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Being neighbourly
It is always good to get on with your neighbours, especially if you are a large and very busy quarry operation. This issue’s Quarry Profile examines how AfriSam’s Rooikraal Quarry in Brakpan, in South Africa’s Gauteng Province, became the first within the AfriSam Group to acquire a licence to blast within 500m of structures, in line with the requirements of Regulation 4.16(2) of the Mining Health & Safety Act’s Explosive Regulations of 2018.
The regulation was introduced following some notable blasting incidents in the South African quarrying industry, stating that a quarrying operation should “take reasonable measures to ensure that no blasting operations are carried out within a horizontal distance of 500m of any public building, public throughfare, railway line, power line, any place where people congregate or any other structure, which it may be necessary to protect in order to prevent any significant risk”.
Rooikraal Quarry (Rooikraal) acquired its landmark licence to blast due to management’s concern over an 88kVA Eskom (power utility) transformer located within 500m of the pit –and within 260m of the current blast site. The site’s offices are other structures within the regulation’s purview. A residential community and chicken farmers are also just 2-3kms from the pit.
As Munesu Shoko reports, Rooikraal’s application was supported by several mitigating factors that could allow the operation to blast safely within 500m of facilities, innovation in blast designs and stemming being the biggest.
To further reduce the likelihood of stemming ejection and flyrock, Rooikraal became one of the first quarries in South Africa to deploy stemming plugs.
The Varistem stemming plugs used by Rooikraal, supplied locally by ERG Industrial, are placed between the explosive column charge and stemming. Plugs work by creating an additional blocking effect within the drill hole when blast energy is released, directing more energy into the block and less energy upwards, out of the drill hole. Upon detonation of the explosives, the plug is forced upward into the
“It was heartening to read that global demand for construction machinery is forecast to grow 4.1% per year”
stemming material and ‘locks up’. The explosive gases and energy are prevented from travelling (venting) up through the drill hole.
As Louis Sterley, works manager at Rooikraal, highlights, not only do the Varistem stemming plugs help reduce potential safety incidents such as flyrock and vibration, but they also improve blasting performance and decrease costs.
Go to page 16 for the full exclusive story on Rooikraal’s savvy use of Varistem stemming plugs.
Increasing construction machinery demand tends to be great news for suppliers of building materials, including aggregates. As such, it was heartening to read that global demand for construction machinery is forecast to grow 4.1% per year to US$250bn in 2025, according to a new report by Freedonia.
Rising construction activity due to factors ranging from population growth to increasing industrial output; increased infrastructure spending; and advances in worldwide mining, forestry activity and energy production, supported by a recovery in commodity prices from 2020 lows, are said by Freedonia to be key factors boosting unit sales.
Freedonia says an increase in replacement sales of global construction equipment, after many operators delayed machinery purchases in 2020; the introduction of newly developed, state-of-the-art construction equipment, costing considerably more than predecessors; and rising sales of replacement parts and attachments as the amount of equipment in use worldwide increases, will also increase demand.
Neighbouring industries are well placed for a healthy trading year in 2022. GW
19 CRUSHING & SCREENING
A leading manufacturer’s crushing solution is helping a major UK quarry meet its sustainability & productivity goals
Global
24
LOADING
Recent months have seen a raft of excavator & wheeled loader launches from major global manufacturers including Caterpillar, Hitachi, Doosan, and Hyundai
27
TYRES – 1
The global off-the-road (OTR) tyre manufacturing industry is seeing new product launches as well as ongoing acquisition and consolidation activity
CONVEYORS –
36 CONCRETE PLANT
43
A leading bulk material handling systems company discusses how its environmental and social-minded approach to product development is helping to transform its sector
Projects globally demonstrate how concrete plant manufacturers are providing solutions to produce good-quality concrete while also delivering more sustainabilitycertified buildings
SCREENING BUCKETS & ATTACHMENTS
Latest examples of how screening buckets and attachments can offer big returns for mineral processing efficiency
Specials
08 INTERVIEW
Senan Abdullah Mohammed Juma Al Naboodah discusses UAE-based Al Naboodah Construction Group’s (ANCG) longstanding success and its future goals
12 MARKET REPORT
Pandemic restrictions cut demand for quarry products in Vietnam, Thailand & the Philippines but the restart of major regional infrastructure projects is restoring aggregates demand to pre-COVID levels
16 QUARRY PROFILE
AfriSam’s Rooikraal Quarry, in South Africa’s Gauteng Province, is mitigating the risks of having to blast within 500m of nearby structures, while also improving blasting performance & cutting costs
40 TEREX DIGITAL SOLUTIONS
Terex Materials Processing has created a new Digital Solutions business unit to coordinate its work in this vital industry area.
46 SA CEMENT DESIGNATION
In a major victory for South African cement manufacturers, the country’s National Treasury Department has banned the use of imported cement on all governmentfunded projects
Global construction machinery demand to hit US$250bn in 2025
Global demand for construction machinery is forecast to grow 4.1% per year to US$250 billion in 2025, according to a new Freedonia report.
Rising construction activity due to factors ranging from population growth to increasing industrial output; increased infrastructure spending; and advances in worldwide mining, forestry activity and energy production, supported by a recovery in commodity prices from 2020 lows, are said by Freedonia to be key factors fuelling unit sales.
Freedonia says an increase in replacement sales of global construction equipment; the introduction of newly developed, state-of-the-art construction equipment, which will cost considerably more than predecessors; and rising sales
of replacement parts and attachments as the amount of equipment in use worldwide increases, will also boost sector demand.
Outside of China – which had an elevated level of 2020 product sales – Freedonia’s Global Construction Machinery report notes that annual growth was slower between 2015 and 2020 (1.3%) and will be noticeably faster through 2025 (5.3%).
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Freedonia says most countries experienced declining construction machinery sales in 2020 as economic conditions weakened, international trade decreased, and many currencies depreciated against the US dollar. These nations recorded losses of 5% to 20% in 2020, wiping out a large portion of gains recorded since 2015. However, China proved to be an exception to this trend. A surge in
XCMG reaches 100k loader exports milestone
government stimulus spending, coupled with the country mitigating the most significant impacts of the pandemic at a relatively early date, prompted double-digit gains in construction equipment demand and prevented even greater global losses.
However, in the years to 2025, China will underperform most major markets and restrain the average global growth rate, owing largely to its strong 2020 performance. “First, growth will occur from a high 2020 base. Second, numerous Chinese operators invested in new equipment and replaced ageing machines in 2020. Most other national markets will record a strong rebound in construction machinery demand through 2025, with particularly strong gains coming during the first part of the forecast period,” states Freedonia.
Chinese manufacturer XCMG has delivered 33 units of its new XC9 elite loader series to Israel, Thailand and European countries.
The deliveries, made on 19 January 2022 from the group’s intelligent manufacturing base for large-tonnage loaders, mean that XCMG has now reached the milestone for the cumulative export of 100,000 units of loaders.
XCMG’s earthmoving machinery business unit exports to 187
countries and regions worldwide.
“Today, XCMG’s loaders have ranked among the top five in the world, and in the future international market, XCMG will unswervingly make technological innovation and internationalisation top strategic priorities in the long term,” said Wang Min, chairman and CEO of XCMG.
“The batch export of the high-end XC9 loader series is a strategic achievement of XCMG’s key global strategy.”
To meet the market demand
in Europe and North America, XCMG says it has developed the high-end XC9 loader series utilising its R&D experience and overseas R&D strength with over 100 independently developed patented technologies.
The loaders are equipped with an exclusive engine curve, fully automatic, electronically controlled transmission, an intelligent, independent cooling system, an electro-hydraulic load induction system and more, accomplishing over 15%
of energy conservation in the combined application of a single product. The XC9 loader series has achieved volume sales in the US, Europe and Asia.
To better serve overseas customers and increase efficiency in spare parts supply, XCMG launched the XCMG-Global Service System (X-GSS) in 2020. This full life-cycle service information system provides accurate, value-added and satisfactory maintenance support for global customers based on the IoT data analysis of the products and their working conditions.
In 2021, XCMG sent 90 service engineers overseas and conducted more than 300 training sessions in the post-pandemic period. In difficult-to-reach places, XCMG’s overseas service engineers hosted online training to continue improving overseas dealers’ service capabilities.
Since the early 1980s, XCMG has continuously upgraded its loading machinery technologies. Its latest pure electric loaders can achieve zero-carbon emissions while reducing the overall operational cost by more than 200,000 yuan (US$31,530) annually.
Image: Thoma Bravo & Command Alkon
XCMG held a ceremony to mark the delivery of its 100,000th loader
Image: XCMG
Lafarge Cement Zimbabwe appoints new CEO
Lafarge Cement Zimbabwe (LACZ) has appointed Geoffrey Ndugwa as its new chief executive officer.
Ndugwa takes over from Precious Nyika-Murena, who stepped down in September last year.
LACZ board chairperson
Kumbirayi Katsande said the incoming CEO has a long traceable record of top-notch management skills implemented across the continent.
“Prior to his appointment to this role, Geoffrey was the CEO for Lafarge Malawi from December 2019 to November 2021. He brings extensive experience in the cement industry spanning over 17 years working in various capacities across Africa. Some of his notable appointments in the past include being the Commercial Director for
Group in Kenya; General Manager Innovation and Marketing for
WAPCO Nigeria PLC;
General Manager Bamburi Special Products Limited Kenya; Head of Business Support Barclays Bank of Uganda and Sales Manager for Hima Cement Uganda,” Katsande said.
Ndugwa holds a master’s degree in Business Administration from Heriot-Watt University (Edinburgh Business School), a post-graduate diploma in marketing from the Chartered Institute of Marketing, United Kingdom, and a Bachelor of Engineering Honours (Civil Engineering) Degree from the University of East London.
“The board, management and staff at Lafarge Cement Zimbabwe Limited warmly welcome Geoffrey and wish him success in his tenure as the Chief Executive Officer for Lafarge Cement Zimbabwe Limited,” added Katsande.
CEMEX supplies UAE port expansion
CEMEX is providing building materials for the expansion of the Khalifa Port South Quay in the United Arab Emirates.
The company has supplied over 400,000m³ of advanced semi-dry, heavy-duty concrete, which it says is suitable for container terminal projects such as Khalifa Port.
“This material is ideal for big projects thanks to its improved performance, which withstands the port’s traffic of more than 12 million tons of general cargo per year,” CEMEX comments.
Khalifa Port, located halfway between Abu Dhabi and Dubai, was officially inaugurated in December 2012 by UAE president Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan.
The deepwater port is the first semi-automated container port in the GCC (Gulf Cooperation Council)
region, and construction of the port was planned to keep environmental impact to an absolute minimum.
Khalifa Port’s 8km-long breakwater is the longest in the Middle East. It is designed to allow the Gulf’s currents to flow freely while protecting and preserving the local marine ecosystem.
Owned by Abu Dhabi Ports, the port handles general cargo, container, roll-on and roll-off (RoRo), and break-bulk activities.
Khalifa Port’s maritime infrastructure includes twelve of the world’s largest ship-to-shore quay cranes, 42 automated stacking cranes and 20 straddle carriers. The port can serve the largest ships at sea, with flexibility for future expansion, and currently allows the handling of all of Abu Dhabi’s container traffic with an annual capacity of 2.5 million TEUs (twenty-foot equivalent units).
HOFFMANN GETS GREEN CEMENT PATENT IN CHINA
Hoffmann Green Cement Technologies has been granted a Chinese patent for its H-P2A decarbonated cement technology. The France-based, clinkerfree, low-carbon cement producer says the H-P2A patent has been validated by the Chinese Patent Office under the number CN ZL201680018574.9. It adds that, following patents in the United States in 2020 and Europe in 2021, it is developing the intellectual property of its H-P2A technology with the issuance of this third patent. The
H-P2A (High Performance Alkaline Activation) technology is a geopolymer technology allowing the formulation of decarbonated cements, based on coproducts from the industry, intended for the industrial mortar and glue market. Hoffmann co-founders Julien Blanchard and David Hoffmann commented: “We are very proud to extend the intellectual property of our H-P2A technology to a market with such great potential as China. The achievement of this first milestone marks our commitment to raising the barriers to entry in as many markets as possible around the world.”
Bamburi
Lafarge
Geoffrey Ndugwa is the new CEO of Lafarge Cement Zimbabwe
The deepwater Khalifa Port is the first semi-automated container port in the GCC region
Image: LinkedIn
Hoffmann’s H-P2A technology has already been patented in the US and Europe
Image: Hoff mann Green Cement Technologies
Sustaining business for six decades
Senan Abdullah Mohammed Juma Al Naboodah is managing director of UAE-based Al Naboodah Construction Group (ANCG), one of the oldest and most respected family conglomerates with a diverse portfolio of businesses. He talks to V L Srinivasan about the keys to the group’s longstanding success and its future goals
Remaining afloat as a familyowned conglomerate in a competitive world is by no means an easy task. A business group needs to carve a niche for itself, and UAE-based Al Naboodah Construction Group (ANCG) has done exactly that.
In an exclusive interview with Aggregates Business International, ANCG managing director Senan Abdullah Mohammed Juma Al Naboodah explains that the strategy and vision adopted by ANCG’s founding fathers, brothers Saeed and Mohammed Al Naboodah, have sustained the business group for over 60 years, seeing it make a major contribution to UAE’s development since independence was secured in 1971.
More recently, Senan and his senior ANCG management team acted swiftly to meet the varied trading challenges arising out of the coronavirus pandemic, while also ensuring that the conglomerate’s ambitious future growth plans remained in place.
With an annual turnover of AED3 billion (US$816.7mn), ANCG has completed works on more than 680 projects to date including some of the country’s most iconic projects.
According to Senan, since its early days, the business group has been committed to quality and excellence and has always placed the safety and welfare of its employees as a high priority. This has led to an outstanding reputation in the industry as a Tier 1 contractor who can deliver projects to a high standard while maintaining international standards of quality and safety.
In addition, ANCG has led the way in
specialised fields such as mechanical, electrical, and plumbing (MEP), civil engineering, and specialist engineering such as micro-tunnelling, offering services which few other contractors can offer to the same standards.
Furthermore, ANCG has been able to selfsupply on ready-mixed concrete and asphalt plant and equipment and MEP services through its various in-house businesses such as Al Naboodah Readymix Concrete (ARCON), National Plant and Trans Gulf, giving it a competitive edge in a crowded market.
“This combination of specialisation, selfreliance and exceptional levels of quality is
what has ensured ANCG’s resilience over many cycles of economic highs and lows over the decades,” Senan explains.
Key role in UAE’s development
Senan says that Al Naboodah’s contribution began long before the UAE became an independent nation in 1971, in the early days of Dubai’s oil boom with the establishment of Al Naboodah Contracting in 1969.
Initially focused on residential and commercial buildings, the company later moved on to work on civil engineering projects, and quickly set to work building many of Dubai’s most vital traffic routes and
infrastructure. The group then established Trans Gulf Electromechanical to provide the most technologically-advanced MEP solutions to the construction industry.
Later, to meet the demands of its many projects, ANCG decided to self-supply its own ready-mixed concrete and asphalt in order to have better control over quality and supply, and established ARCON.
“ANCG is proud to have contributed to the growth of the UAE by delivering an extensive and varied portfolio of prestigious projects, ranging from world-class golf courses to thousands of kilometres of roads, highways, bridges, tunnels and dams,” he says.
ANCG has also been the industry leader in the UAE’s airport developments, having constructed many of the runways, aprons, concourses and terminal buildings to the highest international civil aviation standards.
Over the years, ANCG has worked on some of the UAE’s most high-profile projects, including Dubai International Airport, Dubai World Central Airport, Abu Dhabi International Airport, Palm Jumeirah, Yas Island, Al Maryah Island, Dubai Water Canal, Dubai Creek Harbour, Expo 2020 and many more.
COVID-19 impact
Senan says the impact of the pandemic has shown that they had very robust systems and IT infrastructure in place. “We managed to cope with a partial transition to remote working very well. However, this has allowed
us to identify further areas that can be improved with the goal of reducing paper, increasing digitisation of some of our business processes and generally seeking to increase efficiency on our business management processes.”
Going forward, Senan, who began his career with ANCG in 2005 after gaining a degree in business financial services and banking from Dubai’s Higher College of Technology, says ANCG aims to be far more selective in the projects it submits tenders for, and the list of clients the company wishes to work with: a case of “quality over quantity”.
“We will build on our relationships with our key long-term partners and maintain our focus on delivering projects to a very high quality within the time frame that our contracts stipulate, or as near as possible. As other players come and go from the industry, maintaining this consistency will further
“The group eliminates the need to rely on third-party suppliers, thereby providing its clients with a comprehensive offering with total control over quality”
strengthen our reputation as a contractor that can be relied upon to get things done right, and done right the first time” he explains.
Spurt in demand
Regarding building materials, Senan, a member of the Tejar Dubai Youth Council, part of the Dubai Chamber of Commerce and Industry, says the current demand will have a period of consolidation going forward but will see an increase soon. This will be driven by the delivery of infrastructure projects in the Northern Emirates and committed projects throughout Dubai.
One of ANCG’s key strengths is its in-house capability to self-supply on most of its construction projects in the UAE as ARCON has two permanent production facilities in Dubai supplying international-standard asphalt and concrete of the highest quality to its projects.
Currently there’s a production capacity of over 400m³ per hour in the business group’s capability and extra resources are available if future demand dictates.
“From plant and equipment to asphalt and concrete, the group eliminates the need to rely on third-party suppliers, thereby providing its clients with a comprehensive offering with total control over quality,” says Senan, who became the conglomerate’s managing director in 2013, a role that includes oversight of all ANCG civils, building, MEP, facilities management, and national plant projects.
At this present time, ANCG has taken the opportunity to look at its efficiencies and better ways to support its construction division throughout this period. This means making sure ARCON has the correct operational capability to support the projects with the emphasis on remaining as agile as possible.
With its wealth of general plant, heavy equipment and transport resources, ANCG can complete any kind of construction project. The conglomerate’s diverse fleet of over 3,000 pieces of heavy equipment is one of the most comprehensive in Dubai, and ranges from pedestrian rollers through
ADVANTAGE ANCG
to 250-tonne crawler cranes, all of which are serviced and maintained in-house while temporary power supply and cranage complete the picture, he says.
