silica sands. To deliver dependable products that meet market specifications, CDE designed and engineered the 210tph sand-washing solution, which was commissioned in February 2024.
The solution comprises of the CDE P2-108 prograde screen that takes in the material, conditions it and prepares it for the
An overview of the CDE plant for Fife Silica Sands.
downstream processes. The prograde screen generates three products: +7mm, 3–7mm and a 0–3mm.
CDE added five F1-64 Infinity fine screens for the high-efficiency separation of the -0.6mm material from the 0–3mm generated by the prograde screen. The F1-64 side tensioned media pack provides a high open area for optimum throughput, and the lower section of the screen provides superior dewatering of the 0.6–3mm material.
The plant is also equipped with ShearClean attrition cells, spiral separators, and two counterflow classification units (CFCU), three key steps in the production of silica sands.
The paddle design of the ShearClean attrition cells ensures consistent scrubbing of all material, liberating impurities for efficient contamination removal and delivery of highquality in-spec sand products.
The spiral separators facilitate the removal of heavy contaminants from the sand stream, and the two CFCU units, used for two different grades of glass sand output, remove lightweight material and the 0–150-micron fine sand.
CDE incorporated multiple sets of highintensity magnetic filters into the process to reduce ferrous contaminants from the feed stream. The magnets were supplied by a specialist provider and seamlessly integrated into the CDE solution, ensuring minimum downtime.
Three EvoWash sand-washing systems are used for desliming and dewatering the sand: one for high-grade glass sand, one for low-grade glass sand, and one for fines.
These three systems contain modular hydrocyclone technology to allow for control of silt cut points, ensuring that Fife Silica Sands can provide a consistent, in-spec product to meet the market’s needs.
The process water is recycled by the CDE AquaCycle, a highly efficient water management solution that helps to minimise costly water consumption and allows Fife Silica Sands to recover 90 per cent of the process water for immediate recirculation.
The separated water from the AquaCycle is passed over a static screen, capturing lightweight debris before it is recirculated via the AquaStore to the wash plant.
The AquaStore receives recycled water from the AquaCycle, which is then recirculated to reduce the freshwater required to feed the washing plant.
“From an environmental point of view, this plant is a real win for us, as there is less waste and we’re recovering more,” Paterson said. “We have a direct wire to a wind turbine, so we have all the needs for this plant from renewable energy when the wind blows.”
Fife Silica Sands’ wash plant operates 24 hours a day, from Monday to Friday, to keep up with the industry’s supply needs. To ensure this operation runs around the clock, CDE installed its SmartTech plant management app, which enables Fife Silica Sands to understand its plant
performance, schedule maintenance, and easily order parts.
Sensors fitted to the plant provide up to 300 precise data points and continuously stream real-time, in-depth performance reports. This live feed provides a full and transparent overview of a plant’s health and is accessible 24–7 through a mobile app.
This technology allows Fife Silica Sands to remotely monitor input feed rates, hopper speeds, thickener levels, and water tank levels.
“With CDE SmartTech, we can track the performance, we can see the settings, and we can look back and view what changes have been made through the plant and how it has affected the quality or yield of the end product,” Paterson said.
“Whilst this is a complex plant, SmartTech allows us to easily analyse the overall performance of the solution.”
Fife Silica Sands quarry manager Kenny Mitchell has been very happy with the relationship with CDE.
“From install right through commissioning and into aftercare, CDE has always been very proactive and helpful with enquiries,” he said. “If we need any products, spare parts, or issues that we’ve had, we’ve been able to raise them with the CustomCare team, and they have been able to resolve them either remotely with the aid of SmartTech or by having engineers visit our site.”
With this sand-washing solution, Fife Silica Sands is able to produce seven products to supply the market. The two glass sand products are the plant’s main outputs, and a number of other fractions are produced, which are used for a range of applications, including sports sands and construction aggregates.
McKeown believes consistency is key to glass sand production.
“The output products from Fife Silica Sands will go into numerous applications in the glass industry,” he said. “Product quality
is key, and we were determined to provide a solution that could deliver consistent, highquality products. And that’s what we’re able to track and deliver with the plant.”
Paterson has been delighted to see the plant exceeding expectations.
