ABE Jul-Aug 2024 by Prime Creative Media

JULY/AUGUST 2024 | VOL.18 ISSUE NO4 | www.AggBusiness.com

An exciting aggregatesprocessing future

INTERVIEW Brian James on the uncertain future for recycled aggregates use p24

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F OO T P R

ON RB A

PONSI BLY

SCREENING BUCKETS & ATTACHMENTS Forming a strong attachment to progress p40

RES

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TROMMELS Making a game-changing trommel screen investment p50

I N T E D & PO S

A new Finnish home & product range for Metso p19

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CONTENTS

QUARRY PROFILE

“Bjønndalen quarry’s new wash plant designed by CDE Group and Nordic Bulk is significantly reducing surplus crushing material and producing highquality industrial sand” p14

JULY/AUGUST 2024 | VOL.18 ISSUE NO4 | www.AggBusiness.com

Vol.18 ISSUE No.4 July/August 2024

Seeking the golden sustainability ticket

36 CONVEYORS, STACKERS & STOCKPILERS

06 NEWS Aggregate Industries appoints Lee Sleight as new CEO; Holcim acquires Swiss Cand-Landi Group; Digging in for ﬁrst-ever, large-scale cement CCU facility

New models and a big focus on sustainability are enriching the quarrying conveyors market

09 ASSOCIATION NEWS

Maximising screening bucket efficiency leads to high-quality aggregates at a reduced cost per tonne

Embracing Sustainability: The Late Summer Reception co-hosted by Aggregates EuropeUEPG & Eurogypsum

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PONSI BLY

RES

F OO T P R

I N T E D & PO S

SCREENING BUCKETS & ATTACHMENTS Forming a strong attachment to progress p40

DUCE OU

INTERVIEW Brian James on the uncertain future for recycled aggregates use p24

COVER STORY: Metso has unveiled and demonstrated its ﬁrst two Lokotrack EC Series crushers

Specials 10 MARKET REPORT

Why electric dewatering pumps are becoming an increasingly attractive option to aggregates site operators

All the key events in the quarrying & aggregates world

TROMMELS Making a game-changing trommel screen investment p50

40 SCREENING BUCKETS & ATTACHMENTS

42 DEWATERING 51 EVENTS

A new Finnish home & product range for Metso p19

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05 COMMENT

New Volvo CE rigid dump trucks & a major new West African partner for Rokbak

An exciting aggregatesprocessing future RB

33 HAULING

Regulars

Dutch and Belgian aggregates producers continue to focus on the circular and carbon-neutral economy

14 QUARRY PROFILE 46 ASPHALT PLANTS

Features 19 CRUSHING & SCREENING – 1

A new green-hydrogen-burner generation system from Benninghoven is making asphalt production even more sustainable

Metso lays out path to an exciting crushing & screening future

48 PILOT CRUSHTEC

22 CRUSHING & SCREENING – 2

Stage V-powered TwisterTrac creates new export markets for Pilot Crushtec

Astec and SBM Mineral Processing lit up Hillhead with their focus on product innovation and global sales growth

The Bjønndalen quarry near Oslo has recently deployed a new wash plant designed by CDE Group and Nordic Bulk

24 INTERVIEW Brian James on why new developments are putting recycled aggregates use in jeopardy

50 TROMMELS The new EDGE 10-metre trommel is claimed to do the work of two six-metre models

30 LOADING OEMs have been unveiling their next-gen machines with an eye-catching number of electric wheeled loader and excavator models

36 www.AggBusiness.com

50 AGGREGATES BUSINESS EUROPE July/August 2024

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COMMENT

HEAD OFFICE EDITOR: Guy Woodford ASSISTANT EDITOR: Liam McLoughlin CONTRIBUTING EDITORS: Munesu Shoko, V.l. Srinivasan,

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EDITOR Seeking the golden sustainability ticket

love innovation that positively impacts people’s lives and wider society. In the aggregates and wider building materials industry, an innovation that decarbonises cement and concrete is the golden sustainability ticket. Concrete is a critical material in our built environment; we use half a tonne of it every year for every person on Earth. Concrete is responsible for 7.5% of total carbon emissions, triple that of aviation, with cement being the energy- and CO2-intensive part of it. Given the above, I was delighted to hear that Cambridge Electric Cement (CEC), a UK-based, low-carbon, recycled cement start-up, has closed a £2.25 million seed funding round. Zero Carbon Capital, a decarbonisationfocused investor, led the round, investing alongside existing investors Legal & General, Cambridge Enterprise Ventures, Parkwalk Advisors, Delph25, and Almanac Ventures. This investment will enable CEC to scale up the production of its sustainable cement at CELSA UK’s EAF facility in Cardiff, South Wales, deliver a real-world construction demonstrator, and advance offtake agreements with partners and customers. CEC, founded in 2022 by academic co-founders Professor Julian Allwood, Doctor Cyrille Dunant, and Doctor Pippa Horton, is unique in its approach to commercialising low-carbon cement research. CEC’s breakthrough process co-recycles steel and cement to produce a low-carbon, circular cement product that offers very low emissions, a circular and scalable alternative to existing cement production. The key innovation is the substitution of recovered cement paste (RCP) for the lime used in the steel recycling process. Critically, CEC has proven that electric arc furnaces (EAFs) provide the right conditions to reactivate RCP extracted from old concrete waste without interfering with the steelmaking process. This co-production process avoids kiln-related energy and calcination process emissions from conventional cement production, and leverages existing steelmaking infrastructure. The team’s scientific research continues at the University of Cambridge and with research teams at the University of Warwick and Imperial College led by Zushu Li and Rupert Myers, leveraging

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“A world built with low-carbon, circular cement and concrete is getting closer” £2m funding from the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC). CEC’s cutting-edge cement product targets a direct replacement for current Portland Cement (CEM I), delivering equivalent performance without the negative environmental impact. CEC’s proposition, which combines transformational sustainability impact with a scalable, low-capex model, is said by the start-up to offer a unique advantage over current technologies. Unlike sustainable cement competitors that typically offer partial emissions reduction with lower capex requirements or transformational impact with high capex requirements, CEC says its high-impact, low-capex model is unmatched. Furthermore, by producing a CEM I equivalent cement, CEC notes that its approach complements many would-be competitor technologies (such as calcined clay), allowing for an even greater impact. Progress to date builds upon the Cement 2 Zero industrial demonstrator project, a consortium involving CEC and industry partners AtkinsRéalis, Balfour Beatty, CELSA UK, Day Group, Materials Processing Institute, and Tarmac. This £6.5 million initiative is funded by a Transforming Foundation Industries grant from InnovateUK. CEC’s partners continue contributing critical experience, knowledge, equipment access, and advocacy. After successfully completing pilot-scale trials at the Materials Processing Institute’s 7t EAF, industrial-scale trials started in May 2024, utilising CELSA UK’s 150t EAF. Phil Cartlidge, CELSA projects manager, who has championed the trials to date, says he is “very optimistic about the forthcoming industrial-scale trials at CELSA UK’s 1.2Mt melt shop, which will find a way to re-engineer arc furnace slag using recycled materials and building on CELSA’s commitment to circularity and sustainability.” A world built with low-carbon, circular cement, and concrete is getting closer. GW © AGGREGATES BUSINESS EUROPE July/August 2024

NEWS

Holcim acquires Swiss Cand-Landi Group Holcim has acquired the Cand-Landi Group in Switzerland to advance decarbonisation and circular construction. With consolidated net sales of CHF 70 million (€73.2mn) and 250 employees, CandLandi’s diversified businesses include recycling and waste management, as well as aggregates and ready-mix. The acquisition will accelerate decarbonisation at Holcim’s Eclépens plant by providing new sources of alternative raw materials and fuels. It also increases Holcim’s recycling of construction demolition materials into new building solutions by 100,000 tonnes a year. Miljan Gutovic, CEO of Holcim: “The acquisition of the Cand-Landi Group will advance decarbonisation and circularity in Switzerland, a lighthouse market for innovation at Holcim. I look forward to welcoming all 250 employees of the CandLandi Group and investing in our next chapter of growth together.” The Cand-Landi Group has been family-owned for 128 years and has been a leader in recycling for French-speaking Switzerland. Following a successful partnership between Holcim and CandLandi for many years, the acquisition will provide customers with even more comprehensive solutions in construction, logistics, and the circular economy.

Holcim has acquired the Switzerland-based Cand-Landi Group. Pic: Holcim

Aggregate Industries appoints Lee Sleight as new CEO

ee Sleight has been appointed as the new CEO of Aggregate Industries. Sleight joined the business in 2021 as managing director of the ready-mix concrete division and positively transformed it during his tenure. Last year he moved to take up the role as managing director of the aggregates division. Aggregate Industries’ new CEO has more than 20 years of experience in the construction industry, holding various senior leadership positions. Earlier this year, it was announced that the UK building materials major’s current CEO, Dragan Maksimovic, had been appointed Region Head West Europe, overseeing the leadership of the Holcim businesses in the UK, France, Belgium, Germany and Spain. The outgoing Aggregate Industries CEO said: “Firstly, I’d like to congratulate Lee on his appointment. He will make an excellent CEO.

“I have worked closely with him for the last few years, and he has a proven track record of leading and transforming businesses. I am confident he will continue to drive the business forward while delivering on our ambitious plans of decarbonisation and green growth.” Sleight, who started his new position on 1 August 2024, said: “It is a very proud moment for me to be chosen to lead this fantastic business. Having been with the company for a number of years, I know first-hand how amazing the people who work here are. “I am now really looking forward to working with our teams around the country to deliver on our ambition to be the UK’s leading supplier of sustainable construction materials and to keep progressing on our journey to a net zero future.” Kaziwe Kaulule will succeed Sleight as managing director

Lee Sleight is Aggregate Industries’ new CEO. Pic: Aggregate Industries of the company’s aggregates division. Kaulule joined AIUK in October 2023 as director of strategic and commercial growth and previously was CEO of Holcim’s South Africa and Zimbabwe businesses.

Digging in for ﬁrst-ever, large-scale cement CCU facility Linde and Heidelberg Materials recently hosted a groundbreaking ceremony for their large-scale carboncapture and liquefaction plant in Lengfurt, Germany. Christian Knell, general manager of Heidelberg Materials Germany, and Andreas X. Müller, managing director of Linde Gas Germany, welcomed around 50 guests to this milestone event on the construction site at the Lengfurt cement plant. Under the name Capture‐ to‐Use (CAP2U), Heidelberg Materials and Linde have established a joint venture to build and operate a carboncapture and liquefaction plant, which is expected to start operating at some stage next year. The plant will enable the captured CO2 from cement production to be utilised as a valuable raw material for industrial applications. Due to its purity, the processed gas will be suitable for use in both the food and chemical industries. The planned volume of purified

and liquefied CO2 is around 70,000 tonnes per year. Linde Engineering is designing and building the plant. Based on an amine scrubbing system specially developed for flue gases, the CO2 will be separated directly from part of the cement clinker kiln’s exhaust gas stream. Equipment for purification and liquefaction, tanks for intermediate product storage, and loading facilities

are also part of the project scope. For the implementation of the project at the cement plant in Lengfurt, contributions of the joint venture will be supplemented by funding of around €15 million from the ‘Decarbonisation of Industry’ funding programme on behalf of the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action (BMWK).

Linde and Heidelberg Materials have held a groundbreaking ceremony for their large-scale carbon-capture and liqueﬁcation plant in Lengfurt, Germany. Pic: Heidelberg Materials

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NEWS

Cemex enters carbon-neutral fuels JV

Cemex’s Rüdersdorf cement plant. Pic: Cemex Germany & Thomas Weber

emex has signed a joint venture agreement with recycling service provider ALBA to produce biochar, a carbon-neutral fuel derived from biomass. Using biochar, alongside a planned carbon-capture project on site, will allow the capture of biomass CO2 for storage and

the production of sustainable aviation fuels. The biochar plant, named ALCE, will be the first of its kind in Europe in terms of size, capacity and strategic location in Cemex’s Rüdersdorf cement plant. This fully automated facility will process and recycle organic waste into carbon-

neutral alternative fuels, reducing the use of fossil fuels in cement production. Due to its potential to sequester CO2, Cemex is also testing the incorporation of biochar into its concrete mixtures to further reduce their carbon footprint. “Rüdersdorf is one of the most modern cement

plants in the world, and with this joint venture, we are making significant progress in transforming the plant into our first carbon-neutral cement facility by 2030,” said Fernando A. González, CEO of Cemex. “This joint venture is another important milestone in achieving our ambitious 2030 decarbonisation goals.” The ALCE plant is expected to begin operations at the end of 2026. In 2023, alternative fuels accounted for 37% of Cemex’s fuel mix, setting a company record for the third consecutive year. Cemex’s European plants have set the standard for alternative fuel consumption, reaching rates above 70% in the Czech Republic, Germany, and the UK and above 90% in Poland. This joint venture is part of Cemex’s Future in Action programme to build a more sustainable, circular future. The primary objective is to become a net-zero CO2 company by 2050. Since the launch of Future in Action, the company has achieved record-breaking CO2 reductions.

SigmaRoc & Duo Group forge strategic alliance SigmaRoc, the Northern Europe-quoted lime and limestone group, has announced a pioneering 10-year strategic alliance with Duo Group. This alliance, a ﬁrst of its kind in the UK, is set to revolutionise the production and sale of sustainable limestone aggregates. The agreement has the potential to generate over £150 million in incremental revenue while signiﬁcantly reducing SigmaRoc’s environmental impact through the innovative repurposing of limestone quarry waste. Duo Group will play a pivotal role in establishing state-of-the-art processing plants at up to seven SigmaRoc limestone quarries as part of this groundbreaking agreement. Its expertise and commitment will be instrumental in reprocessing historically uneconomical quarry tip waste into a premium construction material, thereby advancing SigmaRoc’s ambition of utilising 100% of its quarries’ resources. Quarry tips, also known as spoil tips, are accumulations of previously uneconomical processable material removed by the quarrying operations. By repurposing this previously overlooked resource, using state-of-theart processing equipment installed by Duo Group, the Strategic Alliance aims to extend the operational life of quarries, conserve natural resources, and align with sustainable

SigmaRoc’s Michael Roddy and Duo Group MD Martin McWilliams celebrate the strategic alliance during Hillhead 2024. Pic: Duo Group development goals. This initiative also supports SigmaRoc’s ambition of utilising 100% of the resources it quarries, ensuring a more sustainable future for the construction and infrastructure sectors. Under the agreement, ﬁnalised during the Hillhead 2024 exhibition in Buxton, Derbyshire, England (25-27 June), Duo Group will establish large-scale, state-of-the-art reprocessing plants to cover material preparation and processing,

load and haul, plant operation, and material dispatch. SigmaRoc will put at the disposal of the Strategic Alliance all unprocessed “tipped” materials which previously held no commercial value. Martin McWilliams, group managing director of Duo Group, said: “We are delighted to enter into this agreement with SigmaRoc. SigmaRoc has become a major player in the UK and Northern Europe in recent years. They have a clear roadmap on their growth journey and their ambition to reach 100% utilisation of all production materials. We are excited to be part of this journey. We share equal values in sustainability and innovation, and together, we can achieve signiﬁcant milestones by reducing the environmental footprint of the aggregates industry and helping to meet the sector’s ESG targets.” Michael Roddy, group managing director of the North West Region at SigmaRoc, commented: “We are delighted to partner with Duo Group on this project. This partnership marks another signiﬁcant step forward in our commitment to sustainability.” Charles Trigg, chief technical officer at SigmaRoc, said: “This is exciting news for the Group. It proves our ability to drive increased value and brings us closer to achieving our goal of 100% utilisation of all production materials.”

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ASSOCIATION NEWS

Embracing sustainability: A look ahead to the late summer reception in brussels

n the pursuit of a greener and more sustainable Europe, the role of non-energy extractive industries in fostering environmental restoration has become increasingly vital. With the EU member states required to develop and implement comprehensive National Nature Restoration Plans, the intersection of industrial activity and environmental stewardship is poised to become a focal point of policy and practice. On 25 September 2024, industry professionals, policymakers, and environmental advocates will converge on Brussels for an event that promises to be both insightful and impactful. Hosted by Aggregates Europe – UEPG and Eurogypsum, the Late Summer Reception will serve as a platform for key stakeholders to discuss the vital role that the non-energy extractive industries can play in achieving the EU’s ambitious nature restoration goals. The reception’s central theme, “National Nature Restoration Plans: What Role for the Non-Energy Extractive Industries?” reflects the growing recognition that raw materials industries are not just users of land but can also be pivotal in its restoration. As nations across Europe develop strategies to restore natural habitats and biodiversity, the integration of sustainable practices within the extractive sector is crucial. This event will explore how these industries can contribute positively to environmental goals, particularly through the restoration of temporarily used land—a key aspect of ensuring the sustainable supply of essential raw materials. The Late Summer Reception is more than just a networking event; it is a call to action for those involved at the intersection

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of industry and environment. The evening will feature a panel debate with influential voices from the European Commission, leading environmental NGOs, industry leaders, and representatives from various member states. Together, they will address the challenges and opportunities in aligning industrial practices with nature restoration efforts. Attendees will have the chance to engage directly with these experts, gaining insights into how environmental policies can be effectively integrated at both national and EU levels. Set against the backdrop of Brussels’ political heart, the event promises a relaxed and inviting atmosphere where guests can reconnect with colleagues, meet newly

elected or re-elected Members of the European Parliament, and network with industry peers. As we look toward the future of sustainable industry practices, the Late Summer Reception is poised to be a significant milestone in the ongoing dialogue between industry and environmental advocates. By bringing together diverse perspectives, the event is expected to make significant progress in aligning the goals of nature restoration with the realities of industrial needs. AB

MARKET REPORT

Admirable aggregates circularity Environmentally-minded, sustainable aggregate production is king in the Netherlands and Belgium. Guy Woodford reports

he Netherlands and Belgium aggregates industries have fully embraced building materials recycling and circular construction. According to the latest Aggregates Europe—UEPG figures, in 2022, the Netherlands had 237 aggregates producers (companies) working across 280 extraction sites (quarries and pits), producing just over 90 million tonnes of aggregates that year (49.4 million tonnes of sand and gravel, 17.4 million tonnes of marine aggregates, and 23.5 million tonnes of recycled aggregates). In the

same year, Belgium had 79 aggregates producers (companies) working across 112 extraction sites (quarries & pits), producing 74 million tonnes of aggregates (6.2 million tonnes of sand and gravel, 38.4 million tonnes of crushed rock, 7 million tonnes of marine aggregates, and 21.9 million tonnes of recycled aggregates). GlobalData, a major business intelligence consultancy, reports that the Netherlands’ construction market was worth US$174.5 billion in 2023. It is projected to achieve an AAGR (average annual growth rate) of more than 2%

between 2025 and 2028. Investments in transport and renewable energy infrastructure projects will drive market growth until 2028, creating highly attractive commercial opportunities for Dutch aggregates firms. GlobalData lists the leading contractors in the Netherlands construction market as Ronesans Holding, Royal Boskalis Westminster, BESIX Group, Dura Vermeer Groep, and Royal Volker Wessels Stevin. The same source says domestic contractors account for most of the project pipeline in the Netherlands construction market. Companies based

Keestrack’s innovative I4e reversible impact crusher at work

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MARKET REPORT

Keestrack marketing manager Marcel Kerkhofs

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“We see a big demand for electric plug-in equipment as Belgium and the Netherlands focus on ecology,” he continues. “It is very important to reduce the carbon footprint and nitrogen emissions as much as possible. One of the reasons our full range of plug-in electric crushers and screens is so successful is that there is a real demand from the Benelux market for electric-driven equipment. “ Many specialised sub-contractors work on major infrastructure projects, and Keestrack equipment is used in various major Dutch and Belgian works, explains Kerkhofs. “A lot of our Dutch and Belgian customers specialise in producing highquality aggregates from recycled material and supply these aggregates on a large scale to numerous infrastructure projects. Some directly recycle aggregates into concrete and asphalt plants for many infra and building projects. “One of our customers is actively involved in a renovation project at Schiphol Airport in Amsterdam. These companies use mobile Keestrack crushing and screening equipment, mainly electric drive.”

