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Due aggregate gains in the corridors of power
Looking around a packed room full of quarrying professionals from large and small to medium-sized (SME) mineral product producers brought a smile to my face. No, it was not an industry event from pre-COVID times but a scene from the recent British Aggregates Association annual general meeting (AGM) held at The Palace Hotel in Buxton, Derbyshire, central England.
What also lifted my spirits during the AGM was a speech by Robert Largan, Conservative MP for High Peak, who acknowledged the critical importance of the UK aggregates industry to the British Government’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Looking around a packed room full of quarrying professionals brought a smile to my face”
“Nationally, the aggregates industry generates billions of pounds and employs thousands and thousands of people, both directly and indirectly. It is playing an essential role in how we recover and build back from an incredibly difficult last 18 months, including in the delivery of the government’s vital building and infrastructure agenda. The country needs to build, and I thank you so much for what you are doing.”
Largan rightly faced some tough questions from BAA AGM attendees. BAA executive officer Richard Bird spoke of widespread anger over the planned end of the tax rebate for off-highway machinery users’ use of red diesel, while also questioning why the aggregates industry was being hit with more environmentrelated tax than other industries.
From April 2022, red diesel will be available only to the agriculture and rail
sectors. As a result, users of off-highway construction machinery will have to pay an extra 46.81p per litre for their diesel, paying the standard tax rate of 57.95p per litre rather than the subsidised red diesel rate of 11.4p per litre. Quarry firms say this will notably increase their operating costs.
Responding to Bird, Largan said: “I hear what you are saying. One of the biggest frustrations is that it feels like there isn’t a level playing field. We govern by consent, and the government needs to treat people as adults. You have to be upfront with people as to why things are happening.”
Elsewhere, it was also encouraging to hear Simon Gallagher, director of planning for the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, pay tribute to the contributions of both RTPI (Royal Town Planning Institute) and the MPA (Mineral Products Association) to the ongoing discussions around UK planning reform.
Responding to concerns that the planning reform proposals had focused on housing, he urged delegates at the 2021 RTPI/MPA Mineral Planning Conference to “Keep calm, keep on and keep engaging”, providing reassurance that any reform of the wider planning system would need to account for minerals while reiterating that minerals formed a key part of the framework of planning.
What also stood out for me since the last issue of this magazine, was new UEPG (European Aggregates Association) president Antonis Latouros using his inaugural presidential speech at the UEPG Delegates Assembly in Kiel, north Germany, to stress how his three-year term as president would reflect that the European aggregates industry mostly consists of SMEs and make sure that everyone feels “her or his voice is heard”.
I discuss this welcome SME focus and many other key issues facing the European aggregates industry with Latouros, head of the Latouros Group, Cyprus’s biggest quarrying group, in this edition’s exclusive four-page interview feature. GW
IQ RELOCATES TO NEW HOME IN DERBYSHIRE DALES
The UK Institute of Quarrying (IQ) has joined with the trustees of the National Stone Centre near Wirksworth in the Derbyshire Dales, to open a centre of excellence which will also become its new headquarters.
The IQ says the new centre will be “a world-class visitor experience and an internationally significant centre of excellence” for the quarrying and mineral products industry.
The National Stone Centre officially opened in 1990 with the aim of inspiring people to engage with the industry itself and the origin and history of stone. It is set within six former limestone quarries on a 40acre site of special scientific interest (SSSI).
Now the IQ says it will provide the resources and capability required to further develop the National Stone Centre (NSC) as a compelling visitor destination. In addition, the site will become the new home of IQ, which is relocating from its current offices in Chilwell, Nottingham.
IQ president Martin Riley comments: “As a membership organisation, IQ remains focused on supporting and developing professionals in the industry. Moving to the NSC will put us in the heart of Derbyshire, where quarrying has a rich heritage and generates £2.1bn gross value added (GVA) per year to the national economy.
“Relocating our offices to the NSC means we will be able to visibly demonstrate the compelling story of the industry; how it has evolved through its history to the high standards it operates to today and the valuable contribution it makes for local communities and the environment.”
Ritchie Bros. to buy Euro Auctions
In a major move in the global plant and machinery auctions sector, off-highway equipment auctioneer Ritchie Bros. has entered into an agreement to acquire Euro Auctions group for an enterprise value of £775mn (US$1.08bn).
Founded in 1998, Euro Auctions has its head office at Dromore in County Tyrone, Northern Ireland. It conducts unreserved heavyequipment auctions with onsite and online bidding under the brands Euro Auctions and Yoder & Frey, with 200+ employees in 14 countries.
In 2020 Euro Auctions conducted 60 auctions, selling close to 90,000 items for over £484m across its nine locations in the United Kingdom, Northern Ireland, Germany, Spain, the United Arab Emirates, Australia, and the United States. Similar to Ritchie Bros., Euro Auctions also sells items through a timed auction format and a daily
marketplace with Buy Now and Make Offer options.
“Ritchie Bros. and Euro Auctions are an ideal fit with a united goal to make asset insights, service offerings and disposition solutions easier than ever,” said Ritchie Bros. CEO Ann Fandozzi. “Euro Auctions has
an incredibly talented team, with expertise in asset sourcing, auction operations, sales, and customer service. Their ‘can do’ attitude and entrepreneurial spirit combined with technology has helped them adapt and grow, in much the same way as we have.”
Metso Outotec reports increased H1 orders
Finnish quarrying and mining equipment group Metso Outotec says that orders received increased by 21% in the first six months of 2021 to €2,462mn (from €2,037mn in H1 2020).
First half (H1) sales totalled €1,935mn, slightly down from €1,963m in January to June 2020, while operating profit was €188mn,
Outotec president and CEO
was strong in all our segments and translated into an order growth of 43% in the second quarter.”
Vauramo added that the aggregates business has enjoyed a robust recovery of infrastructure investments in Europe and in the US, and quarterly orders were higher than in the first quarter.
The minerals and metals segments had a steady flow of small and mid-size orders, and in addition, received a few larger orders.
“Importantly, we have won many of these orders thanks to our Planet Positive portfolio, which is designed to help our customers to improve the sustainability and productivity of their operations,” said Vauramo.
“The pandemic continues to limit the opportunities in the services business, as restrictions to site access are in place in some markets. On the other hand, in those markets, where the situation has eased, activity related to on-site service work is increasing.” or 9.7% of sales (€158mn or 8% in H1 2020).
Metso Outotec president and CEO Pekka Vauramo commented: “During the second quarter, we saw continued positive market development as well as good progress in our integration and sustainability actions. Market activity, which started to improve in late 2020,
Ritchie Bros. says the acquisition will expand its capabilities in new channels, sectors, regions and customer segments
Metso
Pekka Vauramo says the rapid economic recovery has put pressure on global supply chains and logistics
Antonis Latouros, head of the Latouros Group, Cyprus’s biggest quarrying group, is the new UEPG (European Aggregates Association) president, with his three-year term having commenced in June 2021. He spoke to
Guy Woodford about his own and the influential association’s big goals and objectives
Antonis Latouros is a high achiever. UEPG’s new president, who is also president of the Cyprus Aggregates Producers Association (CAPA), has built his hugely successful quarrying enterprise, the Latouros Group, into a business selling around 1.75 million tonnes of sand/aggregates and gypsum products produced each year at the group’s four quarries – generating around €15 million in annual sales revenue.
Having served for three years as UEPG 1st vice president under Thilo Juchem, a German national, who completed his threeyear UEPG presidential term in June, Latouros has a clear vision of what he wants to bring to the coveted top role, and how he will lead from the front in delivering the association’s recently agreed 2021-2024 objectives.
“We will be strengthening full UEPG membership and enlarging the affiliated membership to ensure a solid industry representation and a sound and stable financial framework which will allow us to increase our Brussels-based General Secretariat,” says Latouros. “For me, it is all about teamwork, and we need and must insist on having a bigger UEPG team. It is very important that our members are fully informed about the work we are doing, lobbying EU policymakers on their behalf.
“We will also be fully using modern communication, including social media, to stress the importance of aggregates for economic growth and daily life. We cannot live without aggregates, and people need to appreciate this.”
Latouros used his presidential inauguration speech at the UEPG Delegates Assembly held on Friday 18 June in Kiel, northern Germany, to stress that his three-year term as president would reflect that the European aggregates industry mostly consists of SMEs (small & medium-sized enterprises) and would make sure that everyone feels “her or his voice is heard”.
Latouros says eight key objectives agreed by the UEPG governing board during a COVID19-necessitated virtual meeting in April this year are featured in the association’s new three-year business plan. The UEPG will look to ensure the highest standards for healthy, safe and pandemic-resilient workplaces in the industry; promote compatibility/ co-existence of responsible aggregates extraction and environmental protection/ management; demonstrate the low-carbon footprint of the industry and its contribution to climate-change mitigation and adaptation; and contribute to the EU circular economy through progress on raw materials efficiency and recycling.
“Since the first wave of the pandemic and linked lockdowns, aggregates markets are getting back to normality”
UEPG, which draws its members from 26 countries, will also look to ensure quality through improvement of technical standards; develop skills and better job opportunities in sustainable extraction, biodiversity and restoration landscaping; promote better implementation and regulatory enforcement of existing EU legislation; and foster cooperation with other industry sectors, NGOs (non-governmental organisations) and stakeholders through co-funded projects.
Latouros stresses the robust nature of the European aggregates industry has been demonstrated by the modest COVID-19 lockdown-induced 3% drop in aggregates production in 2020, compared to 2019’s 4.2 billion-tonnes aggregates output of the EU27, UK, EFTA (European Free Trade Association – Iceland, Lichtenstein, Norway and Switzerland), plus Russia, Ukraine, Belarus, Moldova, Turkey, Israel and the Balkans.
UEPG has, notes Latouros, issued a health and safety guidance document on COVID-19 management to help the European aggregates industry to effectively tackle challenges related to the running of aggregates extraction sites during the continuing pandemic.
Antonis Latouros speaking at the 2019 UEPG Sustainable Development Awards in Brussels
Antonis Latouros with some of his Latouros Group team on a group quarry site
“Since the first wave of the pandemic and linked lockdowns, aggregates markets are getting back to normality. I believe that 2021 will cover whatever loss we had in 2020, compared to 2019,” says Latouros, optimistically.
Latouros’s natural charm, straighttalking approach to business, and deep understanding of geology and commercial aggregates production, make him an ideal UEPG president. His career in the aggregates industry began in the early 1990s when he joined his father, Costas, who was running a then small quarry. Fast-forward to the present day and the Latouros Group (LG) is a big independent player in the southern Europe aggregates market. It includes Latomia Latouros, which operates Latouros Group’s flagship calcareous limestone-based sand quarry in Dali, located just under 20kms south-east of Cyprus’s capital, Nicosia. The group also operates another calcareous limestone-based sand quarry, Elmeni (Latomia), less than two kilometres from the Dali site.
Latomio Pyrgon produces diabase rock sand/aggregates of various sizes at Pyrga village. Latouros Gypsum is LG’s gypsum quarry business, with its admirable 95% purity gypsum exported via Larnaca port to customers in countries including Lebanon and Israel. A fourth firm, Recycling Point –Latouros & Xenis Bros, is a construction and demolition (C&D) waste recycling business, 51% owned by LG.
LG also has a 30% stake in Veltia Cyprus – Labs for Life, a holistic chemical laboratory. Veltia is a member of the Tentamus Group – an international network of 75 labs with headquarters in Berlin, Germany.
With the presidency demanding a lot of his time, 51-year-old Latouros can count on the support of his daughter, Maria, an industrial engineer with a Master’s in Management,
who is a member of LG’s executive committee. Kyriakos Constantinou, fiancé of another of Latouros’s three daughters, Stavroulla, and a civil engineer with a Master’s in Project Management, is also on the group’s executive committee. Constantina, Latouros’s youngest daughter, is an undergraduate at King’s College, London. She plans to take up a role within LG following her studies.
“I have started planning and preparing the generation succession in my group, with the executive committee running the whole business. The executive committee is acting as a CEO of the group. As well as myself, Maria and Kyriacos, Christos Zapitis, a mathematician and chartered accountant with great experience in business development and financials, is also on the committee. Creating this committee is already freeing me up to fully focus on my new duties as UEPG president.”
Latouros also praised the understanding and support of his wife, Eleni, as his UEPG presidential work will require him to be away from home more often as he travels to Brussels and other parts of Europe on association business.
Commenting on what it means to him to become president of such a critical industry association, the first Cypriot national to hold the role, Latouros says: “It is a very big honour for me personally and for Cyprus and the Cypriot aggregates industry. I think that my UEPG presidency shows that the association is as much about representing
quarry operators in smaller countries as it is those in larger ones.
“Being part of the UEPG is like being part of a very big family, a very big school – given there are 26,000 aggregates production sites in Europe. You see very good examples of working practices in many countries, and I think in Cyprus we have much to show that can set an example to other countries.”
During his time as UEPG 1st vice president, Latouros represented the UEPG in Geneva, Switzerland, at the May 2019 launch of the United Nations’ (UN) report on sand scarcity. At the 6th China International Aggregates Conference in Wuxi in December 2019, Latouros also gave a presentation on the new challenges facing the European aggregates industry and the need for the industry to work closely with European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen and her team.
“Climate change is a big issue for the European Commission and for the European aggregates industry. In UEPG, we want to communicate that we are part of the solution to this problem, not a cause of it. Aggregate production generates very low CO2 emissions, and the industry is one step ahead regarding the environment and the quality of our operations.
“It was commented on in the UN report on sand scarcity that the work UEPG members are doing is a very good example for other world region quarry operators to follow.”
Latouros is also keen for the UEPG
Antonis Latouros inspects a piece of calcareous limestone at one of his group’s quarries
to address significant differences across Europe in how quarry operating licences are issued, by initially identifying and then recommending best practice in this area. “It’s a big issue for everybody,” he stresses.
And how does Latouros see the European aggregates industry’s long-term future? “Humanity will never stop needing aggregates. Because recycled aggregates can, in my view, make up a maximum of just 15% of total aggregates demand, there will always be a strong demand for primary aggregates. I think European quarries in ten years will be zero-carbon emission sites. The electrification
of quarry machines will be very common. Quarry-site health and safety will also be even better in a decade. It is and will remain a key part of UEPG’s work.”
Welcoming Latouros’s appointment as UEPG president, Dirk Fincke, secretary general of UEPG, said: “Antonis is an excellent networker as he impressively demonstrated in Cyprus with his appearance on national TV and in the press [to promote the new UEPG presidency and 2021-2024 business plan] and in meetings at the highest political level. He will extend his EU network in Brussels and attend regular meetings with EU Institutions.
LEFT: Antonis Latouros in conversation with his daughter, Maria, and Kyriakos Constantinou
BELOW: Antonis Latouros says he will use his UEPG presidency to stress the critical importance of SMEs to the European aggregates industry
He is keen to progress on key EU policies and to show that entrepreneurs from smaller countries and smaller associations have no reason to believe that their voice in Brussels will not be heard.”
Thilo Juchem served as UEPG president in the three years to June 2021. A board member of MIRO, the Germany Aggregates Federation, Juchem is manager and liable partner of the Niederwörresbach, Rhineland-Palatinatebased Juchem Gruppe, a longstanding, medium-sized, family-owned company, whose activities cover quarrying, asphalt mixing and road construction.
After congratulating his UEPG presidential successor, Juchem spoke at the recent UEPG Delegates Assembly about the exceptional circumstances that had been the backdrop to the second half of his presidency. He stressed that the COVID-19 pandemic had proven the resilience of the world’s largest non-energy extractive industry and the flexibility of both UEPG’s Brussels-based team and every association member.
Latouros will draw inspiration from these resilient and flexible qualities as he and his soon-to-be-enlarged Brussels-based UEPG team get to work on delivering the association’s rightly ambitious 2021-2024 business plan. AB
“Quarry-site health and safety will also be even better in a decade. It is and will remain a key part of UEPG’s work”
Weir Minerals says crushing and screening equipment is ‘mission critical’ to quarries, and failure can cause an entire site to shut down
Targeting a successful wear strategy
The availability of high-quality wear parts can mean the difference between success and failure in the operation of crushing and screening equipment. The sector is seeing a lot of recent activity with a major acquisition and new equipment launches. Liam McLoughlin reports
The servicing and spares strategy for crushing and screening equipment is critical in terms of its success and reliability. Crushers are designed to ingest and break some of the most abrasive materials on earth – to the detriment of their internal wear parts. Engineered to operate on the front line, they perform within some of the harshest environments.
“When we sell processing equipment to mines and quarries, we often find it is classified as ‘mission-critical’ – meaning the failure of this machine can stop the production of the entire site,” says Scott Campbell, comminution sales manager, UK at Weir Minerals.
He adds that the availability of highquality wear parts can be the difference between the success and failure of an entire project. Campbell highlights some key points for consideration when designing a spares and wears strategy.
Firstly, the combination of materials used in crushing parts plays a critical role in their success or failure when installed.
Manganese is a favoured alloy for those operating cone and jaw crushers due to the material’s work-hardening properties. As rocks meet the outer layer of the manganese its exterior toughens, while its interior remains soft. This combination of toughening exterior and flexible interior means the part is harder to wear down during typical operations and can navigate higher impact blows.
The second point Campbell highlights is that the shape of the jaw crusher wear parts often determines if the jaw die will experience equal or unequal wear throughout
the plate, impacting the overall efficiency of the crusher.
The mould, which also includes the tooth profile, must be designed for the application and the material that is being crushed.
