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The latest chapter in the tale of two markets
When it comes to assessing global aggregates demand and construction and quarrying equipment sales, you must separate China from the rest of the world. China produces around 20 billion tonnes of aggregates every year, accounting for 45% of the estimated 45 billion tonnes of annual global aggregates production.
The 26 leading excavator makers in China sold a total of 126,941 excavators in the first quarter of 2021, with sales up 85% year-on-year, data from the China Construction Machinery Association (CCMA) has revealed.
Taking a closer look at the CCMA data, 113,565 excavators were sold in the domestic market, rocketing up 85.3% year-on-year, while exports of the equipment rose by 81.9% to 13,376.
In March alone, excavator sales came in at 79,035 units, up 60% from the same period last year.
CCMA notes that sales of digging machines are an important indicator of the vitality of an economy as demand is usually backed by growth in mining and infrastructure development.
The CCMA has also highlighted that sales of China’s 23 top loader manufacturers hit 22,772 in March 2021, a 52% year-on-year increase. Of that total, 4,151 loaders were exported, a 40.5% rise from the same period in 2020. In the first quarter, total loader sales reached 39,333 units, increasing 60.7% year-on-year.
Chinese construction equipment industry insiders state that the vigorous pace of sales shows sturdy demand for building machinery and growth in macroeconomic energy in the quarter.
A new report by Off-Highway Research (OHR), a management consultancy specialising in the research and analysis of international construction and agricultural equipment markets, notes that thanks to huge stimulus
spending, Chinese construction equipment sales rocketed by 30% to 412,440 units in 2020, from an already impressive 316,093 units in 2019.
Contrast that with the key sales markets of North America and Europe, which both saw, according to OHR figures, sales falls of 16% (194,821 to 164,540 units, and 187,108 to 157,268 units, respectively). Excluding China, the rest of the world’s construction equipment sales were down 12% (754,984 to 661,409 units) yearon-year in 2020.
Volvo Construction Equipment (Volvo CE) says that big Chinese demand for its products drove a sharp 23% increase in the company’s overall Q1 sales from the same period last year, with order intake also rising by 73%.
The manufacturer says that demand in China, the world’s largest construction equipment market, was strong due to government infrastructure investments.
Together with an increase in sales across all global markets and segments, China’s market buoyancy helped Volvo CE bounce back from what had been a challenging COVID-19 pandemic-impacted trading year in 2020.
In its November 2020-published report Construction in China – Key Trends and Opportunities to 2024, GlobalData states that to mitigate the economic impact of the pandemic, China’s president, Xi Jinping, fast-tracked the implementation of major infrastructure projects (except in the hard-hit Hubei region), resuming nearly 90% of all major infrastructure projects as soon as mid-March 2020. This, notes GlobalData, was at a time when major markets across the world had only just started to implement COVID19 containment measures.
Given the vibrancy of Chinese aggregates demand and the strength of the country’s construction and quarrying equipment markets, the next chapter of the tale of two markets will once again make for eye-catching reading this time next year.
GW
“Afrimat’s
19 CRUSHING & SCREENING
Four leading manufacturers whose new models are looking to help customers meet their sustainability goals
Terex MP announces new Powerscreen manufacturing facility in China; World Bank group appoints Dalmia Cement’s Mahendra Singhi as carbon-pricing champion
Global
All the key events in the
&
22 LOADING
A top OEM’s large crawler excavator is making a big impact in one southern European nation’s quarrying sector, while new zero-emission loading models are also making headlines
26 HAULING
Connected machines are helping quarry operators monitor hauling payloads in real time and helping to control their cost per tonne
A quarry site for admiring eyes
Crushers has a
record when it comes to the
industry’s
29 RECYCLING – PART 1
Recycled and secondary aggregates demand is strong and growing in the UK and other parts of Europe and the wider
WEAR PARTS
Easy access to high-quality replacement machine parts is a must for any savvy quarrying operation
ENGINES – PART 1
Demand for quality off-highway equipment engines is likely to rise as the world emerges from severe COVID-19 pandemicinduced disruption
PORTABLE POWER
Proven and reliable portable power solutions for aggregates production
16 QUARRY PROFILE
Cement & Concrete SA CEO Bryan Perrie on how the association is taking the lead on all matters cement and concrete in South Africa
How Afrimat’s Harrismith Quarry in South Africa’s Free State province is leading the way on consistent health and safety excellence 41 DUBAI
The Middle East & North Africa region’s construction markets are ‘limping back to normalcy’
BUILDING CODE
Dubai’s revised building code is set to galvanise the emirate state’s construction sector and
North India’s crushing plant owners are opting for rapid capacity expansion to keep up with buoyant demand
Terex MP announces new Powerscreen manufacturing facility in China
Terex Materials Processing (MP) has purchased a new facility in the Jiading district of Shanghai to manufacture Powerscreen equipment for the domestic China market.