Digital transformation
ARCON currently has the Command Series system set up in the ready-mixed concrete business.
The system comprises the Command Batch system and the Command series overview system to deal with everything from quotation through to invoice. System integration also interfaces with the group Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) and
ANCG is in a unique position in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) construction industry of being self-sufficient, supplying its own asphalt, concrete, plant and machinery. It has worked on many of the UAE’s most iconic projects including the Palm Jumeirah, Business Bay, Yas Island, the Dubai Water Canal Project, Dubai International Airport, Dubai World Central, and the Expo 2020 exhibition site.
The other projects that are ongoing or have been delivered by ANCG include:
• The Oberoi Hotel.
• Al Maktoum Airport – Terminal 3 concourse.
• Mankhool mixed-use development.
• Meraas villa complex.
• Dubai Police forensics building.
• Jumeirah Golf Estates residential development.
• City Centre Mirdif mall expansion.
• Substation works in Dubai and the Northern Emirates (subcontracts to Mitsubishi Electric and Siemens).
• Dubai Creek Harbour Development, Creekside Harbour.
• Chrysler and Honda showrooms and service centres.
• New corporate HQ for flydubai.
• Expo 2020 police, fire & ambulance stations.
mobile equipment GPS software. These systems in place have transformed the ability to produce more efficiently and to also get the correct vital information back through to all stakeholders quickly without the need for repetition and paperwork. Integration has meant that everything has now been streamlined digitally, from mix design through to invoicing.
In addition, in 2018, ARCON achieved a major milestone with the implementation of industry-leading Environmental Product Declaration (EPD) software, becoming the first concrete supplier in the Emirate of Dubai to provide a fully internal EPD facility.
The Gabi Environmental Product Declaration (EPD) software from leading German developer Thinkstep enables ARCON to substantiate end-to-end life cycle programmes for construction materials, thus providing a basis of information for sustainability and environmental impact. The successful implementation of this software earned ANCG the Clean Technology Award at the Gulf Sustainability and CSR Awards in 2019, Senan explains.
Future plans
Discussing ANCG’s future, Senan says in the short- to medium-term the group is realigning its focus towards clients, sectors and projects that play specifically to its trading strengths.
“We have a proven track record in niche and specialised projects such as critical infrastructure and civil engineering projects for key clients in the UAE, and this will remain our focus over the next 12-24 months.”
“We typically operate with a five-year business plan. However, given the events and impacts of the pandemic, we are currently focused on supporting our key government clients for now, and plan to reset our five-year plan from the start of 2022 once the economy is back on track,” he adds. AB
Significant civil engineering projects include:
• Midfield Airside Road Tunnel, Abu Dhabi International Airport.
• FIFA football pitch and IAAFA athletics track.
• Construction of Dubai International Airport airfield, with ongoing expansion & upgrading.
• Major projects within the expansion of Dubai International Airport concourse and terminal buildings.
• Expansion of Abu Dhabi International Airport infrastructure, including a deep drainage network.
• Construction of Dubai World Central Airport airfield and facilities.
• Promenade runway for Skydive Dubai.
• Improvements to major sections of the UAE’s highways including Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed Road and Emirates Road.
• Golf courses, including Dubai Creek Golf & Yacht Club, Al Badia Golf Club, Jumeirah Golf Estates and Emirates Golf Club (Faldo Course).
• Parallel Roads project, Phases 2A-1, 2A-2, 3B and 4.
• Major infrastructure projects across Dubai including Jebel Ali, Satwa and Dubai Creek Harbour.
• Expo 2020 roads & car parks.
Construction resumption boosts SE Asia aggregates markets
Pandemic restrictions put a dampener on the demand for quarry products in Vietnam, Thailand and the Philippines but the restart of major infrastructure projects in the region is restoring aggregates demand to pre-COVID levels. Liam McLoughlin reports
The resumption of construction projects and new investments is set to improve prospects for quarrying and aggregates in the South East Asian countries of Vietnam, Thailand and the Philippines in 2022.
Construction – and associated demand for aggregates - has been impacted across all three nations over the last two years due to COVID lockdowns reducing mobility and building activity.
Vietnam saw 20% less construction in 2020 and the first half of 2021, while there was a 13% reduction in the demand for cement in the Philippines, according to Alexander Baart, regional director South East Asia for wet processing equipment manufacturer CDE. He says the good news is that public and larger projects are now resuming across the South East Asia region.
“From today’s perspective there are reasons to believe that after Lunar New Year [February 1] in Thailand and Vietnam the volumes will grow back to pre-COVID levels,” says Baart. “In the Philippines we already foresee a 6% higher demand of cement compared to 2019.”
Baart adds that a growth of 6% is expected this year in Thailand’s construction business,
while in Vietnam it is expected to be between 3 and 5%. In both countries the driving force is the resumption of new projects.
Market analyst GlobalData says that the South Asia region (including Vietnam, Thailand and the Philippines) should generate construction output values in 2021 that will surpass the 2019 pre-COVID levels in real (constant prices) terms.
ASEAN Analytics highlights three of the biggest public infrastructure initiatives in the region that could contribute to aggregates demand as being the Northeastern HighSpeed Rail project in Thailand, Long Thanh International Airport in Vietnam, and the new Manila International Airport in the Philippines.
COVID has put a dampener on the economy in Philippines and is still affecting logistics flow in the country, according to Peh Jing Peng, Volvo CE’s head of market for Philippines, Taiwan and Brunei.
“Philippines is currently suffering from the Omicron wave of infection which is still growing,” says Peng. “Nevertheless, the government has put an emphasis on the construction industry to boost the economy. This is helping the quarry and aggregates sector.”
GlobalData estimates that the Philippines construction industry recorded an annual growth of 21.9% in 2021, with output predicted to surpass pre-pandemic levels in 2023. The analyst adds that the sector’s output in the second half of 2021 was supported by improving investor confidence and investment in transport, renewable energy, residential and commercial infrastructure projects.
The Philippines construction industry is projected by GlobalData to expand by an annual average rate of 9.6% from 2022 to 2025. The AmBisyon Natin 2040 programme, which promotes the development of affordable housing, transport and renewable energy infrastructure, is expected to drive the industry’s long-term growth.
An increase in foreign direct investment (FDI) will also contribute to the construction industry’s growth momentum in the next few years.
Raven Chua, head of market Thailand, Laos & East Timor at Volvo CE, says that COVID-19 has heavily impacted the tourism sector in Thailand, which accounts for around 20% of the country’s overall gross domestic product (GDP).
“The Thai government has diverted
A CDE Combo X150 washing plant in operation in the Philippines
much of the country’s budget to support countermeasures against COVID, especially for SMEs, which has caused delay to megaproject investments,” says Chua. “Vaccinated travel lanes opened in October 2021 but were closed again in December due to the Omicron outbreak.”
Travel in the country was re-opened from February 1, 2022 and Chua says that, as the tourism sector recovers, it will push demand for infrastructure and therefore aggregates.
Thailand’s construction industry was not as severely affected by the outbreak of the pandemic as some of its regional peers, according to GlobalData, with the industry registering an annual growth of 2.3% in real terms in 2020 - an improvement on growth of 1.6% that the construction industry recorded in 2019.
GlobalData predicts the Thai construction industry will register an average annual growth of 4% between 2022 and 2025, supported by improving investor and consumer confidence and government investments on road, rail, renewable energy and housing projects. Further supporting growth will be investment in both the Southern (SEC) and Eastern Economic Corridor (EEC) programmes. The value of approved developments in the EEC totals THB669bn (US$20.7bn), with four of the corridor’s six flagship projects currently in execution.
In the SEC, the Thai government plans to invest THB106.8bin (US$3.4bn) towards the
development of 116 projects between 2019 and 2022.
Volvo CE’s Wilson Shee, head of market Myanmar, Cambodia & Vietnam, says that Vietnam witnessed a slight (10%) drop in aggregates demand in 2020, but 2021 saw higher market demand (17% growth vs fullyear 2020).
Construction market output in Vietnam was valued at US$83.40bn in 2020, and GlobalData estimates it recorded moderate growth in 2021. Construction activity further contracted in Q3 2021, with construction value added falling by 20.6% year on year (YoY) due to the imposition of a sudden, strict lockdown by the Vietnamese government. Residential construction represented the largest sector in 2020 followed by infrastructure, energy and utilities, commercial, industrial, and institutional.
GlobalData predicts the Vietnamese construction industry will register a CAGR of more than 8% between 2022 and 2025, supported by ongoing construction works on the considerable pipelines of public infrastructure projects. As part of its transport infrastructure spending plan of between VND973.8 to 1,472 trillion (US$43-65bn), the government plans to construct and renovate existing road, rail, inland water, sea and air transport infrastructure in the period through to 2030.
The construction industry in Vietnam will be supported by a recovery in domestic demand and investment from
the Vietnamese government’s VND117.8 quadrillion (US$5.2bn) COVID-19 support package, which was announced in August 2021. In 2022, the industry is projected to continue to grow, supported by government investment in infrastructure, residential and renewable energy projects. In addition, the road development plan for 2021-2030, which received approval from Vietnam’s prime minister Pham Minh Chinh in September 2021, will drive the industry’s growth in the coming years. The plan includes the construction of over 5,000km of expressway by 2030.
Discussing the characteristics of the three markets, Raven Chua of Volvo CE says that customers in Thailand depend a lot on the sales personnel of equipment providers to share their knowledge and experience of the quarry business.
“There is also a lot of competition in the aggregates and quarrying market, so any capital expenditure or equipment package must be attractively priced to compete, but low total cost of ownership and operation will ensure long-term success,” Chua adds.
“While productivity and reliability are basic requirements, we are now seeing customers in Thailand look deeper at total cost of ownership, especially with regards to maintenance, when renewing their fleets.”
Peh Jing Peng of Volvo CE says the Philippines has many river quarries, and excavators are forbidden by law from entering the water: “Therefore, there are many river quarries that make sure of wheeled loaders that enter the river and dredge up the river stones.”
Peng adds that wheeled loaders from brands such as Volvo-owned SDLG are frequently used in this application with some special local modifications.
In terms of what quarry equipment customers are looking for, Peng says:
Personnel at a Philippines quarry with a Volvo CE EC750D excavator
“Excavators and wheeled loaders are the most popular in Philippines.
“Customers look for high productivity, reliability, and low fuel consumption, as well as ease of maintenance and low capital outlay.”
Wilson Shee of Volvo CE says that the brand is a latecomer in Vietnam, with rival equipment manufacturers Caterpillar and Komatsu entering the market much earlier. “This means Volvo must go the extra mile to penetrate quarries and other segments, but this effort is paying off as Vietnamese customers come to appreciate the high productivity, high efficiency, easy maintenance, and reliable aftermarket support we offer,” Shee adds.
In terms of the equipment trends across all three countries, Alexander Baart of CDE says that crushers (jaw & cone) are the primary needs for quarry owners producing aggregates.
“In Vietnam, depending on specific application and requirement, currently VSI [vertical shaft impactor crushers] are also in demand and we are also seeing purchases of vibrating screens and conveyors being done,” Baart adds. “Regarding crushing equipment, the European manufacturers are the brands commonly well known in the premium markets, though a considerable number of operators willing to compromise on quality and performance prefer equipment from China and Taiwan.
“Apart from this, loaders, excavators, dump trucks and dozers are the high-selling equipment to quarry operators in the region. Similarly, heavy-equipment suppliers like Komatsu, Caterpillar, Volvo, Hyundai, etc. are the market leaders.”
In Vietnam, Shee says that the Volvo EC350DL and EC480DL excavators are the most popular for loading while the R60D and R100E rigid haulers are most in demand for
hauling. “Productivity and cost of operation are the priority for quarry operators (tons per hour and dollar per ton are the two main measurements for quarries) so these reliable, productive, and efficient machines are ideal,” Shee adds.
Building solutions provider Holcim Philippines says it is aiming to build on its 2021 accomplishments in innovation and sustainability to further drive business performance and support the country’s progress.
Holcim Philippines president and CEO Horia Adrian states that, despite the challenges in 2021, the company's commitments remain solid.
"We pushed on with key initiatives that will contribute to our long-term success and enable us to have a more positive impact on the country’s development," adds Adrian.
In May 2021, Holcim Philippines published its first Integrated Annual Report which follows the sustainability disclosure standards of the Global Reporting Initiative.
In July, the company signed an agreement with Sinoma CBMIPH Construction to upgrade its cement manufacturing facilities in La Union and Misamis Oriental to reduce the fuel consumption, raw materials and carbon footprint of operations.
In September, the company completed storage and processing facilities at its Bulacan plant to increase usage of alternative fuels and raw materials in cement production through its waste management arm, Geocycle.
In November the company signed a 20-year power purchase agreement with renewable energy company Blueleaf Energy, to deliver solar power to its Bulacan and La Union plants. Holcim Philippines says this will make its cement plants the first in the country to be powered by solar energy.
Cement technology company FLSmidth is working as a technical consultant with Vietnamese waste-handling start-up TONTOTON to assist local cement producers in replacing fossil fuels with plastic waste.
The partners aim to cut plastic waste in
Vietnam, the world’s third-largest cement manufacturing nation. Eight million tonnes of plastic end up in the world’s oceans every year. As the fourth-largest contributor to marine plastic pollution globally, Vietnam wants to buck this harmful trend, which is largely caused by an ineffective wastehandling infrastructure.
TONTOTON aims to streamline the plastic waste ‘value chain’ by collecting and recycling large quantities of plastic on behalf of major consumables companies before it reaches the ocean.
Vietnam had an annual production of nearly 100 million tonnes of cement in 2020, surpassed only by China and India. The non-recyclable plastic waste can be used in co-processing at cement plants and is therefore a perfect alternative fuel for the Vietnamese cement industry, which today is dependent on large quantities of coal and other fossil fuels.
“Together with TONTOTON, we are enabling cement plants in Vietnam to
Metso Outotec has signed a deal with Phu Thai Cat to distribute its products in Vietnam
ABOVE: Horia Adrian, president and CEO of Holcim Philippines BELOW: FLSmidth and TONTOTON are helping Vietnamese cement producers to replace fossil fuels with plastic waste
replace traditional fossil fuels with a more environmentally friendly alternative, while also tackling the tremendous waste challenges,” says Carsten Riisberg Lund, cement industry president at Denmark-based FLSmidth.
Chinese manufacturer XCMG has delivered 33 units of its new XC9 elite loader series to Israel, Thailand and European countries.
The deliveries, made on January 19 from the group’s intelligent manufacturing base for large-tonnage loaders, mean that XCMG has now reached the milestone for the cumulative export of 100,000 units of loaders.
In September 2021, Metso Outotec and Phu Thai Cat (PTC) signed a distribution contract for Metso Outotec’s aggregates solutions in Vietnam, in addition to Laos and Cambodia. The agreement includes a wide choice of Metso Outotec’s mobile, portable, and stationary crushing and screening equipment, crusher wear parts, screening media and parts.
Metso says the demand for aggregates in the territory is estimated to grow significantly in the coming few years thanks to the implementation of major infrastructure projects. Because of the development, aggregates customers are focusing more on production efficiency and output material quality that Metso Outotec’s premium crushers are suited to.
Shaun Fanning, vice president, distribution management Asia Pacific at Metso Outotec, commented: “The combination of high market demand for aggregates solutions in the region and a professional partner like Phu Thai Cat, means we look forward to an effective cooperation to grow our business.”
In the Philippines, Metso Outotec and Donum Industrial have signed a distribution contract for aggregates crushing and screening solutions.
The contract covers Metso Outotec’s track-mounted Lokotrack and Nordtrack equipment, the Nordberg NW Series wheelmounted equipment, Metso Outotec crusher wear and spare parts and Trellex screening media.
Regarding the overall near-term outlook for the quarrying sectors in Vietnam, Thailand and the Philippines, market participants are generally cautiously optimistic.
Alexander Baart of CDE says the major challenge is the threat of new coronavirus variants that could lead to new and further travel restrictions.
“Since projects are slowly starting to move and still there are uncertainties, quarry operators are cautious on high investments, which makes it a bit challenging for producers of equipment,” Baart adds.
In terms of future trends, Raven Chua of Volvo CE says that emissions are not yet regulated for quarry operators in Thailand but global brands, such as Lafarge and Heidelberg, are giving at lot of attention to environmental impact.
“There is also popular acceptance in Thailand of the concept of moving into electric machines, with online (remote)
operation, reducing operator reliance,” Chua adds. He predicts a slight increase of approximately 5% in demand for aggregates in Thailand over the next year as the government shifts more budget to road and highway contracts.
In the Philippines, Peh Jing Peng says Volvo CE expects a continued focus from customers on high productivity, high uptime, and low fuel consumption to drive profitability.
He says that aggregates demand will increase in the Philippines over 2022, and it will be heavily dependent on government investment into infrastructure. “The presidential election in May 2022
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will determine the trend. The current incumbent government is sharply focused on infrastructure spending,” adds Peng.
Wilson Shee says the main growth driver in Vietnam is the Country Masterplan in Infrastructure and Road Development, where aggregates are the main raw materials required. “The Vietnam government will push for most delayed megaprojects to be completed or get back on schedule, so we expect demand in 2022 to be higher than in 2021,” he predicts.
“Vietnam is rated as one of the top fastgrowing economies. Rapid urbanisation will generate high demand for construction aggregates.” AB
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AT THE FOREFRONT OF COMPLIANCE AND EFFICIENCY
A persistent focus on blast-improvement practices is not only allowing AfriSam Rooikraal Quarry, located in the Gauteng Province of South Africa, to mitigate the risks of having to blast within 500m of nearby structures, but is also improving blasting performance and decreasing operating costs. Munesu Shoko reports
Compliance, by its very nature, costs money and a lot of it, which is why most quarry operators typically tend to focus squarely on planning and environmental approvals when considering their compliance obligations. Such an approach, however, is not sufficient for modern quarry operators and may subject operations to unaccounted areas of risk.
Instead, quarry operators need to take a broader view of their compliance obligations and ensure that they turn their attention towards the other types of approval that can cause them compliance issues. It is imperative that quarry operators realise that these regulations are dynamic and are located in a constantly changing space that is trending towards ever-increasing compliance obligations.