The tooth pattern must be designed to properly grip the chosen feed, enabling the crusher to process the material as efficiently as possible. This is a fine balance as the die must offer enough wear material to ensure the maximum life of the part, while keeping weight to a minimum and safeguarding against excessive wear material, which reduces the overall capacity or closed side setting of the crusher.
The shape of the valleys between each tooth must be carefully considered. If the shape is not suited to the application, rocks can become lodged, clogging the die and putting the crusher under undue stress during operation.
In addition to evaluating the customer’s application, the team at Weir Minerals and ESCO can examine their worn parts and recommend different jaw features and customisations which could increase wearlife, boost production, ensure even wear or alter the product size. These wear parts will be designed using the old part’s successes and failures and be made specifically for the customer.
The third point Campbell sets out is unlocking the crusher’s capabilities.
“Customers are often surprised when they find their crusher has untapped potential,” he says. “Take the Weir Trio TV series vertical shaft impact crusher (VSI) for instance - a popular crusher when creating manufactured sand.
“The VSI is fed from the top, and the material is guided into a high-speed rotor. It is then accelerated, application-dependent to 45-75m/s, and discharged into an ‘impact zone’. In here it is broken along its natural fracture lines as it comes into contact with other feed material rebounding from the walls of the chamber or anvils installed inside the crusher.”
Campbell says that customers of the Trio TV series are always surprised during discussions regarding the product’s flexibility. By simply switching the wear-part combinations, he says this crusher can easily interchange between three different crushing chamber configurations:
• Steel on Steel (SOS) effective when crushing larger non-abrasive materials, in secondary and tertiary crushing applications.
• Rock on Rock (ROR) useful when crushing abrasive materials, in tertiary and quaternary applications where additional fines are desired.
• Rock on Steel (ROS) configurations are recommended when crushing low abrasive materials, in tertiary and quaternary applications where a higher rotor speed is necessary to produce additional fines.
“Speak with your original equipment manufacturer and better understand the capabilities of your product,” says Campbell. “Often by switching configurations, existing equipment can be repurposed to offer a pathway to creating a completely new income stream for your site.”
The fourth factor is time, which Campbell says is the easiest factor to understand and the one which most struggle to optimise.
“At Weir Minerals we’ve noticed an increasing trend where some cone crusher operators choose to replace mantle and cone liners at different times – often because one is wearing faster than the other,” he says. “We realise that operators must ensure they are using each part to its full potential, however our recommendation is simple; work with your supplier to re-evaluate your process and identify parts which wear at the same rate –or find someone who can.”
Mantle and cone liners must be changed at the same time – Campbell says it is the only way to ensure the parts match upon commissioning and reduce the risk of part failure, while keeping servicing stoppages to a minimum.
The successful timing of servicing windows is crucial. “Think about a Formula One race team for example, strategising their tyre and fuel stops – too early and you have not maximised your part’s potential, too late and you put your equipment at risk,” says Campbell.
He adds that it is very important to understand the limitations of the part while monitoring wear rates. Operators should work with their supplier, take the time to understand all factors at play and reap the rewards when they are able to fully optimise their maintenance schedule.
Scott says that the final factor is to partner with a company you can count on.
“At Weir Minerals we realise that maintaining the reliability of operations is of key importance to our customers,” he says. “All Weir Minerals equipment is fully supported by our unmatched global service centre network – operating in 70+ countries around the world.”
In an interesting crushing and screening market development, Terex Materials Processing (MP) has acquired fellow Irish company MDS International (MDS), a manufacturer of heavy-duty and recycling trommels, apron feeders and conveyor systems, based in Co. Monaghan.
and developing engineering solutions for industry.
Materials processing equipment company Terex MP says that, over the past 25 years, MDS has built a highly skilled work force along with global distribution partners, and has a valued reputation for innovation, offering bespoke solutions to serve client needs with equipment that can withstand the harshest of environments.
The acquisition, details of which have not been disclosed, supports Terex MP’s growth strategy to expand its offering in the crushing and screening and environmental industries, with products that complement the existing portfolio.
Terex MP says that MDS produces heavy-duty trommels that will enable it to expand into areas it does not currently serve. Terex MP adds that it expects strong commercial synergies from the deal, as
several of its distributors already carry the MDS line, while others will be new to Terex, offering the potential to develop new channel partner relationships.
MDS’ 34,000 square foot facility will be the first Terex location in the Republic of Ireland, which the company says diversifies its footprint and provides access to a new labour pool.
The facility is within a short driving distance of the Terex Dungannon and Omagh sites, providing ready access to Terex MP’s Northern Irish team and enabling close coordination with the resources at these facilities.
The MDS facility and its team members will be led by Conor Hegarty, general manager and business line director. Previously, Hegarty was international sales director for Terex Ecotec.
Terex MP says his commercial background and product knowledge will be a huge asset as he takes leadership responsibility for MDS.
MDS will remain a standalone brand along with Terex MP’s crushing and screening businesses including Powerscreen, Terex Finlay and EvoQuip.
Terex MP says it will build on the momentum of MDS International’s longstanding reputation, continuing to develop the brand, its product portfolio and its distribution channels.
Pat Brian, vice president, mobile crushing and screening at Terex MP, commented: “The addition of MDS to our portfolio of businesses will bolster our growth and improve our product offering. The business has been well managed, is on a terrific growth trajectory, and its heavy-duty trommels address a gap in our own product lines while also having a lot of synergy with what we already manufacture and distribute.”
Liam Murray, co-founder of MDS International, said: “MDS will now have the global resources of Terex to develop and grow it to new levels; I feel this is the right move for our business and team. This sale will also bring new levels of support to customers and dealers worldwide.”
The September-October 2021 issues of Aggregates Business Europe/International will include an in-depth interview with Conor Hegarty.
Liam Murray and Conor Hegarty of MDS International, which has been acquired by Terex Materials Processing
The MDS M515 heavy-duty rock trommel
Komatsu Europe’s new BR380JG-3 mobile jaw crusher is powered by a Komatsu EU Stage V emissions-compliant diesel engine. Furthermore, to meet Komatsu’s commitment to a cleaner environment and increasing demands from customers to reduce CO2 emissions, the BR380JG-3 comes with an innovative CO2 offsetting scheme applied to every plant sold in Europe.
“The new BR380JG-3 is Komatsu’s first diesel-powered machine in Europe with net-zero CO2 emissions,” says Vince Porteous, product manager at Komatsu Europe. “Komatsu believes that solving environmental, social and governance (ESG) issues are key to the future. By combining Komatsu technology with the assistance of biology, we, as a manufacturer of construction and mining equipment and as a member of society, can deliver on our commitment to our customers and to the planet.”
The BR380JG-3’s operating weight ranges from 33.5 to 35.31 tonnes, with the plant’s maximum crushing capacity of 240 tonnes per hour. The fuel-efficient EU Stage V Komatsu engine has a power output of 159kW @ 2050rpm.
The latest Komtrax telematics, and the Komatsu Care maintenance programme for customers, offer top fleet management and support, protect the machine against misuse and guarantee maximum efficiency and uptime.
Building on the reputation of the BR380JG-1, the net-zero C02 emissions BR380JG-3 incorporates a new two-axis type deck vibrator, which enables a smooth continuous flow of material to the highly efficient two-stage grizzly separator bars.
The semi-automatic feeding system incorporates crusher overload detection and automatic feed control to enable consistent and efficient production.
The machine has a 1,065mm x 550m jaw opening with tapered side plates. The automatic jaw setting feature is user-friendly and makes it easy for a customer to crush at a high volume to the desired discharge material size.
With its generous crushing capacity and 1,050mm-wide main conveyor with a top speed of 120m/min, an up to 37-tonne
The BR380JG-3 also has the option of a side muck conveyor and magnetic separator, which provide additional versatility.
An easy one-touch start-and-stop function makes it quick and simple to operate the machine. The addition of the standard radio remote control allows operators to multitask and increase their efficiency.
The high-resolution monitor panel, available in 27 languages, provides realtime machine condition information, fuel consumption information and ECO guidance.
The BR380JG-3’s enhanced safety features include a foldable ground-level maintenance access step, allowing safe, easy access while retaining a transport width of 2,870mm. The machine also provides new guardrails and safety harness anchor points.
The machine incorporates Komatsu’s telematics system Komtrax, which provides machine performance reports, and engine after-treatment system health and maintenance reports, all provided through 4G mobile communication.
With its new mobile cone crusher MOBICONE MCO 90(i) EVO2, Kleemann says it has created the perfect supplement to the jaw crushing plant MOBICAT MC 110(i) EVO2. The innovative cone crusher is designed to provide high economy, intelligent control engineering and top product quality. Kleemann says the robust MOBICONE MCO 90(i) EVO2 offers quarrying and contracting companies decisive quality advantages on a typical workday.
“During daily work in medium-hard to hard stone – mainly in the 2nd or 3rd crushing stage – cone crushers often work close to their load limits,” the manufacturer states. “With a maximum feed capacity of up to 270 t/h, the new cone crusher MCO 90(i) EVO2 demonstrates its strengths and guarantees more operational reliability and high plant availability.”
Kleemann adds that simple transportability with frequently changing job sites and the wide application range also provide convincing arguments for using the MOBICONE MCO 90(i) EVO2.
The operation of crushing plants is becoming more and more sophisticated, according to Kleemann. Therefore, for its brand-new crushing plants in the EVO2 generation, the manufacturer developed an intelligent control concept that is designed to considerably simplify operation.
The SPECTIVE operating concept has an intuitive structure and is claimed to revolutionise plant operation with its extensive features. The 12” touch panel has been optimised with regard to user guidance and visualisation. In addition, new components such as a large and small radio remote control have been integrated into the SPECTIVE offering. The new digital solution SPECTIVE CONNECT sends all important plant data to the smartphone. Kleemann says this means less downtime, higher productivity and more revenue.
The MOBICONE MCO 90(i) EVO2 is designed for a high crushing capacity. With its crushing tools, the cone crusher covers a wide gap range of 6-45mm, allowing it to be used flexibly. The improved crushing tools with geometries optimised for the respective application, contribute both to the material quality as well as the plant output. All crushing gap widths are set conveniently via the radio remote control, and this does not require further conversion work. AB
Komatsu Europe’s new BR380JG-3 mobile jaw crusher
The new Kleemann MOBICONE MCO 90(i) EVO2 mobile cone crusher
Eight decades of hauling heritage. One new name. Carved by generations of experience, with investment as a Volvo Group brand, our haulers are built to perform. Day after day. Decade after decade. Through desert heat and artic chills. Rokbak – the new name for rock-solid articulated haulers.
The introduction of Volvo L180H wheeled loaders at Daeil Development has led to better-than-expected improvements in fuel efficiency
Excavators provide boost to quarry uptime
New state-of-the-art loading equipment is increasing productivity and cost-effectiveness at quarries in both Europe and the Asia-Pacific. Liam McLoughlin reports
Afleet of wheeled loaders and excavators is helping a Korean aggregates producer cut down on its fuel consumption while keeping pace with the ever-growing aggregates demand. The fleet of Volvo CE equipment – which includes a new EC550E crawler excavator in addition to articulated haulers – has been deployed by Daeil Development, which operates three quarries in Iksan, North Jeolla Province.
Iksan’s location in the fertile plains between the Geumgang and Mangyeonggang rivers has long made it a centre of agricultural and religious significance. Now the city of 300,000 people is undergoing rapid transformation into a national transport, industrial and cultural hub.
Large-scale construction and infrastructure projects are being implemented one after the other, especially around the Saemangum National Industrial Complex, which at 409km2 is the world’s largest reclamation site. Demand for aggregates and building materials is booming and has seen Daeil Development grow along with the city.
Established in 1983, Daeil Development’s three quarries generate up to a million cubic metres of aggregate per year. To meet these production targets, the company requires high uptime from its equipment – a combination of durable design, simple
maintenance requirements and reliable aftermarket support. Fuel-efficiency as well as the safety and comfort of operators are also important considerations.
In addition to various large crushers and conveyors, the company employs a fleet of 16 Volvo machines, comprising 11 excavators of various sizes, three L180H wheeled loaders and two A25D articulated haulers. Its most recent acquisition was a Volvo EC550E excavator.
“The impact of introducing a Volvo EC480E excavator and L180H wheeled loaders to our site has been even better than expected and we now achieve much higher fuel efficiency than with the equipment we had before,” said Pyeong-sik Kim, CEO of Daeil Development. “I am also very pleased with the productivity and cost-effectiveness of our Volvo machines.”
He added that, due to the EC550E excavator’s ability to handle several tasks at once, the company expects its cycle times to reduce and its productivity to increase significantly.
Volvo CE says the EC550E excavator’s new IMVT hydraulic control system is perfectly matched to the low-RPM engine, which makes it possible to perform the work of a 60-tonne super excavator with low fuel consumption. Meanwhile, the low centre of gravity and HD counterweight maintain stability on tough terrain. The CDC (comfort driving control) enables the operator to control machine movements with a simple joystick, and a FOG (falling object guard) for protecting the front and top of the cab from falling objects is installed as standard to enhance convenience and stability during operation.
The EC550E is also equipped with Volvo CareTrack telematics to enable real-time machine management at Daeil Development sites. This connectivity supports Daeil Development to leverage data insights for high efficiency, productivity and stable work patterns among its fleet.
A new Doosan DX350LC-7 excavator has increased fuel efficiency at the Czech Ruprechtice quarry
In the Czech Republic, a new Doosan DX350LC-7 Stage V-compliant excavator has added increased power and fuel efficiency for working with heavy blocks of granite at the Ruprechtice quarry.
The quarry is one of several northern Bohemia quarries owned and operated by Ligranit, using state-of-the-art equipment like the DX350LC-7 in tough conditions. The new excavator was supplied by Garnea, Doosan’s authorised Czech dealer.
Dating back to 1910, Ruprechtice quarry was owned for many years by the famous stonemason, Josef Lange, and by the Liebig family. It subsequently became the property of the state until 1992, when it was acquired by private company, Ligranit. The quarry specialises in the extraction and sale of much sought-after Czech granites, that architects both at home and abroad regularly specify in their designs and for use by sculptors.
“Over the last 10 years, quarrying has changed in terms of processing granite blocks. Previously, everything was done by hand. Today, it is mainly carried out with the latest machinery and technology,” says Radek Svoboda, production manager at Ligranit.
“We negotiated with the management of Garnea and everything that was promised with the new DX350LC-7 has turned out exactly as they said,” adds Svoboda.
According to Ligranit, the processing of granite blocks requires machines that are both powerful and efficient. It is precisely these requirements that have been met by the new Doosan DX350LC-7 excavator from Garnea. The key selection parameters included an emphasis on exceptional performance, low fuel consumption, operator comfort and, last but not least, environmental friendliness.
“We purchased the new Doosan machine for its power and low fuel consumption. Of course, the length of the warranties and the service from Garnea are also important factors,” explains Svoboda.
As well as exceeding the parameters set by Ligranit, another aspect supporting the purchase of the DX350LC-7 was the excellent service record of a smaller Doosan DX140LC-5 excavator owned by Ligranit. The Stage V compliance of the new DX350LC-7 also met the environmental standards required by Ligranit. But the most important factor was the excellent relationship with Garnea.
Excavators in the Ruprechtice quarry are brought into play after blasting work has finished, whereby small controlled amounts of explosive are carefully placed to obtain the necessary amount of stone. After blasting, stone blocks weighing from 100kg -to 3 tonnes are selected. The larger pieces of stone are reduced in size using the excavator equipped with a hydraulic breaker. Care is taken to ensure that the material obtained is of the highest quality.
Using an excavator, the blocks are moved and further divided using a splitter. For more precise work, splitting is done manually. Where the potential for material quality is best, entire blocks are transported out of the quarry and worked on with a saw. “These blocks weigh between 5 and 15 tonnes, so the power of the machine is therefore a big plus for us,” adds Svoboda.
Hyundai Construction Equipment (HCE) has launched a new line of A-Series wheeled excavators featuring EU Stage V diesel engines.
The four machines, with operating weights of 14-23 tonnes, feature low-emission Cummins B4.5 and B6.7 S diesel engines with a combined aftertreatment system and no requirement for exhaust gas recirculation (EGR). HCE says the excavators offer customers increased productivity with lower emissions.
The machines also feature load-sensing hydraulic systems with load-independent flow sharing for increased controllability. The revised line-up starts with the HW140A, weighing in at 14,900kg with a monoboom and
15,860kg with a two-piece main boom. This machine shares much of its undercarriage and upper structure with the HW160A, with weights of 17,580kg/18,390kg. A compact radius HW170ACR is offered exclusively with a two-piece boom, at 18,810kg and the range is completed with the HW210A, at 22,270/23,665kg.
The HW140A, HW160A and HW170ACR are powered by a 4.5-litre Cummins B4.5 diesel engine, replacing the larger 6.7-litre engine in the previous generation of machines.
The new compact engine uses a wastegate turbocharger and has a Flex-Module two-can exhaust system, comprising a diesel oxidation catalyst (DOC), diesel particulate filter (DPF) and selective catalytic reduction (SCR).
HCE says there is no requirement for exhaust gas recirculation (EGR), reducing service cost for customers, while the smaller engine is more fuel efficient than its predecessor. Despite the reduction in engine capacity, the new machines benefit from an increased output, with the HW140A, HW160A and HW170ACR now all delivering 129kW (173hp), up from 117kW (156hp) on the previous generation HW140.