The 18,000m² facility will provide a solid foundation for Powerscreen to begin production in China, accelerating manufacturing plans by around two years, the Terex business division states.
Kieran Hegarty, president of Terex Materials Processing, said: “This investment by Terex to manufacture locally in China marks the next chapter in Powerscreen’s growth story, demonstrates a long-term commitment to the region and will enable us to be a formidable competitor in China. It will also deliver significant economic benefits to the local area in terms of supporting key supply chain partners and providing skilled jobs.
Additionally, this expansion will support our growth plans without impacting Powerscreen’s production capacity at its other Terex facilities.”
Powerscreen first entered China in 2016 in response to government investment in infrastructure and legislation supporting the use of recycled materials. Since then, Powerscreen has continued to build a growing market presence through its China sales
network, attending industry exhibitions, and hosting customers through open days.
A dedicated team from Northern Ireland will oversee the production scale-up in China and ensure processes are to the same robust standard as at Powerscreen’s manufacturing centre of excellence in Northern Ireland.
Work is already underway, with Powerscreen equipment onsite for the training of the China team. It is expected that
the first locally produced machines will come off the line before the end of the year.
Hegarty added: “Mobile crushing and screening equipment plays a basic, yet vital, role in the sustainable building of infrastructure. This facility will accelerate our manufacturing plans for China and will enable us to assist commercial ventures in China with the right equipment, carrying the Powerscreen name, built by a local team and sold through an enhanced distribution network.”
World Bank group appoints carbon-pricing champion
Mahendra Singhi, managing director & CEO of Indian cement manufacturer Dalmia Cement, has been invited to represent the World Bank-promoted Carbon Pricing Leadership Coalition (CPLC) as its carbon-pricing champion.
CPLC is a voluntary global coalition represented by 34 national and sub-national governments, 172 private-sector organisations and 100 strategic partners representing nongovernmental organisations (NGOs), business organisations and universities.
Sijbesma, honourary chair of the board of Royal DSM to devise carbon-pricing strategies for the Asia-Pacific region.
The CPLC encourages and brings together leaders from government, business, academia and civil society to address various issues related to climate change.
Dalmia Cement is also one of the most profitable cement companies in India. The group has also pledged its support to HRH Prince Charles’ newly launched green initiative, Terra Carta – a sustainable roadmap to 2030, created to make businesses move towards a purposeful and sustainable future.
It aims to accelerate climate change by securing the place of carbon pricing on the global agenda. Singhi was commended by CPLC board members for demonstrating leadership and a high level of commitment towards carbon pricing on behalf of Dalmia Cement. The members expressed the desire to get more strategic input from him in the future.
Under Singhi’s leadership, Dalmia Cement has set out an ambitious plan of becoming carbon negative by 2040. The group is recognised as one of the Five Climate Defenders by BBC World, is more than five times water positive, and rated globally no.1 in the cement sector by CDP (customer data platform) on business readiness for a lowcarbon-economy transition.
Singhi will now work with global business leaders like Feike
With one of the lowest carbon footprints in the cement sector,
As a member of the Global Cement and Concrete Association (GCCA) and the World Cement Association (WCA), the Dalmia Cement group is taking ambitious steps towards ensuring that the whole industry reduces greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions via various initiatives such as TERI-Near Net Zero Charter, UN Leadership Group for heavy-industry netzero transition and through the COP26 business leaders.
A Premiertrak 400X mobile jaw crusher at work in a quarry in China
Doosan Infracore says it has signed contracts to deliver 221 construction machines in countries in Asia, the Middle East, Africa and Latin America this year.
The company has taken an order for a total of 50 mid-to-large-sized excavators, including 30 DX340LC and 20 DX480LC models, from a local construction company that won the runway expansion project for Hong Kong International Airport.
In Thailand, Doosan Infracore signed a large supply contract for a total of 38 excavators and wheeled loaders for a mine development and civil construction company that had previously used products
Doosan Infracore has won orders for 221 machines from customers in emerging markets
from the company’s competitors.
Doosan Infracore has continued its business expansion in Asia by winning another order for 20 miniexcavators from a dairy company in Vietnam.
Orders have continued to be won in the Middle East as well. These include an order for 27 excavators and wheeled loaders
Doosan Infracore has received from a mining company in Oman.
Doosan Infracore has also won an impressive order to supply 35 excavators to a large construction company in Qatar and another to provide 54 machines to a Turkish equipment rental company. Another big order in the Middle East will
provide ten large 50-ton excavators for a construction company in Saudi Arabia.
Doosan Infracore continues to win orders in North Africa. The company has signed a contract for 35 excavators and wheeled loaders for a Moroccan company. The local company that signed the contract is a large construction company that is actively conducting business in Northern and Western Africa and is one of Doosan Infracore’s major customers owning more than 300 Doosan products.
Doosan Infracore has also won an order for 35 wheeled loaders for various agricultural projects led by a government department in Egypt. This government department currently owns more than 100 Doosan construction machines.