One operation that has always taken a broader view of compliance is AfriSam’s Rooikraal Quarry, located in Brakpan,
Gauteng. In fact, the operation was the first within the AfriSam Group to acquire a licence to blast within 500m of structures, in line with the requirements of Regulation 4.16(2) of the Mining Health and Safety Act’s Explosives Regulations of 2018.
“We have always strived to be ‘110% compliant’ – be it environmental, health and safety or quality-related compliance. The compliance requirements do cost us a lot of money but also place us as a premium supplier of quality material that never compromises the safety of its people and the environment in which we operate,” explains Louis Sterley, works manager at Rooikraal Quarry.
Following some notable blasting incidents in the industry, the Department of Mineral Resources and Energy (DMRE) adopted the stringent Regulation 4.16(2) in 2018, which provides a minimum baseline for procedures to ensure safe blasting for operations located in the proximity of structures, and for interested parties such as local communities.
The regulation states that an operation should “take reasonable measures to ensure that no blasting operations are carried out within a horizontal distance of 500m of any public building, public throughfare, railway line, power line, any place where people congregate or any other structure, which it may be necessary to protect in order to prevent any significant risk”.
This is unless a risk assessment has identified a lesser safe distance and any restrictions and conditions to be complied with, or a written application is submitted to the principal inspector of mines accompanied by the following documents for approval: a sketch plan indicating the distance from the blasting area to the affected structures; the risk assessment; a proof of consultation with the owners of the affected structures, and restrictions and conditions.
A structure of concern for Rooikraal Quarry was an 88kVA Eskom (power utility) transformer located within 500m of the pit. Currently, it’s within 260m of the area being
An aerial view of the Rooikraal Quarry pit
blasted. Other structures located within the 500m vicinity are the operation’s offi community and some chicken farmers are also in the vicinity but these are located about 2 – 3km from the pit. In 2018, the operation applied for permission to blast within 500m of these structures, and became the first operation within the AfriSam Group to be granted a written approval by the principal inspector of mines.
The application was supported by several mitigating factors that could allow the operation to blast safely within 500m of facilities. Innovation in blast designs and stemming were central to mitigating the risks.
“We started by altering our blast designs. Back in the day, we used to opt for 89mm diameter holes, and then went up to 98mm, before moving up to 102mm and eventually 115mm. Bigger holes allow us to increase our burden and spacing, which improves our fragment size distribution and the total cost of operation,” he says.
drill hole. Upon detonation of the explosives, the plug is forced upward into the stemming material and “locks up”. The explosive gases and energy are prevented from travelling (venting) up through the drill hole.
that they can improve the effectiveness of stemming material in the blasthole. As a result, this would better contain the explosive energy within the rock mass and yield a more controlled and efficient blast.
Of the various products that have come to market to improve blast performance, flyrock control and productivity, stemming plugs have probably been looked upon with some incredulity.
“We were initially sceptical and eventually did a test run and the results were amazing. The intent of the trial was to demonstrate the energy-retention capabilities of the Varistem blast stemming plugs through conducting a split blast,” explains Sterley.
To further reduce the likelihood of stemming ejection and flyrock, the operation became one of the first in South Africa to adopt stemming plugs. “We recently started using Varistem stemming plugs, supplied locally by ERG Industrial,” says Sterley.
The stemming plugs are placed between the explosive column charge and stemming. Plugs work by creating an additional blocking effect within the drill hole when blast energy is released, directing more energy into the block and less energy upwards, out of the
Typically, the loss of explosive energy through stemming ejection reduces the performance of the blast. The fundamental theory promoting the use of blastimprovement and containment plugs is
The trial run indicated a massive improvement in energy retention. A key takeaway was the increase in time to stemming movement. The blast analysis clearly indicated that the time to stemming movement of the Varistem side of the block was many times longer than on the non-Varistem side of the block. The improvement in energy retention leads to several benefits such as reduced flyrock, improved fragmentation, and reduced vibration and noise, among others.
Because of the competent nature of the rock
Rooikraal was the first within the AfriSam Group to acquire a licence to blast within 500m of structures, in line with the requirements of Regulation 4.16(2) of the Mining Health and Safety Act’s Explosives Regulations of 2018
on site, the quarry’s product is highly sought-after by the asphalt market
Not only does the Varistem help reduce potential safety incidents such as flyrock and vibration, but it also improves blasting performance and decreases costs. The plugs contain blast energy for longer.
Maximum blast containment, explains Sterley, means greater fragmentation and micro-fractures, with more tonnage processed at less cost. Following fractures created by the explosive shock waves, the Varistem improves expanding gas containment. The greater the gas containment time within the ore mass fractures, the better the fragmentation.
“Getting fragmentation right is substantially cheaper than having to do secondary blasting or mechanical breakage,” he says.
In some cases, Varistem has achieved up to a 25% increase in fragmentation, which in turn reduces crushing costs and increases crusher throughput. Independent studies also show that the Varistem can increase
blast pattern spread by 10% or more, with the same fragmentation for major savings in drilling and explosive costs.
“There are several secondary cost savings which result from increased fragmentation – easier rock removal, reduced secondary breakage costs, increased truck capacity, and less wear on crushing equipment – all of which contribute to the cost benefit,” says Sterley.
He says the Varistem has offered the quarry the best of both worlds – an increase
in safety and cost efficiency. “We pay a bit more in the pit, but the benefits of good fragmentation in the downstream processes are well documented,” he says.
Rooikraal Quarry mines a competent dolerite rock, which is blocky by nature when blasted. The direction of the blast is a crucial factor in achieving good fragmentation as well. This is complemented by good blast designs. The stemming cap is also proving worthwhile when blasting such a tricky rock.
Good fragmentation, with a special focus on fines, is a big focus for Rooikraal, especially given that the biggest demand driver is sand. Because of the competent nature of the rock on site, the quarry is also a big supplier to the asphalt market. Its product is sought-after, with some asphalt producers coming from as far as the Free State to fetch the product. Products driving demand in this market segment are 10mm and 20mm road stone.
The operation produces an array of top-quality material sizes, including G6 (base course); ballast (for Transnet); 7.1mm, 22mm and 28mm concrete stone; 10mm, 14mm and 20mm road stone, as well as crusher sand. The operation is one of the few quarries in the country that still produces 28mm stone. This is largely produced on order and is mainly supplied to the energy and chemical company, Sasol.
The square nature of the pit allows for particularly big blasts, which translates into cost savings. “We are probably one of the fortunate operations in our group that can do fairly big blasts,” says Sterley. “We can do up to a 120,000 tonnes blast in one go. This is facilitated by the square nature of the pit; our benches are much wider and have big reserves of material. In general, we have ample space to blast.”
The pit is currently about 50m deep and will allow for mining of two more levels to about 90m. “We will probably be busy in the existing pit until 2027, before there is need to expand,” concludes Sterley. AB
The blast analysis clearly indicated that the time to stemming movement of the Varistem side of the block was many times longer than on the non-Varistem side of the block
Comparison of muckpile fragmentation between a Varistem and standard blast design
PowerX Equipment’s solution for CEMEX Dove Holes comprises a Powerscreen Trakpactor 550 impact crusher, a Powerscreen Chieftain 2200 screener and a Powerscreen Maxtrak 1000 cone crusher
Sustainable & productive crushing
A leading manufacturer’s crushing solution is helping a major UK quarry meet its sustainability and productivity goals, while new crushing and screening plant is making a big impression globally. Guy Woodford reports
Situated in Derbyshire close to the Peak District in central England, Dove Holes is CEMEX’s largest quarry and provides aggregates for construction projects all over the country.
The Dove Holes operation continually strives to be more efficient and sustainable, with nearly 50% of the aggregates transported by rail to major markets such as Leeds, Sheffield, Manchester, London and Birmingham.
With an increasing demand for aggregates, in March 2021, the CEMEX Dove Holes team engaged the expertise of PowerX Equipment, signing a crushing contract to increase their output to satisfy this surge in demand.
PowerX Equipment proposed the ideal combination of three machines: a Powerscreen Trakpactor 550 impact crusher, a Powerscreen Chieftain 2200 screener and a Powerscreen Maxtrak 1000 cone crusher, which working together process the single-size limestone at the required output. Operation is simple with the as-dug material loaded by shovel into the hopper of the Trakpactor 550, which in turn feeds the Chieftain 2200. The screener stockpiles two sizes and recirculates the +20mm oversize directly back into the Maxtrak 1000, which after crushing it again, feeds it back into the Chieftain for further stockpiling.
Dove Holes primary manager Neil Plant, who has responsibility for overburden
removal, drilling and blasting, primary and contract crushing, takes up the story: “The proposal from PowerX Equipment ticked all the boxes on price. Since the start of the contract, we have been delighted with the performance of the equipment and the support we have received from PowerX.”
With the combination of machines employed at Dove Holes, the operation is finely tuned to produce the maximum output of saleable sized aggregate at a high production rate.
With the as-dug material being fed into the large hopper of the primary crusher in the line, the Powerscreen Trakpactor 550 impactor is an ideal crusher for processing soft to medium-hard primary materials like limestone.
Material is fed into the large feed hopper common on both the vibrating grizzly feeder and live pre-screen versions, both of which feature a selectable crusher bypass facility and optional fines discharge conveyor. With up to 500 tonnes per hour (tph) of output potential, load sensing ensures the wide crusher inlet opening receives a continuous feed of pre-screened material, avoiding unnecessary crusher wear.
The Powerscreen Trakpactor 550’s robust impact chamber features a twin apron, four-bar rotor design, with hydraulic release aprons, hydraulic setting adjustment, hydraulic crusher overload and is driven directly off the engine via clutch for optimum fuel economy.
At the centre of the screening operation at Dove Holes, the Powerscreen Chieftain 2200 two-deck screen processes large volumes of high-specification products with maximum versatility. The Powerscreen Chieftain 2200 has two highly versatile double-deck screen boxes, which provide a total screening area of 19.5m². It has a revolutionary patentpending drive system that allows switching between two and four bearings with bolt-on parts. The maximum variability of the Chieftain offers improved capabilities over its class rivals, especially in sticky scalping applications. User benefits include a quick set-up time (typically under 30 minutes) with hydraulically folding conveyors and track mobility. Its high-aggression screen boxes manage dirty, sticky material with ease.
At the heart of the recirculation of the oversize material is the high-performance Powerscreen 1000 Maxtrak cone crusher, a machine that has been designed for direct feed applications without pre-screening on clean rock. At the heart of the Maxtrak is the Automax cone crusher with hydraulic setting, tramp release, and unblocking system. Its unique crushing action provides excellent capacity, high reduction, and optimum product cubicity to produce high-quality aggregate and sub-base materials.
Luke Talbot, managing director of PowerX, said: “Teamwork with the customer, in this case, CEMEX, is vital in ensuring that needs are met at the Dove Holes operation. We will always, where possible, adapt to
meet changes in a processing situation. To date, it’s been a total success what has been achieved so far with the machine line-up of world-beating Terex Powerscreen equipment.”
The PowerX Equipment team has a hugely successful portfolio of contract crushing over many years and has completed contracts up to 10-years long and, notably, achieved landmark processing in the construction of the Aberdeen bypass, where the team processed more than four million tonnes of granite.
The 500-hectares Dove Holes site plays a major part in conservation, as the surrounding grassland around the quarry area is a key habitat for the rare twite bird. This species has been categorised as having high conservation importance and is a priority UK BAP (Biodiversity Action Plan) species. The grassland helps provide the seed food needed by the twite, which has been seen nesting in cracks of an old quarry face. CEMEX is constantly working with the RSPB (Royal Society for the Protection of Birds) to help manage and restore its sites, giving nature a home.
Sandvik Mobile Crushers and Screens has introduced the QI353 mid-size impactor, the first of its new third-generation 3-Series products. Designed in response to customer research, the QI353 has been built with more productivity, uptime, efficiency, flexibility, connectivity, and safety at the forefront of its innovative design.
The Sandvik QI353 features a ground-up new mid-size track platform and custom Prisec impact crusher. Targeted at quarry, recycling and contractor segments, the QI353 is the most versatile, mid-sized mobile impactor available today, designed to provide more uptime than any other.
The QI353 offers a user-friendly mobile solution with the operator in mind, with controls and maintenance points located conveniently at ground level. The new automated control system featuring Optik intuitive user experience is a key highlight. It offers a colour visual display, easy navigation, and total integration for troubleshooting, diagnostics and support.
The QI353 has been designed with productivity in mind and can process up to 400 tph. Its feed arrangement includes a new feed hopper with heavy-duty curved sides for greater capacity and tapered feed arrangement to reduce blockages and ensure continuous crushing. It also features a new pan feeder with geared drive and a larger pre-screen with improved access to replace media. At the core of the QI353 is a new mid-size Prisec impact crusher, which boasts the largest feed opening 1170mm x 730mm and largest rotor diameter 1150mm in its class, for higher capacity and greater energy
Sandvik has unveiled the QI353 mid-sized impactor, the first of its new third-generation 3-Series products
efficiency. Adjustable apron curtains and tip speed ensure a wide range of product grades can be achieved. Also, all plant conveyors have larger discharge heights for increased stockpiling capacity.
The QI353 features a free-flowing feed arrangement where all components in the flow path through the machine get wider for improved material flow. A larger pre-screen ensures effective fines removal, maximising throughput and reducing wear. In addition, the QI353 benefits from extended service intervals and larger onboard fuel storage to extend intervals between refuelling.
The QI353 has been designed to consume less energy. Its double-deck pre-screen ensures maximum scalping capability and prevents any undersized material from passing through the impactor. This maximises crusher throughput while also reducing wear costs and energy consumption. The machine requires 40% less hydraulic oil per service and benefits from extended hydraulic oil replacement intervals. When combined, this can be up to 64% less hydraulic oil consumed over 10,000 hours of machine usage (subject to oil sampling). The QI353 is also fitted with the latest emissionscompliant power pack for maximum performance and cost-efficiency.
The QI353 comes prepared to accept Sandvik’s new enhanced HS323 hanging screen module, offering the flexibility for the crusher to operate in an open or closed circuit. Boasting a high degree of flexibility to suit any application, the QI353 is particularly useful for contractors who change jobs frequently. The natural fines conveyor can be positioned for right- or left-hand discharge with a three-position bypass chute under the pre-screen, allowing you to decide where to send your natural fines.
The HS323 enhancements include prepared-to-accept belt scales for tph monitoring on fines and stockpile conveyor belts, subframe enhanced for improved screen media access and tensioning and an updated mid-size stockpile conveyor.
The Powerscreen Maxtrak 1000 cone crusher and Powerscreen Chieftain 2200 screener at work at CEMEX Dove Holes quarry
The novel design enables set-up in less than 30 minutes and can be fitted without the use of additional lifting equipment. The patent-pending hanging screen option delivers multi-functionality as a one-, two- or three-way split screener, as well as a highly productive and efficient impact crusher.
The new automation system with Optik intuitive user experience includes simplified operation controls and total integration with Sandvik’s My Fleet telematics solution. Diagnostic support, pre-installed guides for troubleshooting and real-time information allow customers to know exactly how their equipment is being utilised. One of the new additions to the plant is the availability of optional belt scales on the QI353. These are fitted to the product conveyor and enable productivity data to be displayed on the user interface and via My Fleet for tph monitoring.
With operator safety paramount, Sandvik has incorporated a new access platform under the feeder and pre-screen and a spacious three-sided 270° platform for service and maintenance. A lifting beam, jib and tackle are provided, as well as the patented rotor turning device to ensure operator safety when removing, rotating, or installing hammers. A height-adjustable overband magnet and all conveyors can be conveniently lowered for inspection and servicing purposes. Enhanced safety features are embedded within Optik intuitive user experience, including visual warnings and emergency stop locations.
Stelex Engineering, manufacturer and supplier of the original ‘Hercules’ range of heavy-duty trommel screens, has added to its machines operating in Norway.
The HT212 model was chosen for its
heavy-duty features when working with a very abrasive feed material and processing large rock sizes at high hourly rates.
The HT212 is rated up to 750 tph and can accept a maximum lump size of 1050mm direct from a dump truck. The heavy-duty feed hopper is fully lined with wear-resistant steel plates.
The Norwegian customer requires specific weights of rocks to be screened from the trommel barrel. The barrel needed a bespoke design that maximised the open area of the screening surface. Stelex’s valuable experience, gained over many years, means that the barrel now lasts longer than ever.
A chute is fitted under the first half of the barrel that feeds the fines to a conveyor and away for further processing. Chutes under the second half of the 8m-long barrel
METSO OUTOTEC LAUNCHES O-SERIES SPARES
Metso Outotec is launching O-Series spares, a new range of OEM (original equipment manufacturer) crusher spare parts, said to offer the ideal combination of value, quality and function.
O-Series spares are warranted spare parts backed by Metso Outotec’s world-class service and support systems.
Charlotte Kilpinen, global product manager of O-Series spares at Metso Outotec, said: “Metso Outotec is expanding the crusher spares product offering to include previously underserved customer segments. O-Series spares is a cost-sensitive alternative that is ideal for customers who want the added value and security offered by the OEM but at a price that makes sense for their operations. The O-Series crusher spares are developed with strong OEM know-how with
separate the different product sizes ready for collection from bays on each side of the trommel.
The purpose-built power unit for the trommel allows the barrel rotation speed and feeder stroke rate to be changed very quickly and easily from the touch-screen panel. These parameters can be changed to suit the feed-material characteristics and the weather conditions at different times of the year. The 20-inch standard container used for the power unit provides a safe and lockable housing for the motors, pumps and associated hydraulic and electrical equipment.
The modular design of the trommel allows for simple installation and quick site startup. All plant is transported to customers from Stelex’s UK-based factory.
an understanding that not all customers value the same qualities of spare parts.”
Metso O-Series spares is a focused parts offering for the most important operational spare parts, enabling the right balance between performance and affordability for your Metso Outotec crusher. With a commitment to
ensure that O-Series spares will grow with its customers, new parts will be added regularly so customers can rely on Metso Outotec to provide quality, affordable parts with the security and value of the OEM.