Pic: . Dreamstime.com

in the UK are the dominant foreign contractors. GlobalData estimates that the Belgian construction market was worth $104.7 billion in 2023. The market is projected to achieve an AAGR of more than 3% between 2025 and 2028. Like in the Netherlands, GlobalData attributes the growth to the increase in the Belgian government’s investments in the transport and renewable energy sectors. Belgium-headquartered Keestrack is a major player in sustainability-minded crushing and screening plants for customers in the international aggregates, construction and recycling industries. Asked by Aggregates Business how the company sees aggregate demand in Belgium and the neighbouring Netherlands, Marcel Kerkhofs, Keestrack’s marketing manager, says: “First of all, we have to recognise that due to the lack of natural resources, most quarrying is done in the south of Belgium. The demand for aggregates in the Netherlands and Belgium is generally met by recycling building materials. The Netherlands is known to be one of the top recycling countries in the world, according to data compiled by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). “We expect a slowly growing demand for aggregates to meet the needs of the construction industry, mainly as a raw material for concrete and major infrastructure works (railroad ballast, road surfaces, riverbank protection dykes, etc.). We also expect a growing demand for sand, one of our recently introduced I4e reversible impact crusher (RIC) applications.” Kerkhofs says Keestrack is supplying mobile crushing and screening equipment to many companies in the Belgian and Dutch construction and demolition, groundworks, and recycling sectors and quarries to produce virgin material.

Commenting on the key challenges facing Keestrack’s Dutch and Belgian quarry customers, Kerkhofs says: “A challenge for each quarry is for certain obtaining permits. Mobile crushing and screening equipment can be a solution. These can also run in an ecological electric way, but they are mobile, which means they can replace static plants, which will not get an environmental permit for another 20 years. Mobile equipment also reduces logistic costs, as the production can be done on-site where the material needs to be processed instead of transporting material to a static plant, resulting in fewer carbon emissions and lower costs. “Another challenge is to become more sustainable, reduce emissions, and become carbon neutral. Measures to reduce nitrogen deposition, another big topic in the Netherlands and Belgium, are a real challenge, and electric-driven equipment contributes to reducing nitrogen and carbon emissions. Finding operators and technicians to maintain the machinery is also a main concern nowadays.” So, how is Keestrack helping to address these challenges? “Keestrack offers the chance to produce at the lowest carbon and nitrogen emissions with its fully electric drive, either backed up by an onboard diesel engine generator set or in ZERO-drive, without an onboard combustion engine. “Keestrack’s full electric product range, existing of jaw, impact and cone crushers, the scalpers and classifiers, and the stackers, offer the greenest product range possible. When renewable electricity is used, the production is carbon-neutral. “To reduce costs, Keestrack optimises machine efficiency with higher output, less wear, and optimal maintainability, resulting in the lowest cost per produced tonne.” Kerkhofs says Keestrack eliminates some of the personnel issues an end user may have by offering service contracts. Also, adding stackers to the production process reduces the need for personnel. A simple option like a radio remote control makes it easier to operate a crushing and screening operation single-handedly.

Passengers in transit at Schiphol Airport in Amsterdam. Keestrack plants are being used in renovation works at the airport. © AGGREGATES BUSINESS EUROPE July/August 2024

MARKET REPORT

Hitachi Construction Machinery (Europe) (HCME) has upgraded its European warehouse at Oosterhout. “With the growing demand for sand and the reduction of natural resources, the manufacturing of fines and sand becomes more important,” Kerkhofs explains. “Although the fines manufacturing is expensive, the Keestrack I4e reversible impact crusher (RIC) offers a sustainable solution, producing high-quality end products of up to 0/2 mm with huge energy savings.” Kerkhofs says the Keestrack I4e reversible impact crusher (RIC) makes it possible to do secondary and tertiary crushing with a reduction ratio which, he claims, cannot be matched by any other mobile crusher at much lower energy consumption. “This is due to the electric drive system and design of the I4e. It allows producers to integrate reject material, considered waste, into their workflow or reduce the number of machines required in the production process resulting in reduced costs when producing fines.” Kerkhofs notes that the importance of sand production is also seen in the growing demand for classifiers in Belgium and the Netherlands, with the highest demand for electric plug-in versions. Asked how Keestrack sees the Dutch and Belgian aggregates market in a decade, Kerkhofs responds: “We expect the demand for aggregates to rise due to the fact there is still a shortage in housing and major infrastructure works will continue in the next decade. The recycling part of the aggregate products is expected to grow even further and preferably at zero carbon emission, resulting in further electrification of crushing and screening equipment.” In response to growing demand from dealers and customers for its highquality spare parts, Hitachi Construction Machinery (Europe) (HCME) has upgraded its European warehouse at Oosterhout. The number of parts stored in stock at

the facility in The Netherlands has grown significantly over the last decade, from 68,800 in 2015 to approximately 80,000 in 2024. HCME expects this number to continue to rise and has designed a future-proof, modernised warehouse. HCME worked with Neovia, a global leader in third-party contract logistics, to maximise the use of the 28,000m2 building. Before the upgrade, the facility had 73,000 locations to store parts, and it now has 110,000 locations. The facility focuses on the large components required for mining machines, hoses and piping, and fast-moving items. The two-year-long warehouse remodel has increased storage capacity with more dedicated bins and racks for certain parts. This has improved the accuracy of the picking process and created additional space for larger, more expensive parts to be stored securely. “The European mining market is currently booming and driving the increased demand for parts that we are experiencing,” explains Hans Lam,

manager of Parts Logistics at HCME, said: “We are proud to reopen the new warehouse and unveil it to our colleagues and the senior leadership team at HCME, as well as Michael Fahy (CEO of Neovia), and Miguel Mazarias (Neovia, senior vice president EAME and APAC). “During the modernisation process, we maintained a high level of service to dealers and customers, ensuring the consistent and reliable parts supply they would expect from HCME. And now we have a state-of-the-art fulfilment centre that will continue to meet their needs in the years to come.” In July 2024, Holcim closed the acquisition of Mark Desmedt in Belgium, advancing circular construction in Europe in line with its target to recycle 10 million tons of construction demolition materials annually. A leading company in the recycling of construction demolition materials in Belgium, Mark Desmedt recycles more than 500,000 tons a year. It is strategically located to serve Belgium’s two largest metropolitan areas, Brussels and Antwerp. Miljan Gutovic, CEO of Holcim, says: “With the Mark Desmedt team, we are accelerating our vision to drive circular construction in the key metropolitan areas where we operate to build cities from cities. Strategically located between Brussels and Antwerp, Mark Desmedt will scale up our ECOCycle technology across Belgium, making circularity a driver of profitable growth. I look forward to welcoming the employees of Mark Desmedt to Holcim and to investing in our next chapter of growth together." Founded in 1989 by the Desmedt family, Mark Desmedt became a leading company in the recycling of construction demolition materials in Belgium soon after entering the ready-mix concrete market in 2001. It is Holcim’s fourth acquisition this year to scale up circular construction as a driver of profitable growth, building on Cand-Landi Group in Switzerland, Land Recovery in the UK, and Mendiger Basalt in Germany. AB

Holcim recently closed the acquisition of Belgian company Mark Desmedt, boosting its circular construction offer.

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QUARRY PROFILE

NORWEGIAN QUARRY OPTIMISES INDUSTRIAL SAND QUALITY FROM QUARRY DUST WITH NEW WASH PLANT

The new wash plant has enabled an extra 40 tonnes per hour of material to be fed back into the production process from the stockpiles at the quarry

The Bjønndalen quarry near Oslo has recently deployed a new wash plant designed and supplied by CDE Group and Nordic Bulk, enabling it to drastically reduce low-value surplus material from the crushing process and produce highquality industrial sand for the concrete sector. The quarry also features more than 50 varieties of rare minerals, making it a big attraction for geologists who even have their own ‘home’ on the site. Liam McLoughlin reports.

he Bjønndalen quarry, which is run by family-owned business Feiring Bruk, is one of thirteen sites operated by the group in eastern Norway that extract and produce crushed stone, gravel, aggregates and asphalt. Bjønndalen is the second-largest quarry in the Feiring operation, behind the Lørenskog site, with both quarries situated close to Norwegian capital Oslo. To deal with the 400,000 tonnes of quarry by-products accumulated there, the Bjønndalen site has recently

deployed a new crushing and washingplant facility, supplied by Nordic Bulk and CDE Group. The new washing facility means that Feiring can utilise 100% of the material extracted from the mountain and recover stockpiles of old residues from the crushing-plant operation. Most importantly, the washing plant, which can process 300 tonnes of material an hour, makes it possible to produce an industrial sand that has the same or even better properties as natural sand for use as aggregate in the concrete industry, the biggest user of the finite resource of natural sand

The new wash plant produces products in sizes 0-2mm, 2-4, 4-8, 8-11, 11-16 and 16-22. The 0-4mm size goes mostly into asphalt products, a main use of which is for road gritting in winter. The quality and cubicity of the rock in the quarry are so good that it is shipped up to the airports all over Norway and as far as Bodø (in north Norway) for gritting the runways, says mining engineer/ geologist Tanja Gjerde, who has been working at Feiring Bruk for three years across all of the group’s quarry sites. The washplant processes surplus or by-product materials (that are sometimes

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QUARRY PROFILE

regarded as quarry waste) from crushedstone production to make high-quality industrial sand. It is supplied directly from the site’s crushing-plant loop. “We mechanically blend in the 0 to 4mm sizes from the stockpiles,” says Tormod Bjøralt , operational manager for the washplant at the Bjønndalen site. “The plant produces around 260 tonnes of clean material per hour, of which 30 tonnes per hour is 0 to 4mm which we blend.” The new wash plant has enabled an extra 40 tonnes per hour of material to be fed back into the production process from the stockpiles at the quarry, which equates to an added production capacity of around 100,000 tonnes per year at Bjønndalen. Feiring says that with the new crushing and washing plant, it will go from 20% unusable crushed rock fine by-product resulting from the operations at the Feiring Bjønndalen/Nittedal quarries, down to between 3 to 4%. In the long term, the sites will achieve

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100% resource utilisation, according to Fredrik Brubakken, head of department at Bjønndalen Bruk. He adds that this is, therefore, a win-win both in terms of resource use and the emissions associated with transport. By using resources that it was previously unable to use and which took up large areas in the crushing plant, Feiring can now reduce the need for natural sand, a limited resource that you constantly have to drive further away to get hold of. “It costs money to do the right thing. But for those of us who live to improve resource utilisation, we could no longer see these surplus masses lying unused. A surplus product, often considered waste, has been turned into gold,” Brubakken says. Both drilling and blasting is used for mining material at the site, and this is carried out by outside specialist Hæhre Isachsen which operates across all Feiring Bruk’s quarries.

Blasting at the quarry is conducted down to 12-15m on each shelf. Around 400,000 to 500,000 tonnes of material is produced at Bjønndalen each year, with demand being maintained yearround by its proximity to the capital Oslo. The vast majority (around 80-85%) of this production goes into asphalt and concrete products, and 10-15% into road construction. The quarry has 23 million tonnes of material remaining, which will enable around 85 years of future production. The site has a primary tunnel crusher dating from the early 1960s that was manufactured by Morgardshammer, and second spindle crusher from another Swedish manufacturer Svedala, in addition to a tertiary cone crusher and a fourth cone crusher, both also from Svedala. The first and second screening plants for processing the larger material are both supplied by Sandvik, with smaller rocks after crushing being processed by three Svedala screens and one from IFE. © AGGREGATES BUSINESS EUROPE July/August 2024

QUARRY PROFILE

The quarry’s 46-tonne Caterpillar 772G hauler Bjøralt says: “We then take the sizes between 0 and 22mm and put them in the vertical shaft impactor [VSI] to make the edges of the rock a bit more rounded, because when they come out of the primary crusher they are too sharp.” Gjerde says that conducting this process is very important in terms of product quality and sustainability levels: “It adjusts the edges so that less cement needs to be used when concrete is being produced. Cement has higher CO2 emissions and is more expensive.” Following the VSI, the rocks are processed in the CDE wet-processing solution which incorporates an EvoWash sand-washing system and a full water-management system. Thanks to its advanced hydrocyclone technology the EvoWash provides unparalleled control of silt cut points which guarantees in-spec sand straight from the belt. In addition, the combination of an AquaCycle thickener for primary-stage water management and a filter press for sludge dewatering allows for efficient water recovery and reuses up to 95% of the water in the process. At the top of the wash plant there are two high-volume screens supplied by German company WIMA. The equipment used at the quarry includes a Hitachi 890 loader, a 46-tonne Caterpillar 772G hauler, a 60-tonne Bell B60D hauler, and a Perlini 705 reserve hauler. The vehicles and the full processing plant operate for up to 40 hours a week at the quarry, whose working hours are 7am to 4pm from Monday to Friday. The wash plant is likely to stop operating from October - depending on when the cold weather conditions start – for draining and cleaning to be carried out. It resumes operations when the cold nights are over, typically in late-April to mid-May. “Production at Bjønndalen is quite consistent as it delivers a lot of concrete and asphalt,” says Gjerde. “Not everything goes to Oslo, but quite a lot does. We mostly serve a 30-kilometre radius around the site. A lot of our other quarries are further out in the countryside, so their output is quite

dependent on different projects. When the areas have big projects around there is a high tonnage, and when the projects are smaller the output is lower.” The quarry normally has 14 staff working on-site, all employed full-time by Feiring in roles including crusher maintenance, four people operating the wash plant, and drivers for the wheeled loaders and excavators. Feiring Bruk is part of the Feiring AS group which has a total of around 160 employees. Bjøralt says that although production through the crushers is at near full-capacity on the eight-hour work shifts, the installation of the CDE wash plant has facilitated a boost to production at the site: “For the 0 to 22mm size we are now also making aggregates for asphalt and concrete. We can work eight hours on the crushers and now eight hours on the wash plant.” He adds that the new wash plant has already led to a contract with a nearby concrete factory for the supply of industrial sand. He says the quality of the industrial sand it produces will lead to further business expansion opportunities, including supplying to asphalt producers who would normally have to buy natural sand. Eunan Kelly, CDE’s head of business development for Europe, says: “The beauty about Feiring and the way they have built up their regional business is that each quarry

can take some of the load. If you maximise production here at Bjønndalen, then there is Lørenskog or one of the other sites that can meet the demand, before you have to step into doing the extra half-shift here. “It’s probably economically better for any quarry to keep consistent production, so you are on top of your maintenance, you have the dedicated workforce doing 40 hours a week and someone else can take the extra load if required.” Gjerde says that, with seasonal variations during the winter months, large stockpiles of material are often built up at Feiring’s quarry sites, providing reserves for when aggregates demand increases in May and June. “There are a lot of infrastructure projects currently going on in the eastern region of Norway that require locations to store a lot of the waste materials that result,” she adds. “It’s estimated that about 40 million tonnes have to leave the region by 2030. The quarry here at Bjønndalen receives quite a lot of secondary soil and rock masses, which takes up quite a lot of area. We need to sell a lot of this out again to the market to avoid becoming full because we don’t have that much space.” The existing rock at the Bjønndalen site is of exceptional quality and suitable for demanding construction and infrastructure projects requiring high-quality material. Gjerde says that Feiring sees an opportunity to meet demand for projects requiring lower-spec materials (for example, footpaths or concreted yards) from the secondary materials that it receives at the site. There are quite onerous government requirements around carrying out quarrying activity in Norway, according to Gjerde. “We have to apply to the government directorate for the rights to be able to extract the rocks from the bedrock,” she says. “Every year we have to give them statistics on our production. We have to provide facts around our competence to carry out the activity, are we going to do it in a rational way, and what is our economic muscle.” The government releases these statistics in a publication called “Harde Fakta” (Hard Facts) which contains extensive data on total quarrying and mining production across Norway. Gjerde says the Bjønndalen quarry is very interesting from a geological perspective. For the last 40 years the site has played host

Bjønndalen produces 500,000 tonnes of aggregates a year

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The site’s new crushing and washing-plant facility was supplied by Nordic Bulk and CDE Group

to a group of professors and high-ranking geologists, who have been housed in a caravan and given access by Feiring to start looking for minerals around the quarry. They venture out onto the site when operations have stopped after 5pm during the week, and on Sundays. The quarry has a very rare type of volcanic lava rock called Rombeporfyr that is only found at Mount Kilimanjaro, Antarctica, and the Oslo area and which features a lot of crystals. “I have a copy of Norway’s oldest geology magazine – Popular Geology - that is only about this quarry and all of the different materials that are here,” says Gjerde. She adds that there are 56 different types of minerals, including a lot of pyrite and lime.“When we were building the new washing plant at the site, the geologists were a bit sad as we needed that area and had to throw them out. They now have the basement of a greenhouse building near the entrance of the quarry where they have been painting the walls and have a lot of couches, equipment and a laboratory, so it’s somewhere they can hang out on Sundays looking at the rock types! “What makes this site interesting is that all of the minerals are well preserved in their original form, so that the beautiful crystallic structures can be witnessed.” Feiring is the third company to own the Bjønndalen site, having acquired it in 1977. The quarry produces primary aggregates for both concrete and asphalt, and the market for

its products covers the east of Norway. “We also receive quite a lot of rocks from secondary sources from different projects around the region,” says Gjerde. “A part of my job is to go on-site/location and inspect the quality. Then we identify what type of rock type it is and what is the potential for re-use. We have mobile crushers coming in and we can make products that are good enough for a lot of purposes and don’t require our highend aggregates. We use the best rock for the most demanding purposes and the other rock where there is not as high demands on the quality.”