The HW140A and HW160A excavators’ swing centre and lower frame has been moved forwards by 100mm to boost machine stability. In addition, the right-hand side of the upper structure comes forward 150mm, to provide additional space for the fuel tank. The left-hand side moves forward by 230mm to improve visibility from the cab and to make additional space for the engine bay. The rear swing radius on the standard counterweight HW140A and HW160A also moves forwards by 200mm, to cut the rear overhang and makes the machines more manoeuvrable on confined sites, while increasing lifting capacity.
Peter Sebold, product specialist at HCEE, commented on the new excavator range: “The revised boom geometry, in combination with LUDV load-sensing hydraulics, provides Hyundai’s new wheeled excavators with outstanding performance in multifunction operation, smooth controllability
Hyundai has launched a new line of A-Series wheeled excavators
Hitachi says its new Zaxis-7 excavators maximise uptime
and the necessary stability for maximum productivity.”
Japanese manufacturer Kobelco has extended its line-up in the 50-tonne class with the introduction of two new models.
The all-new SK500LC-11 and larger SK530LC-11 benefit from increased speed and performance, improved reliability and maintenance, state-of-the-art ergonomics and design and are Stage V compliant. Weighing in at over 50 tonnes, the SK500LC11’s engine performance is top of the 50-tonne segment, thanks to the new turbocharged, Stage V-compliant 13-litre Hino engine.
Kobelco says that, for the customer, these improvements in performance mean the SK500LC-11’s cycle time has been shortened by 5.1% (compared to H-mode on the SK500LC-10), fuel consumption has improved by 5.4% (compared to S-mode on the SK500LC-10) and productivity has increased by 6.2% (compared to Eco-mode on the SK500LC-10). The SK500LC-11 is best suited to general construction applications, while the SK530LC-11 is ideal for general construction and quarrying.
“As you’d expect from heavy excavators operating in such harsh environments, lifting capability and stability is of particular importance,” Kobelco states. “The SK500LC-11 has a higher operating weight (50.4 tonnes) when compared with the previous SK500LC-10, leading to increased stability.”
Both the SK500LC-11 and SK530LC-11 benefit from high hydraulic pressure (Heavy Lift) for greater lifting power at close radius, allowing for smooth and steady operation while moving heavy objects. The machines are also said to have excellent lifting performance when compared with competitor machinery, particularly at a working radius of up to 9m over the side. For comparison, the SK530LC-11 has an operating weight of 53 tonnes and benefits from an adjustable undercarriage. Its track gauge can extend to 2,890mm, promoting top-of-the-market stability and superior lifting performance, while when retracted, the overall width of the crawler is just 2,990mm (vs 3,350mm on the SK500LC-11). This decreased width enables better transportability, particularly in mountainous regions where the roads may be narrow.
Both the SK500LC-11 and SK530LC-11 models are available with standard boom and three-arm variations, or as a Mass Excavation model with a short boom and short arm.
Commenting on the launch of the new SK500LC-11 and SK530LC-11 machines, Kobelco product manager Peter Stuijt said: “Years of research, coupled with feedback from our customers, has resulted in the development of a new breed of heavy machines that excel in performance comfort and operability. “First impressions of the SK500LC-11 from our dealer, Comet Loc, in southern France are extremely positive, with operators reporting that the new machine is very fast, accurate and easy to drive.
“They also report that the stability is very good when loading rocks, and the high level of comfort in the new cab is appreciated. We look forward to getting more feedback during demonstrations of the new model at the 2021 Dig Tour in France.”
Hidromek is launching the new HMK 500 LCHD crawler excavator, which has the highest tonnage in its H4 Series. The Turkish manufacturer says it offers superior durability owing to the revisions made in the undercarriage, the strengthening of its heavyduty structure and its developed technology. The HMK 500 LCHD is designed to provide strong and smooth performance in the most difficult working conditions with its robust and balanced structure.
The 3.2m³ bucket capacity, 6.3m standard boom length, 52-tonne standard machine operating weight and the technological equipment in the HMK 500 LCHD are designed to increase performance and productivity.
Improvements to the HMK 500 LCHD have been made in arm and boom structure, undercarriage, and attachment groups by using more durable materials. Hidromek says these changes offer uninterrupted operation in the fields with the most severe operating conditions such as mining, marble and large construction sites.
The electronic system of H4 Series excavators is designed to protect the engine and hydraulic components to provide fuel saving and superior performance.
In the new series, an automatic stop system through configurable idling and stopping times provides fuel saving by stopping the engine after the machine is on idle.
Hitachi Construction Equipment Europe says owners can maximise uptime with its new Zaxis-7 range of medium excavators. The new ZX160-7 and ZX180-7 Stage V-compliant models are said to offer an
with opportunities to increase profits and reduce costs.
The manufacturer says that up to 7% less fuel consumption is achieved over previous models thanks to Hitachi’s HIOS IV hydraulic system and improvements made to the travel device.
Operators can also control fuel efficiency and reduce costs by using the new ECO gauge, which is clearly visible on the multifunctional colour LCD 8” monitor. In addition, Hitachi says owners can boost profits by working on a wider range of projects thanks to the excellent versatility of Zaxis-7 excavators.
Both models are available with mono- or two-piece boom. The ZX180-7 is available with a long undercarriage for optimal stability and narrow for easy transportation. The reduced swing radius of the ZX180-7 also makes it suitable for working in confined spaces, while different attachments are quickly changed using the enhanced attachment support system on the monitor.
CASE Construction Equipment dealer Warwick Ward has sold and delivered a modified new 721G wheeled loader to Blackpole Recycling based in Worcestershire, England.
At the customer’s request, Warwick Ward modified the 721G model so that it is designed for purpose with comfort-ride solid tyres that further protect the machine from punctures, as well as extra belly guards, a waste ejector ram guard and a screen guard outside of the cab. The machine is also fitted with a Venturi kit that will protect it when working in dusty environments.
The new G-Series wheeled loaders come with a brand new payload system designed for reliability, time savings and resulting productivity improvements. The system is integrated directly into the loader’s primary display and provides bucket-weight, pass counts, accumulated/running weight, job
Blackpole Recycling has taken delivery of a modified new CASE 721G wheeled loader
Highly productive & efficient conveying
Being savvy in your choice of conveyor belts and products that enable the rapid fixing of any conveyor belt-linked production issues, thus maximising uptime, significantly boosts a quarry operation’s long-term viability. Guy Woodford reports
The Ash Grove Cement plant in Chanute, Kansas, USA, can produce up to 1,476,000 tonnes of clinker per year. When operators experienced several frustrating involuntary shutdowns and rising costs from drifting and mistracking conveyor belts, preventionminded managers sought an effective solution.
“Although there was one belt that had a particular issue with tripping the emergency stop switch, mistracking was a problem on several belts from the limestone quarry all the way to the raw mill,” said Danny Wolken, maintenance planner at Ash Grove Chanute. “We have different materials converging into a single area, and disruption to the flow affects the productivity of the whole system.”
Various materials from the storage dome are carried approximately 350 metres on eight belts to the raw mill for mixing and insertion into the preheater for calcining in the kiln. With an average belt width of 914mm running at 1.9 metres per second, the system transports 453 tonnes per hour of material. The outdoor conveyors are covered to protect cargo from the variable Kansas weather patterns.
The belt carrying -100mm limestone was particularly prone to belt drift. Off-centre loading caused spillage along the length of the system until the belt activated the stop switch. “This one conveyor hit the stop switch 26 times last year, for a total of 17 hours of downtime,” Wolken explained. “Although the
limestone conveyor had the worst problems, issues with tracking stretched across all eight conveyors. That adds up.”
Along with excessive unscheduled downtime, the belt on the limestone conveyor began to fray from contact with the stringer, eventually requiring replacement. Adding to the problem, every 45 days, workers dedicated about 50 hours to clean around all eight systems.
Martin Engineering technicians found:
1) When the belt drifted, spillage dropped along the entire length of the system, causing product loss, creating potential workplace safety issues, and requiring excessive clean-up
2) Potential manufacturing belt flaws causing it to bow or camber [Fig.1]
3) Extreme temperatures and high Kansas winds cause components to expand and contract, contributing to drift
4) Belt manufacturing issues may have also contributed to the “cupping” (belt curling on either edge) observed by the technicians
5) Existing belt alignment systems were inadequate
“Across the eight conveyors, we recommended installing 28 Martin Trackers,” said Martin Engineering territory manager Cory Goldbeck. “Many of the units control the belt return, but there are also upper trackers strategically placed in problem areas.”
Utilising innovative technology, the Martin Engineering Tracker has two sensing arms
that extend out to either side of the conveyor with rollers at the tip, which smoothly ride the edges of the belt. The sensing arms detect slight variations in alignment and use the force of the belt to immediately pivot the position of the troughed idlers against the misalignment with equal force, thus returning the belt to its intended path. [Fig.2]
The return side trackers have a flat roller with a polyurethane coating. Raised slightly above the belt plane, the roller acts partly as support with just enough downward force from the belt for the polyurethane to grip the belt and return it into alignment.
Two Martin Engineering technicians did the installation during scheduled downtime. Three critical areas on the conveyor required tracking: the exit of the settling zone, the entrance to the feed mill and along the return path. An upper troughed tracker at the settling zone exit reinforces a straight belt path as it travels the length of the system. A lower tracker placed near the loading zone ensures the belt is aligned as it hits the tail pulley to promote centred loading.
Initial testing revealed positive results, with the belts remaining centred from pulley to pulley, drastically reducing spillage. Operators noted a significant reduction in labour and clean-up time.
After a year, the belt remained aligned through weather changes, and none of the belts have triggered the emergency stop switches since the installation. This resulted in a significant reduction in unscheduled
Part of Ash Grove’s Chanute plant conveyor system
downtime, improved efficiency, and reduced labour for clean-up.
“We trusted Martin Engineering would offer an affordable solution that could solve our problem, and they really came through,” Wolken concluded. “We like the trackers, so we’re looking into installing them on other systems. They have definitely paid for themselves.”
Metso Outotec introduced a new range of overland conveyors for bulk materials transport in 2019. The company is currently highlighting the benefits of its eight Nordtrack mobile stacker conveyors for quarrying and mining customers.
The range includes the Nordtrack CT20 and CT24 track-mounted models for European and rest of the world sales and for North American supply the Nordtrack CT85, CT85R, CT100 and CT100R track-mounted units and the Nordtrack CW85 and CW100 wheel-mounted models.
Metso Outotec says it considers these conveyors as critical to the further development of process flexibility and complexity when using track-mounted equipment in a wider combination together. They allow the linking of multiple pieces of equipment in both open and closed circuits which is required when looking to manufacture premium aggregate products.
“It is a real step forward and proven by the fact that Nordtrack conveyors make up more than one third of the Nordtrack range sales volumes,” says Vesa Tuloisela, director, Nordtrack offering, Metso Outotec. “Moreover, we have seen a clear trend of supplying full packages of mobile crushers and screens together with the auxiliary conveyors to fulfil the plant requirements.”
The Nordtrack mobile stacking conveyors come in different lengths depending on the plant requirements. The European-built models CT20 and CT24 come in belt lengths of 19.4m and 23.5m respectively and fit
in a container for easy and cost-feasible transport. The North American-built models are in lengths of 24.4m (80ft) and 30.5m (100ft). Metso Outotec says that creating higher stockpiles makes plant efficiency better as wheeled loader total utilisation can be maximised.
“Another big benefit for using mobile stacking conveyors are them being such a cost-effective alternative to wheeled loaders consuming significantly less fuel, parts and man hours as no added operator is required anymore,” says Tuloisela. “Also less traffic
on site makes it safer for any operators and visitors to walk around.”
Nordtrack conveyors are typically mostly suited to stacking and conveying duties in aggregates production, but are often also utilised in other recycling and material handling applications in quarrying and mining production.
All eight of Metso Outotec’s Nordtrack mobile stacker conveyors come with a large feed hopper and are easily transportable on site or between production sites. All units are also said to be easy to service and feature an efficient diesel engine. The conveyors all have remote controllers for easy and safe operating of the units, and there is a wide range of different added options to choose from for best serving any application.
Metso Outotec says conveyors are also a key element of its new in-pit crush and convey (IPCC) solutions, providing an integrated mining and quarrying customer solution consisting of crushing, conveying, and stacking equipment combined with IPCC planning and lifecycle services.
The company adds that the offering has been designed to ensure the highest productivity, energy efficiency, as well as maintainability. Metso Outotec IPCC solutions are also a part of the company’s Planet Positive portfolio.
The Planet Positive portfolio focuses on the most impactful technologies in Metso Outotec’s current portfolio, specifically responding to the sustainability requirements of its customers in the aggregates, mining and metals refining industries. Claiming to have the widest range of mobile conveyors in the international marketplace, Northern
One of Ash Grove Chanute’s 28 Martin Trackers
Figure 1 – Camber can happen in the manufacturing process, and belts should be inspected before installation
Figure 2 – A tracker pivots against the mistracking, using the force and weight of the belt to redirect it
Truly bespoke solution – can incorporate company specified components
Built with robust componentry to withstand abrasive material
Electrical integration into existing system –enable control from one location
H&S and Environmental compliance with governmental regulations
35+ years industry experience working with aggregate giants
Ireland-based Telestack is a stalwart of the industry with over 35 years in the business.
The company says much of the recent demand it is seeing has been in the high-spec aggregate stacker offering with throughputs ranging up to 2,000tph. Custom-designed by experienced engineers to suit the application and the project lifecycle, the Telestack stackers are designed with high-spec componentry where safety and compliance are key.
Commenting on the surge in demand for higher spec stockpiling conveyors, international sales manager Padraig McDermott said: “Aggregate giants such as Aggregate Industries, Cemex or Heidelberg know exactly what their operation needs and Telestack’s reputation in this field makes us the go-to supplier for this type of stacker. Our ability to offer a customised solution that integrates fully into their aggregate processing plant, whilst sustaining the high tonnages required, has seen Telestack gain a well-earned reputation in this field.”
Telestack offers a range of stationary stacking conveyors, radial stacking conveyors, radial telescopic and mobile stacking conveying solutions for both primary applications typically working after a primary jaw or stacking as part of an integrated processing plant. Each particular solution is dependent on the tonnage, installation requirements, material characteristics and application.
Units working after a primary jaw for example, are designed to withstand large lump-sized product and will include suitable wear liners, impact beds, fall breaks and heavy duty belting etc. These units perform under the toughest conditions (dust and dirt, heat, moisture and extreme temperatures) and are built robustly to withstand these extremes. The units are also designed with maintenance in mind and with ease of access incorporated into the design.
The stacker that needs to integrate into an aggregate processing plant for, example, will need to have commonality of parts and it is critical to the customer, for serviceability and support reasons, that they specify certain components as part of the design process. Telestack says its experienced sales, design and electrical engineering teams will work very closely with the client in this case to configure their solutions to their exact organisational and operational needs and offer support throughout. This level of bespoke design will also incorporate conformance with local and governmental health and safety and environmental standards.
McDermott explains: “Telestack offer a level of customisation that is relatively unmatched in the business and it is this level of personalisation that makes us so successful in this space. We have seen a real surge in electrical sophistication for example and we have a growing electrical team dedicated to ensuring that the Telestack unit can fully integrate into the processing system successfully.
“The operator, who will have to manage several different units as part of the plant for example, will need to have the ability to monitor and control the plant from a single location. The Telestack electrical team is continually invested in working with the client to meet and exceed their electrical needs. This personalisation also extends to guarding, handrails, dust containment and much, much more!”
In addition, Telestack says its customers are also benefitting from the support from the company’s Helpdesk. It, with the help of the optional integrated Telematics feature, can support the operation to remotely help troubleshoot any issue in real time. This provision has proven invaluable in the current climate where Covid-related restrictions have prevented travel and access to some sites and operations have benefitted
There is also a full range of power options available which give the owner/operator/ contractor the flexibility to power their Telestack solution in various ways (diesel hydraulic, electric, dual power or hybrid). Traditionally, in primary applications where mobile jaws are used, the power source for both the jaw and stacker has been diesel hydraulic. However, with the trend moving towards zero-emission production, Telestack has seen an uptake in Dual Power or Hybrid options depending on the operation. The stackers used as part of a processing plant have always tended to be electric and Telestack has invested heavily in its electrical team to fully support its customers in this area.
The engineering acumen within Northern Ireland is renowned globally and Telestack says the expertise within the company has grown and developed significantly. It adds that its equipment is involved in some of the most ground-breaking, exciting and forwardthinking projects across the globe with the company gaining serious traction in other industries such as rail, power, cement and steel plants. AB
A Metso Outotec Nordtrack CT24 mobile stacking conveyor at work on a quarry customer site
The TS 1542 radial telescopic conveyor from Telestack stockpiling from a fixed plant over a gravity reclaim tunnel
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The benefits of efficient water management
Quarry operators are increasingly aware of how reclaiming water from their sites can improve effi cost of water licences and make their investments go further. Liam McLoughlin reports
Water availability and wastewater management are an area of strong focus for quarrying and mining operators as additional restrictions are being placed on water extraction from the natural environment, making the recycling of process water a must for quarrying operators.
Managing process water, reclaim systems, dust suppression and pit dewatering are essential to the success of a sand and aggregates project.
By managing these processes efficiently, quarry sites can process more product faster, while lowering their water bill and eliminating the need for double handling, according to Simon Jones, product manager for pumps at Weir Minerals Europe.
“Most quarries use water in the washing and processing of their products,” Jones says. “For example, sand washing, a necessary step for producing high-quality sand, utilises both recycled and clear water.”
Jones adds that, once the sand has been processed, wastewater containing product fines and additional wastewater runoff from the stockpiles make their way to storage or tailings dams. All these water sources need to be managed effectively for the quarry to keep their operational costs under control.