Initially, O-Series spares will be available for the Metso Outotec Nordberg HP Series but will
expand to include other models such as the C Series jaw crushers. The O-Series will be sold through select Metso Outotec sales offices, and the accredited Metso Outotec distributors in most of the European countries (France, Germany, Russia, UK, Ireland and Nordics). The O-Series will be released incrementally over the course of the next year as well as grow in its offering. O-Series crusher spares expand the existing O-Series line that was launched in 2019 with O-Series crusher wears by offering customers a comprehensive solution.
“We are pleased to launch this new range of crusher spare parts and give our customers the opportunity to get better control of their operations with an affordable, fit-for-purpose product,” Kilpinen concludes.
An example of Metso Outotec’s new O-Series crusher spare parts range
Stelex recently supplied a Hercules HT212 heavy-duty trommel to a Norwegian customer
Stelex says it would not have been possible to carry out this project with any other screening method than the trommel based on the large feed size, high tonnage rates required, and large product sizes required. This is even more evident with the work site containing high quantities of clay/ contamination.
Hercules trommels are helping customers to reduce waste material within their quarries and extend the life of existing quarry reserves for years to come.
Northern Ireland-based Omega Crushing & Screening (Omega) will soon have three versions of the same high-quality jaw crusher available to customers.
Set to be released on the market in March 2022, the 1000 x 650mm J1065T tracked jaw crusher follows Omega’s field-proven J1065M wheeled mobile crusher and J1065S modular static crushing plant.
The J1065T is a cost-effective, all-electricdrive tracked jaw crusher well suited to quarrying, mining, and recycling applications. Capable of up to 200 tonnes per hour throughput, the dual-powered plant is equipped with a Deutz generator. Like the J1065M and J1065S, the J1065T is fitted with the high-performing Northern Irish-built Omega 1065 jaw crusher with its simple toggle tensioning system.
As well as its user-friendly operation with no PLC (programmable logic controller), the J1065M comes with dual power options and is well suited to urban worksites along with primary quarry applications.
The all-electric-drive J1065S crusher can integrate into an existing system or be used in a standalone application. The latter’s modularity also allows it to fit in a container for shipping.
Last year was highly encouraging for Castlederg, Co. Tyrone-based Omega, after a severely coronavirus-impacted 2020. Colin Daly, the company’s co-founder and sales director, who has over 30 years of experience in the global crushing and screening plant market, says Omega’s future-proofing focus
on quality electric-powered plant leaves it well placed for growth in 2022.
“Our customers so far have mainly been traditional quarry-based buyers, but one of the last crushers we sold was a static plant that went to a skip hire company in Poland and is working indoors. Another static plant is currently working in a recycling company in Loughborough, England, which has replaced a traditional hydraulic dieselpowered crusher.
“The customer thinks that running our electric-powered crusher, instead of a hydraulic diesel plant, will decrease his fuel cost each year.”
Commenting on Omega’s biggest-selling crushers during the company’s first three years of trading, he continues: “The whole industry moved from static applications to wheeled mobile to tracked mobile, and surprisingly we find ourselves quoting on all-electric modular crushing plants.
“The crushers work with a variable speed drive and have a reverse function that can run different cycles to clear any crushing chamber blockage,” adds Anthony Carlin, an Omega co-founder and the firm’s technical support director. “When we’ve done testing, we tend to find that just one cycle can get rid of whatever is blocking throughput. We call our system OmegaEcoDrive. It is the kind of safety system that is going to be the future for crushing.”
“Our system can also save up to four hours in downtime when you’d otherwise have to physically empty the crushing chamber to remove a blockage,” adds Carlin, who has more than 20 years of crushing and screening industry experience.
During Aggregates Business’s Omega factory visit in early December 2021, the
company’s senior design engineer, Burton Taylor, was examining the walkways on a quarry customer’s J1065S plant to see if any adjustments could further enhance operator access and safety. “We have a company policy of continuous improvement,” he explains. “This plant is part of that.”
Daly points to a J1065M jaw crusher inside the factory as an example of how Omega can tweak each model for specific customer applications. “This crusher is going to a limestone quarry customer in Malta who is changing his plant fleet from diesel to electric as part of a government scheme. We are increasing the size of the hopper walls so a dump truck can feed it directly from the back, rather than a wheeled loader or excavator.”
Omega crushers’ robustness in extreme weather conditions is another key selling point, notes Daly. “We have a crusher working in extreme heat in an Uruguayan mine, working double shift day and night in high temperatures. We’ve got another in western Norway working well in -20C temperatures.”
Daly says 2022 will see Omega making further progress in building its global dealer network, with the company attending off-highway equipment industry exhibitions in Europe and the Middle East. The bulk of the firm’s current customers is in the UK, Ireland, Scandinavia, Eastern Europe, and South America.
“The first year of the business was all about product development. The coronavirus hit in 2020, but 2021 was a much better year for us. We hit the ground running and developed our new tracked machine [J1065T]. We’ve started a line of stockpilers for our static and wheeled crushers and will look at producing impactors, cone crushers and screeners in due course.” AB
Omega’s J1065M wheeled mobile crusher with and without generator
OVERPOWER STUBBORN SOILS
You need a trench roller that conquers the most challenging jobsites. That’s exactly what you get with the Ammann ARR 1575 Trench Roller. This powerful compaction machine:
•Articulated joint with oscillation and two steering cylinders for high steering accuracy and permanent ground contact
•Two-stage exciters placed in both drums for adjustable compaction output
•Optimal machine stability, low centre of gravity
•Wide-opening hoods for quick and easy machine checks before start-up
•Infrared remote control that can be charged directly from the machine or via solar cells
•Central lifting hook
•Working widths from 640 mm (25,2 in) or 850 mm (33,5 in) include scrapers
Manufacturers load up with new launches
Caterpillar has announced major launches and upgrades to its excavator and wheeled loader quarrying equipment lines in markets around the world.
In Europe, Cat has launched the new 336 hydraulic excavator which is designed to offer class-leading production and low-cost operation. Its powerful hydraulic system delivers strong digging forces and swing torque to boost production in the most demanding applications.
Three engine modes match excavator power to the demands of the job while saving fuel. Power mode delivers maximum power to meet the most demanding tasks; Smart mode automatically matches engine and hydraulic power to digging conditions to lower fuel consumption. Reducing engine speed to a constant 1,500 rpm, Eco mode minimises fuel consumption.
Synchronised 1,000-hour oil and fuelfilter service intervals reduce downtime. Cat says the extended intervals also eliminate labour cost for nine oil and fuel-filter changes and parts cost for 27 oil and fuel filters over 10,000 machine operating hours compared to many competitive 30–40-ton excavators.
High-ambient temperature capability of 52˚ C (125˚ F), cold-start capability at -18˚ C (0˚ F), and the ability to work at up to 4,500m (14,764 ft) above sea level enable the 336 to work in various climates. Auto-hydraulic warmup in cold temperatures gets the machine to work faster and prolongs the life
Recent months have seen a raft of excavator and wheeled loader launches from major global manufacturers including Caterpillar, Hitachi, Doosan and Hyundai. Liam McLoughlin reports
of machine components. The air-intake filter with pre-cleaner features high dust capacity, and a high-efficiency hydraulic fan offers optional automatic reverse to keep cores free from debris.
“Our new Cat 336 model delivers the right balance of power and payload,” says Brian Abbott, Caterpillar global product manager for large hydraulic excavators. “The result is a rugged and reliable machine that delivers excellent production along with low owning and operating costs.”
Also in Europe, Cat is launching the new 340 hydraulic excavator which features a more powerful engine, wider track, and 7.5-ton counterweight to increase productivity by 10% over the 2020 model year Cat 336. The manufacturer says its increased power and stability, combined with next-gen electrohydraulic system efficiency, make it the best choice in the 40-tonne (45-ton) class for moving tons per hour.
The new excavator’s reinforced structures are designed to ensure long-term durability in harsh digging, truck-loading, and hammer applications. The Cat C9.3B engine’s 14 million hours of service attest to its long-term reliability.
“The 340 reaches a new level of performance,” Abbott comments. “Our additions make the machine more productive and stable with larger work tools, giving contractors more flexibility to complete a wider range of projects.”
In North America, South America,
Europe, Africa, Middle East, Turkey, Eurasia, Australia, New Zealand and Asia (excluding Japan and South Korea) Cat has updated the 7-9 tonne 966 and 972 wheeled loader series to boost operator efficiency. The 966 and 972 models deliver consistently high bucket fill factors to increase productivity by up to 10%. Their next-generation design is said to extend fluid and filter change intervals to lower maintenance costs up to 20% when compared to the previous models.
The continuous variable transmission (CVT) of the next-gen Cat 966 XE and 972 XE loaders improves fuel efficiencies by up to 35% compared to the previous powershift models. Prolonged service intervals plus efficiencies gained through the CVT powertrain result in even lower maintenance costs of up to 25%, further reducing operating costs.
All four models in the updated 966 and 972 loader series feature standard Cat Payload with Assist for accurate weighing of bucket payloads, so operators can load to target the first time, every time. Realtime data is fed to the operator display and allows manual tip-off function to improve final bucket adjustments and truck load accuracy.
The new Cat Autodig with Auto Set Tires is designed to deliver consistently high bucket fill factors for the updated medium wheeled loaders. Fully automating bucket loading, Autodig improves fill factors
Caterpillar has updated its 7-9 tonne 966 and 972 wheeled loader series to boost operator efficiency
Hitachi’s new ZW180-7 loader is designed to maximise uptime
and decreases loading time. Working in conjunction with Autodig, Auto Set Tires promote proper loading techniques to significantly reduce tyre slip and wear.
Hitachi has launched the ZW180-7, a smaller next-generation model from its Stage V-compliant wheeled loader range, which the manufacturer says has been designed to appeal to both owners and operators. It says owners benefit from the new model’s exceptional efficiency and maximum uptime, as this gives them greater control over their profit as well as their fleet, thanks to remote monitoring tools and services provided by Hitachi.
For operators, the company says the spacious and fully redesigned cab will enable them to work more productively. The ZW180-7 is claimed to offer some of the lowest noise and vibration levels in the market. Much consideration has been given to easy operation with the improved seat with mounted electric pilot control leavers, ergonomic multifunction lever, anti-slip steering wheel, 40% larger and fully adjustable armrest with integrated controller and convenient side switch panel. The hi-res screen is also easier to view.
The cab of the new ZW180-7 is said to offer operators superb all-round visibility and intelligent systems. With the Aerial Angle camera system, they have a 270-degree bird’s-eye view of the job site and can work in challenging conditions with the full LED work lights package. If anything is close to
the rear of the machine, they are alerted immediately by the rear obstacle detection and warning system.
Hitachi says owners will be able to increase their profits due to the impressive fuel economy, efficiency, and versatility of the ZW180-7. This model can be used on a wide range of applications, with three types of lift arms available: standard, high and parallel.
Faster and more efficient short loading operations are enabled by the Approach Speed Control feature, which reduces fuel consumption by 16%, further satisfying owners’ requirements. Productivity is boosted by reduced cycle times gained by the auto power-up function, which automatically increases the RPM to maintain travel speed on inclines.
The performance and traction force of the ZW180-7 have also been enhanced by significant improvements to the engine torque, resulting in easier bucket filling, faster cycle times, and higher productivity with reduced fuel consumption.
Hitachi says the new ZW-7 model loads trucks more accurately, saving time and money, using the payload monitoring system. In addition, operators can monitor the fuel consumption via the new ECO gauge and performance can be improved with several adjustable functions.
The manufacturer adds that the use of high-quality Hitachi buckets, customised to suit the application, and robust ground engaging tools that are easy to install and
replace, further maximises uptime.
Hyundai Construction Equipment is launching three EU Stage V-compliant A-Series crawler excavators in the popular 13-15 tonne sector, designed to deliver new levels of performance, efficiency and productivity for rental companies and contractors.
Powered by the latest Cummins diesel engines, the reduced tail swing HX130A LCR, conventional HX140A L and the reduced swing HX145A LCR feature improved hydraulic control, for enhanced productivity and increased uptime.
Features include a Cummins EU Stage V F3.8 diesel engine that produces a 3% increase in power and 12% more torque in the popular HX140A L versus its predecessor. They offer particulate matter (PM) reduction of 60% with no requirement for AdBlue in HX130A LCR, with no exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) for larger models.
The Eco Report function assists the operator to achieve improved working efficiency and reduced fuel consumption.
The new lifting mode improves fine hydraulic control, through engine rpm reduction, power boost action and pump flow control.
The upgraded intelligent power control (IPC) optimises hydraulic pump flow rate and power to match the machine’s working conditions.
Though offering similar operating weights, the HX130A LCR, HX140A L and HX145A
LCR deliver very different performance operating envelopes, to suit a range of customer requirements. The reduced swing HX130A LCR is designed to appeal to rental customers, and is powered by a 55kW (74hp) version of the Cummins F3.8 engine. The engine meets the EU Stage V emissions standard without the need for an exhaust fluid such as AdBlue.
When using a CK-4 E/G engine oil, this engine offers service intervals of up to 1,000 hours, twice as long as for the previous machine. This reduces operating cost for the customer, boosting uptime on site. The HX130A L also benefits from Hyundai’s ECD engine-connected diagnostics, providing remote diagnostics and ensuring that technicians arrive at the machine with the required parts and tools.
In December Doosan Infracore Europe launched ten new models in its DX-7 Series excavator range, which the equipment manufacturer says feature numerous upgrades and improvements.
The manufacturer says that the new DX-7 models combine performance, smooth and intuitive controls, sustainable manufacturing and value for money for customers.
The launches include three new 23-25 tonne Stage V-compliant crawler excavatorsthe DX235LC-7, DX235LCR-7 and DX255LC-7 models - that are suited to quarrying and mining applications.
Gilles Bendaoud, VP sales and marketing at Doosan Infracore Europe, says that the new models in the DX-7 range bring
improvements in four key areas - safety, efficiency, comfort and sustainability.
In terms of safety, 360° cameras and ultrasonic object detection provide full visibility around the machine, allowing operators to focus on their job while minimising risks.
For comfort there is an all-new, spacious cab with premium seating equipped with heating and cooling controls. In addition, the operator has a large 8-inch user-friendly
touchscreen monitor through which they can input and change all settings needed during daily operation.
Bendaoud says efficiency is improved through a new smart hydraulic system that introduces a priority valve, providing optimal flow to the attachment when both the arm and attachment are working simultaneously. This is claimed to result in 30% better work
The latest Stage V-compliant engines boost fuel efficiency, while an improved combustion system improves sustainability and reduces particle emissions. This increases the lifetime of the diesel particulate filter (DPF), with no maintenance required until
Two other larger models - the DX490-7 and the DX530LC-7 - have previously been launched in the DX-7 range that are suited for quarrying and mining applications, offering higher digging force and high productivity.
In September 2021 Doosan launched the DX245NHD-7 25-tonne heavy-duty crawler excavator, a completely new model designed for the most abrasive of applications. Whilst it is a real 25-tonne excavator, the DX245NHD-7 incorporates 30-tonne class undercarriage components - the chains, rollers, sprocket and the chassis itself are oversized to increase the working lifetime of the machine, even on the toughest jobs.
New features in the DX245NHD-7 include a heavy 5.0-tonne standard counterweight particularly suited for working with heavier attachments such as tiltrotators. The heavier counterweight also contributes to the higher lifting and digging capacities of the DX245NHD-7. The DX245NHD-7 also incorporates as standard a new lifting eye that forms part of the casting for the push link for the bucket attachment at the end of the arm. The new lifting eye has a maximum capacity of 5 tonnes and has a special bush insert to prevent deformation of the lifting hole. AB
The HX145A LCR is one of three new Hyundai excavators in the 13-15 tonne sector
Doosan Infracore Europe has launched ten new excavators in its DX-7 Series
BKT’s new EARTHMAX SR 51 L-5 is designed for wheeled loaders in highly abrasive rock quarries
New launches and consolidation in global OTR sector
The global off-the-road (OTR) tyre manufacturing industry is seeing new product launches as well as ongoing acquisition and consolidation activity. Liam McLoughlin reports
BKT has launched the new 875/65 R 29 L-5 size for its EARTHMAX SR 51 OTR (off-the-road tyre) range.
The Indian-headquartered manufacturer says the new 65-series tyre line is specially designed for wheeled loaders working in aggressive applications, in highly abrasive rock quarries and landfills. It adds that this is possible thanks to the cut-resistant extra deep L-5 tread, that offers excellent cut and puncture protection and longer wear life.
EARTHMAX SR 51 also features an extra sidewall protection for exceptional traction and durability. Its strong all-steel structure and cut-resistant compounds are designed to help increase productivity and operating hours, preventing downtime due to tyre damage.
The low-profile design and reinforced beads provide stability and lead to a longer life while the square-shaped shoulder laterally ejects gravel and reduces the risk of punctures.
The new 875/65 R 29 L-5 size adds to existing 17.5 R 25, 20.5 R 25, 23.5 R 25, 29.5 R 29, 35/65 R 29 and 35/65 R 33. All of them feature the special L-5-class tread with cut-resistant compound and are very popular sizes for all loading applications, meeting
the demanding needs of OTR equipment applications globally.
EARTHMAX SR 51 is one of the wide range of tyres in the EARTHMAX line specifically designed to promote a better distribution of loads for dump trucks, wheeled loaders, dozers, graders and some multi-purpose vehicles. BKT says the range brings together in a single line over 20 different tyres for the OTR sector that vary depending on the application, the surface and the machinery. They are also available in numerous sizes and compound variants.
BKT commented on the new range: “EARTHMAX is constantly expanding and evolving, and this is because every user has specific needs to which BKT intends to respond.”
Trelleborg has confirmed media stories that external parties have shown interest in acquiring its Trelleborg Wheel Systems OTR business.
The Swedish tyre manufacturer stated in December: “Discussions at an early stage are ongoing with external parties. At this stage, Trelleborg will not communicate any further on this matter. Should the discussions advance and develop into a situation where additional information is relevant, this will be communicated.”
In the same month Tyres & Accessories publication reported that Japan-based Yokohama Tire has made a bid worth approximately US$2bn for the Trelleborg Wheel Systems operation to further expand its growing off-highway tyre business.
The global OTR tyres sector is exhibiting ongoing acquisition and consolidation activity.
In December 2021 Bridgestone confirmed that it had completed its acquisition from Downer EDI of Otraco International, an Australian-based provider of OTR tyre management solutions. The acquisition was carried out through Bridgestone’s Mining Solutions Australia operation.