METSO OUTOTEC COMPLETES MERGER
Metso Outotec has completed its merger clearance process in India
The combination of Metso Minerals and Outotec was conditionally approved by the Competition Commission of India (CCI) in June 2020, subject to the transfer of legacy Metso’s straight grate iron ore pelletising capital equipment business by Metso Outotec in India to a suitable buyer through a technology licensing arrangement.
This condition has now been satisfied, as Metso Outotec has, with the approval of the CCI, licensed the relevant technology to Primetals Technologies, a joint venture of Mitsubishi Heavy Industries and partners, and a provider of metallurgical plant equipment and services with a significant presence in India.
Freedonia: Global off-road equipment demand to rise
Global demand for off-road equipment – including construction, agricultural, mining, and forestry machinery – is forecast to rise 5.4% to US$439 billion (€364.64bn) in 2021, according to a new report by major business market intelligence consultancy the Freedonia Group. Following a sharp decline in 2020 to US$416bn (€345.53bn), demand is expected to rebound in 2021 as revenues in these industries rise, and machine purchases resume. According to Freedonia, mining will see a particularly strong bounce back, as it was deemed “nonessential” in parts of the world, forcing operations to idle for several
months. Freedonia’s 184-page Global Off-Road Equipment Technology 2021 report forecasts a CAGR (compound annual growth rate) in the global off-road equipment sector of 3.8% in the 2021-2025 period.
A report breakdown of the 2020 sales of off-road equipment by type shows that 45% were construction units, 29% were agricultural units, 24% were mining machines, and 2% forestry models.
The new Freedonia study provides off-road equipment demand values for 2019, 2020, 2021, and 2025 at the manufacturers’ level in current US dollars (i.e., not adjusted to account for infla-
tion). Demand is segmented by equipment type and world region. Data include the value of replacement parts and attachments sold separately.
Global Off-Road Equipment Technology 2021 also examines several key industry topics, including autonomous machinery and robotics, all-electric and lowemissions equipment, improved ergonomics and operator comfort, and machine connectivity and IoT solutions.
Leading industry players featured in the Freedonia report include Caterpillar, Kubota, CNH Industrial, Liebherr, John Deere, Hitachi, Sandvik, and Komatsu.
Pictured is a Hitachi ZX690-7 excavator at work in a quarry
Taking the lead on all matters cement and concrete in South Africa
The recent amalgamation of three different organisations has resulted in the formation of Cement & Concrete SA, a consolidated industry body that is set to take the lead on all matters cement and concrete in South Africa. CEO Bryan Perrie spells out the reasons behind the move. Munesu Shoko reports
That cement and concrete are staple materials in any modern economy is no overstatement.
Today, second only to water, concrete is the most-consumed material, with three tonnes per year used for every person in the world. Cement is an important constituent of concrete and acts as the ‘glue’ that binds the various materials used in concrete production.
The importance of the cement and concrete industry, therefore, cannot be reiterated enough. For this reason, the industry in South Africa has moved to form a consolidated industry body to provide the sector with a single voice that will take the lead on all cement and concrete matters.
Cement & Concrete SA (CCSA) was officially launched in March this year following an extensive and thorough process of engagement with various stakeholders to consolidate The Concrete Institute (TCI), Concrete Society of Southern Africa (CCSA) and the Association of Cementitious Materials Producers (ACMP). The new, consolidated body will create long-term shared value and industry growth in South Africa through collaboration, skills development, innovation and high standards in sustainable cement and concrete materials and products.
For the consolidated body to meet its obligations and targets, leadership was always going to be a principle factor. Leadership, by its nature, can be the difference between an organisation’s success or failure. With that in mind, Bryan Perrie, previously the MD of The Concrete Institute, was appointed CEO of CCSA. Perrie is a veteran who has devoted his whole working
life to advancing the cement and concrete industry, not only in southern Africa but across the world.
A holder of both a BSc and MSc in Civil Engineering from the University of the Witwatersrand in South Africa, Perrie is a registered professional engineer, a Fellow of the South African Academy of Engineering, a member of the Institute of Concrete Technology in the UK and an honorary member of the International Society of Concrete Pavements.
Having started his career in the contracting fraternity throughout southern Africa, Perrie was with the now-defunct Cement and Concrete Institute (C&CI), previously the Portland Cement Institute, for 29 years, with the last five as managing director. Following the demise of the C&CI in April 2013, he was instrumental in creating The Concrete Institute, where he was the managing director until the formation of CCSA.
He has authored several books on concrete floors, concrete roads and sections of several editions of
“We are also starting to see the impact of drones, virtual reality and 3D printing on sites where these techniques are used to enhance traditional construction practices”
Fulton’s Concrete Technology. He has also written many papers for publication and presentation at local and overseas seminars, conferences and symposia. Additionally, he was a board member of the Concrete Society, a past president of the Southern Africa Road Federation and a past vice president of the International Society for Concrete Pavements. Perrie currently chairs the South African Bureau of Standards’ Sub-Committee on Cement, Concrete and Concrete products.