“We’re supplying thousands of tonnes of specialist sand weekly to large glass manufacturers across the UK, who are producing the highest quality glass, as well as supplying construction markets and providing feedstock for asphalt production, render sands and ready-mixed concrete, high-quality USGA [United States Golf Association] sands for top dressing, golf course construction and bunker sand, along with horse riding arenas,” he said.
“This is a new and different approach for us and we’re getting a much higher yield from every tonne of product, far in excess of our expectations. We have one glass customer who has signed up to work with us for 20 years, which is a testament to the quality of the products we’re supplying.
“At Paterson Quarries, we pride ourselves in what we do and we live by our ethos in providing quality products at competitive prices, combined with delivering reliable service and friendly, knowledgeable staff, and CDE’s technology has allowed us to continue this with our latest investment.”
McKeown, who has been involved with the project “from the early sales stage, through the engineering process, the installation, and now into the fully operational phase”, is very happy to see the plant in its current state.
“Across our industry, tonnes per hour is a common metric used to describe the performance of a plant,” he said. “Ultimately, the return on investment of a plant like this is built on achieving that tonnage over an extended time. So, in CDE, the key metrics for us is tonnes per week, tonnes per month, tonnes per year, over many years.”
Fife Silica Sands’ Kenny Mitchell (right) chatting to CDE’s Chris McKeown.
Awash with success
A Terex Washing Systems (TWS) FM120C and on-board pre-wash sand-washing system is ensuring the highest efficiency in filter media processing for Northumbrian Water at its Layer Water Treatment Works near Abberton Reservoir, just outside Colchester in Essex in southeast England.
In partnership with Duo Group, TWS installed its solution in January 2025. To ensure a sustainable and resilient water supply for more than 300,000 residents in Essex, the Layer Water Treatment Works is undergoing a significant upgrade. This includes the construction of a new 9000-square-metre sand-washing yard with an upgraded filter sand washing system.
The solution provided by TWS and Duo includes an H12 feeder, a 12x5 double-deck modular rinsing screen, an FM120C compact sand plant with an on-board pre-wash system, and a radial product conveyor utilised to stack the finished product.
Primary and back-up pumps are also provided for the clean water supply and wastewater removal.
Duo collaborated with the client’s civil contractor throughout the project to support site development work.
The new sand-washing system for Northumbrian Water removes contamination from the sand recovered from filtration beds in a single pass, allowing the sand to be reinstated and reused.
The site uses dump trucks to feed the sand into the H12 feeder, which transfers material onto a series of conveyors to the double-deck screen, providing initial rinsing and removing oversized materials and debris. The sand slurry is then captured in the pre-wash tank.
At this point, the upward current helps remove any organics before the sand slurry is pumped to the first pre-wash cyclone and discharged into the FM120C tank.
The sand slurry is then pumped through a final cyclone, discharging onto a high-frequency dewatering screen, ensuring minimal residual moisture in the final product.
The double attrition provides efficient cleaning of the sand and an in-spec product with minimal handling.
The TWS solution is solving some key issues for Northumbrian Water. The company’s existing sand-washing system at the Layer Treatment Works had served its time. An outdated process design needed regular repair and often required the site to process the sand through the system twice to achieve effective cleaning.
TWS and Duo have supplied an efficient system that will provide effective sand cleaning in a single pass, while remaining compact, reliable and easy to operate. This has resulted in a significant reduction in cycle time to wash each batch of filter sand, provided operational efficiency, and reduced vehicle movements on-site, all of which has contributed to improving sustainability and reducing maintenance costs.
The Layer Water Treatment Works upgrade sets a new benchmark in sustainable water filtration. By integrating advanced TWS technology and innovative engineering solutions from Duo Group, the project enhances water quality, supports climate resilience, and improves long-term operational efficiency.
Conserving resources
Following a major restructuring, CFlo has entered a transformative phase, positioning itself as a leading force in modular wet processing technology.
As part of its global growth strategy, the company attended the recent bauma 2025 exhibition in Munich.
Previously focusing only on the Indian subcontinent and Southeast Asia, CFlo has an installation base of approximately 500 projects across 20 countries, which have been delivered over the past 19 years. The business employs approximately 250 people, all of whom are focused on its purpose of ‘Conserving resources and creating waste-free cities’.
CFlo co-founder and director of global sales Enda Ivanoff told Aggregates Business that recent restructuring allows CFlo to take its technology worldwide.