Bridgestone says the acquisition will accelerate the growth of its global mining solutions business and expand the company’s service network in key markets such as Australia, Chile and South Africa.
Otraco offers a portfolio of OTR tyre management solutions that track tyres across the full lifecycle, such as its computerised Otracom platform. Bridgestone says Otraco’s offering will complement its own OTR products and solutions, including Bridgestone MasterCore surface mining tyres and the tyre monitoring and management solution.
All business assets, including Otraco’s
sales offices and training facilities, OTR customer relationships and the company’s approximately 860 employees are transferring to Bridgestone. The transaction is valued at A$79m (US$56.45m).
As outlined in the company’s mid-term business plan, Bridgestone says it is strengthening investments in its core tyre business while also pursuing M&A activities that expand and enhance its sustainable solutions offering.
Bridgestone adds that its mining tyre and solutions operation is an important business in which the group continuously and proactively injects its strategic resources.
Dutch OTR manufacturer Magna Tyres Group announced at the start of 2022 that it is to acquire Polish tyre dealer Industra. Magna says that Industra has a very strong position in Poland as it is the biggest supplier of speciality tyre services. The company works with three product categories: industrial tyres (from forklifts to port handling machines), tyres for earthmoving machinery and the agricultural sector (tyres, wheels and tracks).
Magna adds: “In its 24 years of existence, Industra has achieved the position of firstchoice partner for the largest end users of specialty tyres in Poland due to the experienced staff, on-site services and the widest stock in specialty tyres.”
Magna says that with this acquisition and the existing Magna Tyres Poland operation, it appears to be “the strongest player on the market of industrial and OTR tyres in the region of Central and Eastern Europe”.
“An estimated one billion tyres around the world reach the end of their useful service life every year”
In December, Magna also bought Australian-based Fennell Tyres International for an undisclosed sum. Magna says that Fennell Tyres International is known for its competitively priced, high-quality OTR, mining and TBR (truck and bus radial) tyre solutions.
UK aggregates, recycling and skip hire business PSH Environmental says it has eliminated all instances of punctures across its fleet of Volvo wheeled loaders by utilising Michelin’s ultra-durable X Mine D2 Pro tyres.
PSH adds that it specifies all new machines with the Michelin fitments, having found them to be highly durable in addition to offering a much-improved level of comfort and performance over a solid waste tyre.
Nigel Parker, who runs PSH Environmental with his brother Martyn, says: “We fit the Michelin product because it is by far the best option for our wheeled loaders. The Volvos are fantastic machines, working in a very tough environment and we use a premium tyre to ensure we get the best out of them and avoid costly downtime.
“Unless you are very, very careless you really cannot puncture these tyres. The only other option for us would be to run solid tyres, but we have avoided that as the ride quality is so poor and, working on concrete, you can end up damaging the machine.”
PSH Environmental currently runs three Volvo loading shovels – one older L60H and two new L90H machines, all supplied by SMT GB. The L90H is the latest addition to Volvo’s H-Series, offering a higher load capacity and greater lifting height than any of its predecessors.
Michelin and Bridgestone have set out their shared perspective regarding material circularity and the ambition to increase the utilisation of recovered carbon black material in tyres.
The OTR manufacturers made a joint presentation at the Smithers Recovered Carbon Black Conference in Amsterdam on November 22, 2021
An estimated one billion tyres around the world reach the end of their useful service life every year. Many of the technical
challenges surrounding the use of recycled and recovered materials from end-of-life tyres are understood, but barriers remain towards achieving material circularity at the scale necessary to realise a more sustainable mobility ecosystem. Today, less than one percent of all carbon black material used globally in new tyre production comes from recycled end-of-life tyres due to a weak supply pipeline for the recovery and reuse of carbon black.
Recovered carbon black presents the opportunity to reduce the tyre industry’s reliance on petrochemicals by replacing a portion of traditional carbon black with a sustainable and circular alternative without introducing performance trade-offs. Additionally, using recovered carbon black in new tyre production reduces CO2 emissions by up to 85% compared to virgin materials.
At the conference, the two companies outlined a path aimed at promoting and increasing the utilisation of recovered carbon black in new tyres and other rubber products. Collaboration with stakeholders across all aspects of the tyre and rubber industry value chain will be needed to deliver this goal.
As such, Michelin and Bridgestone seek to establish a coalition of a diverse group of stakeholders, including tyre manufacturers, carbon black suppliers, pyrolysis partners and emerging technology startups to accelerate progress and increase supply of recovered carbon black.
“Increasing use of recovered carbon black in tyres is critical to achieving Bridgestone’s vision for sustainable mobility,” said Jake Rønsholt, vice president of strategy and transformation, Bridgestone Europe, Middle East, India and Africa. “Together with Michelin and other stakeholders, we can generate critical momentum on this important initiative and advance our efforts to reduce CO2 emissions and manufacture products from fully renewable and sustainable materials.”
As part of the joint initiative, Bridgestone and Michelin will lead the development of a position paper that will outline the tyre industry’s role in achieving a circular economy.
Bridgestone says that increasing the use of recovered carbon black in tyres is critical to achieving its vision for sustainable mobility. “Together with Michelin and other stakeholders, we can generate critical momentum on this important initiative and advance our efforts to reduce CO2 emissions and manufacture products from fully renewable and sustainable materials,” Bridgestone states.
The two manufacturers say their initiative is not centred on investment, but instead focuses on creating a needed dialogue about utilisation of recovered carbon black material across the tyre and rubber value chain.
Bridgestone has made a minority investment in Delta Energy Group, which specialises in material recovery from end-oflife tyres and is a supplier of recovered carbon black material to the company’s Americas business. AB
Bridgestone and Michelin plan to increase the use of recovered carbon black in tyres. Image: Bridgestone
A LONG WAY TOGETHER
EARTHMAX SR 41
No matter how challenging your needs, EARTHMAX SR 41 is your best ally when it comes to operations that require extraordinary traction. Thanks to its All Steel radial structure and the special block pattern, EARTHMAX SR 41 provides excellent resistance against punctures and an extended service life. In addition to long working hours without downtime, the tyre ensures extraordinary comfort.
EARTHMAX SR 41 is BKT’s response to withstand the toughest operating conditions in haulage, loading and dozing applications.
Conveying progress
A major bulk material handling systems company discusses how its environmental and social-minded approach to product development is helping to transform its sector. Meanwhile, new conveyors and linked technology from other original equipment manufacturers promise to boost customers’ bottom lines. Guy Woodford reports
The quarrying and aggregates industry is rethinking its approach to environmental, social and governance responsibilities, and Telestack is among major manufacturers leading the transformation in the material handling sector. The Omagh, County Tyrone, Northern Irelandheadquartered company has supplied electric-powered conveyors for over three decades into static applications and the port industry, where electrically powered units are considered the norm. Telestack is using this experience to spearhead the move from a traditional track-mounted diesel-hydraulic model to one that promotes environmental responsibility using zero-emission technology.
The quarrying industry is an important element in pursuing a decarbonised world. From April 2022, red diesel will be available only to agriculture and the rail sector. As a result, users of off-highway construction machinery, such as quarry operators, will have to pay an extra 46.81p per litre for their diesel, paying the standard tax rate of 57.95p per litre rather than the subsidised red diesel rate of 11.14p per litre. Given this, many companies are looking to manufacturers like Telestack to provide solutions that cut emissions via green technologies incorporated in the design of their equipment fleet. Utilising greener equipment also helps firms demonstrate that good corporate citizenship is a significant part of their business model.
Speaking to Aggregates Business during the magazine’s visit in December 2021, Telestack’s international sales manager, Padraig McDermott, said: “We are noticing a sizable shift in our customer base who recognise the value in moving towards a more sustainable energy source. The benefits are too many to ignore. We, as a manufacturer, are committed to leading the way in clean technology, lowering our collective carbon footprint and adopting a green manufacturing approach. It is proving an important factor in retaining customers and attracting new customers who share our vision of a cleaner and more sustainable future.
“We have a range of options dependent on the needs of the customer. These range from no engine, only using an engine for relocation and set-up, using electric hydraulic power packs to run the tracks in parallel with electric drives to run the conveyor section, or using battery technology for machine operation.”
The benefits of clean technology are many. The quick and easy set-up means that the conveying unit can be plugged into the onsite mains power supply, into an onboard or onsite generator or powered from other primary equipment such as the crusher or screen. The zero emissions ensure a muchreduced environmental impact, resulting in less noise, a safer site and a reduction in maintenance and downtime. Telestack notes that less fuel consumption ensures better
operational efficiency, ultimately using less kW to move more material. In addition, an all-electric machine has a much longer life cycle (estimated to be up to 5 x times longer) than a diesel machine, making for a better return on capital invested.
Telestack states that highly regulated engines are often complex in structure (sensors, after-treatment, complex panels and looms), with often hard-to-reach access and could potentially struggle with the high level of exposure of dust and vibration found in a typical quarrying application. The reduction in complexity and ease of running and maintaining Telestack’s Zero-range units have, says the manufacturer, led to a lot of positive feedback from dealers and customers alike.
“We see Europe as a big driver on electric units, in line with regulated engines getting more complicated,” continues McDermott. “We’ve offered electric conveyors for almost 30 years, mainly in the ports, and they have proven very effective. Many countries are now offering sizable rebates on their capital expenditure for green technology, so we see the shift in other sectors.”
McDermott says 2022 is set to be another successful year for Telestack, with its comprehensive model range in big demand across a wide range of mobile bulk material handling industries.
A Telestack TC 621 Revolution tracked conveyor, part of the new Zero series range
“Telestack have around 30 trackmounted models on offer where our competitors offer four or five. Our sole focus is conveyors and their many applications. The Zero range ties into the needs of our broad customer base from the crushing and screening contractor, the end-user quarry operator customers, mine, stockyard, recycling and port sectors.”
For Telestack, however, its corporate citizenship goes beyond its technology utilised by its product mix. The company makes a concerted effort to integrate a corporate consciousness into its facilities, supply chain, ethos, processes, logistics, energy efficiency, emissions reduction and water efficiency, and improved worker safety and community relations.
“We have a team of Telestack volunteers who meet monthly to drive our internal green initiatives forward,” explains McDermott, “and they are empowered to identify issues, seek resolutions and drive
green solutions internally. This spans from something as simple as getting involved in projects with local schools to replacing older halogen bulbs on the shop floor with highefficiency LED bulbs, increasing the number of E-charge points on site to investigating rain harvesting and alternative power solutions for the factories.
“Yes, we encourage key green initiatives because our blue-chip customers prioritise OEMs who are environmentally responsible, but more importantly, we encourage these improvements, small and large because it’s the right thing to do.”
Telestack recently finished expanding its manufacturing capacity by opening a new 45,000 sq ft energy-efficient factory on a greenfield site close to their current 105,000 sq ft facility in Omagh. The new phaseone facility incorporates state-of-the-art manufacturing premises, dedicated research and innovation development centre, and a modern office suite.
The new factory investment followed Telestack’s near £4 million investment in its Bankmore site between 2017-2019, creating a state-of-the-art shot-blasting facility, two paint booths and additional manufacturing capabilities.
Since the late 1960s, BEUMER Group has been developing and producing curved overland conveyors, making the company one of the pioneers in this industry. Nothing has fundamentally changed in the functional principles of this technology since thenexcept for the feasible limits: With highly developed core components, precise calculation methods and own planning tools, the system provider continues to push the limits of what is technically feasible - while drastically reducing the time and costs involved both in the planning phase and in the handling of projects.
“Our belt conveyors are able to solve complex problems with regard to the transport of any bulk material whether in the mining or cement industry,” says Christoph Dorra, regional sales manager South America, Conveying and Loading Systems, at BEUMER Group. “While the basic task to transport bulk material from the material feed up to the final discharge point seems to be comparable, on closer inspection no system is similar to the other. The spectrum of
Telestack has expanded its manufacturing capacity by opening a new energy-efficient factory close to its current Omagh facility
A 3D model of terrain and conveyor: Earthworks (cut & fill) or steelwork structures can be quickly and precisely balanced against each other in terms of drawings and calculations
potential conveyed materials alone requires individual consideration of the components to be used with regard to wear resistance or the maximum permissible gradients of a conveyor.”
In addition, the mass flow to be conveyed and the height to be overcome are the main factors determining the dimensioning of the drive unit of an overland conveyor. “A further challenge is posed by systems at high altitudes,” says Dorra. At altitudes exceeding 4,000 metres, as is often the case in the South American Andes, for example, it must be considered that the air pressure and thus the density of the air decreases with increasing altitude. This reduces both the cooling effect and the insulating capacity of the air. As a consequence, the drive units like frequency converters and electric motors do not achieve the specified rated power that applies for installation heights up to max. 1,000 metres above mean sea level. This is the so-called derating factor.
In addition to the pure material specification and the mass to be conveyed over a certain height, the topography along the conveying route is of particular importance in the project planning.
BEUMER Group implemented an overland conveyor in China that can curve on 85% of the 12.5km-long conveyor line
“In 2009, we implemented an overland conveyor in China that is able to curve on 85 percent of the 12.5km-long conveyor line between the quarry and the cement plant. The system literally winds its way to the destination, without any transfer point,” reports Dorra.
Potential obstacles appeared in the form of residential areas, roads and rivers that had to be crossed, larger bodies of water or mountains that could not be crossed. “Not everyone would automatically think of an
MARTIN V-PLOW HD REDESIGNED
Martin Engineering, a leading manufacturer of bulk handling conveyor accessories, has redesigned one of its most popular tail protection devices to be a lighter, modular unit delivered in a compact package for improved safety and convenience. The re-engineered Martin V-Plow HD is said to achieve the gains with no compromise in performance.
The Martin V-Plow HD prevents tail pulleys from becoming fouled and damaged by spillage travelling on the return side of the conveyor belt. Fugitive material commonly migrates from the cargo side to the return side during normal operation. If this spillage reaches the tail pulley, two things can happen. Firstly, lumps may get caught between the pulley and the belt, gouging and damaging both. Secondly, spillage may be crushed by the pressure between the pulley and the belt, adhering to the pulley face and the return side of the belt, causing pulley slippage and fouling of system idlers.
Engineered for belts as wide as 120 inches (3,048mm) with speeds up to 4.6m/sec, the Martin V-Plow HD redesign has made the equipment modular, segmented into a few pieces arranged in a box that fits almost any form
of delivery transport. This also makes the equipment easier and safer to carry to the installation area.
With easy-to-understand instructions for the tongue and groove assembly, the rugged painted steel parts can be snapped and securely bolted together in minutes, creating a strong structure. The time saved on delivery to the facility and the work area more than makes up for the few minutes of assembly time.
Mounted to hanger bars by clamps or welding, the unit glides on the return side of the conveyor belt using a hinge system, deflecting any fugitive debris off of the belt. The assembly holds an easily replaceable four-inch (100mm) wide, one-inch (25mm) thick blade, which provides two inches (50mm) of wear life. Blades are available in 60 Shore A durometer nitrile rubber or long-wearing 90 Shore A durometer urethane and can be ordered with specialised blades that are chemical resistant or designed for high-temperature applications.
The Martin V-Plow HD mounting system and security cable assembly are safer, longer-lasting, and less damaging to the belt than competing units.
overland conveyor as the optimal solution when faced with these challenges,” says Dorra. “But for us, these projects are a special attraction. Our target is to have as few transfer points as possible along the entire conveyor line”. This reduces both wear and tear and the environmental impact of dust, for example, but also increases the availability of the overall system and significantly improves ease of maintenance. How does the system provider manage to provide the appropriate solution for
V-Plow HD prevents tail pulleys from becoming damaged by spillage on the return side of the belt
The V-Plow HD hub mounts can be welded or bolted to the hanger bars
The
each application? “We can draw on our comprehensive experience,” says Martin Rewer, team lead overland conveyor at BEUMER Group. BEUMER Group installed the first conveyor of this type with horizontal curves in 1969; the first downhill conveyor with regenerative drive in 1980. Since the 1990s, BEUMER Group has also developed into one of the leading suppliers of Pipe Conveyors. In 2019, two systems were commissioned in China that, with 5,500 tonnes of iron ore per hour, defined the current performance peak of the globally installed systems of this technology.
Since the first overland conveyor with horizontal curves was constructed in 1969, components such as idlers, belts and drives have continued to develop. In addition, the systems are becoming larger and longer and the routes more complex. This resulted in the necessity to constantly improve the calculation and the planning tools in order to not only withstand the requirements, but to be one step ahead.
In the first step of project planning, the systems must be dimensioned for the respective task. Using BEUMER calculation programs, a team of experts calculates the existing motion resistances and the related static and dynamic tractive forces of the system’s belt. These determine both the drive power to be installed and the belt strength, and are also considered in the dimensioning of the horizontal curves.
“The energy consumption of long, horizontal belt conveyors is determined by the main resistance in the upper and return strand in stationary operating conditions,” explains Rewer. The energy consumption consists of the running resistance of the idlers, the indentation rolling resistance and the flexing resistance of both the conveyed material and the belt when running over the idlers. The forces required for overcoming these resistances depend on various operational and design parameters. They can be determined with the so-called single resistance method. If components with low running resistances are considered, such as belts with reduced indentation rolling resistance or running-optimised idlers, the calculations of the systems nowadays show considerably lower tractive forces of the belt than a few years ago. This not only results in lower energy costs. Since the tractive forces of the belt are at a lower level, the radii of the horizontal curves can also be selected to be correspondingly smaller, because these forces are decisive for the design of these curves. Accordingly, the routing of overland conveyors can now be realised in a more flexible way and with smaller radii.
“In order to plan the conveyor for the individual application, we reach into our virtual tool box,” Rewer explains. “This way we can arrange the whole routing of the system and then discuss it with the customer as a 3D plan”. BOLT, the BEUMER Overland Layouting Tool developed specifically for this purpose, generates almost automatically a digital 3D model of the conveyor in the
virtual landscape during the project planning. The required topography data is available in the public domain or is provided by the customer. Often, drones are used. The aerial photographs include topographical information, which is then processed into digital terrain models.