Commenting on the reasons behind the move to consolidate the three associations to form one industry body, Perrie says there was confusion about which bodies provided services to the construction industry. There was also some duplication and gaps in services offered by the various associations.
CCSA, he says, has been mandated to promote and support the industry, drive growth and deliver shared value through a unified platform for cement and concrete.
“At a time when many conflicting and ambiguous messages are shared easily on various platforms, and with the proliferation of substandard products and services, the
CCSA has been mandated to promote and support the industry, drive growth and deliver shared value through a unified platform for cement and concrete
CCSA will grow industry expertise and build capacity by developing and offering courses, seminars and training materials
“We are excited about the future of the cement and concrete industry in South Africa”
need for authoritative engagement with all stakeholders is critical,” says Perrie.
A new and inclusive membership model will make the portfolio of services offered by CCSA to individuals or corporates available either for free or at members’ discounted rates. These services include courses presented by the School of Concrete Technology, access to the Information Centre, attendance at technical events and webinars, publications and hyperlinked listings on various electronic sources, to name a few.
CCSA, through its members, will create the opportunity to build a healthier future through a network of influencers. Working with industry role players to develop the value propositions of cement and concrete is one of the identified objectives of CCSA. Other goals include promoting the value creation story of the cement and concrete industry in South Africa; supporting research as a means of increasing the ongoing expertise base; and the promotion of industry standards and audit compliance among members and industry role players.
On a more practical level, CCSA will grow industry expertise and build capacity by developing and offering courses, seminars and training materials. The provision of information, research, advisory and on-site technical consulting services will be another service offering available to members.
CCSA’s dedicated focus on committees will ensure that all relevant areas are addressed with expertise through consultation. The committee structures will empower members
to guide and shape many of the services. The branch committees of the erstwhile Concrete Society of Southern Africa will be retained to ensure that CCSA will have concrete ambassadors in various regions.
“The launch of CCSA as a consolidation of three industry bodies is definitely a trend where the need to present a unified voice to all stakeholders has been identified by many industries,” says Perrie.
Commenting on some of the trends identified in the cement and concrete industry, Perrie says the most significant driver for new technology trends is the quest for sustainability. To address that, cement manufacturers and concrete producers emphasise higher extender contents to minimise the potential negative impact on the environment.
“Where possible, recycling and refurbishment are being considered over the use of virgin materials. We are also starting to see the impact of drones, virtual reality and 3D printing on sites where these techniques are used to enhance traditional construction practices,” he adds.
Perrie also alludes to the fact that all is not rosy in the industry, and challenges abound.
“There are a number of challenges,” he says, “which include the depressed state of the building and civil construction industries, largely due to the lack of spending by government. We, however, remain hopeful that the infrastructure development plans put forward by government will come to fruition as a matter of urgency.”
Another key challenge, he adds, is the loss of skills in the broad construction industry that CCSA hopes to address through the School of Concrete Technology’s numerous courses and seminars, workshops, and technical publications.
One of the pressing issues for the industry is that of cement imports. The International Trade Administration Commission (ITAC) started a ‘sunset’ review in December 2020 of import tariffs imposed on cement from Pakistan.
The investigation will last up to 18 months. Existing anti-dumping duties, which were first implemented in 2015, will remain in place during the review. “We have submitted a Safeguard Application to ITAC for a general import tariff on all imported cement, which they are busy dealing with,” he says.
Perrie says the industry is also in discussions with South Africa’s Department of Trade Industry and Competition (DTIC) to have cement “designated”, which means that only locally made cement manufactured with locally produced raw materials will be used on any national, provincial or local government-funded projects and by stateowned enterprises (such as Eskom, Sanral and Transnet).
“We are excited about the future of the cement and concrete industry in South Africa. The industry body is ready to discuss membership options and benefits. We are poised to add value and unlock opportunities for all members and the industry at large,” concludes Perrie. AB
Concrete is the second most-consumed material in the world
MENA region’s construction markets
‘limping back to normalcy’
The second wave of COVID-19 continues to wreak havoc in many countries including some in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region. However, new projects awarded by the sixmember Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries indicate that things are moving in the right direction. V.L. Srinivasan reports
The GCC region, which is considered the financial hub of the Arab world, announced US$35.6 billion-worth of new projects in the first quarter of 2021, equal to around 55% of the total committed to in 2020, according to BNC Projects Journal.
While Saudi Arabia is leading with 54% of the cost of total projects, it is followed by Qatar (21%), Oman and the UAE (11% each), Kuwait (2%) and Bahrain (1%) respectively (see box below). Saudi Arabia’s construction sector is expected to record growth of 3.3% in 2021 and the value of contracts awarded is expected to reach US$29.45 billion for the year.