Weir
Sand Wash Plant provides both an aggregates product and ready-to-use recycled water
you will always need to move water from point A to point B.”
The new decade has brought to light new problems for fluid transport, from introduction of water restrictions on urban water supplies to climate change affecting (rainwater, groundwater and stormwater). By transporting and making use of water already
available on site, quarries can reduce the cost of water licences and make their investment go further.
“There is an increased awareness of the benefits that can be achieved through efficient water management,” explains Jones. “We are partnering with our customers to explore the challenges quarries are facing when pumping water around a site and helping to develop optimal solutions for specific and bespoke applications.”
Pumps designed to handle increased suspended solids in water whilst operating at high discharge head pressures could be the answer. The Weir Minerals Warman DWU pump is designed to transport surface water from dams and ponds on-site back to the washing circuit for recycling. Jones says that other on-site water sources, such as tailings dams, might make better use of a pump house or a customised Weir Minerals Multiflo barge solution.
“There are multiple options for reclaiming water within a quarry,” continues Jones.
“Because we engineer our solutions in-house, we can create a resolution based on a customer’s needs and budgets.”
He says that in 2021 it is no longer just about moving water around a site, and that now quarries need to work toward closing
Minerals
Weir Multiflo Pump Units transporting water around site
the loop of water use in their processes. Regulatory and government bodies around the world have begun implementing guidelines for the management of water in quarries. These guidelines promote site water management proposals founded on the principles of waste minimisation and active promotion of the reduction, reuse and recycling of wastewater.
The new planning and allocation of water resources covers reducing, reusing, recycling and recovering water wherever possible.
Jones says that equipment optimised to handle water not only reduces its losses and boosts efficiency, but also frees up water resources that can be used elsewhere in the process for necessary site duties such as dust suppression. He adds that installing equipment like the Weir Minerals Sand Wash Plant, specifically designed to produce a drier end product, can improve water recovery by up to 35% compared to common sand screw plants.
“We’re out on site with our customers every day,” Jones says. “We see how hard they work, and we know how precious each and every recoverable resource is. Installing a custom-engineered solution such as the Weir Minerals Sand Wash Plant doesn’t just provide customers with a drier aggregates product after processing but creates a whole new by-product in ready-to-use recycled water.”
Japan-headquartered Tsurumi has set out what to consider when choosing pumps for quarry applications.
The pump manufacturer says that managing water is one of the most consequential aspects in sand and gravelprocessing operations and, to achieve optimum results, employing the right pumps is key.
Jeff Davis, western regional sales manager at Tsurumi America, said that because of the diverse range of applications on a quarry site, a variety of pumps is required. Using the correct pump for each application is critical to overall cost savings and may significantly improve a quarry’s bottom line.
Using the correct pump for each application is critical to overall cost savings and may significantly improve a quarry’s bottom line
“For example, for site dewatering, there are several factors that will determine the proper pump choice, such as vertical and horizontal discharge head and flow requirements. If the water used in the washdown process comes from a distant source, or deep down in a pit or reservoir, you will need a high-head, high-pressure pump,” said Davis. “However, if you need to move light to medium slurry, a pump with an agitator would be a better choice. A high chrome impeller and agitator will withstand the abrasive nature of the slurry while suspending the settled solids for better transfer.”
The type of power supply available on site is another factor to take into consideration when determining which pump should be used in a quarry application. There is a wide range of single-phase and three-phase pumps on the market to fit different needs. Typically, higher capacity and higher horsepower pumps require three-phase power while some applications may only require smaller, single-phase pumps.
Davis says that high-volume dewatering pumps are sometimes necessary to remove rain or floodwater from a site. Tsurumi’s GSZ Series (between 30hp and 200hp and over 5,000 gallons per minute (gpm) and the KRS Series (between 3hp and 50hp and up to 4,500gpm) are designed with powerful 4- and 6-pole motors running at slower impeller tip speed, which extends their parts wear life by up to three times the average length.
Both series feature heavy-duty, cast-iron construction materials with optional highchrome wear parts, which prevent premature wear and failure from the abrasive materials
found in mining, aggregate and construction applications. If heavy abrasives are present, many of these models can be easily converted to agitator pumps for quarry and gravel pit dewatering.
In terms of supplying process water, Tsurumi’s LH and LHW series handle high flows with extremely high-head capabilities, which the company says makes these pumps a perfect fit for long-distance horizontal and/ or vertical water transfer in aggregate plants.
The LHW Series can reach a maximum head of 750ft. Both lines feature replaceable high chrome, semi-open impeller, and adjustable wear rings, which provide increased wear resistance when handling abrasive liquids. Horsepower ranges between 4hp and 150hp on the LH Series. GSZ Series horsepower ranges from 30hp to 200hp. The GSZ Series can reach over 5,000gpm and 230ft of head.
Tsurumi says that its HS and NK Series are ideal for handling heavy duties on the site, such as pumping water containing sand, solids and debris with minimal wear and clogging. The single-phase pumps offer the option of operating with agitators, which makes them suited for pumping the muddy liquid accumulated on the ground that results from the aggregate washdown process.
For sludge and slurry pumping, the powerful Tsurumi three-phase models feature an abrasion-resistant impeller and agitator. The agitator creates a downward current, assisting the pump to suspend and transfer solids more effectively. The castiron pump body of KTD and KRS models is designed to ensure that durability is greatly enhanced over standard aluminium-bodied pumps. The top discharge design allows installation in tight spaces and provides motor heat dissipation as the water passes over the motor housing. KTV models are also designed with space limitations in mind, featuring the same top-discharge, while offering greater portability due to die-cast aluminium housings and specially treated synthetic rubber parts to deliver a significant weight reduction.
Tsurumi says the GPN and GSD heavyduty agitator pumps boast exceptional durability, including high-chrome cast impellers and agitators for abrasion resistance and slower impeller tip speeds with 4-pole and 6-pole motors.
Water technology company Xylem has unveiled Flygt Bibo – a dewatering pump that is claimed to dramatically reduce energy, wear and tear, and maintenance costs. The company says it will pioneer the next generation of smart pumps by bringing built-in intelligence to quarrying and other industrial dewatering.
The manufacturers says that Flygt Bibo applies decision intelligence to automatically adapt to its environment and only operates when needed, delivering claimed energy savings of up to 60% when compared to traditional dewatering pumps.
Operational wear and tear are also reduced by up to 70% as instances of snoring
and dry running are minimised, which Xylem says leads to as much as a 50% reduction in repair and maintenance costs. Additionally, due to its compact and stable design, Xylem says that Flygt Bibo breaks the mould of traditional dewatering pumps with 30% fewer components, reducing the amount of inventory needed.
Commenting on the launch, Anders Casselbrant, global product manager, submersible dewatering products at Xylem, said: “At Xylem, we work with customers and communities across the world to bring digital transformation to the water sector. That includes the delivery of digital solutions that can optimize business processes to create more efficient and sustainable operations.
“By bringing this new, innovative technology to market, we can offer our customers an extremely reliable, compact and easy-to-use pump. The pump’s plugand-play capability means no configuration is needed — the pump can easily slot into existing operations.”
Flygt Bibo offers two different running modes which can be interchanged depending on the application and operating environment. Adaptive mode is typically used when there is a requirement to maintain a constant low water level in the sump – the pump will never stop running, though it will regulate its speed after inflow. If snoring is detected, the pump will slow down to reduce wear, but when water re-enters the sump, the pump will increase its speed until the water level is low again.
By letting the pump run continuously, there is no need for any additional sensor. The incoming water triggers the pump to run, so it will always be ready to respond to changeable conditions in the field.
Level mode consists of two pre-set levels, a start level that is controlled with a builtin-pressure sensor to detect water levels, and a stop level that is triggered when the pump detects snoring. As the pump only operates when needed, for example, when water is above the set level, Xylem says this optimises efficiency and reduces both energy consumption and operational wear.
Built on the same integrated power electronics and systems platform as Xylem’s wastewater pump, Flygt Concertor, the new Flygt Bibo automatically adapts to the speed and performance in a field instead of a static curve, meaning that the 8kw pump can
deliver performance that spans the range of a 2kW standard pump, up to a 10kw standard pump.
Xylem says the launch of Flygt Bibo follows rigorous field testing at the Renström mine in Sweden, one of Europe’s deepest mines. After three years of continuous collaboration and testing with mine operator New Boliden, Flygt Bibo is claimed to have delivered product and repair savings of 40%, and New Boliden has reduced the cost of its dewatering processes by almost 30%.
Commenting on the partnership, Mats Isaksson, senior development engineer at New Boliden, said: “Xylem’s Flygt Bibo has provided New Boliden with access to a pumping system that can automatically adapt to its environment, accommodating in real time as conditions change in the field. This new approach to dewatering has transformed our operations, allowing our mining processes to continue without interruption.”
Due to the success of the field test at Renström, New Boliden has placed a sizable order for more Flygt Bibo pumps to advance its goal of developing the world’s first fully autonomous mine.
Flygt Bibo is now available for purchase or rent in the Netherlands, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, Poland, Portugal, Russia, Spain, Sweden, and Africa. The pump is expected to be available to customers globally later this year.
Atlas Copco Power & Flow has launched two new PAS dewatering surface pumps with robust proprietary HardHat technology. The manufacturer says the lightweight but tough canopy means the PAS 100 and PAS 150 pumps are durable and easy to
service, providing excellent long-life, high performance while minimising downtime.
The exclusive HardHat polymer is resistant to corrosion and the effects of extreme temperatures and harsh operating environments. As such, it is maintenance free. Furthermore, the canopy is resistant to discoloration, which is especially important for rental companies, as the equipment’s resale value is maximized. Additionally, the HardHat doors can be painted in any colour depending on the customers’ requirements.
Atlas Copco says its novel hinged-door design on the pump itself means that the pumps provide superior serviceability on site. All components are easy to access for simple servicing and maintenance, and the pump can be cleaned and restarted in three minutes and serviced in under 60 minutes, which is 10% quicker than previous models.
“Our HardHat technology is a tough polyethylene resin material proven in the field to protect equipment’s most vital and expensive core components. It has been incorporated on Atlas Copco’s compressor and light tower range for over 15 years and we’re delighted to now extend the technology to our PAS pumps so customers can better protect their investment,” says Saksham Dube, product marketing manager at Atlas Copco Power & Flow. “The canopy on the PAS pump range has traditionally been metal. However, we have worked closely with our customers to fully understand their needs for increased durability on site.”
The compact and versatile pumps are easy to move around a site and provide continuous operation for 24 hours. The pumps feature an advanced PW series control panel, so the operator has total control over the application, as well as including the Atlas Copco FleetLink telematic system. This intelligent telematics system allows operators to easily monitor and manage their entire fleets remotely.
The PAS pump range is designed for multiple applications, from dewatering on construction and mining/quarrying sites to solids removal, drainage, and even emergency flooding situations.
The pumps are available in three package options – standalone, or with a galvanised undercarriage or skid – making them suitable
Atlas Copco has launched two new PAS dewatering surface pumps
Atlas Copco has launched two new PAS
Xylem’s new Flygt Bibo dewatering pump
A bucketful of advances
The global screener buckets & attachments markets are vibrant thanks to many new product launches. Guy Woodford looks at some of the biggest
Italian company MB Crusher has a rich history when it comes to screener bucket solutions for quarrying customers.
The firm’s latest offer is the new MB-HDS523 shafts screener bucket, the largest in its MB-HDS range and suitable for 30- to 45-tonne excavators.
The Italian manufacturer says the new 3.35-tonne shafts screener bucket is suitable for quarries and large construction sites, in addition to other applications.
It adds that the bucket is designed for sectors where power and sturdiness are essential and this includes quarries where there is a need to treat large quantities of material such as coal and phosphate.
It is also suitable for use where there is a requirement to move, sift, and aerate many tonnes of earth, such as excavating, earthmoving, and large trenching projects. MB Crusher says that the new bucket “only has one goal: a high productivity rate”.
The MB-HDS523 is the only unit in the MB-HDS range with five shafts positioned to ensure a greater production rate and processing speed. The “V Shaft System” is designed to create a simultaneous dual screening effect and increase production.
The bucket’s concealed comb is designed to allow the material to enter and flow through the rotors without jamming.
The unit comes with a removable front upper casing to give the unit a greater closing angle and increase production.
The MB-HDS523 shafts screener is powered by two motors to ensure consistent and quick performance. The parts that are subject to wear are protected by reinforced Hardox steel slab, and the bracket and frame are also thicker than in earlier models.
The screener features a centralised greasing system designed to simplify and speed up maintenance operations.
The company comments: “Much like the others in the range, the shafts are easily switched out: they can be replaced on-site and in a few minutes. The patented system firmly holds the rotating system, and the rotors can be easily extracted and repositioned.”
In the world of road maintenance and paving, as well as construction, the issue of
“Much like the others in the range, the shafts are easily switched out: they can be replaced on-site and in a few minutes”
recovering material deriving from demolition and scarification is becoming increasingly urgent, with the dual objective of combining environmental protection with economic savings. Those who work in the sector are aware of the huge costs of transporting and disposing of asphalt and material from demolition, as well as the costs of the purchase and transport of new raw materials to the site.
Given the above, Simex has chosen to focus on a new specific bucket for the recovery of bituminous conglomerate granulate/RAP – reclaimed asphalt pavement and other construction site aggregates.
Simex’s R&D department has combined the concept of milling drums with rotor crusher bucket technology, creating two CBA asphalt granulator buckets: the CBA 30 for
18- to 28-tonne excavators, and CBA 40 for the 25- to 40-tonne range. The equipment features a cylindrical drum consisting of interchangeable teeth, driven by large displacement radial piston hydraulic motors, in direct drive. The rear grid determines the grain size of the material output and is available in several configurations.
Cutting down the time and costs related to transport, minimizing the purchase of new raw materials, means optimizing the logistical and economic dynamics of your site, while keeping a watchful eye on the issue of environmental impact and the recovery of those materials which, subject to specific local regulations, could be considered a resource and no longer waste.
Available in four models, for excavators from eight to 45 tonnes, Simex VSE screening
MB Crusher’s new MB-HDS523 shafts screener
buckets are specifically designed for separating different-sized materials directly on the job site. VSE buckets were already unique thanks to the ability to rapidly adjust their output size from the excavator operator cabin. Now they also feature a new screening tool system, FIT (Five Independent Tools).
FIT has three important features:
Each element is composed of five independent parts, designed to easily interlock with each other with no weldings. They are easily replaceable without difficult operations and without the need to unstrap shafts. This means 75% lower maintenance costs since it is possible to replace even just one single disc or blade.
The screening elements that make up the shafts are composed of discs and blades of different diameters which perfectly match to each other producing a high swirl of the material to be screened, even in the presence of wet material.
The system allows multiple configurations depending on the materials to be screened. Simex provides three different configurations, but many other configurations are possible.
Thanks to the specific design of the screening tools and the high swirl produced, even the wet and muddy material is easily screened, and does not stick to the bucket elements as often happens with traditional screening systems. FIT gives operators a fully configurable screening system, effective in any condition with a wide range of materials and soils, with lower maintenance costs.
Of FIT’s many possible configurations, these are the three key ones:
RECYCLING configuration is indicated for screening mixed material such as dry
Simex’s CBA 30 asphalt granulator bucket for 18- to 28-tonne excavators in action on a job site
clay, gravel, silt and peat. Profitably used for padding and bedding in pipelines
DISGREGATION configuration grants high performance with soil, peat, clay and vegetal waste. Often used for topsoil selection in the horticulture industry and landscaping
MIXED configuration is designed for humid and wet soil, mixed with stones, gravel and clay. Particularly effective for volumetric reduction, light crushing and topsoil screening in the horticultural and agricultural field
Finnish screening bucket manufacturer Allu is expanding operations In Africa by investing in a dedicated sales manager for the continent.
Alexandre Martineau’s appointment is said to be a very important part of ALLU’s global growth strategy.
Welcoming Martineau, Jeroen Hinnen Allu vice president of Global Sales, said: “We have been waiting for the right moment to expand our operations across the region and are delighted that Alexandre Martineau has joined Allu.
“Alexandre has years of experience working in domestic and export sales with dealers with a focus on francophone Africa, while also having a good grasp of the local market. We have a clear strategy and are continuously developing our products and always looking at improving to help customers’ requirements. Alexandre will now work to establish and lay the foundations for a well-performing [Africa] dealer network for the future.”
In Q1 2021, Allu launched a new range of crusher buckets for 10- to 38-tonne machines that can be used in the process of recycling demolition waste into aggregates.
The crusher buckets are adjustable for 13 different discharge sizes and can be used in tandem with Allu’s existing range of screening buckets.
The crusher buckets are for use on demolition sites to crush concrete waste. The purpose of the entire process is to recycle concrete waste at Allu into reusable stone aggregate, replacing the need to use virgin aggregate.
Allu says the advantage of using both solutions side by side is increased capacity and decreased wear and tear for sites, with five times the production rate.
The new crusher range was tested in Finland, with a customer testing the crusher and screener side by side at a demolition site. At this site, 85% percent was screened and also partially crushed through a screener crusher bucket (Allu Transformer DH 3-17 XHD) and only the excess very hard material was crushed with a crusher bucket (Allu Crusher AC 25-37). Allu says it would expect this percentage to be higher in less harsh environments.
Ilpo Ellonen, regional sales manager at Allu Finland, said the demolition concrete was treated after pulverisation with the two Allu buckets. The excess obtained from the screener crusher bucket visible at the front was crushed to a 90mm fraction with a crusher bucket. Thus, a total of about 5,000 tonnes passed through two buckets.