Applying simulation techniques, the experts can recognise possible obstacles and consider them accordingly in the project planning process. Furthermore, the technicians are able to add the earthworks (cut & fill) and the steelwork structures in a simple and precise way and evaluate them. BOLT ensures a very fast initial project planning of the route. In particular, modifications or adaptations during the project can be taken into account within a short time frame. Project-critical data can be supplied quickly by BOLT. It includes an inventory of all equipment on the route. as well as the coordinates for the foundations and earthworks. Since this data is generated automatically and updated by BOLT in case of modifications, possible required adaptations of the route are no longer time-critical. All necessary data can be generated immediately after rescheduling.
“With this procedure we are able to considerably accelerate the project planning,” promises Christoph Dorra. “We have the possibility to provide the customer in advance with a concrete 3D project planning, which can be easily modified during the project life. This procedure allows us to
tighten the time frame for the project.”
Mike Schroeder, a product specialist with North Dakota, USA-headquartered WCCO Belting, a leading global supplier of custom rubber belting products, has spoken to Aggregates Business about how to secure the best return on your conveyor belt investment.
“With conveyor belting, price is generally the first indicator of the quality you can expect for belt performance, efficiency, and longevity or belt life – meaning, you get what you pay for,” he explains. “A conveyor belt’s price is primarily driven by the quality of the rubber compound and the technology engineered into the fabric and belt carcass. Sourcing high-performance, energyefficient, long-lasting conveyor belting for aggregate applications or other industrial use sometimes demands more upfront investment. But what can you expect in return? Or, more importantly, what do you risk if you compromise quality for price?
“For example, a case study comparing a conveyor belt of superior design and quality versus an industry-standard option revealed a cost savings of more than four times the initial investment. The case study also uncovered new strategies for operators to get the most out of the conveyor system and the conveyor belt, such as understanding and limiting the costs of unplanned maintenance and the benefits of being able to schedule downtime.”
With a healthy bottom-line top of mind, Schroeder says: “The return on investment shouldn’t be recognised with the belt itself, but rather, how a high-quality solution could improve the areas of the conveyor system that are most critical to profitability.”
Schroeder says the conveyor belt and its conveyor system must perform the basic task of material movement. In case studies
WCCO Belting’s Direct X conveyor belt solution at work on an aggregates processing site
within a variety of applications, including aggregates and recycling, significant benefits to performance, longevity, and efficiency were said by Schroeder to be recognised by optimising the conveyor belt’s weight. This, he says, was achieved by reducing unnecessary rubber cover thickness and fabric plies in exchange for increasing belt strength in areas where failure modes were most prevalent – puncture, tear, abrasion, impact, and top cover cuts and gouges.
“In fact, rarely does a belt fail due to lack of breaking or tensile strength. The low-profile belt construction manufactured with high-strength inputs was lighter weight even when meeting or exceeding industry-standard specifications. The return on investment, in addition to efficiency, is a reduction in the wear and replacement of conveyor system auxiliary components like rollers and bearings. Rethinking the typical remedy of added top cover rubber and carcass weight, a common misdiagnosis of belt failure can be a game-changer in the performance of your conveyor belt and improvement to the total cost of ownership of your equipment.”
Schroeder notes that the ratio of useful work performed to the total energy expended can be a huge asset to the conveyor system with an investment in a superior quality conveyor belt. “In a case study of aggregate belting applications, a high-performance belt design with an optimised overall gauge recorded a 26% decrease in energy consumption.
For sites with multiple conveyors, this results in immense cost savings for each piece of equipment over an extended period. Furthermore, when multiple conveyors are feeding one another in series and, at times, running empty, a belt that reduces energy consumption justifies the operators’
investment by saving money even when running empty.”
Ultimately, Schroeder says the belt needs to last if the operator of a conveyor system expects to realise the benefits of higher performance and efficiencies. Reconsidering how a belt’s inputs can impact the life of the belt itself and the uptime of the conveyor system (going beyond belt cover and tensile strength) can, he believes, be the difference in huge gains or losses.
Schroeder continues: “Belt life shouldn’t be the only indicator of your return on investment for the product, but rather, life in conjunction with equipment efficiency. In the case study, not only did the high-quality conveyor belt designed with functionality specific to its application perform better than the industry-standard design, but belt life also increased an average of 70%, and equipment efficiency improved, justifying the initial investment.
“A conveyor belt will eventually wear and need to be repaired or replaced. Belt decline can vary from the point in time this is recognised to when the belt fails and the conveyor system is rendered inoperable. One operator provided feedback that the industry-standard belt allowed no or only a short number of days before failure occurred after wear was recognised. With low-quality inputs, a small puncture or gouge rapidly leads to complete delamination and failure of the carcass resulting in emergency replacement. This provided little to no time to schedule equipment downtime and the service team to install a new belt, and each was dependent on the replacement belt’s availability or lead time.”
Schroeder says a significant return on investment was realised with a high-quality belt with increased upfront costs. It granted the operator several weeks from the first
signs of belt failure to a belt replacement. WCCO’s product specialist says that with high-quality inputs, a conveyor belt can withstand a small puncture or gouge in the belt cover prior to becoming inoperable. The ability to schedule machine downtime led to significant cost savings, not to mention substantially reducing stress on those involved in the process.
“It was estimated by the operator in the situation above that the average cost to replace the belt ranged from US$5,500 to $6,500 in labour alone, in addition to the cost of the replacement belt. The estimated time to install was 10 hours. According to the USDA [U.S. Department of Agriculture], in this situation, the operating downtime is estimated at an average cost of $9.40/ minute, equalling an estimated cost of $5,640 in downtime costs for each belt replacement.
“Value equals function over cost, and in addition to eliminating emergency time due to rapid belt decline, the higher priced yet higher quality belting solution increased performance significantly, improved efficiency with a 26% decrease in energy costs, and lasted 70% longer than the industry-standard option. The improvements and savings far outweighed initial investment with the value the belt could provide to the whole operation.”
Schroeder concludes by highlighting key questions belting customers must ask. “Is your belt construction optimised for your conveyor system? Does it have the right mix of belt properties to give you the belt strength where you need it most? Speak with your belting supplier or a belting expert to discuss exactly what the investment in belt quality can mean for your bottom line.” AB
The Eurotec MZP200 ready-mix concrete batching plant installed within an enclosed warehouse in Kuala Lumpar
Concrete plants meet the sustainability challenge
Projects around the world demonstrate how concrete plant manufacturers are providing solutions to produce good-quality concrete while also delivering more sustainability-certified buildings. Liam McLoughlin reports
While the concrete industry continues to support global infrastructure development, there is also pressure across the globe for it to demonstrate increasing sustainability and environmental care.
In the construction equipment segment, Lintec & Linnhoff says it is driving improved sustainability in construction materials supply with several innovative designs aimed at boosting productivity while also limiting adverse environmental impact.
One example in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, saw a Eurotec MZP200 ready-mix concrete batching plant installed within an enclosed warehouse in the Chan Sow Lin district as part of a sustainability drive in 2014. It was a design idea that proved so successful, other companies in the country adopted the design, leading to significant improvements in local air quality.
“Seven years ago, this was the only plant in Malaysia with the enclosed design, but it quickly caught the attention of the local construction industry who were all impressed with the reductions in noise and dust emission levels it delivered,” said R. Sakthi,
CEO at Lintec & Linnhoff Concrete. “This greatly improved air quality and helped the Malaysian industry take another step towards more sustainable infrastructure development.”
Similar to the other ready-mix concrete plants in the MZ series, the Eurotec MZP200 features a modularised structure for easy and quick installation and maintenance. The project in Chan Sow Lin was completed inside an almost totally enclosed warehouse, with the plant’s six aggregate bins, multiple tall cement silos, centre-discharge conveying system and static aggregates ground-feeding conveying system all assembled within the giant structure. This way, dust and cement are contained within the compound, rather than polluting the external environment and nearby residential areas.
The cement batch plants worked for 10 hours per day, producing up to 4.5m³ per batch or up to 200 m³/hour of ready-mix concrete for construction and infrastructure projects in Kuala Lumpur and the Klang Valley. Despite this, the Eurotec MZP200 concrete batch plant was notable for the reduced noise and dust.
By March 2015, the plant achieved another milestone when it was awarded SIRIM QAS International’s ISO 14001:2004 certification in the Manufacturing of ReadyMix Concrete category.
“Our engineering detail allows the MZ batching plant model to fully reclaim returned concrete by separating the sand, aggregates and water, and then recycle them back into the batching process,” said Sakthi.
The combination of an enclosed warehouse for the concrete plant, plus an operational capacity to fully reclaim returned concrete is a perfect design for urban locations. Increasingly in Asia there is greater attention being paid to delivering better air quality, with the Asian Development Bank even launching a Clean Air for Liveable Cities series to support the initiative.
At the same time, demand for greener construction continues to rise, and interestingly this is being supported by end users, with recent research showing that most Asia-Pacific companies would pay higher rent to lease a building with stronger green credentials.
As this trend continues, Lintec & Linnhoff says that contractors will increasingly look for innovative designs and advanced technology in their mission to produce good quality concrete that can help them deliver more sustainability-certified buildings.
With an extensive range of customisation options to suit the requirements of any major project, the Eurotec MZ series can be designed with one mixer and two discharge chutes to reduce the waiting time of mixer trucks, thereby increasing productivity and reducing fuel use. The energy consumption – along with wear and maintenance costs –of the batch plant is also reduced via the use of computer-controlled twin-shaft mixers that ensure high accuracy. Operating at
“It’s a growing challenge in many parts of the world, with municipal waste accumulating as authorities struggle to find effective answers”
Carsten Riisberg Lund Cement industry president, FLSmidth
Indocement signed an alternative fuels contract with Denmark-based FLSmidth at its Citeureup plant in Indonesia
high torque, their three-dimensional mixing motions generate a higher consistency of concrete.
“This project showed that it is entirely possible for concrete batching plants and local residents to co-exist peacefully, as long as proper attention in detail is paid to the environmental impact,” concluded Sakthi.
In Indonesia, Denmark-based FLSmidth is helping cement manufacturer PT Indocement Tunggal Prakarsa move from coal to alternative fuels.
Heidelberg-owned Indocement has ordered a full alternative fuels solution to replace coal. Enabling the use of municipal waste and biofuels, FLSmidth is supplying a MissionZero flagship product, the FLSmidth HOTDISC-S and feeding systems.
The FLSmidth-Indocement contract was signed at a ceremony in Citeureup Plant, Indonesia, on 22 November in the presence of Minister of Foreign Affairs of Denmark, Jeppe Kofod.
As the cement industry transitions away from carbon-dioxide-intensive fuels such as coal, the introduction of waste-toenergy solutions is becoming increasingly attractive – environmentally and financially. Particularly in Indonesia, challenges with landfilling and waste management have led the government to encourage the cement industry to be part of the solution.
Operating three cement plants with a total capacity of nearly 25 million tonnes per year, Indocement is one of Indonesia’s
leading cement producers. At its site on the outskirts of Jakarta, FLSmidth will deliver the new HOTDISC-S, which can turn a wide range of alternative fuels, including municipal waste and biofuels, into a reliable heat source for its SLC Calciner.
“It’s a growing challenge in many parts of the world, with municipal waste accumulating as authorities struggle to find effective answers,” says Carsten Riisberg Lund, cement industry president, FLSmidth. “The cement industry is well-positioned to be part of the solution, and we see more and more cement producers successfully replacing fossil fuels with alternative solid fuels as an energy source.”
Christian Kartawijaya, president director of Indocement, states: “As a vertically integrated cement producer, Indocement has a huge responsibility to the community we operate in, and our customers expect us to do everything in our power to minimise the use of coal.
“The new, redesigned FLSmidth HOTDISC is a perfect match for our SLC Calciner, but, more importantly, it offers us flexibility as we increase the use of alternative fuels.”
The ability to replace most calciner fuel without compromising on energy efficiency or kiln performance makes the FLSmidth HOTDISC a flagship offering in FLSmidth’s MissionZero programme, which is the sustainability ambition to enable cement producers to operate plants at zero emissions by 2030.
“Cement and concrete have been pivotal in building resilient, durable and sustainable communities that enable people to live safe, productive and healthy lives”
The Portland Cement Association (PCA) has announced an ambitious roadmap to achieve carbon neutrality across the US cement and concrete industry’s value chain by 2050. Given the significant role of cement in society and anticipated infrastructure development, the PCA says it is a critical step that the industry acts now to further reduce greenhouse gases (GHGs) and create sustainable building solutions in the decades to come.
“Cement and concrete have been pivotal in building resilient, durable and sustainable communities that enable people to live safe, productive and healthy lives via structures that withstand natural and man-made disasters,” said PCA president and CEO Michael Ireland.
The PCA Roadmap outlines a portfolio of reduction strategies and immediate opportunities across the various phases
of the built environment: production at the cement plant, construction including designing and building, and everyday infrastructure in use. Across this full cement-concrete-construction value chain, the roadmap recognises five main areas of opportunity: clinker, cement, concrete, construction and carbonation (using concrete as a carbon sink). Each phase of the value chain is integral to reaching the goal and can unlock unique and specific pathways to carbon neutrality, including actions such as reducing CO2 from the manufacturing process, decreasing combustion emissions by changing fuel sources and shifting toward increased use of renewable electricity.
As Tensar International’s main precast concrete supplier, Anderton Concrete supports the manufacture of its marketleading TensarTech TW3 and TW1 wall systems for the UK and Ireland markets.
A recent example of the partnership’s work is the £1.5bn National Highways, A14 Cambridge to Huntingdon Improvement Scheme, which saw the supply of 10,000m² of TensarTech TW3 across 11 separate structures.
One of the most heavily used road sections is between Huntingdon and Cambridge, which links the A1(M) motorway to the North of England and the M11 Motorway to London. The A14 is a crucial national road link for the West Midlands and East Anglia. It is also a part of the TransEuropean Transport Network, connecting the M1 and M6 motorways to Felixstowe and other key ports and commercial locations. This segment of road carries around 85,000 vehicles a day, a quarter of which is HGV traffic - a statistic that surpasses the HGV national average expectation on roads at just 10%.
The National Highways A14 project was developed to relieve congestion, increase capacity and make journey times more reliable while supporting regional and national economic growth.
In addition to widening and making improvements to 34km of the A14, the project included the construction of the new 20km Huntingdon Southern Bypass, which was designed to divert large volumes of traffic off the A14. This included implementing upgrades to the A1, Huntingdon town centre and local roads, with better connections for horse riders, cyclists and pedestrians.
The TensarTech TW3 reinforced soil retaining walls were built along key parts of the A14 to quickly and economically construct wing walls for new overbridges. Anderton Concrete’s Keystone product was specified over conventional reinforced concrete due to its robust and flexible nature, which accommodated the predicted settlements expected during construction and for several years after completion.
Anderton Concrete says that, as part of its commitment to producing the highest standard in product quality and compliance, each concrete-faced modular block, and incremental-panel reinforced soil retaining walls are independently accredited in the form of complete BBA HAPAS certifications. For the A14 project, the solutions also met the highly stringent technical approval (AIP) by National Highways.
“Our joint-progressive approach to the design and manufacture of retaining wall systems has resulted in improved cost efficiencies and ease of construction for the entire infrastructure sector,” says Craig Roberts, team leader, reinforced soil structures, Tensar International. AB
Michael Ireland PCA president and CEO
Anderton & Tensar have worked on the £1.5bn A14 Cambridge to Huntingdon Improvement Scheme
RAPID INTERNATIONAL EYES ANOTHER BIG YEAR IN 2022
Rapid International has had three of its best years trading over the last four years, says Jarlath Gilmore, the concrete plant manufacturer’s sales and marketing director. He spoke with Aggregates Business editor Guy Woodford at Rapid’s Craigavon, Country Armagh, Northern Ireland HQ in early December 2021.
“Growth in the British static concrete batching plant market has been particularly strong. We’re currently building the biggest static concrete batching plant we’ve ever built for the UK’s largest group that specialises in paving, block and concrete paving,” highlights Gilmore.
“We’re also doing another static plant for the biggest precast concrete offsite solutions supplier [to the construction industry] in Europe. The client’s need for an additional plant is partly linked to its work on HS2, while the large plant order is more about meeting big homeowner demand for its products. We currently have three or four large static batching plant orders that are big-ticket value.”
The client’s existing 2020-installed state-of-the-art Rapid plant, which includes two Rapid planetary mixers, produces around 80m³ of concrete per hour. Featuring an integral Rapid Jetwash high-pressure (2000psi) mixer washout system, clean out is offered via auto-cleaning functionality.
Due to the England-based plant’s six 60-tonne aggregate bins, the number of ground bunkers has been restricted, as minimal product is stored at grade with more lifted to a high
level. This has virtually eliminated the need to use the loading shovel, increasing efficiency.
Since 1969, Rapid has pioneered game-changing concrete mixing technology. Today, the company’s static and mobile (Transbatch, Rapidbatch) concrete batching plant, track (Trakmix) and wheel-mounted (Rapidmix) mobile continuous mixing plant, concrete mixers and concrete reclaimers are sold in more than 20 countries worldwide via a wide-reaching international dealer network.
In 2019, the Rapid family expanded to include Rapid Power Generation and Rapid Truck Mixers.
Formerly A1 Power Systems, Rapid Power Generation manufactures generating sets from 10Kva – 2500Kva, at Rapid’s state-of-the-art manufacturing facility in Craigavon. With over 30 years of knowledge and experience in the world of dieselpower generation, Rapid Power Generation covers all aspects of the generator industry.
In Q4 2021, Rapid completed the new 14,000sq ft extension to the company’s existing 50,000sq ft Craigavon manufacturing facility.
“The extended manufacturing facility project has gone really well. We’re also looking to procure additional off-site manufacturing capability,” explains Gilmore.
“We launched Rapid Truck Mixers side at the back end of 2019, and we have sold a number of truck mixers to some of the big players here, like Creagh Concrete, and Northstone. We want to kick that business on and have added people to the team.”
Asked about Rapid’s work to reduce the carbon footprint of its plant range and manufacturing, Gilmore responds: “Our Craigavon site is around 30% powered by a wind turbine. We are looking at adding solar power for the extended manufacturing facility. We are looking at how we can use more recycled materials in our operations.”
commercial opportunities offered up by President Joe Biden’s US$1.2 trillion infrastructure bill.