In 2020, the pandemic dealt a major blow to the financial and economic charts of the GCC. As a result, new scheme announcements and project awards during the year saw a disproportionate drop. Project announcements, which were rising at the end of 2019 with a 4% year-on-year hike, reduced
by one-third at the end of 2020 and ended with US$63.6 billion.
The value of the GCC construction market is estimated at US$2.2 trillion, with over 22,000 active projects as of Q1 2021. While Saudi Arabia currently holds US$823.5 billion of active projects, of which 28% are in the early stages, Qatar shared two-thirds of total project awards in the GCC, with the oil and gas sector sharing 70% of them, the Journal said. “Saudi Arabia would like to draw a fine line in the sand that leads the country into the future. This isn’t just another line that the Red Sea can gently wash away. This is a bold, daring and ambitious line,” said Avin Gidwani, CEO of Industry Networks, which publishes the Journal.
However, uncertainty looms large as the GCC nations, which mostly depend on oil sales to fund most of their construction projects, are concerned that their oil revenues might take a hit due to the ongoing tensions between Israel and Hamas, and an
increase in COVID-19 cases in energy-hungry nations such as India.
If these developments continue for a long time, the GCC construction sector could be affected to some extent. Global oil prices may also be dented by the re-entry of Iran into the global oil markets, altering the demand supply picture.
Spurt in building material prices
According to a report on the latest data from the General Authority for Statistics (GASTAT) in Saudi Arabia, the price of steel surged to SR 3,514.73 per ton in Q1 of 2021, a 33% increase year-on-year and the highest price since 2008.
The cost of ready-mixed concrete too rose 14% year-on-year to SR 204.63 per m³ during the same timeframe, while cables rose 21% year-on-year to SR 40.27 per metre. In addition, wood prices rose 15% year-on-year to SR 3,067.49 and cement was up 5% to SR 14.03 per 50kg bag in Q1. While steel made
The port in the city of Oran, west Algeria has undergone a major upgrade in recent years
the biggest surge, the growth slowed as the year progressed, going from 40% growth in January to 28% growth in March.
The spiralling prices of building materials, especially steel this year, is a clear indication that construction activity in Saudi Arabia has begun to recover from the slowdown caused by the pandemic last year.
In its recent report, real estate consultancy firm JLL said: “From a supply perspective, the first quarter of 2021 recorded an increase in construction activity in Saudi Arabia. In the residential sector in Riyadh 7,700 units were handed over in Q1, bringing the total to 1.3 million units in the capital. In Jeddah, around 2,000 units were added, bringing the total to 838,000 units.”
In the UAE, the construction industry is expected to rebound in 2021, with growth of 3% forecast and construction’s output in Bahrain is also expected to rebound, with growth of 2.1% this year.
Kuwait cautious
In Kuwait, the first lockdown has impacted the construction sector vastly but construction giants like Al Hamra Group ensured that they recouped the lost time by putting in additional efforts.
In an interview with Oxford Business Group (OBG), Al Hamra’s CEO Mohammed Hamad Al-Ghanim said that Kuwait’s construction sector was “shut down” for four months last year but the industry started to grasp how this would continue to impact supply chains as they are an intrinsic part of project delivery.
Looking at the global market outlook, most reports indicated a regression in terms of public spending. In the GCC region, the regression was due to the drop and ensuing fluctuation in oil prices, coupled with governments’ stressed cash flows.
“We will work together with our Chinese friends to carry out many megaprojects that will meet the aspirations of Tunisians” Kais Saied
“In Kuwait the public sector drives construction demand, but it is expected that only 15% of the projected state budget will be allocated to capital investment. Hence the construction sector is expected to be in a difficult situation for the next two years,” Al-Ghanim told the OBG.
Maghreb countries
For countries such as China, Russia and Turkey, the Arab Maghreb is the gateway to Africa and Europe. However, travel restrictions, minor lockdowns, and night curfews, along with internal strife, have become the order of the day in a region comprising five countries – Morocco, Tunisia, Mauritania, Algeria, and Libya. This has affected ongoing Arab Maghreb construction projects.
Through its Belt & Road Initiative (BRI) project, China has entered into agreements with Morocco and Tunisia with an eye to exploring the phosphates and rare earth elements in those countries that are of vital interest to the dragon nation. Morocco possesses over 70% of the global phosphate rock reserves, while Algeria has the world’s fourth-largest stock of the mineral. In 2018, China also clinched a deal with Libya, paving the way for the latter to join the BRI initiative. While Chinese companies have been executing infrastructure projects worth over US$40 billion in Iraq, Algeria and Egypt, the state-owned China State Construction Engineering Corporation (CSCEC) is developing many projects in Tunisia and notable among them are the University
Construction workers during work at the fort near Raghbah, Saudi Arabia
Hospital at Sfax and a Diplomatic Academy in Tunis.