“Our globally experienced team will build and align the business growth with market demand, and we are building strong relationships and partnerships in various regions,” he said.
“We believe strongly in being close to the customer and will invest in our strategic regions as required with office, service centres and personnel.
“Our initial focus will be the Middle East Africa [MEA], Australia, New Zealand [Oceania], and Southeast Asia. We are currently finalising a strategic partnership for the mining sector in Australia with a huge global business.”
CFlo is bringing innovative solutions to four main industry segments: construction sand and aggregate washing; waste recycling; ore beneficiation; and critical mineral recovery.
Final sand product deposited beneath the TWS FM120C radial conveyor.
Image: TWS
“CFlo is committed to delivering cuttingedge solutions that redefine the processing of aggregates and quarrying materials,” Ivanoff said.
“Retaining its extensive portfolio of patented technologies and a globally experienced team, CFlo is now better equipped to expand its footprint and enhance value for quarry operators worldwide while attaining its vision to replace natural sand in 100 countries.
“The revolutionary Combo platform has become the industry benchmark in modular processing.”
CFlo offers a suite of advanced processing technologies tailored for quarry operators seeking to optimise resource recovery, reduce waste and improve environmental impact.
“Our high-efficiency washing systems and water management technologies are designed to address key industry challenges, including excessive fines, inconsistent material quality and water scarcity,” Ivanoff said.
Ivanoff said CFlo’s technology for the aggregates sector feature a number of key benefits:
• Maximising yield – advanced washing and classification systems recover valuable fractions that would otherwise be lost, increasing overall product yield
• Sustainability and compliance – CFlo plants are engineered to minimise freshwater usage and reduce environmental impact, aligning with regulatory standards and sustainability goals
• Operational efficiency – modular and
scalable solutions ensure reduced downtime, lower operating costs, and faster return on investment
The company is setting up CFlo Middle East as a group company to service the MEA region. Ivanoff believes the office has the potential to serve as a global hub for service and a large project management centre of excellence.
“MEA is a rapidly expanding market for infrastructure and construction, driving strong demand for high-quality aggregates,” he said.
“However, water scarcity, inconsistent raw material quality, and strict environmental regulations necessitate more efficient processing technologies – precisely what CFlo delivers.”
CFlo’s growth strategy in MEA revolves around specific factors:
• Strategic partnerships – collaborating with key players in quarrying and construction to drive technological adoption
• Localised solutions – customising technology to meet each region’s unique geological and regulatory needs
• Sustainability leadership – promoting water recycling and sustainable aggregate processing to align with regional environmental policies
CFlo’s solutions are already making a difference in the MEA region. One standout project is Power International’s limestone quarry in Fujairah, United Araba Emirates (UAE).
The Combo Mega E5 installation has optimised this process by transforming the -10mm feedstock into high-quality
construction sand and recovering valuable 5–10mm particles as low-silica limestone.
This is an efficient solution that enhances resource recovery and provides a new revenue stream through construction sand sales catering to the high-demand markets in Abu Dhabi and in other regions.
Beyond the UAE, CFlo has delivered highperformance wet processing solutions in 20 countries.
“With its recent restructuring, CFlo is poised to expand to newer markets, revolutionising the aggregates and quarrying industry with smarter, more sustainable processing solutions,” Ivanoff said.
“As demand for high-quality materials rises, CFlo remains committed to driving innovation and efficiency in the sector.
“For quarry operators looking to futureproof their operations, CFlo is the partner of choice. It delivers world-class solutions that redefine aggregates processing for a more sustainable future.”
Ivanoff believes CFlo’s patented Combo platform is the world’s most water and power-efficient system for processing various materials.
“Originally pioneered for producing manufactured sand from crushed rock fines, it has been developed further for use across all four industrial sectors,” he said.
“It is innovative in its use of water recirculation and a combination of processing technologies, based all on one singular platform, which provides huge flexibility for the end user in terms of adaption to site-specific materials and mobility.” AB
A CFlo Combo Mega 350tph plant processing limestone fines material.
Image: CFlo
A digital approach
The critical task of weighing extracted material during quarrying has benefited from the industry’s continuing embrace of digitalised solutions.
According to Topcon Positioning Systems vice president of OEM sales – APAC and EMEA Nick Townsend, the aggregates industry is under increasing pressure to meet the growing demands of global construction.