“What I hear from a wellplaced ACPA (American Concrete Paving Association) source is that the next ten years will be really good. It’s the investment confidence that this bill gives: while there is work now, you know there will be more work coming later on.
“There are some dam-related projects coming up that we think we’ll get orders for. There will be new road projects, and we’ve completed an order related to the distribution centre currently being built in the US for a leading US discount retailer.”
Gilmore also believes there is strong growth potential for Rapid in supplying concrete plant for “other applications” projects in markets including the US, Australia, UK, and Ireland.
Creating 30 additional jobs, the new state-of-theart extension is purpose-built to manufacture Rapid Power Generation’s range of diesel and natural gas generators. The facility includes a large workshop to produce electrical panels, a main factory floor for general fabrication and assembly and a comprehensive suite of offices and staff areas.
Gilmore says that Rapid, like every global off-highway equipment manufacturer, has been affected by coronavirus-impacted supply chain and human resource issues. “We haven’t seen too many people go and are still recruiting. It is important to get the right people that fit well in our business. We haven’t really been affected by Brexit [Britain’s 31 January 2020 departure from the European Union] and the issues around the Northern Ireland protocol.”
The United States is a key export market for Rapid’s concrete plant range, says Gilmore, with exciting new
“Traditionally, our plants were being used in the concrete industry, road construction or dam projects, where the customer is using a lot of roller-compacted concrete [CRC] and CBM [cement bound material]. But a lot of our plants are being used in projects, such as HS2, where there is clay and gunk-like material that customers want to put through our track-mounted based mixing plant. They also want to use our mixing plants in soil stabilisation or contaminated land work, to bind and neutralise material for landfill or for a specific use.”
Rapid has added a 14,000sq ft extension to its existing 50,000sq ft Craigavon facility
The digital dynamism supporting Terex MP businesses
The last few years have seen the Terex Materials Processing (Terex MP) crushing and screening equipment businesses develop their digital capabilities across areas, including online inventory management, telematics, and eCommerce, to leverage the businesses’ work to date and ensure they stay ahead of competitors in a digital age. Now Terex MP has created a new Digital Solutions business unit to coordinate its work in this vital industry area. Guy Woodford reports
Terex MP launched its Digital Solutions business unit in July 2021, the culmination of a sustained and savvy embrace of the world’s new digital age and the efficiency and productivity gains it can bring for crushing and screening equipment customers.
A business segment of the U.S.headquartered Terex Corporation, Dungannon, Northern Ireland-based Terex MP is making its Digital Solutions offer fully available to its dealers and customers across 12 of its brands: Powerscreen, Terex Finlay, EvoQuip, MDS International, ProStack, Terex Minerals Processing Systems (Terex MPS), Terex Washing Systems, Terex Ecotec, CBI, Fuchs, Franna Pick and Carry Cranes and Terex Tower and Rough Terrain Cranes.
Crucially, as Marco Piovano, director of Terex MP Digital Solutions, explains, the new Digital Solutions business unit brings all Terex MP’s customer-facing digital capabilities under a single focused team. Piovano says Digital Solutions will allow Terex MP to deploy its digital tools systematically to ensure that its channel partners and end-users are getting worldclass service when using Terex MP brand machines. Piovano stresses that its launch also enables Terex MP to press on with determining and developing new digital tools to help meet evolving customer needs.
“Today Digital Solutions includes the telematics platforms for our machines, which provide real-time performance data and assist with predictive maintenance. There is also the online parts inventory
management tool for our dealers, which integrates with Terex systems to support their and their customers’ forecasting and planning process,” says Piovano. “It helps dealers understand what parts need to be stocked in their warehouses and allows parts replenishment in a few [mouse button] clicks. It also allows for quick checks on inventory levels across many Terex MP dealer warehouse sites, creating a community of dealers and a common customer service platform.”
Speaking to Aggregates Business in September 2021, Piovano says this autumn is seeing the global rollout of Remote
Some of the Terex Parts’ Customer Service Team, who manage dealers’ open order books and enquiries
Servicing: a wearable headset that allows Terex MP technicians and dealer technicians to remotely assist customers with repair and maintenance tasks.
Remote Servicing has been a great success in supporting Powerscreen crushing and screening equipment customers in the United States since 2018.
“Technical information can be shown on the lens of the headset to help with the task at hand. It allows real-time images and information to be exchanged between the individual working on the crusher and screener and Terex MP or dealer technicians. It is like using Mission Impossible glasses! The
technology is hands-free, making it much safer to use when repairing or servicing the machine.”
Part of the Blue Group, a specialist provider of material processing and handling equipment into the quarrying & demolition, recycling, scrap, ports and energy segments throughout the UK and Ireland, Warrington, Cheshire-headquartered Blue Spares is a prominent Terex MP crushing and screening equipment dealer fully utilising Terex MP’s new technologies to enhance customer operations.
Blue Spares managing director Ian Webber says technological innovation like Remote Servicing will make it easier for his team to work with customers. “I think it makes it easier to do business with us, and that is our whole mantra. We are, of course, evolving but we try to keep things as simple as possible. As soon as you start getting complicated, you lose people. We are always looking at ways to grow our business and have a real obligation to our customers, who have a lot going on and need things done as easily as possible.
“On the digital solutions side, we’ve improved our internal processes by plugging ourselves into the CDI [Connected Dealer Inventory] system work by Terex MP. We’ve got much better visibility of the availability of critical parts. We hold multi-million pounds worth of parts across our UK sites to support our customers, and CDI also gives us realtime information about parts availability at the Terex Dungannon Business Park parts facility and dealer sites.”
Webber gives a good recent example of how dealers can benefit from Terex MP
“It is like using Mission Impossible glasses!”
Marco
director of Terex MP Digital Solutions
have it at our UK sites, and Terex MP didn’t have it at the Dungannon parts facility. But thanks to the Digital Solutions business, we were quickly able to source and buy the motor from a Terex MP dealer in Poland. It was then rapidly shipped to the customer, minimising their machine downtime. The customer did not know or care where the motor came from. They just wanted it as soon as possible.”
Webber believes that the COVID-19 pandemic-induced disruption in the business world since the first quarter of 2020 has sped up the adoption of digital solutions by industry, including the crushing and screening business.
to hang their toolboxes up. There is a younger
Piovano,
A lean lift stores over 4,000 individual parts for quick and easy access at Terex Dungannon Business Park parts facility
generation coming in who will have a different expectation of how to work with our dealers. A lot of them won’t have time to pick up the phone and talk to a guy in an offi about a part and their availability.
“So, what we are working on with Terex MP is the creation of a portal. It will mean that in the future, a Blue Spares customer can log on and see what machines they are running, their telematics performance, when their equipment warranties are going to run out, and when their machine servicing is due. It would show how much they are spending with Blue Parts, what invoices are still to be paid, and their queries. That’s a huge amount of easily available information.
“The portal will also allow customers to order some non-complex replacement parts, perhaps on their iPad at 9 pm on a weekday night, as they didn’t have time to do it earlier that day. This makes it even easier to do business with us.”
Webber says the Terex MP dealer and customer portal is earmarked to go live initially with Blue Spares and wider Blue Group key account customers at some stage in the first half of next year. It will follow the earmarked launch of the MyTerex Customer Fleet telematics mobile phone app in Q4 2021. The app will give customers easy access to key equipment performance data, such as production volume, fuel use and idling time, along with repair and servicing notifications. For Webber, another big advantage of Blue Spares’ close working relationship with Terex MP’s Digital Solutions business unit is in the company’s customer fleet management work.
inventories has also made it easier to keep its Warrington HQ and Blue Scotland parts facilities stocked with the parts required to meet the maintenance needs of Scottish customers working with Terex MP equipment.
Asked about what happens if Blue Parts’ digital access to Terex MP’s and fellow dealers’ inventory data was unavailable due
to a system glitch, Webber says: “We run two systems – the CDI system recommendation and our SAP inventory management system. So, if we don’t get the CDI system recommendation on parts replacement availability, we revert to what our SAP system says. We review the SAP system on a weekly
I’m curious to know how easy it was for Blue Spares to switch to a more comprehensive digital approach to its day-today business. “The buy-in from our team has been easier than I thought. The team is very loyal, and lots of the guys in senior positions have been with us for a long time. Our sales director has got 15 years’ service, and our procurement manager has also been with us for 15 years. I think it helped that we got the staff that were going to be involved in this involved in the very early stages. They were part of the decision-making process. Even Marco [Piovano] went back to his team saying, ‘That’s a really good input’.”
“I was coming from another industry and was used to creating something very much from just an OEM [original equipment manufacturer] perspective, so not having to convince dealers about this made life a lot easier in creating the Digital Solutions business unit,” adds Piovano.
“Our customers have businesses to run, and operating and maintaining some of their crushing and screening machines is just a small part of what their day job looks like. We can say, ‘Let us look after that for you,’ and take the hassle away. It is another example of using digital solutions to make business as easy as possible for our customers.”
Webber says that Blue Parts’ ability to digitally access wider Blue Group, Terex MP and fellow dealers’ parts warehouse
“The team is very loyal, and lots of the guys in senior positions have been with us for a long time”
Piovano says Terex Corporation is committed to significant multi-million euro long-term investment in Digital Solutions R&D, emphasising its importance. “A lot of OEMs are making digital solutions on their own without looking at how they integrate with dealers and customers’ solutions. This can lead to business process blocks, making it harder for dealers and customers. We are spending a lot of time and money making sure our processes are fully end-to-end integrated.”
Webber says that Blue Spares’ full use of the new Terex MP Digital Solutions business unit’s offer, coupled with an uplift in UK crusher and screener market demand, had led to the company taking on a few more sales staff. “You can speculate on which single factor is having the biggest impact, but we are continuing to grow as a company. I think the use of digital solutions generally will help the crushing and screening industry going forward. Machine uptime will be improved, and work will be done more efficiently, with more projects completed ahead of time.
“There’s also a link between digital solutions and green credentials. If we and our customers can work more efficiently, we will also be working more sustainably. For example, if we save the need for a couple of parts container ships to set sail from different part of the world, including India and China, that’s a good thing for the environment.”
Piovano adds: “I think in the future there will be even greater visibility of machine data, and a shift in workforce skills, with people able to do more in any given period of time. If customers are more efficient and profitable, we will all have opportunities to grow.” AB
Ian Webber, Blue Spares managing director
Two Terex parts facility employees at work
Trays containing some of the thousands of individual parts stored at Terex’s Dungannon Business Park parts facility
An MB Crusher MB-S18 screening bucket attached to a Kobelco SK220SD excavator screening sandstone in an Indian quarry
Buckets of screening potential
Screening buckets and attachments can offer big returns for mineral processing efficiency. Guy Woodford reports on some of the new and latest models and their onsite applications
Italian company MB Crusher says it continues to see its high-quality screening buckets in big demand globally. An Indian sandstone quarry customer has seen big results in consistent final product quality and sizing after an MB-S18 screening bucket attached to a Kobelco SK220SD excavator processed extracted material.
Meanwhile, the operator of a large coal quarry in southern India opted for an MB-HDS320 shaft screener bucket to process material after its surface miner could not produce the required final product size. The operator installed the unit on its excavator and began producing 55-66 tonnes per hour of material ready to be used at a power plant. The MB-HDS320’s deployment has reduced waste, increased profitability in the quarry, reduced operational expenses down to the bare minimum and consistently optimised productivity.
In a boron quarry around 4,000 metres above sea level in the Andes, Peru, an MB-S18 screening bucket is sifting coarse material from fines. This enables selected material to be processed easily and faster by the quarry plant.
In Iceland, among spectacular landscapes dominated by volcanoes and geysers, an MB-S23 screening bucket installed on a Caterpillar 345C excavator was seen as the best tool to rapidly process large quantities of basalt needed to help build a hydroelectric plant.
Available in four models for excavators from eight to 45 tonnes, Simex VSE screening buckets are designed for separating differentsized materials directly onsite. The VSE product range from the Italian manufacturer 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 closened, with maximum shaft travel of 40mm.
Simex recently introduced FIT – a new screening tool system that makes VSE
An MB-S23 screening bucket attached to a Cat 345C excavator, processing basalt in Iceland
screening buckets stand out even more in the competitive quarrying, construction and demolition application marketplace. Each FIT element comprises five independent parts, designed with no weldings to allow easy interlocking. Simex says the parts are easily replaceable, contributing to up to 75% lower maintenance costs as it is possible to replace even just one single disc or blade. The FIT system allows multiple configurations depending on the screened materials.
Simex provides users with three different set-ups, but many others are possible thanks to screening elements that are 100% interchangeable. Adjustments in output size are controlled via FIT directly from the cabin, helping to reduce downtime.
A Simex VSE 30 screening bucket was recently used in the Italian province of Modena for the separation and recovery of materials resulting from the demolition of a
As a result of the demolition, large quantities of concrete were crushed by a mobile crusher. However, the material resulting from this operation was still too coarse, making it unsuitable for reuse onsite. The Simex VSE screening bucket separated the larger sized material (40-100mm) from ner one (0-30mm), also sifting out the
The VSE 30 was equipped with the FIT tool system in the disgregation configuration, characterised by a central blade, more aggressive than the other configurations
available; this feature also allows a light crushing of the concrete during the screening phase, increasing the hourly production.
The reuse and remediation of the onsite material, thanks to the VSE 30 screening bucket, has significantly reduced the customer’s disposal costs and costs related to the purchase and transport of new raw materials.
A Simex VSE screening bucket customer in Lancashire, north-west England, needed to clean tonnes of topsoil from stones and gravel for landscaping purposes. Attaching a VSE 20 unit onto an excavator created
S CREENE R SM186 MOBILE
a mobile processing plant – resulting in a fine-sized aggregate ready to be transported and reused. Processed +55mm coarse aggregates were used directly on site. As well as producing quality end products, the deployment of the VSE 20 screening bucket is said to have saved the customer a great deal of time and money.
Swedish hydraulic attachments manufacturer Engcon says sales of its automatic quick hitch system with EC-Oil under the tiltrotator have increased by 76% in the last two years. The firm says that more and more excavator contractors are also
choosing EC-Oil on the top of the tiltrotator, enabling it to be connected or disconnected without having to leave the cab. Equivalent growth has also taken place for Engcon’s machine hitch with EC-Oil, where sales are said by the company to have increased significantly in recent years.
Martin Engström, Engcon’s product manager, says: “The figures speak for themselves. More and more people are realising the benefit of being able to quickly connect or disconnect their tiltrotator or other hydraulic tools without having to leave the cab. They also do not have to
A close-up look at Simex’s VSE 30 screening bucket
A Simex VSE 30 screening bucket attached to a Liebherr excavator, screening demolition waste in Modena, Italy
Engcon says demand for EC-Oil, which allows in-cab controlled connection of a tiltrotator or other hydraulic tools to an excavator, has grown significantly
bother with pressurised and dirty manual couplings.
“It’s incredibly gratifying to see these results because we know that this overall contributes to increased profitability plus comfort and safety.”
One of the customers outside the Nordic region who has realised the value of the quick hitch combined with EC-Oil is Sean Coghlan’s Shamrock Earthworks in Calgary, Canada. Since 2017, Coghlan’s excavators have been equipped with a machine hitch and tiltrotator from Engcon.
“With Engcon’s tiltrotator, it does not
SCREENING BUCKET
Rotary screener for excavators
When installed on your excavator, the unit separates
matter what position the machine is in; now I can easily rotate and tilt the stones into any position. You could say that the tiltrotator is the excavator’s wrist,” says Coghlan.
Early on, Coghlan equipped his tiltrotator with the automatic quick hitch system with EC-Oil, which allows him to connect and disconnect hydraulic tools without leaving the cab. In addition to the fact that it is easy to switch between hydraulic grippers, pallet forks, sweeper rollers, and buckets under the tiltrotator, it is just as easy to disconnect the tiltrotator itself from the excavator.
“Thanks to EC-Oil, I can disconnect the
tiltrotator in a few seconds and connect the bucket or other tool directly to the machine hitch. In this way, I increase the breakout force and save the weight for those times I do not need the tiltrotator in my work. It makes my excavator more efficient, and I save both fuel and time. In addition to time and efficiency, it is also very convenient to be able to connect hydraulic tools without having to leave the cab and get dirty,” says Coghlan.
Since 2020, EC-Oil has been included at no extra cost in the simultaneous purchase of Engcon’s machine hitch, tiltrotator and control system. AB
The designation prescribes that all organs of state must, from 4 November, stipulate in tender invitations that only SA-produced cement, produced with locallysourced raw materials
Cement designation a major victory for SA cement producers
In what is deemed to be a major victory for local South African cement manufacturers, the country’s National Treasury department has banned the use of imported cement on all government-funded projects. Munesu Shoko reports
The influx of imported cement in South Africa has over the years been a thorn in the side of local cement producers.
After lobbying for several years by Cement and Concrete SA (CCSA), the consolidated cement and concrete association, to protect the local cement industry and local jobs from the threat of ‘cheap’ imports, government has finally taken seemingly decisive action. This follows the announcement that, from 4 November 2021, South Africa’s National Treasury has designated cement, meaning that the use of imported cement on all government-funded projects is prohibited.
The action comes as the industry reels from the current economic slump, which has been exacerbated by the lack of meaningful infrastructure projects. Bryan Perrie, CEO of CCSA, explains the National Treasury has issued a circular to all relevant state departments about the new ruling in terms of the Preferential Procurement Regulations. The designation of cement will apply to all projects entered into by state entities, including national, provincial and local authorities, as well as stateowned enterprises (SOEs). The designation prescribes that all organs of state must, from 4 November, stipulate in tender invitations that only SA-produced cement, produced with locally-sourced raw materials, will be allowed for use on all public-sector construction projects. The National Treasury has stipulated a 100% threshold for both common and masonry cements.
“The decision sets an important precedence, and it could prevent imported materials coming in from other countries.”
Elsie Snyman, CEO of Industry Insight
says that with over one million tonnes of cement and 330,000 tonnes of clinker imported each year, the ban will definitely help cement producers increase their sales volumes, capacity utilisation, profitability and, more importantly, protect jobs.