Simex’s VSE 20 screening bucket is one of four VSE buckets equipped with the Italian company’s new FIT screening tool system
“The demolition of two two-storey (lower floor underground) residential buildings produced a total of about 5,000 tonnes of concrete,” said Ellonen. “The maximum fraction size achieved in the pulverisation was 400 millimetres, which is a maximum good input feed size for the Allu crusher bucket.”
The demolition phase of the yard site took a total of three weeks with the concrete waste being recycled by Allu into stone aggregate for reuse.
Engcon, the global market manufacturer of tiltrotators, has been best known in recent years for excavators in the weight class over six tonnes, enabling the coupling of hydraulic tools without the operator having to leave the cab.
The Sweden-headquartered company is continually improving the flexibility, efficiency and safety even for smaller excavators. With its latest innovation, Engcon’s automatic quick-hitch S40 covers the entire machine range from two to 40 tonnes. The new S40 solution will have the same safety features as the larger and earlier models in Engcon’s machine hitch programme.
To coincide with the launch of the new machine hitch, the EC206 tiltrotator has also been updated for excavators in the four-six tonne weight class with a new tilt top that is adapted for Engcon’s automatic quick-hitch system. This means that the driver can attach and detach the tiltrotator without leaving the cab. with sound and light signals inside the cab and outside the machine.
says Fredrik Jonsson, development manager at Engcon Group.
SCREENING BUCKET
Rotary screener for excavators. When installed on your excavator, the unit separates
To coincide with the launch of Engcon’s automatic quick-hitch S40, the company’s EC206 tiltrotator has also been updated for excavators in the four-six tonne weight class with a new tilt top
“It is noticeable that safety around excavators is getting higher and higher on the agenda and especially with the problem of buckets that are dropped due to incorrect handling. With our machine hitches/quick hitches and our smart locking system, these problems are minimised,” says Jonsson.
EC-Oil automatic connection of hydraulic, electrical, and central lubrication is included as standard when purchasing a machine hitch, tiltrotator and Engcon’s control system. This makes it possible to connect the tiltrotator or other hydraulic tools to the machine hitch without the need to leave the cab. As an option, it is also possible to connect the ground-pressure function on the machine hitch and a locking function, which means that the machine’s swing function is blocked if the tool is connected incorrectly. The automatic coupling of oil, electricity and central lubrication on the machine hitch and on the upper part of the tiltrotator EC206 for four-six tonne machines was launched in June 2021. At the turn of the year 2021/2022, Engcon’s automatic quick hitch is planned to be available for the lower bracket on tiltrotator EC206.
Sandvik and Steelwrist have entered into a cooperation for fully automatic work tool adaptors for Rammer hydraulic hammers.
Steelwrist SQ-type adaptor plates directly from the factory during the third quarter of 2021. The deliveries from Sandvik will be compliant with the global Open-S standard.
Sandvik offers a complete range of demolition tools under the Rammer brand. The well-known Rammer hydraulic hammers are powerful, productive, and durable hydraulic attachments
suitable for carriers in the 0.6 to 120 tonnes operating weight class.
The cooperation between the two companies aims to increase productivity and reduce downtime for end users as the breaker and adaptor plate interface is optimised for performance and compatibility.
As the global demand for fully automatic coupler systems is rapidly increasing, Sandvik will start offering
“Rammer hammers are known for reliability, so we want to ensure best possible performance also when using fully automatic quick couplers. For that reason, we want to offer SQ system adapter kits engineered to fit our hammers perfectly. Together with Steelwrist, we will make sure that the use of Rammer hammers is even more effective”, says Jari Paajanen, product line manager at Sandvik Rock Processing Solutions.
Steelwrist SQ Auto Connection System is appreciated mainly for the increased safety and ability to change hydraulic-powered work tools in seconds without leaving the cabin. Steelwrist SQ products follow the global Open-S industrial standard for fully automatic couplers.
A LONG WAY TOGETHER
“Steelwrist SQ products together with Rammer hydraulic hammers create a perfect combination. Our QPlus technology enables higher hydraulic flows with less pressure drops than other systems on the market. Steelwrist and Sandvik product benefits combined together will surely be appreciated by our customers,” says Toni Ylitalo, SQ product line responsible at Steelwrist. AB
A Steelwrist SQ fully automatic quick coupler
Quality asphalt in the right quantity at the right time
Guy Woodford reports on a premium plant installation in Germany capable of meeting multiple demands, while looking east at two other major asphalt plant-inclusive projects
Supplying asphalt of the right quality and quantity at the right time is a challenge that requires a perfectly aligned plant solution. When high recycling ratios must also be met while complying with low emission rates, Benninghoven’s hot-gas generator technology is an attractive option. It allows operators to turn 100% reclaimed asphalt into a new asphaltic mixture while complying with Germany’s new TA-Luft standard. This was adapted to the latest technological developments and approved by the German Federal Cabinet on 16 December 2020, following a consultation process lasting several years.
The hot-gas generator technology means that a fresh asphaltic mixture can be made up of 90 + X% re-used asphalt – more than any other recycling system on the market. Benninghoven can also integrate the hot-feed system into existing asphalt-mixing plants as a retrofit solution. However, an example from southern Germany shows why investing in an entirely new asphalt-mixing plant can pay off handsomely.
From the plant’s top platform, 43 metres (m) off the ground, the Kinzigtal valley in the Black Forest looks truly resplendent. The new BA RPP 4000 is 55m tall and makes a majestic impression, even when viewed from the ground. The new asphalt-mixing plant owned by Knäble Straßenbau (Knäble), a medium-sized company from Biberach (Baden), is remarkable in many respects.
One of the things that makes it unique is that the BA RPP 4000 replaces a Benninghoven TBA 3000 plant which had reliably supplied asphaltic mixtures to Knäble’s two asphalt crews for ten years. This is not a long time for an asphalt plant, as most Benninghoven plants have 30 to 40 years of service life.
So why did the road construction company, with its rich tradition, invest in new technology rather than a retrofit solution? “As it happens, our planning did start with a retrofit. Ultimately, it was mainly the market environment and our requirements in terms of the technology and its capacity that swayed us toward a brand-new plant,” explains managing director Nicolas Knäble, a member of the fourth generation of the founding family. Another benefit of this approach was that the company did not lose a single day of production. The ‘old’ TBA 3000 kept making the necessary asphaltic mixture until the Benninghoven technicians gave the green light to switch over to the BA RPP 4000 after installation and testing.
From a strategic perspective, Knäble’s investment in the BA RPP 4000 plant is hugely important to the medium-sized road construction company, as the federal state of Baden-Württemberg, where Knäble operates, is committed to maximum recycling. This means that as much reclaimed asphalt as permitted by law is added in when making a new asphaltic mixture. “Re-using materials saves energy and makes a major contribution to climate action,” says the state’s Minister of
Transport, Winfried Hermann. The stipulation already led to Baden-Württemberg recycling 2.5 million tonnes of asphalt in 2018, 23% of the volume re-used in Germany and well above average.
The TA-Luft standard (Technical Instructions on Air Quality Control) has now also been adopted. The strict limit values defined in this standard can be met with the Benninghoven plant’s recycling drum using counterflow action with a hot-gas generator. This makes BA RPP plants tailormade for Knäble’s requirements. ‘RPP’ stands for ‘Recycling Priority Plant’ - a plant that prioritises the material flow for the recycling process and predominantly makes asphalt with higher RAP content.
To integrate the sustainable recycling technology throughout, Knäble wanted a higher mixing capacity of 320 tonnes per hour (tph) instead of the previous level of 240tph. The firm also wanted more userfriendly technology. In the end, Knäble decided to invest in a new BA RPP 4000 plant. The plant also includes two EVO JET 3 burners, one each for the virgin mineral dryer drum and recycling drum. Besides oil and coal dust, these burners can also burn natural gas very efficiently. In the future, this will allow Knäble to respond flexibly to price fluctuations on the energy market and always use the cheapest fuel.
All in all, Knäble is making a genuine investment in the future with its new asphaltmixing plant. The family-owned company
Benninghoven flagship BA RPP 4000 asphalt plant is a true investment in the future – primarily thanks to high recycling ratios complying with the new TA Luft regulation
rich tradition and employs around 150 staff. The company’s two asphalt crews mostly produce asphaltic mixtures on local road construction sites using Vögele feeders and finishers and Hamm rollers. A Kleemann screening plant and Wirtgen milling machines also form part of the machinery fleet.
Achieving high recycling rates and low emissions simultaneously is only possible by using the counterflow principle combined with a hot-gas generator. Why? Since the old asphalt is heated up, added virgin mineral does not need to be overheated when it is put into the mixing process to
method thus saves a lot of energy as well as emissions.
It is the use of the Benninghoven hot-gas generator that makes the process possible. While direct firing would ‘burn’ the RAP with its bitumen content, the hot-gas generator only heats it indirectly, bringing it gently to its ideal application temperature. The technique also pushes emissions down below the limit stipulated by the TA-Luft, not least because most of the hydrocarbons contained in the exhaust gas stream are burned off simultaneously. Continuous emissions measurements on Knäble’s plants prove that limit values can be constantly held.
25% to 60%,” reports a proud Myriam Knäble, wife of the managing director. “And, with the hot-gas generator, we’re saving 770 tonnes of CO2 a year.”
This is a huge benefit, particularly considering the introduction of CO2 certificates in Germany. Since the start of the year, companies that bring fuels onto the market have been required to buy emission allowances, better known as CO2 certificates. Initially, they will be charged €25 per tonne of CO2 released through burning heating oil, natural gas, gasoline, and diesel. The federal government will set emission certificate prices during the introductory phase, which lasts until 2025. The price per tonne of CO2 will be €25 in 2021 and increase in stages to €55 by 2025. In 2026, certificates are to be auctioned in a price range of €55-65 for the first time, after which they are expected to be traded freely on the market. Putting a price on CO2 is part of the German government’s Climate Action Programme 2030. Since energy providers pass the costs incurred onto their customers, companies that are energy-efficient and thus have low-emission, environmentally friendly operations will stand to benefit even more in future.
The Benninghoven hot-gas generator is a sophisticated solution that is enjoying increasing popularity in many parts of Europe. At Knäble, too, the technology delivers what Benninghoven promises – a recycling rate of 90 + X%. “We’ve already hit 96% when making the asphaltic mixture for the base,” says Nicolas Knäble. “The quality we achieved when rehabilitating the B 33 federal highway where it passes through Hasslach is spot on. The days of working
An aerial view of Knäble Straßenbau’s
Benninghoven BA RPP 4000 asphalt plant
With the BA RPP 4000 plant’s control station in a separate building, Knäble ensures optimum working conditions all year round
WHAT YOU GET WITH A RETROFIT
CAN AN OLD ASPHALT PLANT MEET NEW ENVIRONMENTAL STANDARDS?
In a world where environmental standards are constantly changing, asphalt producers can survive – and even thrive – with the help of a plant retrofit.
A retrofit upgrades an old plant, so it meets new environmental standards – at a fraction of the cost of a new purchase. All projects are managed by the Ammann Retrofit Centre, which relies on proven processes and experienced technicians to troubleshoot any issues and ensure superior results.
What can you get with a retrofit from Ammann
• Increased RAP utilisation
• An electrically heated bitumen tank system that is so cost effective it pays for itself in a few years
• Noise levels that are reduced up to 20 dB without an impact on daily production
• An ability to use low-temperature mixes that reduce fuel usage and emissions
Contact us to arrange a free analysis to learn the best opportunities for cost-effective, environmental improvements at your plant
reclaimed asphalt being a challenge are long gone. Instead, we now need to make sure that we’ve got enough material on stock for our orders that require a specific RAP rate. This is why we’re focusing specifically on bidding for tenders that will get us some reclaimed asphalt, so we don’t run out of the ‘black gold.’”
Although there are now many asphaltmixing plants capable of producing asphalt containing RAP, the current requirements in the road construction industry are becoming increasingly demanding. For instance, customers are keen on their asphalt having specific properties, such as their colour, elasticity, or stability. Additives are used to achieve these properties, and Knäble has integrated three separate, fully automated systems for their composition. Knäble has a double-dosing unit for powder and granulate, a separate feed system for bulk materials such as Trinidad asphalt or rubber granulate, and a multi-variable RAP feed system that can feed up to 40% reclaimed asphalt into the process cold or non-adhesive bulk materials. This gives Knäble a lot of flexibility.
“These options take our efficiency and productivity to the next level,” Nicolas Knäble says. “With our old plant, two men had to feed several 15-kilogram sacks into the mixer for each batch.” The mixer on the new TBA 3000 plant can produce three tonnes of asphaltic mixture every 45 seconds. “For recipes containing Trinidad asphalt or rubber granulate, i.e., that could only be managed with a bag feed unit in the past, we couldn’t even get close to the maximum possible mixing capacity of 240 tonnes per hour as these special recipes needed a batch time of at least 60 seconds, e.g., due to longer swelling times. The high degree of automation and the four-tonne mixer means that we’re now reaching up to 320 tonnes an hour and are achieving a high mixing capacity even with special recipes with longer batch times.”
Besides the inherently user-friendly plant design, Knäble has also put other aspects in
place to ensure first-class working conditions for the plant operator and the entire team. For instance, an elevator takes both personnel and materials up to the top level, allowing all checks and maintenance tasks to be done comfortably. Knäble staff can also look forward to a particular highlight down on the ground: The asphalt-mixing plant’s command centre, at the heart of which is a BLS 3000 Benninghoven control system, is housed in a separate building that is kept at a pleasant temperature throughout the year. From here, staff can keep an eye on all relevant areas of the plant via a CCTV system
look at what’s been created here, it’s almost a shame that I’ll be able to retire soon,” says a regretful Reinold Helmut, the plant operator. Northeast China is the coldest spot in the country. The annual construction season is much shorter than in other parts of China, so highly efficient and productive equipment is essential.
The construction season, shortened as it is, now includes the A2 section of the Beijing-Harbin Expressway expansion project. Providing mix for this key project is an Ammann ABP 400 Universal asphalt plant. Purchasing the plant, and handling the project, was Longjian Road & Bridge Group (Longjian) and some of its subsidiaries. The plant was installed and commissioned in May 2020. It continues to produce more asphalt for the expansion.
The expressway connects very diverse cities. At one end is Beijing, the capital city with a population of more than 21 million. At the other end is Harbin, known as the ‘Ice City’, with a population of 10 million. Harbin is in the Heilongjiang Province. The expressway is one of the busiest of the six major southbound routes in the province and must be kept open during the expansion.
There was a great deal of optimism around the Beijing-Harbin Expressway project. It was even listed as one of the Top 100 projects in Heilongjiang Province. But it was delayed due to the impact of coronavirus. To get the project back on track, Longjian put the ABP 400 Universal to work. The challenge was to meet production demands that would get the A2 section on
An Ammann ABP 400 Universal asphalt plant is providing asphalt for the A2 section of the Beijing-Harbin Expressway expansion
Chinese government officials tour Longjian Road & Bridge Group’s Beijing-Harbin Expressway job site featuring the Ammann ABP 400 Universal asphalt plant
Longjian is one of the largest, most comprehensive construction groups in northeast China. The company is mainly engaged in highway, bridge, tunnel and municipal construction and engineering. It has tackled various crucial transportation infrastructure projects at home and abroad, with 28 self-invested and 44 holding subsidiaries – and more than 3,000 pieces of construction equipment.
Subsidiary Longjian Equipment Engineering operates 13 asphalt-mixing plants and six pavers.
On 1 September 2020, the 18.5km pavement of the K1172+000-K1190+500 section was finished – right on schedule. It is the most difficult and urgent section of the Beijing-Harbin Expressway project.
As the pace of the project heated up, the Ammann ABP 400 Universal set a singleday production record in the Heilongjiang Province with 8544 tonnes of asphalt in only 21 hours.
In addition, the ABP 400 Universal became the province’s first asphalt-mixing plant with a capacity of 400 tonnes per hour to use natural gas. This confirmed that high production and low fuel consumption could be achieved simultaneously, drawing high praise from the leaders of Heilongjiang Province, Harbin City and governmental transportation departments.
Tian Yulong, chairman of Longjiang Road & Bridge Group, believes that advanced technology is the driving force behind the success of the Ammann asphalt-mixing plant. He thinks it is the foundation of its excellent performance and reliability. He made the statement after assessing the advantages of the plant installation, which saves both time and effort. He also praised detailed reports that meet all needs for production data, efficient energy usage that lowers production costs, sound reduction efforts that create a better working environment, and the as1 Control System – which he described as both powerful and convenient.
With a commitment to “first-class equipment, first-class management and first-class service,” Longjian has purchased another Ammann ABP 400 Universal plant for another section of the A1, the SuihuaDaqing Expressway. In addition, two more of the Ammann ABP 400 Universal plants have been acquired for the A9 and A5 sections of the Harbin-Zhaoyuan Expressway.
The four Ammann ABP 400 Universal plants being utilised by Longjian help make it a strong and powerful construction company in the northeast region and throughout China.
A powerful CSM 4000 asphaltmixing plant from Lintec is driving the construction of a new airport runway in the harsh surroundings of Western Siberia. Urengoydorstroy, a construction materials supplier, owns the plant providing asphalt each day to the runway rebuilding job at Novy Urengoy Airport, located 4km south of Novy Urengoy Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous Okrug.
Evgeniy Kireev, the chief engineer at Urengoydorstroy, said selecting the right machine for the project was easy.