“Rapid urbanisation, large infrastructure projects and economic development are driving a surge in demand for materials like sand, gravel and crushed stone,” he said.
“As construction projects expand, so does the need for aggregates to support roads, buildings and critical infrastructure, making the sector a key player in modern development.”
Digitalisation and automation are emerging tools in efforts to improve efficiency, reduce waste and ensure regulatory compliance. But the industry faces challenges in areas such as rising fuel costs, supply chain disruptions, and a skills gap.
“Labour shortages, especially in attracting skilled workers for advanced machinery, complicate the adoption of new technologies,” Townsend said. “The industry needs solutions that streamline operations, boost productivity and simplify
workflows without adding complexity to stay competitive.”
Townsend believes customer feedback is essential to addressing these challenges, helping to identify ‘pinch points’ where technology can drive efficiency and seamlessly integrate into existing systems.
“Operators seek solutions that provide real-time feedback, enhance safety, and improve site visibility,” he said. “Operational disruptions – such as unexpected downtime, equipment failure and delays in material handling – remain a critical issue. Without real-time insights, site managers struggle to prevent costly standstills.
“Digital workflows like Sitelink3D by Topcon bridge communication gaps between on-site teams and control rooms, improving decision-making and coordination.”
When it comes to fuel consumption, trucks moving around sites, idling engines and inefficient hauling routes significantly increase costs and emissions. Topcon’s connective software solution Sitelink3D Haul Truck app offers real-time data on vehicle movements and material flow, helping to eradicate inefficiencies, cut costs and reduce environmental impact.
However, skilled operators are essential to achieving these improved efficiencies.
“With many experienced professionals retiring, a growing skills gap exists, especially in using complex machinery,” Townsend said. “Machine control solutions, like Topcon’s MC-X excavator machine control system, use automated guidance to assist less experienced operators in performing precision work. This is essential for boosting efficiencies and ensuring best practices.”
Safety is vital in an industry where precision is critical. Operators must ensure compliance with stringent regulations while meeting tight deadlines. Digital solutions that provide visibility across sites and monitor equipment performance help businesses stay ahead of regulatory requirements without compromising productivity.
“Technology is reshaping aggregates operations by addressing interconnected challenges – downtime, fuel inefficiency, communication barriers and safety – and this transformation is already happening on job sites,” Townsend said.
Navigating challenges requires cuttingedge solutions that streamline operations and maximise efficiency.
“Innovations include on-board weighing systems for excavators, front loaders and material handlers, like Topcon’s LX-100 and LM-100,” Townsend said. “These provide real-time load data to ensure accurate measurements and prevent overloading.
Topcon technology is being used at Minas de Ríotinto in Spain, one of Europe’s largest mining operations.
Image:
Topcon
“Beyond improving productivity, precision technology enhances safety. Real-time data helps reduce human error, prevent over-excavation and minimise unstable surfaces, creating a controlled, efficient work environment that reduces downtime and protects operators.”
Digital workflows and fleet management systems like Sitelink3D help to tie such technologies together. These systems integrate with global navigation satellite system (GNSS) machine control technology to improve the accuracy of digging operations, reduce rework and streamline material movement across the site.
This technology is already in action at Minas de Ríotinto in Spain, one of Europe’s largest and most historic mining operations.
“Automated construction technology has increased productivity by 30 per cent,” Townsend said. “Operators have optimised haulage routes using real-time data, reducing fuel consumption and improving site safety.
Rapid transportation of materials is key to increasing production, and hauling routes need to be as smooth as possible. Rough surfaces can lead to materials wearing out, increased maintenance costs, and potential safety risks for workers and operators.
“To level the grounds at Minas de Ríotinto, contractor Sanchez y Lago paired the Sitelink3D site management system with an MC-X excavator,” Townsend said.
“Since the track and surface designs are automatically imported and processed, operators don’t have to manually check the different layers with a level, keeping them safer within the cab, reducing wear and tear, and improving operations.”
Digital transformation with OUTSET
Interconnected data and cloud integration are revolutionising aggregates extraction.
Analytics driven by artificial intelligence (AI) allows machines to provide real-time operational insights, optimising efficiency and reducing costs.