QUARRY PROFILE

In terms of Feiring Bruk’s future plans, Gjerde says that over the last year the group has moved increasingly towards crushing rocks from secondary sources and processing that in its secondary crushers. “We have been trying to get some experience of the challenges here, and Feiring has been carrying out a four-year science project where we are looking at all the different mass types that come in from different projects,“ she adds. “This should enable us to handle all the different mass streams and make products from them in an efficient way.” AB

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CONSTRUCTION EQUIPMENT AND TECHNOLOGY 2023

23/08/2022 16:23:52

CRUSHING & SCREENING

Metso on Loko-track for exciting crushing & screening future Metso is growing fast. A big recent announcement on the Finnish quarrying, mining and recycling equipment manufacturer's future Finnish machine production and R&D plans coincided with the unveiling of the ﬁrst two products from Metso's new Lokotrack EC Series range. Guy Woodford travelled to Tampere to get the inside track.

etso is investing €150 million in a modern technology centre in Tampere, Finland. The major Finnish quarrying and mining plant manufacturer will gradually move its operations in Hatanpää, Tampere, to a new Lokomotion technology centre built in Tampere’s Lahdesjärvi district. In the future, at the new Lahdesjärvi facility, Metso will design, test, and manufacture technologies, equipment, and components for the production of aggregates and sand. Acquired by Metso in 2021, the Lokomotion Technology Centre site covers 23 hectares. It will host over 900 Metso employees. The initial total building area of the centre is about 66,000m², of which the first phase will be about 34,000m². The investment in the first phase is about €150 million, spread over three years. Construction started in July 2024 and will include assembly and testing facilities for manufacturing mobile crushers and storage facilities for components and materials used in aggregate equipment. Investment in 2024 is estimated at around €30 million. Production of the track-mounted crushing plants, Lokotracks,

is scheduled to start in Lahdesjärvi during the third quarter of 2027. According to the plan, the crusher factory, research centre, maintenance workshop, and office facilities will move from Hatanpää to Lahdesjärvi later. The new technology centre is expected to be fully completed by the mid-2030s. The Lokomotion project aims to develop and build a new modern technology centre for sustainable manufacturing operations. The centre will provide an environment and facilities to meet the most demanding sustainability and environmental objectives. The project has applied for BREEAM certification with a "very good" rating. The City of Tampere has also defined a green factor in the land-use plan for the area, which will guide the design and implementation of the project in terms of climate resilience and nature-based solutions. Metso's current site, Lokomo, focused on the aggregates business, is located in Hatanpää,

Unveiling the Lokotrack LT350C cone crusher at the Lokotrack EC Series gala dinner launch event in Tampere. Pic: Guy Woodford

The Lokotrack LT400J jaw crusher is one of Metso's ﬁrst two Lokotrack EC Series range products. Pic: Metso

CRUSHING & SCREENING

An artist's impression of Metso's planned €150 million modern technology centre in Tampere, Finland. Pic: Metso

Tampere, and it has had industrial activities for more than 100 years. Metso owns approximately 17 hectares of land and buildings in Lokomo. The company intends to move all Metso's Lokomo activities in a phased approach to the new technology centre in Lahdesjärvi, and then to close down and leave the Hatanpää site and buildings. "Tampere is a very important location for Metso, and with our long presence in Lokomo, we are also an important part of the city's industrial history. We are very pleased to be able to implement the Lokomotion project, which is a significant project for Metso and will allow us to continue our operations in the area in a new state-of-the-art technology centre and production facility. The project involves a number of partners and will have a significant employment impact in the area," says Markku Simula, president of Metso's Aggregates business area. The aggregates produced by Metso's equipment are used, for example, in constructing roads, railway tracks, and other infrastructure, for building foundations, and as a raw material for concrete. The equipment can also crush construction waste to be recycled and produce

industrial sand to replace natural sand for concrete production. Simula gave Nordic and international trade media an overview of the Lokomotion Technology Centre during a special Metso dieselelectric Lokotrack EC Series range launch event in Tampere from 14 to 16 May 2024. The new EC range's first two products, which were unveiled at the event, are the Lokotrack LT400J, a 68-tonne mobile jaw crusher that primarily crushes hard rock and recycled aggregates, and the Lokotrack LT350C, a 50-tonne mobile cone crusher for secondary and tertiary crushing. The trade media heard that Metso posted sales of €5.4 billion in 2023, with the company investing €73 million last year in research and development. Renaud Lapointe, senior vice president of Metso Products Business Line, highlighted recent sustainable technology developments from Metso during the trade media press conference. These include the Nordberg HP350e Series cone crusher, the NW8HRC—the first portable HRC 8 crusher for manufactured sand, and the Remote IC Lokotrack process control app.

Renaud Lapointe, Metso Products business line's senior vice president, talking at the Lokotrack EC Series range launch press conference. Pic: Guy Woodford

Speaking to Aggregates Business after the press conference about how Metso sees the current and medium-term global quarrying machinery market, Simula said: “If you look ahead over the next few months, uncertainty is likely to continue. Inflation will be slightly lower, but interest rates will likely remain high. Everyone has a lot of inventory across our industry, whether in manufacturers' or distributors’ backyards. The rental machine business is busy but is not converting [to increased rental orders]. Part of that is down to market uncertainty and is linked to high interest rates. From our perspective, the worst time is behind us. However, we are not back to normal or a busy time. “If I take a three-years-or-more perspective, I think uncertainty will reduce, and inflation will not likely be as big an issue. Interest rates will also be a bit lower. What will be important is that inventory from everyone’s backyards is back to normal levels. It will take a year or two before

New Metso Lokotrack EC Series range machines at work. Pic: Metso

Pictured left to right in front of the Lokotrack LT350C cone crusher at the Metso Lokotrack EC Series range launch event are Eeva Sipilä, Metso CFO and deputy CEO Markku Simula, Metso Aggregates president Heikki Metsälä, Metso president Consumables BA, Jarmo Vuorenpää, director of new Lokotrack EC Series range, and Renaud Lapointe, senior vice president Metso Products business line. Pic: Guy Woodford

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CRUSHING & SCREENING

that happens. When all these factors are in place, I think there will be healthy unit demand in many places.” Simula is buoyed by the likely positive impact of long-term megatrends on the global quarrying equipment market. “Urbanisation, electrification, and sustainability are favourable to us. The ways that people are fighting global warming are favourable to us.” In March this year, Aggregates Business reported that Metso's 2023 annual report had revealed a big rise in Planet Positive-linked sales. The Finnish quarrying and mining equipment major's Planet Positive-related sales were worth €1.447 billion in 2023, up from €1.225 billion in 2022. Metso's Planet Positive initiative helps customers cut their CO2 emissions and achieve their other sustainability priorities, such as reducing pollution. The Planet Positive portfolio already includes more than 100 Metso products, and the company aims to have a Planet Positive product for every part of a customer's value chain. To achieve this, all Metso's R&D projects must have sustainability benefits, with a target of 80% of R&D spending on Planet Positive product and service offering development by 2030. Simula stresses that some of Metso’s new crushing and screening plant solutions are wellsuited for recycling applications. “They are ideal for recycling concrete to recover good quality stones and sand that can easily be reused. There is also an even bigger potential long-term gain from recycling cement. Revitalising it for reuse would be hugely significant environmentally. There are 700kg of CO2 emissions for just one tonne of cement. I did some rough calculations on this, and if you can recycle the cement with one of our plants, the carbon credits you receive would pay back the investment in the plant in just a couple of years.” Simula said the Metso Lokotrack EC Series range launch event had highlighted another key industry trend. “I’ve been having many

conversations with customers, and many say that [machine operation] data is increasingly important to them. How we can create useful data for them that they can utilise will be increasingly important. “One corporate customer told me that when their company had a big CO2 reduction target, they found that by looking at their [machine operation] data, they could make their production 20% more efficient, which delivered practically the same in terms of CO2 reduction. Automation, digital tools, and data will give us benefits we don’t realise today.” AB

Markku Simula, Metso Aggregates president, says Metso is well positioned to meet evolving quarrying and recycling equipment market needs. Pic: Metso

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A platform for crushing & screening excellence The 40th-anniversary edition of the Hillhead quarrying, construction and recycling show at Tarmac’s Hillhead Quarry near Buxton, Derbyshire, England, included cutting-edge aggregates-processing solutions from two leading manufacturers. Guy Woodford reports

Damian Power, Astec Europe managing director (left), and Michael Norris, Astec Group president, Materials Solutions, at Hillhead 2024. Pic: Guy Woodford

ttendees at Hillhead 2024 (25-27 June) enjoyed the live demonstrations of Astec’s FT4250 HSI (horizontal shaft impactor), a popular US market crusher, and GT205 screener. Large numbers also took in the manufacturer’s impressive show stand, where the Americanheadquartered off-highway industry major also showcased an extensive product range from its Rock to Road solutions portfolio. Astec expanded into Northern Ireland in 2014 after acquiring Omagh, County Tyronebased Telestack, a major global bulk materials handling solution manufacturer. Last year, Astec finished the US$6.5 million 44,000ft² expansion of its Doogary facility bringing the site to 100,000ft². This extension takes Astec’s total investment since its acquisition of Telestack to more than $10 million. The US giant employs more than 230 people in Northern Ireland. More than half of the global market supply for mobile crushing and screening equipment originates in Northern Ireland. Astec’s greater manufacturing presence will enable it to grow its international market business and better serve its customers and partners. During Hillhead 2024, Aggregates Business spoke to Damian Power, Astec Europe managing director, and Michael Norris, Astec Group president, Materials Solutions. “All the machines you see here at Hillhead were manufactured in Omagh,” explains Power. “The GT205 is our new 20” x 5” triple-deck rinsing screen. It’s the first designed and fully tracked mobile plant out of Omagh. We also

think there will be a pretty good international market demand for the FT4250 HSI.” “We have a stronger focus on Europe, and Damian was recently appointed our European managing director,” says Norris. “The machines we are designing and building in Omagh are specifically for the international market.” Telestack was at Hillhead 2024, exhibiting its highly mobile and versatile TSR 40 radial telescopic stacker. Asked about Astec- and Telestackbranded machine production volumes at the Omagh facility, Power replied: “The industry accelerated out of COVID but has cooled off a little. We are in a multi-election year across the world. We expect that the current [market] slowdown is temporary. We have invested

Damian Power and Michael Norris in front of Astec’s SF20 Rinser mobile incline screen at Hillhead 2024. Pic: Guy Woodford

in Omagh to grow the business out of there significantly over the next three to five years.” “We want to increase production out of Omagh seven to ten-fold,” added Norris. Has Astec found it hard to recruit engineers, welders, and other skilled workers to work at its Omagh facility due to the number of competitor OEMs [original equipment manufacturers] with a strong presence in Northern Ireland? “We have an employee-focused culture, and recruiting has not been difficult. We are on a growth trajectory, and people can see that.” “We are a unique proposition to employees in that we are high growth with a strong record in the [global] aggregates industry, in crushing and screening specifically,” says Power. “We are not just some start-up. We have substance behind us.”

Astec’s FT300 mobile cone crusher and GT205 mobile incline screen Pic: Astec

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CRUSHING & SCREENING

Helmut Haider, SBM Mineral Processing sales director processing. Pic: SBM Mineral Processing “We are an over 100-year-old company when it comes to crushing and screening. We have that expertise,” emphasised Norris. Among other Astec machines exhibited at Hillhead 2024 were the 3,000 tonnes per hour HF24 hopper feeder and the versatile, custombuilt 220 tonnes per hour Kolberg 9225S sand plant. “Part of our offer out of Omagh is going to be our washing product line,” said Power. “Astec has been in washing for many years, and there has been good collaboration between the US and Omagh teams to pretty quickly bring the new [Kolberg 9225S] sand plant to the market. There’s a real opportunity to internationlise much of our washing product range, tweaking the design of some of the washing modules to best suit European customers that tend to work in a tighter footprint than in the US.” “Over the last couple of years, we’ve been delivering our strategic business plan focused on our employees and working culture and ensuring we are taking care of our customers and getting their feedback about our new products,” explained Norris. “The innovation side and coming up with new products is the DNA of our company.” Power said Astec was also reviewing how its existing European dealer network fitted into its international growth plans. SBM Mineral Processing (SBM) also had a strong presence at Hillhead 2024. The Austrian aggregates-processing specialist focused on the benefits of fully hybrid processing. The spotlight was on the REMAX 600 tracked heavy-duty impact crusher, celebrating its official UK market launch. "Despite the currently rather subdued mood in the UK market, which was probably also reflected in the strongly fluctuating visitor numbers during the show’s three days, we are satisfied with the overall result," says Helmut Haider, sales director processing at SBM. "In addition to international visitors, particularly from Scandinavia and occasionally from the Far East, we were able to welcome interested experts from all over the UK, from all target sectors and decision-making levels – including construction and recycling companies, project and quarry managers, as well as chief buyers from large building materials groups. This is a clear endorsement of our significantly increased market presence." In addition to existing partners Banner Equipment (Midlands, North/West England)

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and Orba Group (Greater London/South East England), SBM also signed a long-term agreement at the show with new dealer Fitzgerald Plant (Wales/South West England) to provide sales and service throughout England and Wales. "The Scotland and Ireland markets are managed centrally from Austria, but we intend to establish a direct foothold in those countries soon. Talks with suitable partners are nearing completion," said Haider. Diesel-electric and hybrid drives for mobile processing plants were dominant themes at Hillhead 2024. "For us, of course, this was something of a home game, as we have been offering this technology for more than 40 years,” said Haider. “Today, we focus exclusively on highly efficient, environmentally friendly and mature hybrid solutions in all machine classes across all systems.” Haider continued: "UK operators of mobile crushing plants in the quarrying and recycling sectors still rely predominantly on jaw crushers, often with downstream screening equipment. On the stand, we presented our 'all-rounder', the JAWMAX 450, which, with a weight of around 40 tonnes and a maximum throughput of 450 tonnes per hour, is aimed at precisely this wide range of applications." Haider said that SBM had received great praise for the user-friendliness of the CRUSH CONTROL system on its machines. Furthermore, SBM’s REMAX impact crushers also attracted great interest at Hillhead, particularly the REMAX 600 on the SBM stand and the REMAX 450 with a single-deck secondary screen in the live demonstration zone. The latter nearly 53-tonne machine processed 1,500 tonnes of limestone from 0/800 to Type 1 0/40 in up to five short demos per day, achieving a maximum of 300 tonnes

per hour with an average consumption of just under 25 litres per hour. "Our REMAX models are particularly popular with UK contract crushers and stationary operators. They combine class-leading crusher sizes, welldimensioned primary and secondary screens, optimised transport dimensions, and low operating costs. Our dealers also confirm this," said Haider. SBM’s REMAX 600 impact crusher has a maximum output of 600 tonnes per hour and can produce up to five end products in a single pass. "Of course, you don't sell a machine like this at a trade show - but we were actually surprised by the number and specific nature of the enquiries and expect the 600 to establish itself quickly in the UK market," said Haider. There was also great interest at Hillhead 2024 in SBM’s ‘autonomous crusher’ being developed in partnership with experts from the University of Leoben, and based on the REMAX 600: "We are well on schedule and currently optimising the AI-supported, real-time detection and classification of feed material and crushed products as the basis for the fully automated crushing process. This process is continuously validated via a global data exchange with our central competence centre and automatically adjusted if necessary," explained Haider. “The technology is expected to be ready for market launch and use in other crusher classes as early as 2026. Thousands of stored rock and process data will make it easier to plan mobile operations, while extensive self-monitoring, including wear detection, will ensure plant availability. This technology is expected to set new standards in environmental efficiency thanks to the autonomous control concept that is consistently focused on quality and performance parameters.” AB

SBM’s REMAX 450 impact crusher in the Hillhead 2024 demonstration zone. Pic: SBM Mineral Processing

SBM staged the UK market launch of its REMAX 600 impact crusher during Hillhead 2024. Pic: SBM Mineral Processing © AGGREGATES BUSINESS July/August 2024

INTERVIEW

New developments put recycled aggregates use in jeopardy Brian James is a high-proﬁle ﬁgure in the European aggregates sector, having formerly held senior roles at both Aggregates Europe - UEPG and the UK MPA covering the recycling of construction and demolition waste and other secondary sources. He now speaks as an independent voice in support of recycled aggregates and the circular economy. He tells Liam McLoughlin that a number of recent trends and regulatory developments in Europe and the UK could threaten the ability to use recycled aggregates.