Tunisian president Kais Saied, who inaugurated the 246-bed University Hospital at Sfax in December 2020, announced that more megaprojects will be developed in the country with Chinese support.
“We will work together with our Chinese friends to carry out many megaprojects that will meet the aspirations of Tunisians,” said Saied. The Academy is expected to be completed by this year end and both projects were funded by China.
Even Algerian prime minister Abdelaziz Djerad lauded the efforts of Chinese firms in Algeria for making new contributions to Chinese-Algerian friendship.
Djerad made the remarks while inaugurating the Public Engineering Technology School which was assisted by CSCEC Algeria in the province of Djelfa, some 300km south of Algiers.
In another development, a consortium of three Chinese companies signed a memorandum of understanding with Algerian National Iron and Steel Company, regarding the exploitation of iron in Algiers.
The Chinese consortium, composed of Metallurgical Corporation of China, China International Water and Electric Corporation and Hunan Heyday Solar Corporation, will carry out a feasibility study on the exploitation of Gara Djebilet iron ore in western Algeria.
“We will continue our investments in Libya in 2021. We are also looking for investment opportunities for Algeria and other countries”
Fatih Sari
BELOW: GCC Construction Overview April, 2021
*Active Projects Include Concept, Design, Tender, Under Construction & On Hold Projects
In 2014, Algeria was importing cement and other construction material mainly from Tunisia and other countries for its infrastructure projects worth around US$13 billion. Within three years it has not only increased the production capacity of cement to meet domestic consumption, but also emerged as a major exporter of cement as several companies, including LafargeHolcim opened their units in the country during this period.
As construction activity slowed down last year due to the pandemic, Algeria’s Trade Ministry drew up plans to export 20 million tonnes per annum (MTPA) surplus cement. Over one million tonnes have already been exported to Niger and other West African neighbours.
The plans also involve opening Algeria’s land and sea borders for cement exports which constitute 50% of the country’s 40 million tonnes per annum cement production.
Algeria’s Trade Minister Kamel Rexig said that the surplus production will be exported and will generate revenues up to US$900 million per annum. The ministry has identified 10 national zones of production, including the export of cement, as a strategy for 2021.
“The efforts made by companies to increase cement production and export the same deserve to be encouraged,” he added.
Turkey in Maghreb
The construction sector is one of the main economic growth engines for Turkey and the country has been the biggest concrete producer in Europe since 2009. However, local construction firms are facing problems due to contraction in the construction sector in the last couple of years, and they are looking to trade with Libya and other countries. They have already undertaken construction projects worth up to US$29 billion so far but could not complete them due to turmoil in Libya. Recently, Turkey and Libya have entered into an agreement to allow these companies to complete the remaining works, as well as being involved in the construction of a commercial seaport in Tripoli.
Karanfil Group, a major Turkish company, has already established the largest concrete
Percentage value of the GCC region’s US$35.6 billion-worth of new projects announced in Q1 2021
“Saudi Arabia would like to draw a fine line in the sand that leads the country into the future. This isn’t just another line that the Red Sea can gently wash away. This is a bold, daring and ambitious line”
Avin Gidwani
production facility at Misrata in Libya and has spent over US$10 million on the facility so far and plans to invest up to US$50 million.
Karanfil Group’s CEO Fatih Sari said in a statement in February this year that the facility is likely to employ 1,000 people and will be able to produce up to 90m³ of concrete per hour. “We will continue our investments in Libya in 2021. We are also looking for investment opportunities for Algeria and other countries,” Sari said.
Sari added that the concrete production facility was crucial for war-torn Libya’s reconstruction and can also meet the demands of the Turkish construction companies which are executing projects in Libya. The facility has, said Sari, attracted interest not only in Libya, but also from other countries in the Maghreb region. “There is already serious demand from Morocco, Tunisia, and Algeria. Thus, we will ramp up both our investment, production and employment as soon as possible,” he added.
True to his expectations, the Libyan government announced on 10 May 2021 that it was setting aside LYD 3 billion (US$669.34mn) for the reconstruction of cities such as Benghazi, Derna, Sirte and Murzug, which have been damaged during the ongoing internal conflict. While Benghazi and Derna will share LYD 1.5 billion each,
Concrete facility in Libya, pic courtesy Daily Sabah
SETTING A NEW BENCHMARK IN HEALTH & SAFETY COMPLIANCE
Special recognition is given to South African quarry operations that achieve Showplace Status every year – 95% and more – in ASPASA’s annual ISHE Audit. Being able to maintain that feat every year is something special, given the stringent nature of the audit and the level of health and safety standards that ASPASA member operations have to maintain. In line with Afrimat’s ‘consistently delivering’ mantra, its Harrismith Quarry has achieved the status for eight consecutive years. Munesu Shoko reports
When talking about health and safety in general, it would be fair to cast the spotlight on South Africa, where the legacy from earlier attitudes to worker safety still resonates in the drive to continually improve safe mining and quarrying conditions. Moving into their fifth consecutive year without a fatality, members of surface mining industry association, ASPASA, are surely leading the way as far as health and safety is concerned.