The concept of a synchronised and interconnected quarry represents the future of the extraction sector. All vehicles – loaders, excavators, dumpers and trucks – work in synergy thanks to real-time data sharing. This enables better coordination of extraction, loading, and transport operations, optimises material distribution by reducing waiting times and energy consumption, ensures intelligent resource management, and improves productivity and operational sustainability.
Implementing these technologies brings economic benefits and lays the foundation for a more competitive, safe and efficient sector. OUTSET helps drive this transformation with systems that manage the entire production cycle. Real-time data connects operations, empowering informed decisions. Intuitive interfaces and comprehensive oversight optimise resources and safety.
The company projects itself towards the future, consolidating its global leadership.
With a strong presence in South America,
OUTSET’s T1 LOADER LFT is a new weighing system for wheeled loaders that is certified for third-party sales with MID OILM R51 certification.
Topcon’s LX-100 on-board weighing system.
and supported by a network of distributors, the company expands its influence in Europe and lays the foundations for significant growth in Southeast Asia and Oceania. It was with this spirit of leadership and innovation that OUTSET participated in bauma 2025 in Munich in April, presenting cutting-edge solutions to enhance efficiency and productivity for industry professionals. Some of the key innovations unveiled at bauma 2025 :
• T1 LOADER LFT – a new weighing system for wheeled loaders that is certified for third-party sales with MID OILM R51 certification, ensuring the highest levels of precision and reliability
• T1 DIGGER – an advanced technology for excavators, with the introduction of a system with four next-generation inclinometers, designed to precisely compensate and manage surface, excavator arms and bucket
• AI-powered algorithms – to accelerate weighing operations and compensate readings, even in adverse positions, ensuring accurate real-time data
• Next-generation wireless technology –when used with automotive long-range Bluetooth modules, this helps eliminate the need for complex wiring and improves system reliability
• Zero maintenance and ease of use – as a result of innovative diagnostic data analysis, OUTSET systems provide consistent performance without the need for frequent interventions
• Direct interconnection to the cloud and customers’ enterprise resource planning systems – a solution that eliminates the need for external hardware, ensuring seamless integration with workflows OUTSET has reaffirmed its commitment to innovation, offering increasingly intelligent and connected solutions designed to optimise operations and reduce costs. AB
Rising to the sustainable power challenge
Technical writer and power expert Steve Nendick examines how fleet managers can be empowered while meeting the sustainable off-highway machinery power challenge.
Fleet managers continue to juggle pressures to minimise costs while maximising productivity and returns for their businesses. They are also facing increased pressure from shareholders to be more sustainable and look towards a zero-carbon future.
Emissions regulations have been around for over 25 years, pushing the industry to invest in technology to reduce particulate and oxides of nitrogen emissions. The progression from EU Stage I to Stage V has brought these exhaust constituents to nearzero levels.
However, CO2 emissions have never been included in these regulations. It is expected that CO2 limits could be included in the potential Stage VI regulations, but these are not anticipated until the end of the decade.
So with no official push to move to lower carbon solutions, what should fleet managers do?
There are several options available that would result in minimal changes to current operating processes.
Machinery with the latest Stage V engines
Today’s products that meet EU Stage V emissions are light years ahead of their predecessors in technology and capability. Significant improvements can be made by replacing older machines with Stage V engine machines, which are cleaner, more efficient and more reliable.
The latest units are clean for urban sites with no visible smoke, helped by the latest exhaust aftertreatment technology. Engine noise is substantially reduced, while power density has increased, meaning smaller machines can potentially do the job of larger machines, positively impacting operating costs.
Improved fuel efficiency helps to not only reduce running costs, but also CO2 emissions too.
And longer service intervals reduce oil and filter usage, lowering maintenance costs and the environmental impact.
Renewable fuels across the fleet
Renewable fuels such as HVO100 –hydrotreated vegetable oil – can lower emissions by up to 90 per cent compared to diesel ‘from well-to-wheel’. For every 1000 litres of fuel, operators could save on average of over 2200kg of net CO2 from switching to HVO, which is fossil-free, sulphur-free and oxygen-free, and requires no engine modifications to use. As a cleaner-burning fuel, fewer filter changes are needed, lowering maintenance costs.
HVO100 can be supplied through the same infrastructure as conventional diesel. However, it does cost more to produce, given it is made from renewable sources such as vegetable oils or animal fats, which require more complex processing.