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f you want to discuss the ongoing potential for the use of recycled aggregates in construction, then Brian James is the man at the forefront of figures in the European aggregates sector to speak with. A chartered civil engineer and longstanding member of the UK Institution of Civil Engineers, James worked until recently as special advisor at the UK Mineral Products Association and was also chair of the recycling task force at European aggregates association AE - UEPG. The European Union has set out a goal for 70% of construction and demolition (C&D) waste to be recycled, and although it is considering increasing this percentage, no formal change has been proposed. James says that such high targets for recycling of C&D waste, and indeed the ongoing use of recycled aggregates in construction projects across Europe, could be in jeopardy due to a number of recent moves by governments and agencies in the region. Prominent among these is initial guidance on the use of recycled aggregates brought in by the Republic of Ireland’s Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in October 2023. The EPA’s guidance – National End-of-Waste Decision EoW-N001/2023 – is available at: https://www.epa.ie/ publications/licensing--permitting/ waste/Final-Decision---National-End-ofWaste-Criteria-N001-2023.pdf It covers aggregates that are recycled from C&D waste, including soil and stone, concrete, bricks and ceramics. It is designed to establish criteria determining when recycled aggregates resulting from a recovery operation ceases to be waste. James says: “The guidance is so heavily restrictive that it as good as dammit killed any hope of developing the country’s recycling industry. “To put it in perspective in Ireland at the moment, if you had a load of concrete that

went out and was not used and sent back to the depot, allowed to go hard, you cannot break it up and use it as general aggregate. The new regulations only allow very limited use, for example to an area 100m by 100m, such as for a car park sub-base, but that’s it it’s not allowed in structural concrete or any other usage. “Consequently, you are now getting piles of materials building up around Ireland, mainly in quarries I would imagine. So, with this very heavy legislation and an abundance of hard rock, the companies won’t invest in it.” James says there is a stark contrast between what the Irish guidance is leading to and what the European Commission wants to achieve in pushing up the level of recycling as part of the drive for the circular economy. He adds that the Irish move on aggregates recycling could have a wider impact on subsequent developments in the EU and the UK: “They produce documents, and those can subsequently be picked up by other member states. This happens all the time, and although the UK is outside the EU the influence is still there. At present this problem is particular to Ireland and that the AE - UEPG will help try and resolve, but it’s a tough one.” Another recently identified trend in Europe is the cross-border trade of construction

and demolition waste, with the biggest market thought to be from Germany to the Netherlands due to the latter’s lack of quarries. “There are moves at the AE - UEPG to instigate an economic study to find out where these cross-border movements are going,” says James. He adds that the cross-border trade development will impact the EU Waste Framework Directive that controls all the regulatory practices around movements of C&D waste. The practice also raises questions about the increased carbon footprint of C&D waste, which is often recycled at inner city sites with no long-distance transporting of material. With cross-border movements, longer distances are involved at a time when the industry is supposed to be moving to net-zero targets. James was a delegate at the recent Aggregates Europe – UEPG Recycling Task Force meeting in Zurich and says that a recommendation for an initial study of the issue was made. Another important recent development impacting aggregates recycling is the proposal by the European Union’s chemicals agency, ECHA, to change the status of recycled aggregates which is currently classified as an article, to that of substance (which is classified as being of very high

The EU has set out a goal for 70% of construction and demolition waste to be recycled. Image: © Anteroxx/Dreamstime.com www.AggBusiness.com

INTERVIEW

concern). The change would be made under the EU REACH regulations which covers risks to human health and the environment from chemicals. “This would mean that recycled aggregates would have a lot more hoops to jump through before they can be approved for use,” says James. “This would be a backwards step because recycled aggregates have always been classified as an article, and it would mean it is put on the same level as some sort of hazardous material, until you can prove otherwise. If that got off the ground the whole recycled industry is in jeopardy.” The proposal was due to be decided on at a meeting of the ECHA steering group in May this year. AE - UEPG has already responded on behalf of the European industry with further representation in hand. A further development, this time in the UK, affecting recycled aggregates is the potential introduction of mandatory digital tracking of all waste products including construction and demolition. The UK government released a discussion paper on this in 2023 with the potential for enactment in April 2025. “At this stage it is UK-only, but if it expanded to be pan-European this would tie-up with the cross-border aggregates trade issue,” says James. Commenting on these simultaneous developments – the restrictive aggregates recycling guidance in Ireland, the potential reclassifying of recycled aggregates as hazardous material by the EU’s ECHA, the cross-border trade in C&D waste in Europe, and the UK mandatory digital waste-tracking proposal – James states: “You can see there are a whole host of potential issues facing aggregates recycling in Europe.” On a more positive note for the recycling sector, James says he has been involved for several years in working with the European Demolition Association (EDA) to develop the initial demolition protocol. The European Commission is now in the early stages of upgrading the protocol in conjunction with the EDA. “This is just another example of the valuable work done by industry trade bodies,” James adds. The EDA is also compiling a comprehensive guidance document on the use of recycled materials which is close to publication. “The document is from the demolition perspective, so aggregates are only a part of that. Again AE - UEPG is supporting the EDA.

“It’s currently a comprehensive 30-page document, which unfortunately, tends to get put on the shelf and forgotten. I’ve made the suggestion to the EDA that there needs to be a two- or four-page key messages paper that you can back up with the full reference document.” Commenting on the importance of the EDA guidance document, he continues: “It sets out the process of pre-demo assessment so that hazardous stuff is identified, the various valuable waste/recycle streams recovered (eg. metals/cables etc) before the structure comes down. Hence for aggregates we generally get a cleaner, safer raw material to work with.” EC recycling target In 2008, the European Commission’s Waste Framework Directive set a target of having 70% of construction & demolition waste in the EU being recycled by 2020. However, the EC found in 2018 that, with the exception of a few EU countries, only about 50% of C&D waste was currently being recycled. In terms of whether governments and regulators are realistic about targets for the use of recycled materials, he responds: “The answer is no. Across the whole of Europe there are countries like the UK, Belgium, Netherlands, and one or two others, that are hitting around 25-30% levels of recycled aggregates, while there are others where it’s less than 1%.” As an example of what he believes is typical of the misguided thinking, James highlights a recent EU economic report which suggested that there should be 60% recycled aggregate in all concrete applications. “We don’t have enough material to meet 10% let alone 60%, it’s just physically not possible,” he adds. “There are people within research groups advising ministers, and all they are doing is jumping on the sustainability bandwagon and have no understanding as to what the industry can actually do. Following representation, I

understand that this [the EU economic report] has now been withdrawn.” James says that there is a failure among authorities to talk to the aggregates industry to find out what it can actually do, and consequently the wrong messages get out. “One of the serious problems you face with all of this is that the ideas get kicked off in one area and they spread around and they suddenly become the norm – whereas the people in the industry who have to actually make this work have never had a hand in how that decision is made. “From my time working at the AE - UEPG, you were always trying to play catch-up. We didn’t know what the EU regulators were thinking until they published a draft or a consultation, and then you were trying to argue against it/for reality. You will find a politician will jump on, for example the report that was demanding 60% recycling, and it could be this false golden panacea that undermines any new quarries being given permission.” Need for more data The MPA has stated that there is a need for more industry data on recycled aggregates to be made available through official government sources, particularly given the challenges ahead around circularity, sustainability and for all sectors to meet the Net Zero target by 2050. The MPA’s own data is collected mainly from the sources that the association can follow up on, predominantly its membership, and the UK government does not collate any figures about recycled aggregates, either on usage or planning. The landscape is similar throughout Europe with realistic data being difficult

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to obtain, and figures are mostly provided through the efforts of the trade associations across the region. Recycling levels in the EU and Britain The UK is among the European leaders in the use of recycled primary and secondary aggregates, alongside countries such as the Netherlands and Belgium. Primary aggregates include quarried crushed rock and both land-won and marine-dredged sand and gravel, while secondary encompass recycled construction, demolition and excavation wastes (CDEW) or are derived from other industrial, production or extractive processes. Belgium had the highest percentage share of recycled and secondary materials in total aggregates sales at around 29% in 2021, according to estimates by the MPA and AE - UEPG, with the Netherlands in third position at just over 25%, behind Great Britain. “Unfortunately, there are too many Member States that need to embrace the use of recycled aggregates,” James says. The amount of recycled aggregates in Great Britain has averaged around 28% of total aggregates produced in recent years. The rate increased to just over 30% in 2022, according to the latest MPA estimates. In 2022 total recycled and secondary sources of aggregates accounted for an estimated 74 million tonnes of total aggregates supply in Great Britain. The MPA estimates that some 191.1 million tonnes of primary aggregates (quarried crushed rock and both quarried and marine-dredged sand and gravel) were produced in the UK in 2022.

Is there much scope to increase the recycling rates in the EU and UK further? “You get fluctuations around that core 28 to 29%, but my personal view is that it’s as good as it’s going to get,” says James. He says that the availability of materials such as fly ash, for example, for recycling is reducing. “As we get away from fossil fuel power generation, you are losing fly ash because you are not producing any. There are areas where they are digging up old fly ash tips to reprocess it, so it’s a diminishing resource.” In 2016 fly ash accounted for 1.1 million tonnes of the total 7.8 million of secondary aggregates that were produced in the UK. The MPA figures for 2021 shows UK fly ash production of 388,000 tonnes. China clay waste is another major secondary aggregate in the UK, with 1.6 million tonnes of China and ball clay waste produced in 2021, according to MPA estimates. The UK supply of China clay is predominantly in Cornwall in the south west of England. Moving this has previously been limited by the difficulties of transporting it to the rest of the country, but the situation has improved. The supplies from Cornwall are shipped to ports in the south-east of England including Dover, Shoreham and Tilbury. Dover now has an aggregates terminal which recently came on stream. In terms of the general sources of construction and demolition waste, James says that this is totally dependent on demolition, and its fluctuations are linked to the growth levels of the economy. Demand

for aggregates (primary, secondary and recycled) fell in the UK during 2023 because of a fall in demand from the construction sector. The MPA reported in February 2024 there was a 5% decrease in total aggregates sales volumes in 2023. The association says that new construction projects in the pipeline are stalling due to cost pressures, planning challenges and a poor economic and investment backdrop. “If you’re not building anything you are not, generally speaking, demolishing anything, and that will fluctuate in its own right,” says James. “If you are trying to make a building more sustainable, and make it more re-useable, then that first line of demolition has been lost instantly. You can see the pattern – if you push it in one direction you lose something in the other, which is nothing new.” He says, for example, that the HS2 highspeed rail project has recently accounted for most of the available recycled material in the central area of the UK for use in building haul roads and other temporary works, etc. for the scheme, but this was a short-term trend and was not going into the full-blown construction market as part of permanent works. “However, it will reappear at the end of the construction period!” he adds. Barriers to use James says that in his opinion, the biggest barrier to the use of recycled aggregates is education and acceptance. “You have a culture where people want the best. In terms of health and safety if you use anything other than the best you are perhaps [seen as] undermining the responsibility of your approach.

The UK is among the European leaders in the use of recycled primary and secondary aggregates, alongside countries such as the Netherlands and Belgium. Image: © Athenar/Dreamstime.com

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INTERVIEW

“There is always a tendency for engineers and architects to use the best product and material every time. But in truth you have got one set of technical and environmental standards, and if your material complies with those technical standards then it is fit for purpose.” He says that it can be difficult to convince consulting engineers that a recycled product is going to do the job as well as a primary one. “You get consultants in certain architectural practices who take these things on board and they want to use it as a part of their credentials,” he states. “But generally, you have to get that education and acceptance across that recycled material is an equal product, and that comes from people like us talking about it, making them understand that we are meeting the same technical and environmental standards all the time.” James says that the leadership on this issue needs to come from government bodies, who are the biggest purchasers of aggregates materials. He adds that he is not a fan of specifying a set recycled percentage within any contract because that distorts the situation, but says that to have recycled material as a fully accepted alternative source of supply would be useful. The use of defined amounts of recycled aggregates was reportedly specified in contracts for the London 2012 Olympic

Village. “With contracts being frequently prepared on a ‘cut and paste’ basis, then you quite often find that these clauses crop up in other places where you’ve then got to look and see is it appropriate or not,” James says. He adds that, from what he has gathered anecdotally, the recycled targets in the London Olympics contracts were not met because the quantity of recycled material was simply not available. “It’s that realism of what can be done that is the missing link. There has been a lot of activity in the concrete field for substitution, and in theory you can make concrete in the laboratory out of virtually anything. It’s how it all gets put together, is it going to work in practice and can you deliver it at an economic price?” He adds that there are additional problems in concrete supply with many concrete plants being in tight urban locations because that is where the concrete is used. “There just isn’t the storage facility for yet another supply [of recycled material for use in concrete] for different jobs,” says James. “In addition to these practical issues there is the thorny old problem of water-to-cement ratio and those sorts of arguments. You have to balance what is possible and what is not. “There are some concrete companies that trade on the term that it is ‘eco mix’. There is research that has shown you can go to around 15% of the coarse aggregate being recycled material and it doesn’t make a vast amount of difference in terms of strength. But you’ve got to have that material available,

and it’s got to be of a consistent quality because the whole thing with concrete is that it has got to be consistent and then you know what you’re dealing with.” Recycled use cases In terms of the respective use of recycled and secondary aggregates in specific applications, he says: “To look at high-strength concrete as an example, you want to make sure that your aggregates are consistently of the quality required. With recycled material, because your sources are variable, the material is variable.” He adds that there are plenty of natural aggregates where they are limited to strength of concrete. Oolitic limestone in the UK is a prime example because that is normally limited to a lower strength concrete. “Whereas if you have higher-spec limestones and granites then you can push the strengths right up to the ultimate levels. It’s a very simple approach – use it for what it’s sensible to use it for and don’t over-specify,” James adds. Regarding the use of secondary aggregates, he says there is a major opportunity to use a secondary aggregate when doing a mass concrete pour for a big foundation where the actual strength requirement is nowhere near as critical as when doing, for example, a slender column. “These are the sorts of areas where education is important for acceptance into the right places to use these materials.”

ESTIMATES OF TOTAL AGGREGATES SUPPLY (MILLION TONNES) IN GREAT BRITAIN, 2021 (MPA CALCULATIONS)

Recycled Other

63Mt

70Mt

Primary Aggregates

Seondaries

7Mt

183Mt In 2021, total recycled and secondary sources of aggregates were estimated to have accounted for 28% (69.6 million tonnes) of total aggregates supply in Great Britain, maintaining a leading position internationally in the use of recycled and secondary aggregates. Source: MPA estimates

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INTERVIEW

TOTAL AGGREGATES SUPPLY IN GREAT BRITAIN, 1955-2021 300

250 (Million Tonnes)

200

150

100

Crushed rock

Sand and gravel

Recycled and secondary aggregates

Source: ONS, BGS, MPA calculations He adds that the majority of recycled aggregates goes into highway construction simply because it’s a great way of using the material efficiently and is an area where it does the job well. James says most construction companies are realistic about what they can and can’t do with recycled aggregates in terms of their overall supply chain. “If your local ready-mix supplier for a project is not in a position to supply material with a recycled element it doesn’t even come into consideration. Look at your supply chain because they are buying materials in. For example, doing drainage on a motorway where there are slip drains with aggregate on the top. If that is viable the specification allows you to use a secondary material. But is it available locally, is it in supply, can you get it there?” He says contractors are there to make money and are looking for the most efficient and cost-effective supply materials. “It’s got to

be consistent. It’s no good having an order for umpteen hundreds of thousands of tonnes of material if it’s not going to be delivered on time because a day lost on your contract is going to cost you millions.” Professional achievements Looking back on his career, Brian James says: “In a sense I’ve had two careers – one in construction and one at the MPA, the trade body for the materials supply-side. I spent the first half of my career using the materials, and the second half supporting and promoting the supply of it.” In terms of achievements in his initial career of construction, he says that one of the most notable projects early in his professional life came when he was involved in tunnelling and was responsible for the biggest pipe jack that had been laid in the UK at the time. “It was technically a fairly difficult job through the Blackheath beds of sedimentary deposits in south-east London...... like digging through

marbles!” Other significant projects have included major highways, bridges and tidal/sea defence works. In his activities outside the UK, he is particularly proud of his work in the mid-1980s on the construction of the King Fahd Causeway, a 25km series of bridges and causeways between Saudi Arabia and Bahrain, on which he was the construction manager responsible for joining the two Gulf states together. “That was one of the biggest projects in the world at the time and I worked on it for about a year, linking all the roads and bridges that linked up to Bahrain. Their version of Spaghetti Junction if you like.” Outside of his professional life his interests have centred around sport. He previously played junior club-level rugby and squash, and now owns a yacht which he sails on the east coast near Ipswich. Brian James can be contacted at: brian.james26@outlook.com. AB

SHARE OF RECYCLED AND SECONDARY SOURCES IN TOTAL AGGREGATES SUPPLY BY COUNTRY, 2021 30% 25% 20% 15% 10% 5%

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Greece

Russia

Slovakia

Bulgaria

Poland

Spain

Italy

Cyprus

Austria

Finland

Denmark

Switzerland

Sweden

Moldova

Germany

France

Malta

Netherlands

Belgium

Source: UEPG, MPA calculations © AGGREGATES BUSINESS EUROPE July/August 2024

Volvo CE has added further electric models to its range, which already includes the 23-tonne EC230 electric excavator

More electric loaders suitable for quarrying come to market Major OEMs have announced new electric machines that are suitable for loading in quarrying applications. Liam McLoughlin reports.

olvo CE and LiuGong are both introducing new wheeled loader and excavator models that can be used by quarry operators. At June’s Volvo Days 2024 event in Eskilstuna, Swedish-based quarrying and construction equipment manufacturer Volvo CE said it is launching a modernised range of excavators, equipped with advanced technology for outstanding performance. It is also extending its wide range of electric machines, including its first electric wheeled excavator, displayed alongside its broadest range of charging solutions yet. On top of a modernisation of its conventional offerings, Volvo CE says it is again delivering on its pledge to lead the industry transition towards fossil-fuelfree construction with several electric introductions in the mid-size segment. Alongside already-launched electric solutions such as the 23-ton EC230 Electric excavator and cable-connected EW240 Electric MH, the company presented an array of new battery-electric equipment. These include the EWR150 Electric, the first of Volvo’s electric wheeled excavators, and the L90 Electric and L120 Electric wheeled loaders, scheduled for stepwise introductions from late 2024 in limited volumes across selected markets. They are supported by its broadest range of charging solutions yet with the

launch of the PU40 mobile power unit, for compact equipment, available across select markets and an addition to the already available PU500 mobile power unit. As part of its efforts in securing a reliable electric ecosystem, Volvo CE is also introducing the new My Equipment digital app to help customers manage the charging process more efficiently. The PU40 power unit is one of a variety of flexible charging solutions. Carl Slotte, Volvo CE head of sales region Europe, said: “Volvo Days demonstrates how far we have come on our electromobility journey, from our first commercial launch in 2019 through to the broad line-up of electric machines and charging solutions we present today, amplified by our range of smart digital tools. The steps we are taking into the electrification of medium- and heavysegment machines paves the way for more customers to decarbonise their operations and seize new business opportunities as societies worldwide transition to a low-carbon future.” Elodie Guyot, head of electromobility sales for region Europe at Volvo CE, said: “Our commitment to building a better world relies on us driving sustainable change across different equipment types and size classes. We already have dependable electric solutions out in the field across our compact portfolio and a growing part of our mid-size

range. We are excited to continue delivering on this commitment now with three mediumsized zero-emission innovations, across new lines and sizes, all of which benefit from our industry-leading, high-performing electric technology.” The first electric wheeled loader in its class, the 15-ton Volvo CE L90 Electric is a multi-role solution suitable for a wide range of jobs. These include industrialmaterial handling, forestry, agriculture and landscaping, quarries and mining and waste and recycling. Like the L120 Electric, it not only has dedicated electric motors for propulsion and hydraulics, enabling full available power to both systems, but enjoys a faster response and shorter cycle times than conventional models. The L90 Electric will last for approximately 4-5 hours of operation across most medium-duty applications and a full working day in lighter applications. Also similar to its larger brother, the electric-drive motor on the L90 Electric recuperates energy by acting as a generator when decelerating, ensuring a longer run-time and brake life. It can charge 0-100% in about 70 minutes using a 150kW DC fast charger or PU500 mobile power unit, while its AC on-board cable can power up in 6-7 hours for overnight charging.