Central to this feat is ASPASA’s meticulous health and safety regime, which ensures the highest standards of compliance of member operations. Some 20 years ago, the association started its Health and Safety
(ISHE) Audit for the industry to ensure that its members adhere to the most stringent health and safety parameters.
One operation that has set the bar high as far as consistently maintaining unparalleled standards is Harrismith Quarry, located in the Free State province of South Africa. Owned and operated by Afrimat, a leading openpit mining company providing industrial minerals, bulk commodities and construction materials, the quarry has achieved Showplace Status (95% and more), in ASPASA’s ISHE Audit for eight years running.
The total ISHE Audit protocol covers more than 700 questions that must be answered and verified with objective evidence, where a possible total of ±3 900 points are awarded. To be awarded a Showplace Status, the quarry must achieve a minimum final score of
95% on the ISHE Audit. If a quarry records a disabling injury, lost time injury, occupational disease or fatal accident during the auditing period, the audit protocol carries extreme negative marks against the operation, meaning it cannot achieve Showplace Status.
The feasibility of establishing a quarry on the current Harrismith Quarry site was confirmed in February 1988 with the first stone produced in July 1988. The operation was started to service the Harrismith area. An existing quarry in the Qwa Qwa area existed but could not service the two growing towns of Puthajithaba and Harrismith. The Harrismith Quarry was established on a site that had previously been quarried to provide material for the construction of the Sterkfontein dam.
The operation, which mines a dolerite
rock, produces several material sizes including 10 mm; 14 mm; 20 mm; 28 mm; G2; G4; G5, G6; blasted rock, overburden, primary crush, gabion stone, builders blend and crusher dust. It also supplies customers with unique specifications on request.
ASPASA ISHE auditor Marius van Deventer says when you enter this operation, the first impression that you get is “neat and tidy”. Then, he adds, “you meet with the mine manager, Anton Marnewick, who was a recipient of a special recognition award from ASPASA in 2017, with his clean, shining boots, together with his disciplined and professional team, and you realise that there is a special bond of teamwork keeping everybody together.”
teamwork as one of the cornerstones of success at Harrismith Quarry. “Buy-in from the workforce with regards to safety has been one of the recipes for our success over the years,” he says.
Accountability by every individual on site also makes health and safety compliance a breeze at Harrismith Quarry, adds Marnewick. “We strive to make employees responsible for their own safety, as well as that of others and the areas where they work,” he says. Regular training programmes have also made sure that employees are well informed of what is required of them in terms of health and safety on site.
Other initiatives central to the operation’s Showplace Status for eight years running are regular monitoring and inspections; continuous upgrades on the plant and
“I immediately noticed the shining safety boots. This is an example of a company culture of neatness and orderliness”
Marius van Deventer
site to comply with changing legislation, and effective maintenance. “A premium has always been placed on neatness and orderliness. The old adage of ‘a neat workplace is a safe workplace’ applies to Harrismith Quarry and has instilled a sense of pride,” adds Marnewick.
Van Deventer agrees: “During the 2020 ISHE Audit, I asked the manager to stop one of his dumper operators as I wanted to inspect the machine and question the operator on his pre-start checklist and operator licence. When the operator got out of his dumper, after following all the procedures of stopping his machine and making it safe to get out, I immediately noticed the shining safety boots. This is an example of a company culture of neatness and orderliness,” he says.
“Harrismith Quarry is a small operation, but the manager will immediately remind you that the risks are exactly the same as at any other operation. Everything is well maintained and kept in an orderly and safe manner. Employees are eager to share information and point out the improvements made since the previous audit. Very high standards in the development and implementation of the health & safety system are achieved through teamwork, commitment and dedication,” says Van Deventer.
Commenting on the company’s attitude towards safety, Letisha van den Berg, head of Health and Safety at Afrimat, says the company cares for the wellbeing of all staff and recognises its workforce as a meaningful and important contributor towards its core values.
It is the company’s policy, says Van den Berg, to use its health and safety management system to do all that is reasonably practical to prevent occupational diseases, personnel injury, damage to property, and to protect all employees, visitors, contractors, public, and interested and affected parties from foreseeable work hazards, insofar as they come into contact
Traffic management is a crucial aspect of the safety regime at Harrismith Quarry
with the operations or are exposed to working practices within the company.
“We follow a proactive and participative approach to health & safety management, both within the boundaries of our operations and the integration thereof with surrounding areas. This means that we will endeavour to proactively identify and resolve potential health & safety risks before they manifest as accidents, incidents or compliance non-conformances,” she says.
“We ensure a healthy and safe working environment as our primary responsibility. We lead our health & safety effort by example. We furthermore believe that, in self-interest and for the collective good, every employee should participate in and contribute towards our health & safety effort. We will encourage and empower staff in appropriate ways to work together as a team to fulfil this responsibility,” adds Van den Berg.