In Europe, this price difference is 10–15 per cent higher depending on the region. It is more prevalent in countries with a stronger renewable focus (eg Scandinavia, Netherlands).
While more expensive, the lower maintenance costs could offset the upfront cost, making it attractive for organisations looking to reduce their carbon footprint and emissions without investing in new vehicles or machinery.
Other renewable fuels, such as natural gas, could become a solution. To date, the additional installation costs and long payback
period have prevented any major industrial adoption of compressed natural gas (CNG) or liquified natural gas (LNG).
Manage fleets more proactively with available technology
Many of the latest electronic engines have features like stop–start or idle shut-off. Machines are often left idling for lengthy periods between jobs, and adopting these features saves fuel, protects the engine’s durability, and reduces site emissions and noise.
Many of the latest machines have integrated telematic systems, and retrofit options are available for those that don’t.
The latest fully electronic engines, equipped with an array of sensors that monitor and protect, are compatible with these solutions. They enable fleet managers to connect remotely and look after their valuable assets.
Using telematic systems does come at a cost to the business, from the initial installation, monthly subscription and software integration to the resource for monitoring the output.
However, return on investment can be justified in a number of ways:
• Data analysis helps to optimise operations, ensuring fleets match production needs and haul trucks are loaded with the correct payloads
• Reducing idle time cuts fuel consumption, cost and emissions
• Detecting potential service problems in advance reduces repair costs and unnecessary downtime
• Enabling predictive maintenance schedules allows for extended service intervals without affecting durability
• Technicians being able to arrive on-site with the correct parts and tools on the first trip improving service efficiency
• Overall equipment utilisation is enhanced by extending life and avoiding acquiring unnecessary machinery
Train the operators
Having trained people who can operate machinery at their optimal levels will maximise fuel efficiency and reduce potential damage to the unit. Inexperienced people are more likely to use machinery in such a way that increases fuel consumption, cost and emissions. Using telematics to gather data could help improve operator training. There will come a time when low- and zero-carbon solutions will become more
prevalent in the market, but this will take some time. Until that time, fleet managers have several options available to them to improve the sustainability of their operations without affecting productivity.
Currently, no solution can match clean diesel’s flexibility and range capability so it will likely remain the power of choice for the foreseeable. It will take time, patience and investment, but, low- and zero-carbon power will eventually grow its share in industrial fleets.
So what does the future look like? What will be the most appropriate power source for quarries and construction site machines?
The main zero-carbon fuel choices are battery electric or hydrogen, provided the hydrogen is produced using clean energy. Which is the most suitable, and why?
Battery-electric
Electric industrial equipment will deliver zero emissions with substantially reduced noise pollution for quarries and construction sites. If you include electricity-generated emissions to power electric vehicles (EVs), they will still have a significantly smaller lifetime carbon footprint than today’s machines. For companies that value sustainability, the environmental benefits could justify the higher initial investment, provided the charging infrastructure aligns with the operational needs.
Diesel-powered machinery is traditionally less expensive to purchase upfront compared with battery-electric power. Due to the battery technology installed, the cost of electric equipment can be 20–40 per cent higher than diesel, depending on the type and size of the machine.
While electric equipment has a higher initial cost, the total cost of ownership over several years can be lower than diesel, thanks to reduced fuel and maintenance costs. The break-even period depends on the machine’s usage but typically ranges from
three–five years for highutilisation equipment.
is generally less expensive than diesel fuel, providing potential savings of up to 50–75 per cent in fuel costs over the machinery’s life. So an electric excavator's fuel cost per hour can be significantly lower than a diesel equivalent.
Electric machines have fewer moving parts, so they should in turn require less maintenance. For example, items such as oil changes and fuel filters should not be required, potentially reducing service costs by 25–50 per cnt compared to traditional machines.
The range of battery-electric machines
designs is also a challenge for manufacturers when considering weight, mobility and sightlines. This technology seems more suited to smaller, more compact machinery particularly operating in urban areas.
Operationally, the balance between charging infrastructure, machine range, and charging speed needs to be calculated carefully. Site location, access to the grid and required charging capacity are critical to success.
Renewable power generated from solar or wind could enable machines to charge
Quarries provide key building materials.
Cummins’ B6.7H hydrogen engine.