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The L90 Electric will be available to select markets in Europe in 2025. Volvo Days is the first major showcase since the company announced the Eskilstuna site as its new corporate headquarters in August last year. Melker Jernberg, head of Volvo CE, commented: “In this time of rapid change, the global community needs the construction industry to step up and meet societal challenges with safer, smarter and more sustainable solutions. That is why we at Volvo CE are taking a leading role in driving this transformation, investing and partnering across the entire value chain to push boundaries in the right direction. At Volvo Days, we display our most ambitious response yet to those challenges, working together with customers to move our industry forward.” One of the most significant changes in this year’s Volvo Days was a shift away from silo-ed products and services towards total solutions – tailored to customer needs, no matter where they are on their decarbonisation journey, so that they can take on new challenges and opportunities with the support they need. In line with Volvo CE’s multi-pronged technology approach to meet varied customer needs, the company has also unveiled a new generation of innovative excavators, the Volvo EC500, EC400 and EC230. The range, which also includes the EC210 and ECR145, has been equipped with intelligent technology in a new electrohydraulic system and improved human machine interface (HMI), and designed for increased fuel efficiency, productivity, safety, and total cost of ownership. Just like other conventional Volvo CE machines, the new additions to the portfolio can be powered by renewable HVO100 (hydrogenated vegetable oil), which significantly reduces carbon emissions compared to traditional diesel. Joakim Arndorw, Volvo CE head of sales region international, said: “These new ranges, alongside our electric solutions, prove that Volvo CE is well-equipped

to respond to the different needs of our customers in both regulated and less regulated markets, leveraging our strength to implement meaningful innovation across all our offerings as we move closer towards our ambition for net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2040.” The newest models have been revamped to be more spacious and ergonomic than ever before as part of an ambitious design concept to help customers achieve outstanding results. Volvo CE says the new range – thanks in large part to a new operator environment with improved human machine interface (HMI) – has been built to robustly respond to the challenges of today and tomorrow. First to be introduced in Europe and Turkey are the newest EC500, EC400 and EC230 crawler excavators – all of which benefit from the same range of technologically advanced features and were unveiled at Volvo Days 2024. A stylish new operator environment provides even more space and comfort, with a cool box to store items and USB and Bluetooth connections to charge

LiuGong showcased its electric loading models at the Intermat show in Paris earlier this year. Image: LiuGong

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Volvo CE’s new L120 electric wheeled loader

mobile phones, play music and aid on-site communication. Furthermore, thanks to an improved HMI, a keyless engine start and an always-on camera, a productive working day can be carried out with ease and safety. China-based LiuGong says it is changing the game in the UK with a range of fourthgeneration battery-electric-vehicle (BEV) machines developed alongside European customers. The ‘green team’ includes electric wheeled loaders, mining trucks and electric excavators, all underlining the company's leading role in BEV technology. The line-up is headed by the new 856HE European edition electric wheeled loader. Packed with a 423kWh battery pack, the tough machine can work 10-12-hour shifts on a single charge. Powered by two independent motors, one for the driving transmission and one for the hydraulic loader arms and auxiliarys, the 856HE is described as an immensely powerful machine offering full drive traction from as little as 2km/h. The machine has proven itself in the field. Early production units, tested with customers, have exceeded 15,000 operating hours yet still have more than 88% stateof-health in their batteries. LiuGong says this fact alone proves that its machines are capable of delivering the total life endurance capability demanded by genuinely tough working conditions. Next is the new 870HE electric wheeled loader. Powered by the same 423kWh battery as LiuGong's popular 856E but with increased power and load-carrying capacity, this machine typically comes with a 4.7m3 bucket and slots into the 250-3050hp segment. Targeted at heavy applications such as quarrying and aggregates, this powerhouse has already received phenomenal interest in Europe from aggregates businesses and key account customers. The new 820TE electric wheeled loader is LiuGong's first compact wheeled loader product. The machine has a large spacious cabin, is capable of 40kph travel speeds and is powered by a 70kWh battery. The 820TE delivers 5-6 hours of tough work between charges and can recharge within 60 minutes. At a maximum height of 2.5m and available © AGGREGATES BUSINESS July/August 2024

with a 4th-line auxiliary spool, this machine is excellent for agricultural and industrial applications. The new 922FE medium-class electric excavator is powered by a 423kWh battery. This excavator can work a full 8-10-hour shift and is a high-performance machine with a motor delivering 165kWh of power, around 45kWh higher than a typical diesel model. Also taking the field is the new 9027FE electric excavator. This compact model takes LiuGong's popular short tail swing 9027F and changes the power pack to a 20kWh LFP battery pack. The smallest of LiuGong's new machines was on show at June’s Hillhead 2024 quarrying and construction exhibition in Derbyshire, UK. It enables 3-4 hours of constant work and a rapid charging time of 90 minutes when using a fast charger. LiuGong says that it has long been at the forefront of China's revolution in BEV research and development, driving design and innovation to create even greater sustainability and customer value. LiuGong’s strategic aim is to be a top 10 construction-equipment brand in Europe by 2027 and No. 1 in BEV product innovation and sales. Its ambitious plans will see it launch more than 40 BEV models by 2027, including new electric excavators, wheeled loaders, motor graders, dumpers and access equipment. Back in 2014 LiuGong's designers and engineers were adapting standard diesel machines to carry battery packs and electric drivelines. Now, LiuGong is launching its fourth-generation machines, designed around the total needs of the operator and supported by the European R&D centre,

working closely with customers to fine-tune for the UK market. Global sales of BEVs have already topped 3,500+ units, and LiuGong has achieved more than one million operating hours for BEV machines. The company says its 856HE electric loader has played a key part in this success. With more than 2,000 machines currently working in the field, LiuGong says the 856HE is easily the most popular loader in China, the world's biggest market for BEVs. LiuGong's latest BEV machines are based on proven technology and extensive field trials with European customers deeply involved in the development process. With their distinctive green livery, these machines have been designed to deliver for the owner, the operator and the environment. Harry Mellor, LiuGong European product director, said: "We have proved and are continuing to prove our capability in BEV technology. Our new 4th-generation wheeled loaders clearly show that we have the knowledge and credibility in BEVs that customers want and respect. This knowledge has not been acquired overnight but is the result of tough work in the field." Develon, formerly known as Doosan Construction Equipment, demonstrated a number of its loading machines at Hillhead 2024. The static display on Develon‘s stand featured the DX530LC-7 53-tonne crawler excavator and the DL420-7 wheeled loader. In the demonstration area, further products for the quarry face showing their paces included the DX420LC-7 43.5-tonne crawler excavator and the DL550-7 wheeled loader. Among new products being shown for the first time at Hillhead on the Develon stand

The DX530LC, one of Develon’s range of large crawler excavators on display at Hillhead

was the DX235LCR-7 24.3 tonne crawler excavator. The DX420LC-7 and DX530LC-7 are part of the range of large crawler excavators from Develon that also includes the DX800LC-7 80-tonne and DX1000LC-7 100-tonne machines. Overall, all the models in the DX-7 range of crawler and wheeled excavators from 14- to 100-tonne combine enhanced comfort with the latest features to boost fuel efficiency, uptime and return on investment, with a focus on increased power, robustness and agility. The DL420-7 and DL550-7 are two of the four biggest standard models in the DL-7 range of wheeled loaders from Develon, that also includes the DL480-7 and DL580-7 models. With redesigned buckets offering up to 7% more capacity, these DL-7 wheeled loaders provide easier and faster loading with maximum bucket capacities from 4.5 to 6.4 m3. Altogether, the eleven DL-7 wheeled loaders in the Develon range with bucket capacities starting at 2.0 m3 provide increased productivity for a very wide range of material-handling applications. HD Hyundai Construction Equipment introduced two heavy crawler excavator models and its largest wheeled loader at the Hillhead 2024 quarry exhibition. The company has announced its largest Stage V crawler excavators, with the arrival of the 80-tonne HX800A L and the 100-tonne HX1000A L. These heavy-duty machines have been designed to operate in mines and quarries, as well as in bulk earthmoving for construction and infrastructure project applications. They deliver maximum productivity with reduced total cost of ownership (TCO). Both excavators are powered by Perkins diesel engines, delivering class-leading power and economy. The HX800A L uses the six-cylinder Perkins 2506J, providing 400kW (539hp) at 1,800rpm and 2,468Nm of torque at 1,400rpm. The larger HX1000A L is powered by the Perkins 2806J, offering 460kW (629hp) at 2,000rpm and 2,952Nm at 1,300rpm. “These heavyweight excavators will build on HD Hyundai’s presence at the heavier end of the market across Europe, providing a highly productive digging and loading solution for mines, quarries, bulk earthmoving contractors and heavy civil engineering sites,” said product manager Gert Peeters. The HL985A loader builds on the success of smaller A-Series machines, adopting the same robust, durable design, with proven driveline components and an exceptional operating environment. The machine is powered by the latest Cummins X12 diesel engine. Product manager Stefan Schwill, comments: “Suitable for a wide range of tasks, in quarrying, recycling and rehandling applications, the HL985A offers more power for less fuel used, delivering a total-cost-of-ownership benefit for customers.” AB

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HAULING

New hauler heroes A major quarrying and mining hauler manufacturer has extended its rigid dump truck range, while another big sector name has signed a key distribution deal in West Africa. Guy Woodford reports

ollowing the success of the R100 hauler, Volvo Construction Equipment’s (Volvo CE) launch of the 55-tonne payload R60 and 65-tonne R70 rigid haulers broaden quarrying and light mining customers’ hauling options. Like its bigger 95-tonne brother, the R100, the R60 and R70 are designed to help drive down the total cost of ownership and introduce the latest comfort and safety features. While the R60 has a body volume of 36.04m³, the R70 offers 42.4m³. They may be smaller in size, but fans of the flagship R100 will see many of the same features and benefits of the latest E-generation in the new machines. Launching these new units gives quarry and light mining customers greater production options – not just with these three rigid haulers but also Volvo CE’s articulated hauler range. (The R60 rigid has the same 55-tonne payload as the company’s A60H articulated hauler). The choice between a rigid hauler and an articulated hauler in quarrying and mining

sites depends on various factors, including the specific needs and conditions of the operation. While rigid haulers thrive on sites with wide, firm, well-maintained haul roads, where they can travel fast (up to 61km/h) over long distances, articulated haulers’ trump card is on uneven, narrow, slippery and steep haul roads, where the haul cycle is shorter. Introducing the R60 and R70 allows Volvo to tailor hauling solutions to suit the particular site dynamics. Volvo Site Simulation service can help meet production targets, reduce CO2 emissions and boost profitability by recommending the optimal site set-up/machine fleet. The new machines are being made at Volvo CE’s Motherwell plant in Scotland, a site that for nearly 75 years has been the global heart of rigid hauler development. Its haulers are famed for their high productivity, low maintenance requirements and long service life, and the R60 and R70 are no exception to that rule. With a low centre of gravity, balanced weight, and tough-yetflexible chassis, these machines embody the robustness, performance, and reliability that deliver low operation costs. Maximising tonnes of material moved per hour is said to be a core tenet of the design of the R60 and R70. The new machines feature

a V-shaped haul body that is designed to deliver maximum load retention while at the same time minimal material carry-back postdumping. The dumping process itself is also speedy, thanks to a fast-tip system. Providing real-time insights on payload, the optional onboard weighing system helps operators apply the industry standard 10/10/20 payload policy – where the machine can take 10% overload for 10% of the time but should not exceed 20%. Regarding grip, the high-drive axle multiplication ensures maximum traction. At the same time, the already efficient hightorque engine is further supported in cutting fuel consumption by the automatic adaptive gear selection offered by Volvo Dynamic Shift Control. The engine also has a selectable Eco mode that defaults to the most efficient gear, while the auto engine idle shutdown reduces engine wear – and both of these boost fuel efficiency. As with the R100, the R60 and R70 are said to be a haven for operator comfort and safety. Starting with safety, the cab is fully ROPS/ FOPS certified, and access is gained from both sides via anti-slip steps. When moving, the haulers feature gear-dependent speed control and a selectable brake or transmission retarder. The gearbox also has overspeed protection and a neutral coast inhibitor for downhill operations. There is fail-safe braking

Volvo CE’s new R60 and R70 RDTs are designed to help drive down the total cost of ownership. Pic: Volvo CE

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HAULING

The new Volvo CE R60 RDT receiving material during Volvo Days 2024 in Eskilstuna, Sweden. Pic: Volvo CE and a secondary steering system to keep the machine on the right track. Visibility is among the most important elements of safety, and the operators of the R60 and R70 have perfect vision – a result of the large windscreen and low-raked dashboard, further supported by the left-positioned operator station (that aids safe passing) and 360-degree Volvo Smart View option. Volvo CE says that one of the strengths of the R60 and R70 is their ease of maintenance. Helping to keep repair costs and downtime down, the units have long 500-hour service intervals, ground-level tagout, and easyto-reach service points. Common-sized bearings keep parts stockholding simple and cost-effective. Technology also plays a part in onboard service diagnostics, while the CareTrack telematics system looks on from afar. These help to rapidly identify potential faults and maximise uptime. The capacity of the R60 and R70 are well matched with the loading abilities of Volvo CE’s EC950F crawler excavator, and the L350H wheeled loader. Introducing the R60 and R70 usefully increases Volvo CE’s portfolio for the quarrying and mining segment. Rokbak, a Scottish articulated hauler manufacturer and member of the Volvo Group, has partnered with Heavy Machinery Dealership (HMD), a premier provider of construction, mining and quarrying equipment in West Africa. Established in 2003, HMD has built a strong reputation as a specialised distributor of premium heavy machinery and parts and is dedicated to contributing

Rokbak MD Paul Douglas (left) and HMD CEO Mathew Khouri mark the West Africa distribution agreement. Pic: Rokbak

to Africa's infrastructure development. As an experienced local partner, HMD will help bring Rokbak ADTs to an extensive customer base in Nigeria, Ghana, Senegal, Benin, Guinea and Cote d'Ivoire. HMD is said to assist the growth and success of its customers through reliable, tried and trusted equipment, together with strong spare parts availability and aftersales support. "Rokbak has an excellent reputation, and our customers know and trust the Volvo brand," says HMD CEO Mathew Khouri. "Rokbak haulers will complement our product portfolio well, offering the thriving mining, quarrying and construction industries in West Africa a reliable and efficient ADT. With Rokbak, we will deliver high-quality trucks alongside our exceptional service and support." Africa's construction market is estimated to be worth US$58.42 billion (bn) and is expected to reach $74.81bn by 2029. In particular, West Africa's construction industry is experiencing substantial growth, driven by urbanisation, infrastructure development and mining activities. Nigeria and Ghana are the biggest mining markets in the region, with the global push for green energy solutions, meaning reserves of critical minerals such as lithium, manganese, and nickel are in high demand. The Nigerian mining sector alone is estimated to boast 44 different types

of commercially viable minerals worth an estimated $700bn. The demand for reliable, high-performance machinery is at an all-time high. Rokbak offers two hauler models. The RA40 is the largest with a gross power of 331kW, a maximum torque of 2,225 Nm and a 38-tonne payload. It is a popular choice for major infrastructure and mining projects, with its effective powerto-weight ratio enabling the fast movement of heavy materials. Like the RA40, the 28-tonne RA30, with a gross power of 276 kW and a maximum torque of 1880Nm, benefits from a transmission retardation system, a fully adaptable drivetrain and easy maintenance to suit a variety of different job sites. "Our partnership with Rokbak represents a significant advancement for our customers in West Africa and continues our vision to become the leading supplier of heavy machinery in Africa through customising solutions to customers' needs," says Khouri. "Rokbak's robust and reliable haulers are perfect for the region's requirements. We look forward to working closely with Rokbak to enhance the capabilities of our customers and contribute to the development of the local infrastructure and important applications in the region." Rokbak's articulated haulers are renowned for their durability, efficiency, and ease of use, making them ideal for the region's challenging terrain and demanding projects. HMD's local expertise and infrastructure will provide essential support and training, ensuring optimal use of Rokbak equipment. "We are delighted to partner with HMD in West Africa," says Rokbak’s managing director Paul Douglas. "HMD's reputation for excellence and customer satisfaction aligns perfectly with Rokbak and the Volvo Group's values. This partnership is a testament to our commitment in expanding our global reach and supporting customers in even more territories in the construction, quarrying and mining industries. "Our high-quality haulers, combined with HMD's vast experience and local expertise, will deliver exceptional value to our customers." AB