“We needed a powerful asphaltmanufacturing plant and opted for the Lintec CSM 4000. The demand levels for the airport project are always high, and, since we started, they have increased dramatically. The construction schedule for building the new runway is extremely tight, so as work has
from Lintec. It can produce an output of up to 320 tonnes per hour, and on the Novy Urengoy Airport project, it is delivering anything from 2,500 to 3,000 tonnes to the job site each day.
Asphalt-mixing plants from Lintec were the first in the industry to utilise containerised design for optimum transportation, both in terms of speed and cost.
This modularised design makes it quick and easy to put the plants together; and similarly, when it is time to disassemble and move to the next project, the process is equally fast and efficient. Users enjoy the simplicity of the stackable design, while a single, lockable door provides access to the plant tower for maximum security.
Kireev said the technology and design of the CSM 4000 delivered tangible savings on the job site.
“We’ve been using the plant since last summer, and its automated production technology really reduces the manpower we need to commit to asphalt production,” he said. “In addition, we’re really impressed with the quality of asphalt the plant produces, especially given the speed at which it operates.”
The reconstruction of the runway at Novy Urengoy Airport is part of a major upgrade to the regional aviation hub. Other work in the €40 million infrastructure scheme includes developing a new terminal building covering 18,000m², which will
A Lintec CSM 4000 asphalt plant is driving the construction of a new runway at Novy Urengoy Airport in Western Siberia
The savvy aftermarket services long game
Aftermarket services have never been more important to quarrying customers as they look to reduce their production cost per tonne and rebound strongly from 12-18 months of COVID19-induced disruption. Guy Woodford spoke to two Caterpillar experts to learn about the latest trends in this area of the quarrying industry and the evolving range of the US off-highway machine giant’s aftermarket solutions
There are four big trends within the quarrying industry when it comes to aftermarket solutions, according to Herwig Peschl, Caterpillar’s aftermarket sales manager in EAME (Europe, Africa & Middle East) and AsiaPacific.
“Since the 2008 financial crisis, what we’ve seen is reduced certainty for our customers. It has focused customers’ minds on short-term solutions. Quarries where operators focused on longer equipment fleet ownership are now looking at things that will help them mitigate the risk of owning that equipment. As part of this, there’s an emphasis on outsourcing risk: someone else owns the equipment and has the responsibility of maintaining and repairing it. This has led to more remote monitoring and assessment of the utilisation of the equipment.”
The second trend, Peschl notes, has been The Paris Agreement, a legally binding international treaty on climate change adopted by 196 parties at COP 21 in Paris, France, on 12 December 2015 and entered into force on 4 November 2016. The Agreement’s goal is to limit global warming to well below 2, preferably to 1.5° Celsius, compared to pre-industrial levels.
“We are providing capacity agreement solutions to our customers, either directly or via our dealers”
“The Paris Agreement’s commitment to reducing CO2 emissions has had a definite impact on our customers’ mindset. Legislation also plays into this, particularly in Europe and in some other regions, like China.
remote control or autonomy has had an industry interest boost. Some customers ask us how we can help with this. This third trend has also led to capital expenditure being reduced quite significantly by customers. Some of them want someone else to own and maintain the machines they use rather than be personally responsible for equipment repairs and rebuilds.
“The last trend which has been happening over the last ten years is a lack of qualified technicians and machine operators. The shift in terms of environmental concerns and young people being more attracted to hightech industries, and maybe not wanting their hands in the dirt.”
Peschl says the above four trends shape how quarrying customers are behaving and what they are asking of Caterpillar. He believes these customers weigh up a straight ‘Usership v Ownership’ choice regarding their equipment fleets.
“The coronavirus pandemic has triggered strong government reactions, especially at the beginning of it. The difficulty of operating machines and getting workers onsite has meant that everything touching on machine
“Our customers have noted that historically their cheapest option was purchasing a machine and owning it. Some of them are maintaining the machines themselves, others have someone else doing it, but it was pretty much an ownership model. Now customers are looking for different alternatives, such as short- or long-term rental. On top of this, some rental customers want to pay for machine usage and production capacity. This option is taking a strong foothold. There is a balance between what equipment customers wish to own
Herwig Peschl, Caterpillar aftermarket sales manager in EAME (Europe, Africa & Middle East) and Asia-Pacific
and what they want to outsource, such as ensuring they have enough hauling capacity.
“We are providing capacity agreement solutions to our customers, either directly or via our dealers. As an example, a customer says they have so much capacity in their quarry, and over the next five years, they want Caterpillar to come up with the right equipment solutions to cater for it. They would then pay us a fee to assess and manage this, limiting the risk taken on by the quarries themselves. We see this happening in the UK, continental Europe, and Australia; it’s mostly in developed markets. This is not something that is off the shelf. You need to have solid conversations with the customer as you are getting into the running of a quarry. The capacity agreement option also limits any risk for the customer in terms of what happens at the end of the equipment’s working life.”
Peschl says that longer-term machine rental agreements also work well where a customer is cash-constrained, such as during the past year due to COVID-19 pandemicinduced disruption.
Another key aftermarket services area has been Caterpillar’s work with customers to reduce their fuel consumption costs. “Fuel is a third of a quarry’s mobile equipment operating cost,” explains Peter-Valentin Sauter, Caterpillar EAME market professional – Quarry Industry Solutions.
“The diesel-electric engine version of the Cat 988K XE wheeled loader, for example, uses 15,000-20,000 litres less fuel a year than the standard diesel engine model. That’s a huge cost saving to the customer. One litre of diesel generates 2.6kg of CO2. So, if you switch to using more diesel-electric machines, it will dramatically cut your operation’s carbon emissions. Many of our quarrying and cement customers, especially the larger ones, have specific CO2 goals they are trying to reach. We can provide machine solutions to help with that.
“In Germany, a CO2 tax has just been introduced on diesel. It’s adding seven or eight cents to the cost of a litre. This will scale up year on year.”
“When it comes to Cat rebuilds, we have the opportunity to not just provide the servicing of a machine, but the warranty on it and its financing”
Peter-Valentin Sauter, Caterpillar EAME market professional – Quarry Industry Solutions
have benefitted from a huge reduction in fuel consumption in the last decade. For example, the Cat 966M XE wheeled loader has achieved an over 40% fuel consumption reduction in ten years. The ‘XE’ option on our loaders is a premium product offering the highest fuel efficiency and latest technology. These models also offer one of the lowest CO2 footprints in their industry segment.”
Helping customers finance machine fleet replacements and upgrades is another crucial area of Caterpillar’s aftermarket services’ offer.
economic sense for the customer: is it better to do a rebuild or swap out the machine? Rebuilds have the advantage in that we can scale the degree of the rebuild, potentially keeping the machine ‘forever young’.
“We also receive requests from customers to update their Cat machines to the latest engine tier emissions standards. We’ve started to do this on certain quarrying models in India, for example. It does depend on where you start your upgrade from: it’s a different discussion if you want to upgrade your engine from Tier 2 to Tier 5 emissions standard. Each emissions tier has different engine space requirements, and an engine emissions tier upgrade needs to make economic sense for a customer. We also get requests for engine emissions tier upgrades from European customers and as part of wider machine rebuilds. We are currently evaluating our engines emissions tier upgrade service and are hoping to offer this for more quarrying machines very soon.”
Peschl says that, typically, machine rebuilds tend to make economic sense for quarrying customers when they are 50-60% of the cost of buying a new model. “We can go even lower than that if it’s a partial rebuild of a transmission or engine. There are plenty of options to choose from depending on how the customer uses each machine and how long they intend to keep it.
“When it comes to Cat rebuilds, we have the opportunity to not just provide the servicing of a machine, but the warranty on it and its financing. That is a big thing for a quarry customer keen to run their business efficiently.”
“We also have operators that don’t like to change their machines every five years,” notes Sauter. “With Cat Certified Rebuilds, they get to keep their machine, but it will work for them as a new one.”
Peschl emphasises that Cat Certified Rebuilds (CCR) are available globally via Caterpillar’s worldwide dealer network. Cat also offers Cat Certified Powertrain & Hydraulics options and Equipment Protection Plans (EPP) on various components.
“Reducing fuel cost is something very tangible for customers,” adds Peschl. “Some of our quarrying machine models
“In developing regions, like Africa, parts of Asia and the Middle East, access to financing and machine insurance is a major worry for customers and can be a big obstacle to owning and operating equipment,” highlights Peschl. “Caterpillar can make the difference in this area because, unlike banks, we know the risk associated with equipment purchases and really know the customer looking to buy certain machines. We work in quarries, and know how quarries work. This means we are better able to serve these customers than traditional banks in these developing regions.”
Machine rebuilds are an increasingly attractive option for customers in both developed and developing parts of the world, as Peschl explains. “Rebuild is a broad term. It includes everything from component repair options and dealer-certified rebuilds up to Cat Certified Rebuilds, the latter giving customers a new-like machine. We can take, for example, a Cat 980H wheeled loader, a very common machine in the quarrying industry, and bring it up to the latest standards in terms of payload monitoring and cab.
“Rebuilds depend on what makes
Turning his attention back to the lower CO2 footprint and other sustainability gains to be had from Caterpillar’s premium quarrying machine models, Peschl continues: “With the 966M XE wheeled loader, if they are upgrading from a 966H, for example, they can yield significant CO2 footprint savings over the life of the XE model. Depending on the utilisation of the machine and its hours of work, customers can also achieve considerable CO2 footprint savings by rebuilding an M series wheeled loader. The alternative of swapping out a machine consumes CO2. Manufacturing a new 966M wheeled loader requires 25 tonnes of steel, which produces approximately 50 tonnes of CO2.”
Machine uptime is king in quarrying production, with every lost hour due to a machine needing repairs or unplanned maintenance wiping thousands off operations’ bottom lines. As such, the
length of turnaround time for planned major maintenance or rebuilds is, says Peschl, a key consideration for quarry customers.
“Quarry operations tend to be keen to plan for rebuilds or major hydraulic repairs, and we can have some good conversations with customers about supplying some back-up or bridging units. This can work well, and Cat Value Agreements (CVAs) contracts in this area reassure customers. More and more customers want longer-term maintenance and repair agreements, a five, six, or anything up to a 15-year maintenance and repair agreement. Our contracts can also cover wear items, such as undercarriages. Typically these contracts allow customers to know future costs ahead of time and therefore limit uncertainty. Given quarry customer demand, we are looking to do more of the longer contracts.”
Speaking about the difference between the types of Cat aftermarket services contracts taken out by larger national or multinational quarry operators compared to small to medium-sized quarry businesses, Peschl says: “With the bigger quarries, investment decisions are not made by the local operation. There is some guidance coming from a head office with overall wider company guidelines coming into play. Smaller quarry operations are making decisions on their local needs. But they face greater risks and need to more carefully plan the timing of machine rebuilds and maintenance. We can help smaller operations in terms of our financing and flexibility around their specific
needs.”
“A lack of engineer technicians is becoming a real problem,” states Sauter. “A large portion of technicians are older and retiring at a time when a lot of customers want to put machine maintenance and repairs in the hands of their machine dealers.”
To counter this, Peschl says Caterpillar and its dealers have specific engineer-technician hiring programmes and apprenticeships to ensure there is a long-term pipeline of highly trained engineer technicians to guarantee standards of work.
Sauter adds: “Given the amount of technology on the latest machines, a normal customer in-house technician will struggle to maintain these machines, placing greater emphasis on highly skilled Cat and Cat dealer technicians.”
Equipment condition monitoring and management are, says Peschl, growing areas of Caterpillar’s aftermarket services offer to quarry customers.
“There are more and more digital solutions available to help customers make more informed decisions on how they operate their equipment, how many machines they need. Often, seeing how the machines work will tell you whether you have too many or too few.
“With Cat Product Link and Cat VisionLink, we have the means to allow quarry customers to operate their fleet optimally. This is not just whether a machine has a technical issue, but productivity tools that can
tell you, for example, if you have too much machine wait time in your loading area, or certain machines have too much fuel burn due to idling. This might be due to having an inexperienced operator on a key haul truck. These are examples of where quick investment decisions can be made, and rapid productivity gains had. It is an area that Peter works very closely on with our quarrying customers.”
Sauter adds: “We have more and more ‘Assist’ features on our equipment, making a low-skilled operator more efficient. This helps a quarry business a lot.”
“I’m only probably using 5% of the capabilities of my smartphone, and, likely, many operators are only using a small amount of what they could on our machines,” continues Peschl. “It has required the local operations manager or owner, if it’s a small quarry, to address this. However, that’s not their core focus; their core focus is getting production going every day. Having someone able to show you and counsel you on machine and operator performance and productivity is a key service that we and our dealers can offer.”
Of the current quarrying machine market take-up of Caterpillar aftermarket services contracts, Peschl says: “Of our newer machines, above 60% sold in Europe come with an aftermarket services contract. In Africa, the number is less – around 35-40%. This could be because quarry customers in the region might be less familiar with services contracts. However, we’re north of 50% for service contracts in most regions.”
Launched in late 2018, Cat Remote Troubleshoot and Cat Remote Flash are two examples of how Cat Remote Services are leveraging telematics data to enable diagnostic checks and software upgrades
A Cat 988K at work in a German quarry
to be performed by dealers without being physically near quarrying machines.
Available with a range of newer Cat quarrying-suited models, such as the January 2021-launched next-generation large excavators (352, 374 and 395), the L and M series wheeled loaders (950M to 972 XE), and the May 2021-unveiled 980, 980 XE, 982, and 982 XE wheeled loaders, Remote Troubleshoot analyses real-time asset data, so the dealer can run diagnostics testing on the connected machine and pinpoint possible issues, saving on travel time as well as downtime of the vehicle during the test.
In addition to diagnosing remotely, the dealer can, in certain instances, resolve the situation there and then or, if necessary, technicians can be dispatched with the appropriate tools and parts to fix the machine.
Remote Flash ensures equipment operates with the most up-to-date version of onboard software, with remote updates to the software of a connected machine or engine, at a convenient time to the operation. This negates the need for a service technician to visit the quarry site.
“Time-wise, for every [Remote Flash] software update, it probably saves around two hours of machine downtime. That’s quite significant,” says Peschl. “Also, if a technician needs to come out and troubleshoot a machine problem, that could take a few hours for them to travel to the quarry site. The customer would need to pay for that. If a dealer uses Remote Troubleshoot to conduct a ‘machine status report’, and a technician still needs to come out, then when they arrive on-site, they will have access to the right replacement part or parts to solve a problem.”
Peschl says the COVID-19 pandemic has heightened customer interest in remote
“Automation will address inefficiencies caused by the operator, such as average operator practices, loading techniques, overspeeding etc. It will not, however, address inefficiencies caused by a wrong site set-up”
control and autonomous machines. “At CONEXPO/CON-AGG last year, we launched our Cat Command ‘Remote Control Station’ for construction machine operators. Operators are working remotely from an office using multiple cameras set up on the on-site machine. They are not sitting in a moving machine and are less tired at the end of the day.”
Peschl says that more emphasis is now placed on how a quarry is set up to make the possibility of introducing the ‘Remote Control Station’ technology in that environment more feasible.
But what about the introduction of Caterpillar autonomous machines in quarries? “It’s something we are working on. We have already had autonomous machines working in mines for many years. Our customers have gone more than 50 million kilometres without an incident, and in some mines, like in Australia, we have machines running 24/7. The investment level required for a quarry to have that does not currently pay off, partly because a quarry’s operating layout and needs can change every day. We are working on a more affordable, semiautonomous solution. This could assist the operator in, for instance, the material loading and dumping cycles.”
Peschl says it’s feasible to think that when more skilled engineering technician support and other infrastructure is in place, and site layout and other operating issues addressed, the first quarries featuring autonomous machines could be processing aggregates material in “five to six years”.
“If you don’t have efficient operating processes now, there is no way they become efficient through machine automation,” stresses Sauter. “Automation will address inefficiencies caused by the operator, such as average operator practices, loading techniques, overspeeding etc. It will not, however, address inefficiencies caused by a wrong site set-up. This could include poor haul road design, an excavator doing same-level loading instead of bench loading. Automation will also not address a wrong
Remote Troubleshoot is available with a range of newer Cat quarrying-suited models, such as the January 2021-launched 352, 374 and 395 next-generation large excavators. Pictured is a Cat 395 large excavator loading a Cat 777G dump truck
fleet match or wrong equipment selection.
“Continuous material flow throughout the quarry process chain is critical for efficient quarry operation. Continuous material flow means that the hourly capacity of the crusher – the bottle neck of an operation – needs to be in sync with hourly production capability of the loading fleet and the hauling fleet. If there is a mismatch between loading, hauling
leading to the underutilisation of a hauling and loading machines.”
“I’ve noticed there’s a lot of talk, including among some of our quarrying customers, about street truck-sized autonomous solutions for quarries. But that’s not what we’re looking at,” explains Peschl. “There’s also a lot of autonomous-machine hype that’s been coming from the automotive
OTTERBEIN CAT 772F TRUCK REBUILD
A traditionally conservative industry needs to be convinced that spending hard-earned money on new technology and services is worthwhile. After an hour’s conversation with Aggregates Business, Caterpillar’s Herwig Peschl and Peter-Valentin Sauter have laid out a persuasive argument for investing in equipment aftermarket services. We look forward to seeing what the American
Zement & Kalkwerke Otterbein (Otterbein) is a fifth-generation family company located in Großenlüder-Müs, north-east of Frankfurt in Germany. It was established in 1889 by Georg Otterbein, who laid the foundation for today’s company to merge small limestone work operations.