Image: Cummins
independently from the grid, perhaps to reduce the draw from the grid during peak periods. Portable battery-changing systems coupled with charging during scheduled downtime would further extend the operating range of electric machines.
Hydrogen fuel
Combustion engines and fuel cells are two ways to use hydrogen as a fuel for construction and quarrying equipment.
Combustion engines
Hydrogen combustion engines are updated versions of today’s internal combustion engines, which burn hydrogen instead of diesel. They function similarly to a conventional diesel but are spark-ignited rather than compression-ignited. Their combustion process has no carbon emissions, only water vapour and minimal oxides of nitrogen emissions due to high combustion temperatures. Aftertreatment systems can be used to manage these oxides of nitrogen emissions. The real advantage of using hydrogen combustion engines is that they can deliver similar levels of power and torque to diesel but have zero carbon emissions using green hydrogen. This makes them suitable for heavy-duty applications like construction and quarrying, where highpower output is essential.
In addition, the fact their design is so similar close to traditional engines means they fit in the same machine installations and be maintained by the same service networks and technicians.
Hydrogen combustion engines are also less expensive to produce and install than fuel cells, as they can be adapted from existing engine technology, making them a simpler and more affordable option for companies transitioning from diesel.
Fuel cells
Fuel cells convert hydrogen into electricity through an electrochemical reaction.
This electricity goes into a battery that powers electric motors, which move the machine. They operate as a hybrid system, using the batteries for instant torque and peak power demands.
With only water and heat as byproducts, fuel cells are cleaner and more efficient than combustion engines, with 40–60 per cent efficiency rates.
Fuel cells make better use of each hydrogen unit, lowering fuel consumption and total operating costs.
Fuel cells have fewer moving parts, although they do need componentry for controls, air handling, and cooling systems as a package.
From a maintenance perspective, fuel cells have membranes that will degrade over time and need to be replaced. The harder the cells work, the more rapid the degradation of the membranes. They are also susceptible to damage from dust and vibration.
Fuel cells are currently more expensive than hydrogen combustion due to their complex technology and limited production numbers. However, costs are expected to decrease over time as production scales up and the technology becomes more mainstream.
Fuel cells and hydrogen combustion engines benefit from fast refuelling times compared to diesel. This is a significant advantage over battery-electric machines.
Hydrogen management
Like battery-electric, infrastructure investment is required to keep the fleet fuelled. Hydrogen delivery, storage and handling on-site need to be managed safely and efficiently. This means being located close to a hydrogen hub would be advantageous. Centralised hubs close to production sites are being set up to minimise transportation needs, reduce costs and minimise safety risks.
Hydrogen is not an easy fuel to manage. It needs to be stored in tanks as a compressed gas under high pressure, and the pressure
and temperature need to be closely monitored. Staff members overseeing the hydrogen need specific training on its unique properties and emergency protocols to manage leaks and fires.
The small size of hydrogen molecules also means they can easily leak, forming potentially explosive mixtures in the air. Since hydrogen has no smell or colour, specialised sensor equipment is needed to detect leaks. Adequate ventilation is required in facilities to help disperse any leaks and prevent dangerous gas buildup.
Hydrogen will also impact certain metals, making them brittle, so pipes and containers need to be specified with this in mind.
Any business’s chosen carbon-reduction solution is likely to be defined by connecting to the most appropriate, cost-effective and accessible infrastructure. Electric and hydrogen supply create challenges that must be safely and efficiently managed to maximise productivity and environmental benefits.
In the case of machines, battery-electric power is better suited to smaller, more compact machinery with lower duty cycles, especially for construction in urban sites.
Hydrogen combustion engines are better suited to heavy-duty quarrying machinery, where strong power and torque are needed. The remote nature of quarry operations means they are beneficial where operators and their maintenance staff are already familiar with traditional engine servicing and maintenance.
Hydrogen fuel cells are more suitable for applications where zero emissions and lower noise are prioritised, and noise and vibration can be minimised, such as enclosed areas and environmentally sensitive locations with tighter emissions and noise restrictions.
Due to the focus of major cities on delivering air quality improvements through zero-emissions vehicles, we will likely see these solutions implemented in on-road applications before volume off-road use. AB
Biofuels like biodiesel are growing in demand.
Image:
Jammy Jean/stock.adobe.com
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