HMD has built a strong reputation as a specialised West African distributor of premium heavy machinery and parts. Pic: Rokbak

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A LONG WAY

TOGETHER

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CONVEYORS - 2

Conveying so much more A ﬁrst-of-its-kind radial telescopic conveyor is set to attract great interest from quarry operators' attention globally. Guy Woodford went for a close-up look.

t this year’s recent edition of Hillhead, the international quarrying, construction and recycling equipment show, Telestack showcased its new quarrying-suited TSR 40, the industry’s first roll-on-roll-off (RORO) radial telescopic conveyor. Road transport is a common problem with standard radial telescopic conveyors, especially in areas with restricted road access aligned with permit stipulations and special load regulations. This is a major issue with radial telescopic units because these are typically transported in euro-liners or containers and then built up on-site with cranes and/or tools. It generates extra costs in labour, vulcanising, and the extra set-up time required. The new TSR 40 eliminates this transport problem because it can be transported like any normal RORO-tracked mobile unit. The unit can be transported at a width of 3m x height of 3.5m x length of 23.2m, making it easy to transport within many road networks, especially in, for example, areas of Europe with more restrictions. Another standout feature of this unit is its ability to be driven electrically, differentiating it from standard diesel hydraulic systems. The TSR 40 is an ‘all-electric’ driven unit with an integrated diesel electric generator built into the

Alan Gilmore, Telestack’s regional sales manager, in front of the new TSR 40 RO-RO radial telescopic conveyor at Hillhead 2024. Pic: Guy Woodford chassis to power all unit functions, including tracking and conveyor-drive operation. This feature also allows the operator to plug in their own 3 x phase electric power on-site, lowering fuel consumption and reducing their overall carbon footprint. “The TSR 40 is a very versatile unit. It can track itself up, down, and off a low loader and is

ideal for working on difficult-to-get-to sites that require bigger throughput rates. It is a very good rental unit for a dealer, and its on-board power generator makes it a good option for customers with no power available on-site,” Alan Gilmore, Telestack’s regional sales manager, tells Aggregates Business at Hillhead 2024, staged 24-27 June at Tarmac’s Hillhead Quarry near Buxton, Derbyshire, England. He continues: “We are pushing the TSR 40 in Europe and have already sold two units, one to a customer in Sweden and the other to a Netherlands-based customer. We think it will be a big seller in Germany and Scandinavia, as they are bigger mobile (radial telescopic conveyor) markets. Our dealer in Norway, Fredheim Maskin, is a big driver of all-electric drive solutions.” The TSR 40 utilises its radial, telescopic, and luffing features to allow the operator full control and flexibility when stockpiling a range of materials. Gilmore notes that the up to 800 tonnes/hour unit has an integrated PLC (programmable logical controller) stockpiling system that eliminates material segregation, degradation, contamination, and compaction— all key to maintaining the quality of your material during the stacking process. The TSR 40 has a large stockpile capacity,

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THE

ROLL ON - ROLL OFF (RO-RO) RADIAL TELESCOPIC FIND OUT MORE

The TSR 40 is ideal for automated stockpiling and perfect for use after secondary crushers, screeners, and ﬁxed conveyors. RORO Mobility - Transport the TSR 40 as easily as any Roll-On Roll-Off tracked mobile unit. No need for onsite cranage or vulcanizing! Enhanced Product Quality - Increase stockpile capacity by up to 30% compared to conventional ﬁxed-length conveyors. The integrated PLC system maintains material quality by preventing segregation, degradation, contamination, and compaction during stacking. Eco-Friendly Design - The all-electric TSR 40 features a built-in diesel electric generator to power all operations, including tracking and conveyor drives. Utilise on-site 3-phase electric power to reduce fuel consumption and improve your carbon footprint.

www.telestack.com

CONVEYORS - 2

which, claims Telestack, allows up to +30% larger stockpile capacity than conventional fixed-length conveyor systems with increased site mobility. A lattice-frame design allows the TSR 40 to automatically stockpile from secondary crushers, screeners and fixed conveyors while stockpiling materials such as aggregates, sand, and gravel. The proven lattice-frame structure also ensures maximum strength with reduced overall mass and an impressive radial potential of up to 270˚for maximum stockpiling capacities. Telestack says introducing the first RORO mobile radial telescopic conveyor to the market highlights how the Astec-owned company is ahead of the curve and constantly assesses market demands. The Omagh, Northern Ireland-headquartered firm has a full range of radial telescopic conveyors up to 58m long and with a maximum throughput of 3,500 tonnes/ hour. “We will continue to innovate, and the TSR 40 is another model in our arsenal,” says Gilmore, adding, “We have a larger range of radial telescopic conveyors than any other industry manufacturer. We are also all about customisation. We will meet any specific requirements a customer has for a project.” Smiley Monroe unveiled its new look brand identity and an exciting new product prototype at this year’s Hillhead show. The Northern Ireland-headquartered conveyor belt manufacturer selected Hillhead as the local industry gathering to bring its refreshed brand identity to life, signifying Smiley Monroe’s evolution into a global business on a mission to revolutionise belt conveying. The geometric brandmark with its origins in the hexagon is a nod to the Giant’s Causeway and Smiley Monroe’s Northern Irish heritage (and the company’s description as the ‘Giants of Belting’) , while the shape, like the company, is on an upward and outward trajectory. Smiley Monroe says its ‘Giant Leap’ group sustainability strategy is key to achieving its ambitious growth plans and 2030 goals, aligned to seven of the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Smiley Monroe’s UK operations are zero waste to landfill and have been powered by 100% renewable electricity since 2019, reducing their absolute Scope 1 and 2 Greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 52% by 2023. The Smiley team reports that the prototype 'Go Lite' belt was well received at Hillhead. With a 40% reduction in belt weight and matched, or superior, performance compared to existing

A latch pin releases the cartridge from the mainframe allowing cartridge removal and replacement. Pic: Martin Engineering

thicker, heavier alternatives, ‘Go Lite’ also comes with a significantly lower carbon footprint - good news for design engineers tasked with minimising more than just machine weight. With expressions of interest welcomed at Hillhead, Smiley Monroe is now working closely with customers to field-test the ‘Go Lite’ belts, which they hope will support the positive in-house lab test results. Martin Engineering has unveiled its next generation of secondary conveyor-belt cleaners engineered to reduce dusty carryback and lower maintenance time. Designed to withstand the stress of heavier loads carried on wider, thicker belts at higher speeds, the Martin SQC2S Orion secondary cleaner (Orion) features individually cushioned tungsten carbide blade cartridges for effective cleaning without risk to the belt or splices. A two-tiered tensioning system means minimal adjustments and monitoring throughout the blade's life. The heavy-duty blades are mounted on a slide-in/slide-out assembly for faster and safer one-worker external servicing. The result is improved belt cleaning with less dust and maintenance for greater workplace safety at a lower cost of operation. “We field-tested the Orion over several months with competitor designs in punishing mining environments and found that the new design significantly outperformed the competition,” said Dave Mueller, conveyor products manager for Martin Engineering. “At the end of the testing period, customer participants started replacing all their heavyduty secondary cleaners with the Orion. We now view this design as the future of our secondary cleaner line moving forward.” Secondary cleaners play an essential role in the belt-cleaning process by significantly reducing the volume of dust and fines dropped

as carryback on the belt return. Primary cleaners release most of the abrasive material on the belt after discharge. Located below the head pully just behind the primary, secondary cleaners scrape off the fines and dust that hide in cracks and divots in the belt. Carryback is attributed to many environmental and operational issues,

The mounting assembly ﬁrmly secures the secondary cleaner to the stringer. Pic: Martin Engineering

Cartridges with individual tensioning improve cleaning efficiency and effectiveness.

Deﬂector shields usher carryback into the discharge chute to prevent fouling the mainframe for easier maintenance. Pic: Martin Engineering Slick, heavy-duty deﬂector shields improve performance from wet applications that experience build-up. Pic: Martin Engineering

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CONVEYORS - 2

Jane Halfpenny is McCloskey International’s new sales director – EMEA & Southeast Asia. Pic: McCloskey International such as air quality violations, fouling of rolling components and machinery, and increased labour for clean-up and maintenance. The Martin SQC2S Orion secondary cleaner is appropriate for all bulk-handling material applications. The unit comprises six-inch (152.5mm) blades mounted on a square steel tube assembly. It is not designed for reversing belts but is suitable for 18 – 96 inches. (4572438.5mm) belt widths, belt speeds up to 1200fpm (6 MPs), and temperatures up to 250ºF (121ºC). “What sets this unit apart from others on the market is the innovative, dual-tensioning system with independent heavy-duty tungsten blades which are game-changing design features,” Mueller explained. “The first tensioning level is supplied to the entire assembly using the heavy-duty SQC2S Tensioner, which applies light upward torque evenly across the belt profile for less friction and no wear on splices.” The second level of tensioning is on the individual blade assembly. Each Orion blade assembly is attached to a steel square tube assembly secured by a mounting plate. The square tube houses a rubber tensioner with a torsion arm bolted to each side. A specialised tungsten blade is attached to the arm. The system is mounted at a 90-degree angle and then tensioned so each blade is vertical and perpendicular to the belt. As the belt runs, each blade assembly adjusts independently to precisely match its profile, permitting it to compensate for camber, flaws/blemishes, and stubborn material stuck to the belt’s face. To accommodate belt cupping and other uneven surfaces, the blade assemblies can be individually adjusted to match the belt profile. The blades are designed for heavyduty abrasive applications in dry and wet environments. Tested on hard rock and slurry belts, the Orion blades offered superior cleaning results with a longer equipment life. This is due to the rugged tungsten carbide core surrounded by mild steel. Blades are also available in stainless steel for specific corrosive materials. The blade design features a deflector shield made from polypropene or rugged nylon for high-temperature applications. Mounted directly to the blade in an outward scoop

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design, the shield ushers loosened material away from the mainframe and toward the discharge chute. This mitigates build-up on the assembly, extending the blade’s effectiveness and reducing the amount of maintenance. Safety and ease of maintenance are key features and a core priority for all Martin Engineering designs. The slide-in/slide-out design allows a single worker to perform maintenance with easy access outside the conveyor structure, eliminating the need to crawl underneath or awkwardly reach inside. This greatly improves workplace safety and reduces the time and labour required for maintenance, significantly lowering the cost of operation. “Every bulk-handling operation is unique and requires versatile and adaptable equipment, and I think we’ve achieved that with the Orion,” said Mueller. “Martin Engineering products are developed to improve efficiency and safety without compromising belt health. This design gives customers more options and superior results, regardless of the material or the process.” McCloskey International, whose wideranging off-highway equipment portfolio includes feeder, tracked and wheeled stackers, has appointed Jane Halfpenny as sales director – EMEA & Southeast Asia. Halfpenny is responsible for sales activities in Europe, the Middle East, and Africa, as well as countries in the Southeast Asia region. She joins McCloskey International with over 10 years of experience in the global heavyconstruction-equipment sector. Throughout her career, she has held roles in sales, distribution, and marketing on the OEM side for companies such as Hyundai Infracore and CNH Industrial, as well as in commercial vehicle and financial services. Halfpenny will lead McCloskey International's regional sales teams, sales development, and dealer growth. “I’m keen to speak to prospective dealers interested in serving markets where we seek to develop our distribution,” says Halfpenny, who will be based in the UK. RotaLube, a leader in conveyor- lubrication technology, has launched the RotaLube ECO Lubrication Kit. This innovative solution brings

the precision of RotaLube’s patented sprocketshaped applicator to a handheld, user-friendly format, offering significant cost and operational efficiency benefits for a wide range of industries. David Chippendale, director of RotaLube and an experienced conveyor engineer, developed the original sprocket-shaped applicator to address the prevalent issue of inefficient lubrication in conveyor systems. Ineffective chain lubrication leads to costly production downtimes, excessive wear, unnecessary oil consumption, and product damage due to oil contamination. By applying lubricant indiscriminately and inefficiently, traditional lubrication methods often miss the crucial pins and bushes where friction and wear occur. Chippendale's solution was to design an applicator that ensures lubricant is applied precisely where needed. Initially part of an automated lubrication system, this applicator proved highly successful across various industries. Recognising the need for an alternative solution, RotaLube has now adapted this technology with a handheld spray can. “The automated RotaLube system, while effective, isn't suitable for all customers due to space constraints, low-lubrication-frequency needs, or budget limitations,” Chippendale explains. “Our goal was to make precise lubrication accessible to a broader spectrum of customers.” The new RotaLube ECO Lubrication Kit includes everything needed for targeted lubrication using a handheld spray can. The kit includes a RotaLube applicator, mounting bracket, flexible tube, aerosol-can adapter, connectors, and a restrictor to control lubricant release. It works with appropriate lubricant, but RotaLube recommends its biodegradable chain lubricant for optimal performance. “The ECO in the name highlights both the economic and ecological benefits of the kit,” Chippendale said. “It's a cost-effective alternative to automated systems and supports environmental care by reducing oil consumption and spillages. The flexible tube design also promotes safe and efficient maintenance by enabling technicians to apply lubricant from a distance without removing safety guards.” AB

The new RotaLube ECO Lubrication Kit includes everything needed for targeted lubrication using a handheld spray can. Pic: RotaLube

SCREENING BUCKETS AND ATTACHMENTS

MB Crusher says the use of suitable screening buckets can enable stockpiles to be moved quickly and cheaply, improving the efficiency of quarries

Crushing old habits with attachments Casting off old practices can be a brave move in the use of crushing and screening buckets, and doing it by enhancing your machines with suitable equipment adds efficiency, speed and proﬁtability. Liam McLoughlin reports.

ggregates are the most used material in construction, being the basis for the construction of roads and infrastructure and constituting a fundamental element for asphalt pavements and concrete. This is why any company that relies on aggregates can drastically reduce costs and complete projects on time with the appropriate screening buckets, according to MB Crusher. The Italy-based crushing and screening bucket manufacturer says that demand for aggregates continues to grow with urbanisation and infrastructure development, leading to the difficulty of supply and high production costs becoming increasingly evident. It has set out the ways in which the equipment it produces is key to obtaining highquality aggregates at a reduced cost per tonne. Once accumulated, the overburdened materials resulting from the preparation of a quarry often occupy large areas, which could limit the operation of the quarry. Moving these huge stockpiles means moving – at very high costs – thousands of cubic metres of material. MB Crusher says that some materials producers have found a solution, installing an MB-S23 screening bucket with a 10cm x 10cm grid basket on the Hitachi Zaxis 460 LCH excavator already working in the quarry. In doing so, the customer obtained two types of material: one with dimensions greater than 10cm, retained in the basket, which was directly loaded on the dumper and transported to the crushing plant to continue the

An MB Crusher MB-C50 crusher bucket in operation

processing process. While the material with dimensions less than 10cm, is used for filling and making embankments, thus avoiding additional costs for its disposal. “From an expensive process, therefore, to an activity that has also increased profit margins: now the customer not only saves on the costs of getting rid of the overburden, but also has inert material for his plant and can even resell the excess,” the company states. MB Crusher adds that even the off-cuts in the aggregates-production process can find a new use, with producers sometimes not realising that they are sitting on waste that can be turned into profit.

“We are talking about extraction and production waste, which is stockpiles to take up space, unused . Instead, it can be transformed into quality material, ready to be reused or resold with the MB Crusher bucket,” it says. “To sum it up, nothing is thrown away: by giving value to the stockpile already available, costs are therefore reduced. As did a company in southern Italy, which had a big problem with the waste of stone material, which continuously required significant transport, disposal and treatment costs. So, they decided to "change course" and by installing a crusher bucket on his 9 tons JCB 4CX backhoe he crushed the waste, producing

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SCREENING BUCKETS AND ATTACHMENTS

sellable inert material for the installation of substrates.” Raw materials used in construction are not infinite, and for this reason, MB Crusher says that using ‘secondary aggregates’ – such as the rubble derived from the demolition and redevelopment of old buildings – is a good habit that leads to rewards. These materials used to be considered waste and would have incurred expensive landfill fees. They are now processed so that they can be reused. By taking full advantage of the heavy machines already present on site, it is easier done. “As during the demolition of an old grain deposit, where the steel present inside the reinforced concrete was recovered and resold, while the overburden material was reused as a road substrate,” says MB Crusher. “How? With a BF90.3 crusher bucket installed on the excavator that was already in place.” MB Crusher says it units are designed for versatile use in recycling plants, quarries, landfills and directly on construction sites and are a solution for the independent production of aggregates. Italian screening buckets manufacturer Simex has expanded its family of VSE screening buckets for excavators. Simex says that finding an effective way to separate and screen materials directly on-site is vital for cost and time-saving-conscious construction and earthmoving fleet operators. Available in eight models for excavators from 1.2 to 50 tonnes, Simex VSE screening buckets are specifically designed for separating different-sized materials directly on-site. The VSE product range features the rapid adjustment of output size via an instant control in the cabin. This exclusive patent allows the shafts to be instantly distanced and closed, with a maximum travel of 40mm. Simex’s FIT screening-tool technology, another standout feature of VSE screening buckets, remains popular with customers three years after its introduction. The low-maintenance system allows for the easy interchange of every single disc or blade without unstrapping shafts. The Italian company says this means 75% less maintenance costs than the previous system. Multiple configurations are possible, depending on the materials to be screened. Simex offers users four different set-ups, but many others are possible thanks to the 100% interchangeable screening elements. In backfilling operations of pipelines, especially in the oil and gas industry, the instant, adjustable output size leads to numerous benefits in terms of saving time and money. Simex’s patent allows various output sizes of the screened materials to be obtained rapidly, both for bedding and for the subsequent backfilling of the excavation. With Simex VSE there is no downtime due to technical interventions for the spacing operations of the shafts, as happens in traditional screening systems. The operator instantly closes the shafts, loads the bucket and screens a small-grainsize material (0-15 mm) for bedding, avoiding damage to the pipes from rubble and stones.