Otterbein extracts limestone to produce a comprehensive and high-quality range of over 100 cement, lime, plaster, and mortar products, as well as mineral paints. Those products are used in civil engineering and road construction works, housing construction, monument preservation, agriculture, forestry, and pond management. Some products are also used in industrial environmental protection, for example, drinking water treatment and air pollution control.
Otterbein had been using a Cat 772F dump truck since 2008, which had clocked 14,526 hours in 12 years carrying 50 tonnes of shell limestone 1,200 metres between the loading point and the stationary crusher. In 2019, Otterbein commissioned Zeppelin to carry out a Cat Certified Rebuild overhaul of its 772F truck. The work, carried out at the Zeppelin Hanau branch from December 2020 to March 2021, involved a complete overhaul of the machine, including a new Cat engine, torque converter, transmission, axles, and hydraulics. Parts that do not meet the strict Caterpillar reusability guidelines were replaced. This represented approximately 7,000 parts, including hoses, drive belts, sealing rings, seals, bearings, operating heads, cables, switches, and instruments.
“One of our requirements was to reduce the noise level from the exhaust system and heater. Noise reduction is one area we continually focus on in the interest of the residents who live in proximity to the quarry,” says Bernhard Pfohl, Otterbein’s quarry operations manager.
He adds: “Our limestone is very soft, so the vehicle frame was not damaged. For that reason alone, it would have been a waste not to continue using the truck. Through rebuilding, we contribute to more sustainability.”
Before the Cat 772F truck went back to full operation at the quarry, Zeppelin carried out more than 350 tests and inspections, including throttle response, stall speed rpm, brake speed, transmission and steering clutch response, and hydraulic and pilot pressure relief
valve tests.
As the result of the rebuild, the Cat 772F starts its second service life with a new rebuild identification number. “With our experience of having a unit rebuilt with Zeppelin and because of the cost advantage compared to buying a new truck, we opted for another rebuild,” Pfohl explains.
“With the new machine warranty and a full-service contract, not only are we well covered, but we also know what the costs are. [Zeppelin Hanau] Service manager Dominik Leber and service advisor Bernhard Hohmann gave us professional advice and dealt with our questions thoroughly.”
Pfohl says he now expects the same near 14,000 operating hours from the rebuilt Cat 772F truck that he got with the original truck.
ABOVE LEFT: Pictured left to right: Bernhard Pfohl, Otterbein head of quarry operations; Bernhard Hohmann, service advisor Zeppelin Hanau; Heiko Neukebauer, Bastian Dölger and Thomas Hoffmann, service technicians for Zeppelin Hanau, and Roman Wisner, an Otterbein quarry truck driver RIGHT: Otterbein’s Cat 772F rebuilt truck
Game-changing operations productivity made visible with the new Trimble Insight
Now being fully introduced to the global aggregates industry marketplace after successfully being trialled by several major Trimble quarrying customers, Trimble Insight offers gamechanging optimised operations productivity and efficiency. Guy Woodford reports
It is a familiar tale across the global aggregates sector. The quarry site’s productivity data is late, unreliable and requires a manual process to gather.
The site manager relies on tally sheets and spreadsheets to manage his or her quarry operation, with the large data sets generated needing time to be processed and understood. All this makes it very difficult for the site manager and equipment operators to make informed real-time decisions during their shifts that optimise operational productivity and efficiency.
While the above scenario is common, it does not have to be the norm. Step forward the new operational dashboard for the aggregates industry – Trimble Insight (Insight).
Offering actionable insights to identify, respond to and solve issues, control inventory, and increase productivity, Insight’s real-time access helps you make changes during the shift and see the immediate impact on production. Quarry managers and equipment operators can see target versus actual production, delays, downtime and more, giving quarrying professionals the confidence to make more informed decisions.
As Chris van der Loo, Trimble business area director for Weighing and Aggregates, explains, Insight draws data from Trimble LOADRITE loader, excavator, haul truck and conveyor belt scale sensors into centralised cloud storage. All quarry customer operations data is visible in one place so you can track progress against targets and take action.
“Rather than reporting data to our customer, we want to report insights they can use to make more informed decisions within their quarry operations,” says van der Loo. “Having a place to bring data together from multiple sources puts Insight in a unique position to provide these insights. We can offer an end-to-end solution for our customers.
“Insight has a new dashboard system where we can put a lot of metrics. A new scheduling concept allows you to set production and efficiency targets for a day or a shift and compare throughout the day how you are tracking towards that target. If things are going well, we won’t alert the customers. But if things aren’t going to plan, Insight will send alerts and notifications to the customer’s device, whether it’s a smartphone or computer, to let them know they need to take action to get back on track.”
Van der Loo explains that Insight alerts and notifications can be tailored to various site personnel depending on their responsibilities. “For example, a quarry manager is likely to have a different set of interests to a machine operator, or someone sitting in the C-suite.”
Using full-day or shift-production data (payload, cycle times and speed) overlaid with location, van der Loo says Insight’s animated replay provides an objective view of fleet performance. This may identify, for example, a need for alternative haul plans, incident safety reviews and operator training.
“There is strong interest currently from major corporate construction material producers, especially in North America”
Chris van der Loo
Trimble Insight offers game-changing optimised quarry operations productivity and efficiency
Ready to integrate with an existing quarry business’s systems and processes, van der Loo says Insight offers mixed fleet compatibility provided customers already use Trimble LOADRITE scales on their loading and hauling machines and conveyor belts.
“Having the ability to work across a mixed fleet is an important feature for our customers. Operators need to be trained to use systems like Insight and onboard weighing systems, and if they can be used across different branded wheeled loaders, excavators, and haul trucks, it allows operators to jump on and off a variety of machines while using the same technology.
“We anticipate that Insight will be a platform for all quarries, no matter how big or small. There is strong interest currently from major corporate construction material producers, especially in North America.
“We do have an API [Application Programming Interface] as we recognise there can be multiple technology systems being used in a quarry. We are looking for partners and invite other technology providers to come and integrate with our system via our API.”
Now available to InsightHQ-subscribed quarrying customers, the new secondgeneration Insight solution has three subscription levels.
“Our U.S. customers that have been working with Insight say they have been using it to validate a lot of changes they are making to their operations. They have also been using Insight to action a lot of those changes,” says van der Loo. “Some of those customers have seen up to 50% productivity improvement in tonnes produced per working hour. We also have customers using Insight in Europe and Asia-Pacific, the latter predominantly based in New Zealand and Australia.”
Citing another example of Insight’s positive impact, van der Loo says a quarry manager wanting to demonstrate the productivity and efficiency gains from a recent investment in an additional haul truck used Insight-processed data to show senior management how the extra truck was benefitting the business.
Van der Loo says using Insight-processed data to lower wheeled loader, excavator
and haul truck fuel consumption during operating hours saves money, lowering quarry operators’ cost per tonne. Furthermore, he notes how lower fuel use due to, for example, Insight-prompted action to reduce engine idling time in loading bays or during shift changes or break times, lowers engine emissions, lowering a quarry site’s carbon footprint.
“Insight is targeted towards making quarrying more productive, but with productivity gains, it means machines are used to maximum capacity, with no fuel wastage,” says van der Loo. “With Insight’s alerts and notifications, they indicate, for example, when a crusher or screener is running empty while burning fuel. Insight can also notify the customer when the haul truck is running half full, again wasting fuel. There is also a heat map on the Insight dashboard that shows where haul trucks might be queueing at loading bays for excessive amounts of time.”
Emphasising how Insight is “way beyond a series of point solutions”, van der Loo cites an example of the solution’s effectiveness: “If you know your haul cycles and where your trucks are, you can align that data with the primary crusher and see when the crusher is running empty. You can quickly tell with Insight whether that’s due to a crusher problem or whether it’s a feed issue. We have a special widget within the Insight dashboard that can tell when the material is fed into the crusher. It could be that some material has been dumped in another location, creating a surge pile.
“No one else offers a single solution with sensors on the trucks, loaders, crushers, and conveyor belts that can give you production information in real time in one place.
“The full launch of Trimble Insight is just the start. We plan on developing this product much further than what it already is; that could be through more actionable insights or data brought in from other
Trimble or third-party sources that add more value.”
Asked on what parts of a quarrying operation Insight may be used at some stage in future, van der Loo thinks stockpile inventory analytics would be a useful tool for customers. “We already have good data on how much material is going off a conveyor belt into a stockpile, and we give good data showing how much material is being removed from the stockpile by the loader. Given that, there is a great way to track how much real-time inventory is sitting in those stockpiles.
“Other things we will look at with Insight are digital connections beyond the quarry, whether that’s with the concrete plant, the asphalt plant, or the construction site. Trimble has an enormous amount of technology across the aggregates and civil construction continuum. Being able to make quarry material inventory levels data available to the concrete or asphalt plant or the construction site would allow them to know where to send their trucks for material. It will also allow them to trace where materials have come from and where they are located. More connectivity between the on-road haul fleets and the quarries would also be a big help.”
I am curious to know van der Loo’s thoughts on how the quarrying work site will look in a decade and how Insight will evolve to meet customers’ likely future operational needs.
“Insight allows the customer to produce exactly the right amount of material, at the right time, as efficiently as they can. We use data analytics to provide actionable insights, and in ten years, we would have collected an enormous amount of data from using this solution. Machine learning can then be utilised to move us beyond actionable insights to lasting problem eliminations. We are only just at the start of what can be done digitally in the quarrying industry.” AB
A Trimble Insight fleet manager dashboard screenshot
A screenshot from a Trimble Insight production widget
To limit the effects of climate change, aggregates companies are investing in the production of renewable energy on site, including the installation of solar panels. Image: Carmeuse Aisemont
UEPG: aggregates essential ingredient for climate change adaptation
With sea levels rising and the effects of extreme weather conditions, such as floods, droughts and uncontrolled fires, ever more present, one “ingredient” will be essential to protect people living along the coasts and on riverbanks: aggregates.
European aggregates association the UEPG says that aggregates are the key element in building dams, dykes and coastal structures, combined with nature-based solutions. Aggregate extraction sites close to rivers can function as retention areas to lower the peak of flood waves and offer sand to fill urgently needed sand bags.
Essential
Aggregates have been used for millennia to build human infrastructure such as houses or roads, the proof being not only the wellknown cartoon ‘The Flintstones’, who were living and working in a quarry, but also most of the ancient buildings, from any time in history, made of stone. But the role of aggregates is now changing.
The UEPG says that, today, aggregates demand in Europe equates to approximately 3 billion tonnes annually and it is used to build Europe’s essential infrastructure including homes, roads, railways, schools, or hospitals. The effects of climate change are already being felt, with some countries having to adapt to deal with the impact of rising sea levels and frequent flooding.
In order to protect coasts from the rise of sea levels, dykes and other coastal structures are being built onshore to lift the coastline a few metres above the sea level so that the human settlements and other developments are protected, as the Netherlands has done
for decades. Large structures might be built offshore to break the waves before they reach the coast.
Aggregates are also used in many parts of Europe against the erosion of coasts and for beach nourishment. Large quantities of sand are usually poured to enlarge the beach into the sea in order to keep the water away from human settlements, and also to maintain touristic activities.
In the Netherlands, aggregates extraction sites are considered retention areas for floods because they can retain millions of cubic metres of water before this water reaches the cities and villages down- or upstream and causes disasters. Needless to say, aggregates are used and will continue to be used to build dams which again prevent floods downstream, as extreme weather conditions will cause more floods.
For all these purposes, aggregates are essential and it is important to make sure that these materials will be readily available when and where needed.
Sustainable
Aggregates are not only essential for climate change adaptation and mitigation, but make a significant contribution to sustainability. Aggregate production entails a negligible level of CO2 emissions (3-5 kg/ tonne produced) and companies are fully committed to sustainable development. Aggregates producers have a recognised track record, acknowledged by the European Commission and environmental NGOs, of actions in response to climate change and in preserving biodiversity and the environment in general.
In order to act towards limiting the effects of climate change, aggregates companies
have begun investing in the production of renewable energy on site, installing wind turbines and solar panels on land or even on quarry/gravel lakes. Projects on the electrification of machinery are underway as well, with Nordic countries being quite advanced in this quest. Examples of different projects and investments to mitigate climate change in the aggregates industry are countless across Europe and this is a trend that will continue to grow in the upcoming years.
The UEPG promotes sustainable aggregates extraction across Europe and demonstrates through its good practices that socio-economic activities can be part of the solution for nature conservation objectives.
Water bodies in extraction sites are often thriving habitats for numerous aquatic and terrestrial species, including fishes, amphibians and birds. Extraction sites can indeed host a large variety of birds including sand martins, but also larger species like owls, hawks or eagles. With the concept of temporary nature, mammals such as rabbits or foxes find their place in the unexploited parts of extraction sites too. In cooperation with NGOs, academia and other stakeholders, UEPG is now aiming to connect nature-protected areas with aggregates extraction sites used as stepping stones.
Aggregates are part of the solution when it comes to climate change mitigation, adaptation and environmentally friendly economic activities, and the industry is ready to contribute to the challenge of adapting to the inevitable effects of climate change in order to preserve life in Europe. AB
MINERAL EXPLORATION –HOW TO OBTAIN MINERAL RIGHTS
How can mineral operators obtain rights for mineral exploration from uncooperative landowners in the UK? There is a little-used act that makes this possible. Scott Mitchell, a partner in the real estate team and the mining & minerals team at Stephens Scown, explains
The common law presumption is that a landowner owns everything above and below the surface of the land. In terms of mineral rights, however, that is not always the case and the rights can be severed from the land by Crown grant, legislation or historic rights.
Whilst the mineral itself may not be the property of the landowner, the surface land is. How then can a mineral operator access land in order to explore, work or facilitate future or existing mining activities?
The first step should always be contacting and attempting to negotiate access with the landowner. There are instances, however, where this may not be possible. The Mines Act can grant a third party with no existing rights to that land “prospecting and working rights”, as well as “ancillary rights” for minerals.
A number of rights can be granted under the Mines Act upon successful application, summarised in the table below.
How to obtain the right
The granting of any of the above rights is a question for the High Court. Operators are not able to simply apply directly to the High Court and must comply with the procedural requirements set out within the Mines Act. The first step should always be attempting to contact the relevant landowners as well as those people with a benefitting interest in the land.
An application seeking these rights cannot be made directly in the High Court. It must be referred by the Secretary of State for the Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy (BEIS).
An applicant will therefore need to set out in its application a number of matters for consideration, including, for example:
“The value in negotiating suitable access rights directly with a landowner should never be underestimated”
• Statement of the right sought
• Evidence that the granting of this right will be in the national interest
• Evidence as to why it has not been possible to obtain this right by private arrangement
The BEIS’ role is not to determine whether a right WILL be granted, it is merely to decide whether there is sufficient evidence for this case to be heard. Refusal of the application by the BEIS does not mean that future applications will also be refused.
Referral to the High Court
If the BEIS finds there is a case to be heard, the matter will be referred to the High Court and papers lodged. This effectively starts the clock for very strict deadlines, which the applicant must adhere to.
An applicant will still be required to prove their case with evidence, before a High Court judge. It is also worth bearing in mind that although the BEIS will have considered there
is a case based on previous evidence, this may not be sufficient to persuade a judge. It is therefore not uncommon for further evidence to be adduced.
The judge, having considered the evidence and objections, will then decide whether or not to grant all (or some) of the rights sought. This decision is entirely at the discretion of the court. In making its decision, the court will consider (among other things) whether the granting of these rights is in the expedient in the national interest.
The court has sole discretion on what (if any) rights to grant, as well as imposing any additional restrictions on those rights. The court may also (and often does) award some level of compensation to be paid to the landowner(s) as a result of the grant.
The above procedure is not cost friendly. Generally, any costs incurred by either party prior to the issue of proceedings in the High Court are not recoverable by the other party. Once in the High Court however, costs
recovery proceeds as in normal litigation i.e. the winning party can (subject to any specific costs orders) claim costs against the losing party.
The value in negotiating suitable access rights directly with a landowner should never be underestimated. Whilst they can often be tricky, these negotiations may be the more cost-effective option to access. As illustrated above, navigating the regulatory framework and successfully obtaining a grant of rights under the Mines Act can be challenging and involves a substantial amount of time and investment. It is therefore important to obtain advice at an early stage.
However, where rights are required and the landowner is not prepared to properly engage, then the Mines Act can provide a useful tool. AB
CONTACT
The Mining & Minerals team at Stephens Scown LLP can be contacted on +44 01392 210700 or solicitors@stephens-scown.co.uk For more information, visit www.stephens-scown.co.uk
PROSPECTING AND WORKING RIGHTSANCILLARY RIGHTS
Applies to A. Minerals other than peat cut for purposes other than sale B. Minerals other than coal C. All minerals
All minerals
A.Examples include;
● Search for or work minerals
● Remove any restrictions on the operator if such restrictions are impeding the efficient and economic workings of the mineral
● Right to work where a mineral interest already exists and either (a) a second individuals’ consent or (b) the mineral occurs in such small parcels that they cannot be worked by themselves
C.
● Right to ‘let down’ the surface
● Rights of access, conveyance (transfer of ownership) and ventilation (mines) to the mineral incl. right of air-way, shaft-way or surface or underground wayleave (personal licence)
● Right to dispose of water or other liquid matter from mines or by-product works B.
● Ability for adjoining mining operators to adjust boundaries so as to either (a) reduce the material left unworked or (b) make the working of mineral more economic or efficient
● Right to use the surface for the erection of ancillary facilities such as washeries, railways, brick works and on-site employee accommodation
● Right to obtain water or other substances in connection with the working of the minerals
Italy aims to build back better
The Italian quarrying industry is benefitting from a major national infrastructure plan as part of Italy’s efforts to recover from severe COVID-19-induced disruption. Guy Woodford reports
The Italian government has ended restrictions on 130 construction projects considered strategic for relaunching Italy’s post-COVID-19 economy and for modernising the nation’s infrastructure network.