In Perrie’s view, this is an important ruling that protects a sector so vital to the national economy. Furthermore, he believes that it has come at the right time in view of the multibillion-rand infrastructure projects planned by the government over the next three
years. Last year, the government announced 50 strategic infrastructure projects and 12 special projects as the initial phase of a wideranging infrastructure spending programme to aid post-pandemic recovery efforts.
“The designation of cement will assist in protecting the local cement industry from unfair competition. Although imported cements reaching South Africa may conform to regulatory standards, South African cement producers have many other compliance issues to deal with, including the Mining Charter, transformation targets as well as social and labour plans, none of which importers have to comply with. Compliance by its nature costs money, and consequently puts local producers in an unfair position. In addition, local producers are subject to carbon tax, which the importers are also exempt from.”
At the time of writing, an Industry Insight survey noted that the announcement had already boosted investor sentiment, with both PPC and Sephaku Cement share prices increasing by 20% and 40%, respectively. This had added a total of ZAR2.26 billion to the market capitalisation values of the two cement producers.
Commenting on the significance of the designation, Snyman says local SA cement producers have been arguing against ‘cheap’ imported cement for years. She notes that imported cement gained a footprint – for the first time in the country’s history – when local producers operated at close to 100% capacity in the build up to the 2010 FIFA World Cup. While this resulted in the injection of
additional capacity by Sephaku, it also gave roots to the cement import market.
“The imposition of tariffs somehow reduced imports from Pakistan, but as we have seen over the years, this seems to have little impact as imports from Vietnam continue unabated, which means that simply adding tariffs is not a sustainable solution.
Tariffs are also dealt with on a case by case (country by country) basis, and take considerable time and effort, so the ban is a major win for local producers,” she says.
However, Snyman reiterates that the ban relates to public-sector work only. “While this has a major impact on importers, the real impact on local producers, in my opinion, may be minimal. Imported cement is used primarily in the coastal areas (KwaZulu-Natal and Eastern Cape), so the designation might not have a large national impact. However, the decision sets an important precedent, and it could prevent imported materials coming in from other countries,” she says.
According to an Industry Insight survey, imports contribute 5% to total production capacity in South Africa (based on 2019 figures that are more realistic as COVID-19 distorted the market in 2020).
“Our estimates suggest production capacity stands at 23,460,000 tonnes per annum, including that of Mamba and CEMZA. However, local producers are operating at well below production capacity, estimated to be around 54% in 2019 and 47% in 2020. In this scenario, imports in 2019 (at 1,218,799 tonnes) contributed 10% of total domestic cementitious sales of 12,725,912 tonnes. In 2020, the volumes slowed to roughly 9% due to COVID-19 restrictions,” explains Snyman.
The Industry Insight survey also finds that cement imports increased to 79,509 tonnes in July and 75,775 tonnes in August 2021, from just under 60,000 tonnes in June 2021. Cement was imported from Pakistan in July, but nothing was reported in August, with the product only coming in from Vietnam. The 75,000 tonnes imported from Vietnam in August came at a free-on-board (FOB) rate of ZAR599/tonne, on a par with rates reported in July, and was between 5% and 10% higher compared to FOB rates from Pakistan.
The designation of cement will assist in protecting the local cement industry from unfair competition
“The original antidumping tariffs were only imposed for a five-year period.”
Bryan Perrie, CEO of Cement and Concrete
SA
This brings the total amount of cement imported during the first eight months of 2021 to 749,671 tonnes, at an FOB value of ZAR445 million. Compared to the same period in 2020, imports increased by 51% (considering that lockdown restrictions hampered imports in 2020) but were also 3% higher compared to the same period in 2019 (pre-COVID period), largely driven by the escalation of imports mainly from Vietnam, but also Pakistan during the first half of 2021.
Imports, however, slowed considerably between June and August compared to the same period in 2019, down 40%, with the majority coming from Vietnam. Over the past 12 months, a total of 1,256,984 tonnes of cement was imported, nearly reaching the peak volumes recorded in early 2015 when over 1.4 million tonnes of cement were imported over the 12-month period up to February 2015 (with imports then emanating largely from Pakistan). Vietnam has now taken the spotlight, as it is now responsible for most cement imports into the country.
The designation, explains Snyman, also bans the use of cement manufactured using imported raw materials. This, she says, will have a serious impact on CEMZA, a joint venture between South African company OSHO Cement and Germany-based Heidelberg Cement, which manufactures cement using imported clinker.
The company’s exposure to public-sector contracts is about 45% of its total production. While the ban on imported cement is justified, says Snyman, the ban on using imported raw materials is perhaps a little more questionable, as this is common practice for many other local manufacturers in other sectors (including steel).
“CEMZA’s capacity (in the form of a grinding facility using imported clinker) was installed in South Africa at a significant cost of about ZARR500 million, and much needed jobs were created in the Eastern Cape area, where government has pleaded for and supported industrial investment over the years. Using imported raw materials in local manufacturing is certainly not unique to the cement industry, so the repercussions of this could have a much broader negative economic/investment impact,” argues Snyman.
Commenting on whether the designation of cement is the lasting solution to cement imports, Snyman says it’s difficult to ascertain, but according to Industry Insight research, it could deal a major blow to imports as the public sector is an important client to cement importers.
However, reasons Snyman, overall general government, excluding state-owned enterprises (SOEs), contributed only 34% to total investment in construction in 2019 (including building and civils), and 50% if SOE investment is included.
“If we then scale this down to just selected areas in the country, such as KwaZulu-Natal and Eastern Cape, one does have to question the impact of the ban at a national scale. It will all depend on whether imported cement will have buy-in within the private sector, and as a highly price-sensitive market, this may not be an impossible scenario. One must also consider whether or not the ban will reduce the need to push for tariffs which, in the long run, could decrease the usage of imported cement. It is therefore important for local producers to not rely solely on the government ban to protect their industries,” says Snyman.
Perrie says the industry will indeed not rest on its laurels, as CCSA has already applied for a sunset review of the anti-dumping tariffs imposed on Pakistani cement in 2015. An investigation in this regard has been initiated by the SA International Trade Administration Commission (ITAC).
“The original anti-dumping tariffs were only imposed for a five-year period. The initial tariff period lapsed at the end of 2020, and in line with the rules, we have applied for a sunset review to try and prove that the tariffs should remain for longer. ITAC initiated an investigation which is underway and may retain, reduce, increase or remove the tariffs,” concludes Perrie. AB
High productivity with EDGE TRM831 trommel
EDGE Innovate (EDGE) has launched its largest mobile trommel to date after unveiling the TRM831 at America’s leading compost conference organised by the US Compost Council.
EDGE’s newest offering will be one of the largest wheelmounted trommels on the market and is said to offer unrivalled production rates. With extensive stockpiling capabilities thanks to its end discharge conveyor design, the TRM831 design prevents product cross-contamination and reduces the double handling of material. The model features a remote-operated 180° radial fines conveyor, which can stockpile up to 1030m³.
The EDGE TRM831 portable trommel is ideal for the highcapacity screening of various applications, including topsoil, compost, sand, household waste and construction and demolition waste. The EDGE TRM831 can be customised to suit customers’ exact application requirements with a wide range of drum types and screening media available.
The new EDGE trommel incorporates a host of impressive design features, including an eco-power saving functionality that reduces unnecessary
running costs, and a userfriendly HMI control panel for easy adjustment machine parameters.
With an impressive screening area of 57m², the EDGE TRM831 is fitted with a variable speed 2.3m X 9.3m-long screening drum, powered via an efficient hydrostatic drive system. Screening efficiency is ensured thanks to a 9.3m-long drum with hydraulically adjustable drum cleaning brushes.
High production rates offered by the TRM831 are 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.
Said to offer the largest hopper capacity in its class, the EDGE TRM831 encompasses a 1500mm-wide, variable-speedfeed conveyor complete with load sensing and automatic feeder shut down to ensure maximum uptime.
Additional hopper options include a reject grid and a two-deck vibrating screen for
the pre-treatment of the feed material.
EDGE’s HMI control panel with its intuitive operating system allows for sequential start-up and the customisation of operating parameters, ensuring the EDGE TRM831 runs at optimum capacity across all applications.
Utilising the latest engine technology, the EDGE TRM831 is powered via a 140kw Caterpillar C4.4 Tier 4 Final / STAGE V engine, resulting in very low engine and noise emissions. Further fuel savings are made possible thanks to EDGE’s unique Eco-Power Saving Mode, which automatically reduces engine speed to idle when not processing material for a set period. The EDGE TRM831 is also available with a direct electric power source configuration for enhanced savings and zero emissions.
The TRM831 discharges fines material via a radial fines conveyor with a discharge height of up to 6m. With a 180° radial functionality as standard, the radial fines conveyor facilitates the creation of impressive stockpiles and reduces the double handling of material by up to 75%.
A wireless remote with an operating distance of up to 100m gives the operator control over engine and feeder speed, screening angle, tipping grid cycles and full control of the radial fines conveyor, including radial functionality and discharge height adjustment.
The EDGE TRM831 is designed to ensure operational ease and quick maintenance access. Thanks to a large canopy and uplifting drum bin doors, easy access is provided to the power unit and trommel drum for essential maintenance.
A quick drum exchange is enabled via a hydraulic sliding feeder and hydraulic raising drum cleaning brushes. This allows operators to easily lift out the existing drum to be replaced with the various drum types available.
EDGE’s largest wheelmounted trommel is fitted with a tri-axle bogie complete with fifth-wheel hook-up and air brakes. Transport between sites is said to be exceptionally easy, with redeployment taking a matter of minutes thanks to hydraulic folding discharge conveyors and chassis jacklegs.
edgeinnovate.com
EDGE Innovate’s new TRM831 wheeled-mounted trommel
Haver & Boecker offers screen for high-moisture applications
Haver & Boecker Niagara has engineered a new, elliptical motion Niagara XL-Class vibrating screen for a Brazilian iron ore producer.
New medium loaders from Cat
Caterpillar has launched the new 980 and 982 medium wheeled loaders, designed to offer premium performance in the 9- to 11-tonne class.
The two new loaders are claimed to be up to 10% more productive with up to 12% lower maintenance costs when compared to the previous 980M, 980L and 982M models.
The 980 and 982 models are being launched in South America, Africa, Middle East, Turkey, Eurasia, China, Southeast Asia, India, Indonesia, Australia and New Zealand.
The loaders include an expanded technology platform to increase machine performance and improve operating efficiency.
Standard Cat Payload with Assist on all 980 and 982 series loaders provides an accurate weighing of bucket payloads, so operators can load to target the first time every time. This new technology includes low-lift-weigh and manual tip-off functions. Optional Cat Advanced Payload expands the system’s functionality with Lists-Management,
Multitask- & Manual-Add Modes and Tip-off assist. Compatible with third-party scale-house software, it can wirelessly integrate the machine in the scalehouse process with Dispatch-for-Loading (for which an additional subscription is required).
The new Cat Autodig with Auto Set Tyres promotes proper loading technique to significantly reduce tyre slip and loading time. It can automate the complete bucket-loading cycle to deliver consistently high bucket fill factors for up to 10% more productivity.
Standard along with Autodig and Auto Set Tyres, the new models introduce Application-Profiles, in which the press of one button sets multiple machine parameters to optimize settings for the application at hand. Customised profiles can be created to fit customer-specific cases. Selectable on-screen Job Aids, along with a streamlined new controls layout, promotes ease of operation to help all operators be more productive. caterpillar.com
MWS expands scalper range
Smart washing solutions provider MWS Equipment has announced the latest addition to its product portfolio, the SCLPR 105 static scalper range.
The MWS Scalping screen is designed to handle a range of products from construction, demolition and industrial waste (C, D&I), heavy quarry outputs to finer soil applications.
The SCLPR range is fully compatible with the MWS product range, allowing it to integrate into any wet processing plant.
MWS says the fully-electric SCLPR 105 machine is designed to deliver maximum return on investment. It can be used in a range of applications to screen off any oversize or heavy clay-bound materials prior to the washing process. MWS says this helps improve the wash plant efficiency
and increases the life of the plant and its wear components.
Features of the new range include high-capacity feed hopper, variable speed control, independent or integrated control panel and customisable conveyors to suit the individual application.
Ben Frettsome, product line
director at MWS Equipment, comments: “This new product range follows a stringent and strenuous development cycle, which has seen the machines tested and proven in challenging and diverse product applications across the globe.”
He added that MWS will be launching further products in the SCLPR 105 range during 2022. mwswashing.com
The new technology is ideal for screening applications challenged with high-moisture content and can handle capacities of up to 3,500 tonnes per hour while minimising water usage.
The XL-Class runs in an elliptical motion of up to 6g in a high-moisture iron ore screening application to ensure stratification in all phases of screening. The new vibrating screen also features a robust elliptical exciter drive that offers a bearing life of up to 75,000 hours.
“We are dedicated to using innovative technological solutions to enhance our customers’ daily processes,” said Denilson Moreno, Haver & Boecker Niagara sales manager. “Our new XL-Class design is a prime example of that. The vibrating screen’s unique elliptical movement maintains unrivalled screening performance when processing high-moisture materials.”
Iron ore, for example, contains up to 15% moisture, and often behaves like a pasty, clay-like material, prone to blinding on a screen deck.
The elliptical movement motion and increased acceleration of the XL-Class ensures that the material is stratifying without blinding or contamination.
The elliptical motion XL-Class vibrating screen is available in a wide-range of sizes, in either a single module or tandem design.
haverniagara.com/
The Niagara XL-Class vibrating screen can handle capacities of up to 3,500 tonnes per hour
The new Cat 982 loader
The fully-electric new MWS SCLPR 105 machine
Global rollout for Liebherr SME excavator
Liebherr has expanded the global availability of its R 960 SME excavator with launches in the African, Asian and South American markets.
The 60-tonne crawler excavator is also being lined up for the Brazilian and Russian markets.
The German manufacturer says it offers stability, the highest breakout forces on the market, and higher productivity compared to its predecessor version.
The excavator has a large bucket volume of 3.7 m³ and is suitable for loading dumper trucks in the 30- to 45-tonne weight range in quarrying and mining operations. The machine was developed and produced at Liebherr-France SAS in Colmar, France, the first version launching in 2012.
calculator. Liebherr’s SME crawler excavators are designed for quarry applications, with four models ranging from 44 to 102 tonnes having been developed for the world market. These variants are equipped with reinforced undercarriages into which components from the larger models of the standard series have been integrated. On the R 960 SME, these are components of the 70-tonne standard model R 966. The same principle applies for the counterweights.
The R 960 SME also offers low fuel consumption, which can be monitored online via the fuel
liebherr.com
The company says this allows the use of larger buckets without compromising the stability of the machine. Thanks to the special kinematics of the working equipment and specific cylinders, the machine is designed to offer exceptional digging and breakout forces.
Pan-United plans electrified fleet
Pan-United’s fleet of concrete mixer and delivery tipper trucks is a key component o f its supply chain, making up to 7,000 trips a day across Singapore.
Pan-United Concrete has partnered with Surbana Jurong to study the feasibility of using electric and hydrogen fuel cells to power a fleet of more than 1,000 trucks moving Pan-United’s concrete business in Singapore.
Pan-United Concrete is a subsidiary of Singapore’s largest concrete and cement provider, Pan-United Corporation. Surbana Jurong is one of the largest Asiabased global urban, infrastructure,
and managed services consulting firms.
The two companies say their project development partnership agreement is in line with PanUnited’s sustainability targets. These targets are to offer only low-carbon concrete by 2030, to offer carbon-neutral concrete products by 2040, and to become a carbon-neutral ready-mix concrete (RMC) company by 2050.
As part of the partnership, Surbana Jurong will study and evaluate the potential of decarbonising Pan-United’s fleet of concrete mixer trucks and tipper trucks that currently operate on diesel.
By using the cleaner energy options, Pan-United says it has the potential to significantly improve the sustainability performance of its delivery fleet. The conversion from diesel engines to electric and hydrogen-powered ones in its fleet can also mitigate against potential rises in oil prices, and reflects the company’s efforts to support climate-change action through the use of greener transportation services. panunited.com.sg surbanajurong.com
Doosan unveils new DX-7 excavators
Doosan Infracore Europe has launched ten new models in its DX-7 Series Excavators range, which the equipment manufacturer says feature numerous upgrades and improvements.
The manufacturer says that the new DX-7 models combine performance, smooth and intuitive controls, sustainable manufacturing and value for money for customers.
The launches include three new 23-25-tonne Stage V-compliant crawler excavators - the DX235LC-7, DX235LCR-7 and DX255LC-7 models - that are suited to quarrying and mining applications.
Gilles Bendaoud, VP sales and marketing at Doosan Infracore Europe, says that the new models in the DX-7 range bring improvements in four key areas - safety, efficiency, comfort and sustainability.
In terms of safety, 360° cameras and ultrasonic object detection provide full visibility around the machine, allowing operators to focus on their job while minimising risks.
For comfort there is an all-new, spacious cab with premium seating equipped with heating and cooling controls.
Bendaoud says efficiency is improved through a new smart hydraulic system that introduces a priority valve, providing optimal flow to the attachment when both the arm and attachment are working simultaneously. This is claimed to result in 30% better work efficiency.
The latest Stage V-compliant engines boost fuel efficiency, while an improved combustion system improves sustainability and reduces particle emissions. This increases the lifetime of the diesel particulate filter (DPF), with no maintenance required until 8,000 hours.
Two other larger models - the DX490-7 and the DX530LC-7 - have previously been launched in the DX-7 range that are suited for quarrying and mining applications, offering higher digging force and high productivity. eu.doosanequipment.com/
The R 960 SME excavator is suitable for quarrying applications
Pan-United mixer trucks at one of its concrete plants
Advertisers in AGGREGATES BUSINESS can now be contacted via their websites - for instant links to all the websites listed below, by category, go to: www.AggBusiness.com
Aggregates Business travels the globe attending conferences, events and equipment shows, keeping you informed of the latest offerings. Come and join us for a chat at any of the events below.
JUNE 2022
21-23: Hillhead 2022
Hillhead Quarry, Buxton, Derbyshire, England
OCTOBER 2022
24-30: bauma Munich, Germany
These dates were correct at the time of going to press, but please note that the COVID-19 pandemic means some events may be rescheduled with little advance notice
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Contact: Roger Adshead | radshead@ropl.com | +44 7768 178163