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With the same control in the cab, the operator instantly opens the shafts obtaining a medium-grain-size material (15-55 mm) to backfill the excavation. Oversize material will be deployed. Given the growing demand for specific screening buckets for the sector, Simex is launching a new large model, for heavy excavators, called VSE 50, in order to guarantee maximum performance in covering underground pipes, with the correct output size. With its SAE bucket capacity of three cubic metres, the VSE 50 is designed for 35-50 tonnes excavators and will be the biggest screening bucket of the range. Simex concludes that its VSE screening buckets aim to sustainably recover and reclaim soil and aggregates resulting from demolition, helping deliver a circular economy. Building on decades of field experience with its CW coupler platform, Caterpillar has announced three new Hydraulic Connecting CW (HCCW) coupler models in the Africa, Middle East, Europe and Turkey regions. Connecting seamlessly to the machine’s hydraulics, HCCW quick couplers are designed to allow operators to switch between hydraulic attachments with full functionality in seconds from the safety of the cab. Compatible with any Cat hydraulic attachment, quick changes with the HCCW give the operator the ability to use the right attachment for the job, increasing overall productivity and tool utilization. Fast attachment swap-outs with the hydraulicconnecting interface can help save time over static couplers or pin-on attachments. The field-proven CW coupler platform is built to last and keep costs low. The new HCCW20, HCCW30 and HCCW40 quick couplers work with a range of toolcarrier capacities, from 7.5 to 27 tons. Each model offers a standard 10-ton lift capacity, and exclusive Locking Control System feature and sensor-technology measure locking wedge position and indicates the coupling

status to the operator. Complying with the European EN474 standard, multiple electronic and mechanical measures help to secure the attachment, even in the event of pressure loss. Visual and audible confirmations inside the cab inform the operator of successful attachment connection. The new design features enhanced hydraulic flow to reduce hydraulic restriction, minimizing heat build-up and reducing the amount of engine power required for operation. Machined and sized for highflow performance, the couplings ensure hydromechanical attachments operate to full capability with limited back pressure. Their reliable hydraulic-fluid connections help to prevent spills when changing the attachment, while the quick-disconnect design helps improve the lifespan and facilitates servicing ease. Customers with existing Cat excavator fleets using CW hinges do not need to retrofit their machines to use the new HCCW quick couplers. Fabricated tools, such as buckets, can seamlessly switch between existing CW and new HCCW couplers. New Hydraulic Coupling (HC) brackets allow the use of existing hydromechanical tools like shears, hammers and grapples with the HCCW. Internally routed hoses in the coupler and bracket protect against damage and reduce overall hose and repair costs. They leverage the trusted quick-coupler platform with the addition of proven, durable and high-performing male and female quick disconnects located in the coupler and the attachment bracket. The cover lid and sealing provide added protection for couplings and prevent hydraulic-system contamination. AB

Simex VSE screening buckets can separate different-sized materials directly on-site

DEWATERING

Electrifying quarry dewatering A major global manufacturer makes a cogent case for electrifying quarry dewatering. Meanwhile, new dewatering products and installations and a new strategic partnership create a lively global market. Guy Woodford reports

iccolo Tivelli, product application manager - surface pumps at Atlas Copco Power and Flow, and Bart Duijvelaar, product marketing manager - submersible pumps at Atlas Copco Power and Flow, have told Aggregates Business how electrifying the dewatering process in quarries is a leap towards efficiency. “In quarry operations, dewatering – the process of removing unwanted water from the job site – is indispensable to ensuring the efficiency of critical quarry and mining operations. Traditionally, this process has often been carried out using diesel pumps. However, this essential process is undergoing a significant transformation toward electrification. This shift promises enhanced operational efficiency and aligns with the global push toward a more responsible industrial practice. This article explains the fundamental steps to electrify the dewatering process in quarries. “The first step towards electrification is thoroughly evaluating your current dewatering process. This involves understanding the volume of water to be managed, the layout of the quarry, and the existing dewatering infrastructure. It's also crucial to consider the availability of electrical

power sources nearby or the feasibility of integrating renewable energy sources as part of the electrification process. Lithiumion batteries and photovoltaic panels have become solid complements to the onsite power grid, sometimes becoming a reliable alternative in remote locations.” Tivelli and Duijvelaar say these technological innovations foster the evolution of rugged and reliable mobile energy-storage systems (ESS), giving quarrying operators greater flexibility and increased operational efficiency by optimising energy generation, distribution and consumption. “Once you understand your needs, the next step is to explore the available electrified dewatering solutions. Electric submersible pumps are among the most reliable choices for quarry dewatering, known for their efficiency and ease of installation. Atlas Copco’s WEDA electric submersible pumps deliver best-in-class performance over a longer lifetime than comparable pumps. The WEDA pumps feature innovative elements, including a high performance-to-weight ratio, hardened high-chrome impellers, and stateof-the-art Wear Deflector Technology. This unique technology is designed to minimise wear, ensuring durability for a longer working life than other alternatives in the

market. The pump range has been designed with the latest 3D modelling techniques to deliver high efficiency and reduce unplanned downtime in demanding working environments such as quarries. “Electric self-priming dewatering pumps offer practical solutions for specific dewatering requirements, providing end-users with a wide array of solutions to match application requirements. For example, Atlas Copco’s E-Pump range comprises an innovative portfolio of electric self-priming dewatering pumps featuring canopy and open-set configuration models. These digitally connected surface units offer an exciting alternative to diesel-powered dewatering pumps, with lower local emissions and a reduced total cost of ownership. Developed to provide high performance, reliability, and ease of use, these electric self-priming pumps are plug-and-pump solutions, making them quick to install.” Tivelli and Duijvelaar explain that transitioning to an electrified dewatering system requires an upfront investment. However, they stress that the long-term benefits often outweigh the initial costs. “Conducting a cost-benefit analysis can help quantify these advantages, considering factors such as reduced fuel consumption,

An Atlas Copco’s E-Pump in a quarrying application. Pic: Atlas Copco

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An Atlas Copco WEDA D70 electric submersible pump. Pic: Atlas Copco

lower maintenance costs, and potential tax incentives for adopting new technologies. Additionally, the positive environmental impact and the enhancement of a company's sustainability profile can lead to improved stakeholder relations and potentially open new business opportunities. “Implementing an electrified dewatering system involves careful planning and execution. It's essential to work with experienced suppliers and installers who can guide the transition and ensure that the new system is correctly integrated into your operations. Therefore, partnering with a manufacturer that provides expert consultation can help assess a quarry's specific needs and design a tailored dewatering solution that maximises efficiency and meets sustainability goals, considering the site's unique characteristics. “Equally important is investing in training for the team, ensuring that they are equipped with the knowledge and skills to operate and maintain the new system effectively. Relying on a manufacturer that offers comprehensive training and ongoing support is highly recommended. This includes operational training, maintenance best practices, and troubleshooting, ensuring that the quarry can leverage the full potential of the electrified dewatering process.” Once the electrified dewatering system is operational, Tivelli and Duijvelaar emphasise that continuous monitoring is essential to ensure optimal performance and predict service and maintenance actions. “Data analytics tools can be invaluable, enabling the tracking of efficiency, early identification of potential issues, and informed decisionmaking to optimise the process further. Leveraging Atlas Copco’s connectivity tools can aid in continuously monitoring and optimising the dewatering process. This data-driven approach allows for informed decision-making, ensuring your operations remain efficient. “Electrifying your quarry dewatering process is not just a step towards modernisation; it's a commitment to responsible operational excellence. By

embracing electrified solutions, quarries can significantly reduce their environmental impact, enhance efficiency, and position themselves as leaders in the responsible extraction of natural resources. The journey towards electrification requires careful planning, investment, and adaptation, but the environmental and economic rewards make it a compelling choice for the future of quarry operations.” One of the contractors' largest challenges when pumping slurry water is finding the right equipment to efficiently and seamlessly complete the job. Pumping from pits containing sand, grits, or debris requires heavy-duty equipment designed to handle abrasive materials and work continuously without failure. Tsurumi Pump says its Agitator pumps are the answer. Agitator pumps use an agitator propeller with the same shaft as the pump's impeller. While the two spin in the same direction, the agitator blades are in the opposite orientation

Tsurumi Pump’s Agitator submersible pump at work in a quarry. Pic: Tsurumi Pump

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DEWATERING

to those of the impeller. The agitator provides a propelling force to stir up solids near the floor while the impeller pumps the now-suspended solids along with the fluid. They keep the mud circulating to prevent solids from settling while allowing pumping to continue without obstructions. “The use of agitators in coal mines and quarries is well known, but not everyone is aware that they can be used for any liquid containing solids that need to be pumped,” explains Kevin Boicken, Southeast US sales manager at Tsurumi Pump. “We recently installed an agitator with solids suspended in the pumped water at a construction site. A standard dewatering pump could become suffocated by sucking the solids to the small hole screen, preventing the liquid from being pumped.” Boicken emphasises that not all agitators deliver the same results. They must be made of strong, durable materials as they consistently handle rough, abrasive particles. Tsurumi’s line of agitator pumps is manufactured with wear-resistant components such as high-chrome impellers and hard cast-iron volutes, which ensures higher durability and efficiency. To pump owners, this means minimum equipment downtime, longer lifecycles and lower total cost of ownership (TCO). “Over the last 60 years, Tsurumi has built a reputation in North America and other parts of the world as a provider of high-quality pumps in applications that require robust equipment, especially in mining activities. And that’s mostly because of the materials they are made of,” Boicken says. “When customers install our agitator pumps, we often hear that our pumps are heavier and feel much sturdier than competitor brands that use aluminium. While this material is much lighter, the pumps don’t last as long.” Tsurumi’s agitator pumps include three features that make them even more reliable: potted cable, oil lifter, and thermal protection. © AGGREGATES BUSINESS July/August 2024

DEWATERING

Atlantic Pumps will offer an extended Toro brand range of progressive cavity pumps powered by Kronoa. Pic: Atlantic Pumps

The potted cable is an extra layer of cable protection. In case of accidental nicking of the exterior cable, moisture will not wick through the cable or reach the motor. As a result, contractors don’t need to rush to replace the cable. The additional cord protection prevents moisture infiltration and, ultimately, motor failure. The pump’s oil lifter allows for a longer mechanical seal life. The shaft rotates, and the oil lifter spins and flings oil throughout the seal chamber. This provides lubrication and cooling of the seal faces down to a third of the normal oil level without additional power or external equipment. Finally, the built-in thermal protection component prevents motor failure due to overloading and accidental run dry. “These special features reaffirm that our pumps are extremely reliable, which can be the difference in finishing the job on time while minimising additional costs that could emerge from equipment failure,” Boicken concludes. Tsurumi offers several agitator pump models to meet specific application demands. Considered one of the largest in the Agitator series, the GPNs feature side discharge up to eight inches and three-phase, four-pole motors of up to 50HP for lower impeller tip speed that prolongs their life. The GSDs, often found at construction sites and mines, are equally popular. With discharge sizes up to 10 inches, they provide high performance. Finnish company Dynaset, a major manufacturer of hydraulic generators, power

washers, and compressors, is well-positioned for a big future. The family-owned and run firm’s wide product portfolio includes HPW dust-suppression solutions and HSP hydraulic submersible (dewatering) pumps for customers working in industries including quarrying. During a May 2024 visit by Aggregates Business to Dynaset’s HQ just outside Tampere, the company was in the final stage of significantly expanding its on-site production capabilities. Jyri Hartikainen, Dynaset’s marketing manager, explains that the enhanced production site will make manufacturing more efficient while supporting the company’s growth strategy. Currently a €28.6 million annual turnover business, Hartikainen says Dynaset has 186 dealers globally selling its products to quarrying, mining, construction, demolition, recycling and other industry customers in over 80 countries. “What insulates us from market disruption is that we serve customers working in many different industries,” stresses Hartikainen. “Europe is our main market, and it's been quite good this year. The United States offers huge potential for us. We have hired two new salespeople to develop our market in the States.” Dynaset has a four-strong line-up of powerful HSP hydraulic submersible pumps. Depending on the model, they produce 900 litres/minute up to 8,500 litres/minute of water flow. The HSP range’s compact size and durable design enable the submersible

Jyri Hartikainen, Dynaset’s marketing manager. Pic: Guy Woodford pumps to tolerate mud and water containing rocks and other solid substances. This is done by a bevel-edged intake plate and a special fan blade that can even cut roots. As well as being compact, versatile, easy to move, light in weight, high in efficiency, and very safe to use, Hartikainen says the “reliability” of the HSP range, and, indeed, all Dynaset’s other products, is the company’s key USP (unique selling proposition). Dynaset’s HRVB Hydraulic Recycling Vacuum Bucket was awarded a gold medal in the Earthworks, Demolition & Transport category at the prestigious Intermat Innovation Awards 2024. Company CEO Anni Karppinen and R&D director Pasi Yli-Kätkä proudly received the prize during a special awards night at the big Parisbased off-highway equipment and linked technology exhibition (24-27 April 2024). The HRVB Hydraulic Recycling Vacuum Bucket combines the movability of a traditional excavator bucket with a powerful vacuum cleaner and an air blower. “It is a great achievement for a truly market-disruptive product and great to gain such international visibility for it,” says Hartikainen.

Tsurumi Pump’s Agitator submersible pump range. Pic: Tsurumi Pump

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DEWATERING

The new HG hydraulic generator assembly line at Dynaset’s expanded HQ production site. Pic: Dynaset

The Multiflo EC multi-float pontoon system (Multiflo EC) exhibited by Weir Minerals Europe at Hillhead 2024 near Buxton, England (25-27 June) is a versatile, galvanised steel frame designed for easy shipping while offering superior stability and carrying capacity. The galvanised steel frame supports various Weir Minerals dewatering pump types, including vertical, submersible, and horizontal pumps. Multiflo EC safety features include a one-way gate, handrails, and a life buoy. Simon Jones, Weir Minerals Europe’s pumps product manager, tells Aggregates Business that the system design also allows pumps to undergo normal servicing and maintenance without needing to be removed from the pontoon or taken shoreside. “We’ve got an Accumin greasing solution that automatically grease-purges the ends of the [pump] bearings and keeps dirt and water out, prolonging their life. This is an example of how we lower the total cost of ownership,” he emphasises. The Multiflo EC comes in four-, six-, eight-, or 10-foam-filled UV-resistant polyethylene float versions, providing optimum buoyancy. They are rotomolded to ensure seamless construction with ribbed reinforcing for superior durability. The foam filling prevents instability and maintains buoyancy in the event of external damage. The Multiflo EC is also designed to support optional extras such as lights and walkways upon request. Atlantic Pumps, a UK-based pump solutions provider and manufacturer, has entered a strategic partnership with Kronoa Engineered Solutions, a renowned manufacturer based in Barcelona, Spain.

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This collaboration aims to improve the quality of progressive cavity pumps and grinders available to various sectors, including quarries, biogas, water and recycling. Through the Toro brand, Atlantic Pumps will now offer an extended range of progressive cavity pumps powered by Kronoa to meet its customers' diverse needs. Atlantic Pumps’ international heritage and in-house team of experts will advise you on your business's pumping needs and requirements, providing timely, responsive solutions, strong customer service, operational efficiency, and valued engineering techniques. With over 25 years of experience, Kronoa has developed a high-quality range of progressive cavity pumps for maintenancefree operation, solving the problems

Dynaset test: The new test run room for Dynaset’s HG hydraulic generators. The same room will house the HPW hydraulic pressure water pump's automated test system. Pic: Dynaset

encountered in various installations. Manufactured entirely in the European Union, Kronoa’s products are recognised for their exceptional mechanical robustness, high reliability and minimal maintenance costs. These progressive cavity pumps are designed to exceed industry standards and offer superior performance and durability, making them an ideal choice for demanding applications. This strategic alliance leverages Atlantic Pumps' and Kronoa's strengths by combining Atlantic Pumps’ extensive market presence and expertise with Kronoa’s innovative engineering and manufacturing capabilities. Together, they are setting new standards in the pump industry and providing customers with advanced, reliable, cost-effective products that improve operational efficiency and sustainability. AB

ASPHALT PLANTS

The world’s ﬁrst asphaltproduction burner that can be fuelled exclusively with green hydrogen, designed and manufactured by Benninghoven. Pic: Wirtgen Group

Making asphalt production 100% sustainable Maturing technologies such as green hydrogen and waste heat recovery systems are helping to make asphalt-plant production even more sustainable. Liam McLoughlin reports.

irtgen-owned Benninghoven has launched what it says is the world’s first burner that can be operated only using 100% green hydrogen. The asphalt-mixing plant manufacturer says the first customer has now been able to produce several thousand tonnes of asphalt with virtually no emissions. On the way towards making future road construction more sustainable, Benninghoven says the biggest lever here is asphalt production. Low-temperature asphalt, recycling rates of up to 100% reclaimed asphalt, and now hydrogen as the most environmentally friendly energy source are sustainable, future-proof, and cost-effective solutions that offer significant reductions in emissions. A thermal process is required for the production of asphalt. In this process, industrial burners heat and dewater the starting material – aggregates and/or reclaimed asphalt – before it is mixed with bitumen. To make this process as efficient as possible, Benninghoven has developed a new generation of burners that includes the control and drying system alongside the burner itself. With this system, up to four separate burners can be operated at the same time. This flexible approach to usage increases the cost-effectiveness of the overall facility, as its owner can always use the best-available energy sources. The hydrogen burner from Benninghoven is supplied with an intelligent control system that ensures the carefully coordinated hardware

and software solution can maximize process efficiency during asphalt production. This includes control of the feed systems, including the pressure-control section, drying section with burner, and burner control. Switching between fuels or combinations of multiple fuels is done on the fly, meaning that no shutdown or downtime is required and with only minimal temperature fluctuations in the process. Emissions – especially the nitrogen oxides (NOx) produced when using hydrogen as a fuel – are kept very low. Alongside the climate-friendly, flexible use of a choice of fuels, the power draw has also been reduced by 20% while keeping the feedcapacity constant. Heat-transfer efficiency has been significantly improved by maximizing the use of the burner space, and providing a burner control and geometry that ensures optimum flame production for each fuel. Another significant benefit for plant operators is the 5dB reduction in noise emissions. Green hydrogen is currently the most sustainable fuel available: it produces no greenhouse gases and is suitable for the heating process thanks to its high-energy density. In many cases facility operators, wanting to start using hydrogen as a fuel, experience difficulties due to current limitations in infrastructure. When facing this challenge, they can count on support from asphalt-mixing plant specialist Benninghoven and its network. The burner technologies from Benninghoven can be used to equip both new

Aggregate Industries is implementing waste heat recovery systems at three of its UK asphalt plants facilities and existing asphalt-mixing plants, while Retrofit solutions can also be deployed in plants from other manufacturers. This gives every plant operator the chance to upgrade to the latest technologies at any time – an important aspect for ensuring economic, sustainable asphalt production and long-term plant operations. UK-based Aggregate Industries says it is continuing to lead the way in sustainability by implementing waste heat recovery systems at three of its UK asphalt plants. The installation commences Aggregate Industries’ goal of ten implementations by the end of 2024, saving a total estimated 1,000 tonnes CO2 per year.