The relaunched projects, worth a combined €200 billion, are part of Italy’s version of the Build Back Better masterplan, much trumpeted in countries like the US, UK, and China. They also form part of a new Simplification Decree, which includes a series of measures to reduce bureaucracy and modernise and stimulate production. The projects will benefit from a quicker approval process aimed at guaranteeing a speedy reopening of construction sites and on-time completion. The rapid build of the new Genoa Bridge, which opened in August 2020, is an example of how this approach can be highly effective and safe.
Renewed widescale Italian infrastructure building will significantly increase Italian mineral products demand. Nico Nasini, sales officer manager at SCAI, Hitachi Construction Machinery (Europe’s), authorised dealers in Italy, summarises the improved market conditions.
“After years of decline, the quarrying market is enjoying a period of recovery. This is due to some new state incentives that have seen the recommencement of infrastructure projects, such as public and road construction works. In turn, this has led to an increase in demand for the supply of aggregates. These projects will not only relaunch the economy but also modernise
the country’s infrastructure network.
“There are so-called ‘great works’ that have been financed and approved by the state. These include high-speed railway links, numerous major road networks and waterworks for protection against high water.”
Nasini says quarrying customers are looking for reliability and low fuel consumption from their loading machines. “Hitachi Construction Machinery is renowned for the former, and enhanced hydraulic systems, like those of the new Zaxis-7 excavators, contribute successfully to the latter. Our customers also benefit from the professionalism of our technical assistance and the immediate availability of genuine spare parts to avoid any unnecessary downtime.”
The ZX530, 690 and 890LCH-7 large excavator models are said by Nasini to be in high demand among Italian quarry customers. “They are known for their reliability, strength and durability to cope with heavy-duty operations in the challenging environments of the quarrying sector. Furthermore, the LCR models are built with reinforced parts and are ideal for digging and loading heavy materials. And the ZW310-6 wheeled loader is also popular due to its reliability and strength for loading trucks in quarries.”
GlobalData’s April 2021 published report Construction in Italy – Key Trends and Opportunities to 2025 tips the Italian construction industry to rebound in 2021, growing 5.3% in real terms following a
decline of 6.3% in the previous year. “Italy was the first European country to impose a lockdown last year in response to the pandemic. Although the construction industry was temporarily closed last year, operations resumed in May 2020, after almost two months of shutdown,” notes the report by the major global business market intelligence consultancy.
GlobalData warns that a risk to the industry’s positive outlook arises from any upsurge in COVID-19 infections and subsequent tightening of lockdown restrictions in the country.
The report continues: “The rising national debt also poses a threat to government spending in the industry. Even before the outbreak of the pandemic, Italy was the second-most indebted country in the Eurozone. The outbreak of the pandemic, coupled with economic slowdown and the drastic increase in public spending on stimulus packages, has led to the country’s debt-to-GDP ratio rising from 134.6% in 2019 to 155.6% last year. The government is expected to receive a substantial windfall from the EU’s recovery fund, which will support the government’s plans to increase spending in infrastructure.”
Over the remaining part of GlobalData’s forecast period, the Italian construction industry is expected to register annual average growth of 1.6% between 20222025, supported by investment in housing, healthcare, transport, energy, and tourism infrastructure projects. The government’s focus on reducing carbon emissions in the
country and supporting the renovation of buildings to make them more energy efficient will, says GlobalData, also support industry growth over the forecast period.
In June 2021, Veronafiere decided to postpone the debut of SaMoTer Demo DaysOutdoor Edition, the live quarry-based event in Vaprio d’Adda, near Milan, Italy, scheduled to take place 30 September-2 October 2021.
The decision was made due to factors linked to what organisers say is an “unforeseen and still rapidly evolving situation” related to the impact of the COVID19 pandemic.
Veronafiere says that following the “sprint start” in the first quarter of 2021, which saw 3,783 Italian construction equipment units sold, a year-on-year rise of 40%, machinery builders globally are now finding it difficult to cope with new orders. This is due to the increased costs of raw materials, difficulties in finding mechanical components and delays in shipments.
“We are seeing significant growth in the market,” said Mirco Risi, president of Unacea, the Italian construction equipment association, “but in a very complex context characterised by changeable and uncertain dynamics. Under these circumstances, we take a positive view of Veronafiere’s approach in not forcing the market and proceeding in close harmony with the sector.”
“We note with regret that the variable background conditions make it impossible to hold an event which we had immediately supported,” said Claudio Bassanetti, president of ANEPLA (Associazione Nazionale Estrattori Produttori Lapidei Affinia), the Italian aggregates federation. “However, we are always more than willing to collaborate again in the future with Veronafiere.”
“An unforeseeable scenario obliged the construction machinery sector to implement a sudden change of direction,” said Giovanni Mantovani, CEO of Veronafiere. “This is why we considered postponing Demo Days. Organising trade fairs tailored to the needs of partners requires flexibility and rapid adaptation in order always to provide the best business and promotion tools on the market. We will now work with even more effort on the next edition of SaMoTer by
Hitachi Construction Machinery (Europe) has seen good Italian quarrying customer demand for its large excavators. Pictured is the ZX490LCH-7 excavator
recalibrating a new approach during the run-up to the exhibition.”
In March 2023, Veronafiere will host the 31st edition of SaMoTer, the most important exhibition in Italy dedicated to construction equipment.
Italy is one of the bigger aggregatesproducing nations in Europe, according to UEPG (European Aggregates Association) production estimates data. The country’s 1,120 aggregates producers work across 2,800 extraction sites, producing an estimated 164 million tonnes in 2018. That made Italy the seventh-largest aggregatesproducing country in Europe that year, more than Spain’s 124 million tonnes, but considerably less than the top four: Russia (736mn tonnes), Germany (597mn tonnes), Turkey (430mn tonnes), and France (429mn tonnes).
Encouraged by its experience gained over the past years and driven by the ever-
growing demand to organise live training and exhibition events, ANEPLA is staging CavaExpoTech 2021 on Wednesday 22 September 2021.
The event’s special guest is Cave Merlini who will host event attendees at the company’s Cava Boscaccio site in Gaggiano, Milan. An ANEPLA spokesperson said the association was very proud to be staging its new event with the support of a flagship Italian quarrying company. The spokesperson said the “foresight, entrepreneurial spirit and environmental sensitivity” that the Merlini family showcases in its business practices had resulted in Cave Merlini winning several national and international awards.
CavaExpoTech 2021 is open to all its extractive industries and earthmoving company members who can also exhibit on the day. The day’s programme includes a morning presentation on the latest developments on the circular economy and renewable energy, a highly topical issue for the entire supply chain that unites both the extractive companies and their suppliers of capital goods and services. This will be followed by a tour of exhibiting companies’ stands. The event’s afternoon session will include field testing of earthmoving machines and innovative plant technologies.
It would be no surprise if the Italian government’s refreshed commitment to huge construction projects is a further topic of eager conversation during CavaExpoTech 2021, and at other ANEPLA events during the remainder of this year and in the first half of
A Hyundai HX520L excavator working at the Colonnata marble quarry in Tuscany
Rahikainen’s new Nordtrack S2.11 double-deck screen is helping the company get much closer to its one million tonnes a year crushing goal
A METSO OUTOTEC BOTTLENECK BUSTER
A Finnish family-owned quarrying business has relieved a bottleneck problem in its crushing chain after adding Metso Outotec’s Nordtrack S2.11 double-deck screen to its production process. Guy Woodford reports
Agigantic dust cloud rises over the rocky Oksala area in Palokka, Jyväskylä, central Finland. It is -25 °C, and the crushing chain of RKJ Rahikainen (RKJ) is crushing stone as usual. Actually, it is crushing better than before, now that the old screen is no longer the bottleneck in the production process.
Jukka Rahikainen, one of the owners of the crushing contractor company, steps down from the excavator cabin and comes to talk.
“This is a family business. I’ve been involved in crushing with my brother and father since 2007.” Pre-2007, Rahikainen’s father, Reijo, had worked in earth construction, digging ditches in forests, for example.
“They opened a rocky area near our home in Petäjävesi, and we thought that we could start processing it further. Our operations have expanded a bit since then,” says Rahikainen, grinning.
It can be said that they have indeed expanded their operations quite a bit. The company already has two crushing chains, one in Palokka and the other one in Leustu, Korpilahti. The goal is to produce one million tonnes per year with the two chains. They are currently producing up to 700,000 tonnes per year. The new Nordtrack S2.11
double-deck screen purchased to work at RKJ customer Perälä’s quarry in Palokka contributes to achieving this goal.
“We were looking for a screen that would have enough capacity to screen the material so that we wouldn’t have to slow down the crushing process. Metso contacted us and asked us if we were interested in trying this kind of solution,” Rahikainen reminisces.
The new screen has been in use for six months now. The upper deck of the screen has a 10-mm mesh, and a 2.5-mm mesh is used on the lower deck. When making roadsanding gravel with the previous screen, the capacity was 200 tonnes per hour. Now, it is easy to produce 250 tonnes of clean output if the material is dry.
All kinds of grades are produced by RKJ at Perälä’s quarry: road-sanding gravel, capillary break gravel and aggregates from 0–16mm to up to 0–90mm. According to Rahikainen, it is possible to produce 300–400 tonnes of 0–31mm aggregates per hour. When making larger aggregates, only the feed bank and the feeder might slow down the process.
At Perälä quarry, RKJ is using a chain with Metso Outotec’s LT130E jaw crusher and a tertiary crusher, which is their own creation: a MX4 cone crusher installed on a LT300 track. A Nordtrack S2.11 screen was added to the chain at the same time with the jaw. It keeps the MX4 cone as full as
“Stones should look like a Rubik’s cube: if there are too many long edges, the stone falls into pieces easily” Jukka Rahikainen
End products are piled on different sides of the screen, keeping different grades separated
“We’ve been able to increase the capacity considerably. Simplicity and pure power. They are the key” Jukka Rahikainen
possible, which enables the crushed stones to have the best possible shape.
“The shape is important when producing 8–16mm grades for the construction business. Stones should look like a Rubik’s cube: if there are too many long edges, the stone falls into pieces easily,” Rahikainen explains.
“It has worked well. I don’t know if we really had a bottleneck, but the machine has certainly enhanced our operation. We’ve been able to increase the capacity considerably. Simplicity and pure power. They are the key,” he says.
Rahikainen also praises the ease of maintenance of the screen. Greasing points have been centralised well and there’s more room around the oil check point, so things have developed a lot. It is easy to change meshes and prepare the machine for transportation.
“When you fold the conveyors, the screen becomes so compact that there’s no need to have an extra car driving in front when transporting the machine,” he notes.
Metso Outotec’s maintenance service is also much appreciated.
“The whole package is really comprehensive, quick and of high quality. We’ve always got help when we’ve needed it, although we haven’t always called them during business hours,” Rahikainen laughs. AB
Frost and dry weather make crushing and screening produce plenty of dust. Metso Outotec plants have been designed to counter it
Jukka Rahikainen is happy with the increase in production capacity enabled by the new Nordtrack S2.11 double-deck screen
Powerful upgrades to Volvo Penta’s new D16 engine
Earlier this year, Volvo Penta launched its new Stage V/ Tier 4F certified D16 off-road engine – the company’s most powerful and versatile engine to date. This 16-litre engine has been designed to meet the needs of customers working across demanding environments such as quarrying, mining, and construction. Here are five of its outstanding features.
1. Increased power
The Volvo Penta D16’s dualstage turbo system delivers high performance across the operational range, providing high torque at both low and high engine speeds. This enables the engine to meet the requirements of multiple applications, without operators having to compromise between performance and torque. For example, in mining, customers can benefit from both high power and high torque,
leading to increased productivity. In agriculture, where the requirement is often for high torque at low rpm, the Volvo Penta D16 is optimised for low fuel consumption.
2. 10% cut in fuel consumption
Volvo Penta’s D16 is based on proven technologies within the Volvo Group that have undergone millions of hours of testing and real-world use. Its versatile performance delivery, response, and highly efficient combustion have been proven in real-world applications to help customers reduce their fuel consumption by up to 10% when compared with the previous Volvo Penta D16 model.
3. Improved environmental performance
The Volvo Penta D16’s reliable exhaust after-treatment system
(EATS) has been designed to use selective catalytic reduction (SCR) technology only, removing the need for exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) and a diesel particulate filter (DPF). The optimised EATS design ensures high uptime and low total cost of ownership.
4. High-altitude performance
The dual turbo technology and efficient combustion system also help the engine to achieve industry-leading performance at high altitude. At an altitude of 2,500m, Volvo Penta’s D16 delivers the same performance as it does at sea level.
5. Built to run
Built on the dependable in-line six-cylinder design, the Volvo
Doosan unveils DL220-7 & DL250
The new DL220-7 and DL250-7 wheeled loaders have been launched by Doosan Infracore Europe. The new models are the latest additions to the company’s awardwinning DL-7 wheeled loader range, following on from the first phase that involved the launch of seven larger DL-7 machines in December 2020.
Like the existing models, the DL220-7 and DL250-7 introduce a next-generation design, incorporating a powerful new Stage V-compliant engine and providing higher productivity, increased fuel efficiency and a low cost of ownership, coupled with a superb environment and experience for the operator.
Charlie Park, CEO of Doosan Infracore Europe, said: “We have been delighted with the reception we received for the launch of the first seven models in the DL-7 wheeled loader range at the end of last year. The new DL220-7 and DL250-7 provide all of the same innovations provided by the larger models, ensuring market-leading operator comfort, fuel economy, productivity and durability.”
The new models’ LIS (Load Isolation System) provides a smoother ride and higher comfort for the operator, as well as higher productivity due to improved stability when the wheeled
Penta D16 has been developed to produce smooth operation with low noise levels. A durable, compact base engine that’s easy to install, the Volvo Penta D16 is built to run. With easily accessible service points, the industrial engine is simple to maintain and now has an extended oil service interval from 500 to 1000 hours.
Volvo Penta’s 16-litre D16 (TWD1683VE) diesel engine delivers 585kW of power and 3650Nm peak torque at 1900RPM. As well as meeting the Stage V and Tier 4F emission regulations, the new engine also complies with MSHA, CANMET, Reg 120, Reg 96, and RoHS2 requirements.
www.volvopenta.com
loader is moving. The lift arm is cushioned by a hydro-pneumatic accumulator linked to the lift hydraulic system, acting as a shock absorber. The benefits include reduced cycle times, higher performance and better fuel efficiency while carrying out load and carry applications.
The new Doosan DL06V Stage V 6-cylinder engine powers both the DL220-7 and DL250-7 wheeled loaders, with an output of 119kW and 128kW, respectively. The new DL06V engine offers up to 5% greater fuel efficiency than the previous generation machines, whilst delivering impressive output and torque.
The new engine meets Stage V emission regulations without the need for exhaust gas recirculation, using selective catalyst reduction, diesel oxidation catalyst and diesel particulate filter after-treatment technologies.
The DL220-7 and DL250-7’s Doosan Smart Guidance System (DSGS) is a new feature which analyses the driving habits and behaviour of the operator and helps them to achieve the most fuel-efficient operation. The DSGS provides a score and guide (the ScoreGraph) of the operator’s driving pattern to show fuel economy, efficiency and durability by category.
03-04: 4th Construction Equipment Forum Berlin 2021 Estrel Convention Center, Berlin Organiser: IPM AG Tel: +49 511 473 147 90 www.constructionforum.eu
Advertisers in AGGREGATES BUSINESS can now be contacted via their websites - for instant links to all the websites listed below, by category, go to: www.AggBusiness.com
Ammann p33 www.ammann.com
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BKT Tires p30 www.bkt-tires.com
CDE Global p13 www.cdeglobal.com
Hitachi p4 www.hitachicm.eu
Martin Engineering p23 www.martin-eng.com
MB Crusher p29 www.mbcrusher.com
McLanahan IFC www.mclanahan.com
Telestack p21 www.telestack.com
Terex Trucks p15 www.rokbak.com
Trimble OBC www.trimble.com/insight
Tsurumi IBC www.tsurumi.eu
MAY
05-07: RecyclingAKTIV & TiefbauLIVE Karlsruhe Trade Fair Centre, Germany
Organiser: The QMJ Group Tel: +44 (0) 115 945 4377
Email: Harvey.sugden@qmj.co.uk www.hillhead.com
OCTOBER
24-30: bauma Munich, Germany
Organiser: Messe München
Tel: +49 89 949 11348
Email: info@bauma.de www.bauma.de/en/
MEET THE TEAM
Aggregates Business travels the globe attending conferences, events and equipment shows, keeping you informed of the latest offerings. Come and join us for a chat at any of the events below.
JUNE 2022
21-23: Hillhead 2020
Hillhead Quarry, Buxton, Derbyshire, England
OCTOBER 2022
24-30: bauma Munich, Germany
These dates were correct at the time of going to press, but please note that the COVID-19 pandemic means some events may be rescheduled with little advance notice
Actionable Insights
ACTIONABLE INSIGHTS | DASHBOARDS | NOTIFICATIONS
Trimble Insight provides real-time operations visibility to improve performance and productivity. See target vs. actual production, delays, downtime and more, so you have the confidence to make more informed decisions.
Insight supports a mixed fleet of all your loaders, excavators, haul trucks, and conveyor belts to track productivity from the pit to stockpile.
Email aggregates@trimble.com or learn more at trimble.com/insight