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ASPHALT PLANTS

Based on a thorough feasibility study of the recovery technology, conducted by Aggregate Industries and working in collaboration with Invertech Solutions – a maintenance contractor specialising in energy efficiency – the construction and building giant says it is committed to realising the significant reduction in carbon emissions that can be achieved using these systems. Currently implemented at the three active asphalt plants in Liverpool, Astley and Darwen, the process focuses on harnessing waste heat from the asphalt-manufacturing process to preheat air entering the dryer. It involves: capturing waste heat; extracting thermal energy from the exhaust gases at the optimal locations; pre-heating process - using captured thermal energy to preheat clean incoming air; and supplying the dryer - directing the preheated air into the dryer to raise the thermal efficiency of the process. Rory Fulwell, decarbonisation engineer at Aggregate Industries, comments: “By capturing and utilising otherwise wasted heat from the dryer exhaust, we can raise the thermal efficiency of the process and reduce fuel consumption and thus carbon emissions.” Already, the active sites have demonstrated promising results, with a 12-15% improvement in fuel consumption when compared to the previous year, with improvements expected to stabilise between 6-10% over the course of the year. Featuring an air-heat exchanger, the heatrecovery system has a semi-self-cleaning design to allow dust and debris to fall free of the exchanger, easy access for maintenance and cleaning, and minimal resistance to flow. Additionally, it includes an intake fan sized to match the blower fan on the burner, steel ducting and a heat-exchanger bypass valve. Fulwell adds: “By recovering waste heat from the exhaust using a specially designed heat-exchanger system, we are enhancing the efficiency of the rotary dryer, which in most cases consumes up to 15 million kilowatthours annually. The new system aims to achieve a 10% reduction in fuel consumption, translating to significant carbon savings.” Lintec & Linnhoff is continuing its global expansion with the sale of its first Lintec asphalt-mixing plant in Australia. The Lintec CDP5001M continuous asphalt-mixing plant

David Giles, new chair of the Asphalt Industry Alliance (AIA). Pic: AIA

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KEE Surfacing's new Lintec CDP5001M continuous asphaltmixing plant. Pic: Lintec & Linnhoff

has already completed its first project and has moved on to its next task, fully utilising the benefits of the built-in chassis facilitating fast remobilisation. Acquired by KEE Surfacing, the Lintec CDP5001M was immediately sent to support upgrade work at CBH Group’s Latham grainreceival site in Western Australia. Alongside pavement and earthworks construction, KEE Surfacing’s main task involved the conversion of a temporary gravel bulkhead into a permanent 52,400 tonne asphalt open bulkhead. Boosting storage by almost 10,000 tonnes, the Lintec CDP5001M has helped reduce the distance farmers need to travel to deliver their harvest. After finishing the job for CBH Group, the mobile plant was then driven 80km northwest to supply hot-mix asphalt for similar work at the CBH Morawa grain-receival site. With two new open bulkheads, this increases total storage capacity by 78,350 tonnes. “These are just the first of what we expect will be many successful regional projects across Western Australia for our Lintec CDP5001M, thanks to its compact design and easy mobilisation from one site to another,” says Anthony Serpo, production manager, KEE Surfacing. Lintec & Linnhoff has also signed an exclusive distributor agreement for the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia with construction and industrial equipment dealer Middle East Development Co. (MEDCO) at Big 5 Construct Saudi 2024. This announcement comes just a few weeks after Lintec & Linnhoff announced a distributor agreement with Tutt Bryant in Australia. The MEDCO distributor agreement will cover the full range of Lintec & Linnhoff’s asphalt-mixing and concrete-batching plants, including but not limited to the Lintec CSD containerised asphalt-mixing plant and Lintec UCP Ultra concrete-batching plants. MEDCO was founded in 1967 and is a 100% Saudi Arabian-owned business. A significant part of Saudi Arabia’s infrastructure has been built with the quality brands that are represented by MEDCO, and many airports, highways, and buildings have benefitted from the premium and high-quality products supplied and supported by MEDCO.

Grupo Constructor Pirámide (GCP), a Mexican company with more than 50 years of experience in the construction sector, has acquired an Ammann ABP 280 Universal Asphalt-Mixing Plant. The plant is unique in Latin America because of its ability to process large quantities of reclaimed asphalt pavement (RAP) with the help of its RAH60 dryer. The objective was clear: to technologically transform the asphalt-mixing production process. “We are convinced that we are taking the right path to modernise and transform the production of asphalt mix through innovation,” said Mario Serrano García, chairman of the board of directors of GCP. “We want the public and private sectors to promote and use sustainable asphalt mixes that are produced with new processes and technology that seek harmony with the environment and the urban surroundings.” The shredder, an Ammann RSS 120-M, optimises the reuse of the material. “It reduces waste and ensures the quality and characteristics of the material,” said Ricardo Galvis, regional manager at Ammann. “This is combined with the acquisition of a very modern and complete laboratory that is capable of carrying out all the necessary tests to guarantee the quality of their product.” The UK-based Asphalt Industry Alliance (AIA) has appointed a new chair. David Giles, UK director at Continental Bitumen, part of the Colas group of companies, has taken over from Rick Green, who is retiring after seven years in the position and following a 40-year career. The AIA is a partnership between the Mineral Products Association and Eurobitume and was established in 2000 to increase awareness of the asphalt industry and its activities, as well as the uses and benefits of asphalt. A key part of its activity is the Annual Local Authority Road Maintenance (ALARM) survey, which helps to raise awareness of local road maintenance and funding issues in England and Wales. Giles has extensive experience in the bitumen sector, previously with Shell for over 36 years and as UK general manager of Eurobitume between 2018 and 2021, when he played an active role in the AIA. AB

PILOT CRUSHTEC

Stage V-powered TwisterTrac creates new export markets for Pilot Crushtec

ilot Crushtec International (Pilot Crushtec) is introducing its new-generation TwisterTrac mobile vertical shaft impact (VSI) crusher powered by a Stage V diesel engine. The move to a motor that complies with EU Stage V regulations unlocks new export prospects in highly regulated markets such as Europe and North America. Designed and manufactured in South Africa, the TwisterTrac VS350E VSI has gained popularity over the years in export destinations such as Australia and New Zealand. To provide context, Pilot Crushtec has sold more than 50 units since 2013, with almost 90% of these deployed into export markets. To further grow its export sales, the company has become one of the first South African original equipment manufacturers to build a Stage V enginepowered machine. Previously driven by a Tier 3 Volvo TAD1651GE engine, the new TwisterTrac VS350E VSI now comes with a Stage V Volvo TAD1382GE motor, allowing Pilot Crushtec to offer the legendary tracked VSI in emissions-regulated markets, in particular Europe and North America, as mentioned above. “The Stage V project has been in the pipeline for a while as part of our export focus. Our machine development strategy has always placed greater emphasis on

Sandro Scherf, CEO of Pilot Crushtec. Pic: Pilot Crushtec

Jorge Abelho, director technical support at Pilot Crushtec. Pic: Pilot Crushtec

offering exportable products and this move allows us to unlock new markets and grow our export sales. We are excited by the prospects of growth in emission-controlled markets such as Europe and North America. In addition, this project speaks to customers in some of our traditional markets such as Australia, where there is a strong focus on adopting high emissions standards,” explains Sandro Scherf, CEO of Pilot Crushtec. Jorge Abelho, Pilot Crushtec’s technical support director, says the company opted for the 13-litre TAD1382GE from Volvo

because it is a powerful, reliable and economical motor built on the dependable in-line six design. The engine incorporates a suite of advanced technologies that work together to reduce emissions and deliver significant improvements in power density, performance and operating efficiency. Designed for easy, fast and economical installation, the engine’s high-tech injection and charging system with low internal losses contributes to excellent combustion and low fuel consumption. “Volvo has been our preferred engine partner for a while, largely because of

The TwisterTrac VS350E uses rock-on-rock crushing principles, making it the perfect choice for producing cubical material for road and concrete aggregates. Pic: Pilot Crushtec

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PILOT CRUSHTEC

The new-generation TwisterTrac VS350E with a Stage V diesel engine. Pic: Pilot Crushtec

the efficiency of their engine technology. In addition, we find them easy to deal with in terms of information sharing and guidance on the technology. To provide context, we had a technical representative from Volvo at our Jet Park workshop for a week-long factory testing before deploying the machine for field testing in a tough crushing application with great success,” says Abelho. In addition to the transition to new engine technology, Pilot Crushtec took the opportunity to redesign some areas of the machine. For example, says Abelho, the machine now comes with an integrated cooling pack and the whole power pack base has become much smaller. “We have also re-arranged some of the key components to make the cabling and piping shorter and simpler. For instance, we have moved the operator panel from the left-hand side to the right-hand side of the machine. This reduces the number of cables required on the machine by bringing panels closer together. We have also made the operator panel easier to use,” explains Abelho. In addition, the size of the hydraulic tank has been reduced and the tank has been moved closer to the pumps. These refinements were informed by knowledge and feedback gained over the last ten years of operating the TwisterTrac VS350E in the field. Scherf is confident that the latest developments will further entrench the TwisterTrac VS350E’s dominance in the global marketplace. Designed for tertiary and quaternary crushing applications, the TwisterTrac VS350E is renowned for its versatility, reliability and efficiency. A fully mobile track-mounted VSI crusher, the machine can be easily moved between or within a site. Its compact design and robust construction make it suitable for various applications, including road construction, quarrying, mining and recycling. “One of the standout features which has made this machine popular is the unique

crushing concept. This uses rock-on-rock crushing principles, making it the perfect choice for producing cubical material for road and concrete aggregates. Another big advantage, which we believe will make it popular in new export markets, is that it is a diesel-electric machine, which results in

increased operational efficiency while at the same time reducing carbon emissions,” concludes Scherf. AB

The TwisterTrac VS350E can work independently with loaders or interlocked as part of a crushing train with upstream and downstream communication. Pic: Pilot Crushtec

The TwisterTrac VS350E is fully guarded with all the latest safety features. Pic: Pilot Crushtec

The TwisterTrac is fully site-mobile with a quick set-up time. Pic: Pilot Crushtec

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TROMMELS

Game-changing trommel screen rollouts A newly-launched electric trommel is suitable for diverse screening needs, while the versatility of a 37-tonne trommel is proving a major success in improving a company’s sustainable recycling operations. Liam McLoughlin reports.

SED Services has invested in a new EDGE TRM831 trommel, which can screen material at 400m per hour

erex Recycling Systems has introduced the TTS-620SE Static Electric Trommel Screen which is designed to offer operators unparalleled versatility in applications, production rates and effortless serviceability. It is specifically designed for screening gravel, construction and demolition waste, compost/organics, biomass and soil. The TTS-620SE Static Trommel features an electric head driven feed conveyor to prevent the slippage associated with a tail-drive configuration whilst under load. This ensures a consistent material feed onto the screening drum, enhancing screening efficiency and throughput. Terex says this enables heightened operational efficiency, improved screening quality, and reduced maintenance needs. The controlled material feed minimises wear and tear, extending equipment lifespan, while the user-friendly design adds operator convenience. With increased versatility and optimised performance, the TTS-620SE Electric Trommel is intended as a reliable solution for diverse screening needs. Supplied with a free-standing control panel, the intuitive user interface allows for easy set-up and running. Simple controls allow for quick adjustments to the feeder and drum speeds to tailor the trommel screen to suit your application. Terex Recycling Systems comments: “Due to ever-changing market conditions and demands of the modern trommel the machine will be available as a standalone unit or it can be incorporated into an existing plant or part

of a new recycling plant. This will allow for easy customisation and adaptation to different applications and environments.” UK-based waste-management business SED Services has invested in an EDGE TRM831 trommel. SED Services, founded in 2005 and located in the North West of England, has grown to become one of the leading companies in the waste-processing sector. SED offers waste producers cost-effective and environmentally friendly recycling solutions for non-hazardous wastes and helping to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Earlier this year it expanded its operations with the acquisition of a state-of-the-art 110-hectare composting site at Kirkby, bringing to four the number of sites it now operates in the Merseyside region, the others located in Wigan, Formby and Hightown, employing a total of 180 staff. The site will save some 280,000 tonnes of waste from entering landfill. To meet demand SED Services invested in what is the largest trommel of its kind, a 37-tonne TRM831 from EDGE Innovate. It is fitted with a tri-axle bogie complete with fifth-wheel hook-up and air brakes. Transportation between sites is exceptionally easy with redeployment taking a matter of minutes thanks to hydraulic folding discharge conveyors and chassis jacklegs. With extensive stockpiling capabilities thanks to its end-discharge conveyor design,

screening material at 400 metres per hour, the TRM831 design prevents product crosscontamination and reduces the double handling of material. This is complemented by a remoteoperated, 180° radial fines conveyor which has the capacity to stockpile up to 1030m³. It has been a game-changing investment according to SED Services MD Stuart Baldwin, who says: “The 10 metre EDGE TRM831 does the work of two six-metre trommels. The screening drum is taller and has a bigger screening surface giving us the option to process more tonnage per hour. It is so much more cost-effective; rather than running two trommels, we are now running just the one.” Its high production rate is maintained thanks to EDGE’s intelligent load-management system which prevents drum overload and ensures that the trommel screen is always operating at optimum performance with minimal supervision. Enhanced trommel screening results are achieved thanks to a variable drum screening angle. Baldwin says he also likes the fact it is mounted on wheels. “A static unit which is usually tailor-made for a customer would invariably be scrapped once it outgrows its use, so the fact this new trommel is on wheels gives us the option to move it from one site to another – and it always has a secondhand value, meaning you have something to trade in if you want to upgrade .” Powered by a 188hp (140kw) Caterpillar C4.4 Tier 4 Final / STAGE V engine, resulting in extremely low engine and noise emissions, the EDGE TRM831 incorporates a host of other impressive design features such as an eco-power-saving functionality which reduces unnecessary running costs and a user-friendly HMI control panel for the easy adjustment of machine parameters. AB

The new Terex Recycling Systems TTS-620SE electric trommel

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2024

ADVERTISERS INDEX

OCTOBER

MARCH

2-4: SIM 2024 Dijon, France Organisers: Exposition SIM www.expositionsim.com/en/index.htm

12-13 SaMoTer Paving Show & Congress 2025 Verona, Italy Organisers: Veronaﬁere Tel: +39 045 8298 133 Email: exhibitors@samoter.com https://www.samoter.it/en/pavingshow-and-congress-2025

NOVEMBER 26-29: bauma China 2024 Shanghai, China Organiser : Messe Munchen Tel: +86 21 2020 5500 baumachina@mm-sh.com https://bauma-china.com/en/

DECEMBER 11-14 bauma CONEXPO INDIA 2024 New Delhi, India Organisers: Messe München Tel: +49 89 949-20255 Email: franziska.dorfmueller@ messe-muenchen.de https://bauma.de/en/india/

2025

25-27 World of Asphalt 2025 St. Louis, MO Organisers: NAPA, AEM & NSSGA Tel: +1 (864) 208 3372 Email: exhibitors@aem.org https://www.worldofasphalt.com/ 25-27 Agg1 2025 St. Louis, MO Organisers: NSSGA Tel: +1 (800) 867 6060 Email: exhibitors@aem.org https://www.agg1.org/

COMPANY

PAGE NO

WEBSITE

Ammann

www.ammann.com

BKT Tires

p35

www.bkt-tires.com

Dynaset

p13

www.dynaset.com

Martin Engineering

p21

www.martin-eng.co.uk

McLanahan

www.mclanahan.com

ROKBAK

OBC

www.rokbak.com

SBM

p17

www.sbm-mp.at

Smiley Monroe

p13

www.smileymonroe.com

Telestack

p37

www.telestack.com

Tsurumi

p13

www.tsurumi.eu

Volvo

IFC

www.volvoce.com

APRIL

JANUARY 21-23 World of Concrete 2025 Las Vegas, NV Organisers: Informa Tel: +1 212 951 3525 Email: registration@worldofconcrete.com https://www.worldofconcrete.com/

07-13 bauma 2025 Munich, Germany Organisers: Messe München Tel: +49 89 949 11348 Email: info@bauma.de https://bauma.de/en/trade-fair/

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AGGREGATES BUSINESS EUROPE July/August 2024