The company, says Van den Berg, also strives to integrate health & safety management in routine management functions and processes. Afrimat also seeks to proactively identify and eliminate (or as a
“We also strive to comply with all internal health & safety standards as well as with applicable legislation; inform staff of the hazards and risks associated with their work, and provide training, equipment and support necessary for our employees to mitigate risks and perform safe, healthy and productive work. Additionally, we monitor and report our health & safety performance, working towards a goal of zero incidents, through a continuous improvement of our performances and health & safety systems,” she says.
There is general consensus that COVID19 has affected businesses in many ways and managing health and safety during the pandemic has been one of the key challenges brought about by the coronavirus. For Harrismith Quarry, however, it was business as usual in 2020. Managing health and safety on site during COVID-19, says Marnewick, is no different to managing it when there was no pandemic. “Rules are rules and should be adhered to in any circumstance,” he declares. What was new, however, was the personal aspect and operating under the uncertainty of what the pandemic brought, he
difficult to enforce in the beginning.
“From day one, when it was decided to reopen the quarry after the lockdown, management and staff were all on board and started with all the necessary posters, social distancing signs, sanitising stations, training of the security staff, employees and transporters, among others. Pre-screening was arranged with our occupational medical practitioner and was set up prior to starting up,” he says, adding that there were also constant updates and new procedures and documents coming through from the safety department to share with employees.
“For Afrimat, safety goes far beyond compliance and how we act. It forms an integral part of our Afrimat Values system. Safety is part of who we are and resonates with our company culture. The Showplace award is a result of both management and staff subscribing to the Afrimat culture and living the Afrimat values.”
In the end, the quarry achieved a 96.17% mark, placing it third in the overall ISHE Audit for 2020. “Harrismith Quarry could not have achieved this milestone without the commitment of all its employees. It is to them that congratulations and thanks are due,” concludes Van den Berg. AB
Harrismith Quarry follows a proactive and participative approach to health & safety management.
For Afrimat, safety goes far beyond compliance
The recycling station at Afrimat Harrismith
ASPASA ISHE auditor Marius van Deventer
More sustainable crushing & screening
How best to improve crushing and screening plant sustainability is a hot topic in the global quarrying world. Guy Woodford reports on four leading manufacturers whose new models are looking to help customers meet their sustainability goals
Metso Outotec’s new Lokotrack e-Power range brings the diesel-electric Lokotrack mobile crushing and screening units into one distinctive offering. The range includes 15 crushers and six screens, making it the market’s broadest portfolio of hybrid mobile crushing and screening equipment.
“We introduced the first Lokotrack E-models already 35 years ago, so we are one of the pioneers in this field,” says Kimmo Anttila, vice president, Lokotrack solutions at Metso Outotec. “During the past couple of years, the demand for hybrid solutions has really taken off as environmental regulations have become increasingly stringent in more countries. In fact, sales of the Lokotrack E-models have doubled in five years, and we expect the trend to accelerate.”
The Lokotrack e-Power range is an important factor in realising the goals of Metso Outotec’s Planet Positive initiative. With Planet Positive, Metso Outotec is committed to limiting global warming to 1.5°C. Aggregate crushing is very energyintensive; thanks to the development actions to lower fuel consumption, the annual CO2 emissions of the Lokotrack equipment are 20,000 tonnes lower today compared to the situation before 2010.
“Lokotrack design principles are simple: optimise the operating costs, capacity, and end-product quality of the customer application. We give consideration to the total fuel consumption, including the engine and driveline technologies, but also to other
factors, such as the unit transportation weight and the engine stand-by function,” Anttila explains.
“Additionally, we have reduced the hydraulic oil and lubricant volumes by more than half to further ease the environmental burden. Based on our data, a Lokotrack unit uses as much as 80% fewer oils compared to our previous models and compared to many other brands on the market. Naturally, the hybrid driveline reduces the need for oils and lubricants even further.”
He concludes: “A diesel and hybrid offering complete each other; in remote locations where the power grid is not available, a diesel driveline is still the only viable solution. We are investing heavily in the development of sustainable technologies. Lokotrack is robust, energy-efficient, and highly mobile – and it meets the versatile needs of customers today and tomorrow.”
Powerscreen’s electrification strategy now includes an exciting new concept for the future of crushing and screening—the Eco-Warrior battery-powered screener.
Neil Robinson, Powerscreen product and applications manager, said: “Some may view this topic as a recent trend, but for Powerscreen, decarbonisation is multifaceted and has always been at our core. The Powerscreen mobile concept has always contributed towards decreasing the carbon footprint per tonne of material produced. This is done by reducing unnecessary material handling of hauling and loading material to static plants in aggregate production or in the ability to recycle and reuse material at point
of use, for example, in roadbuilding projects where sub-base material is produced in situ. Using stockpiling conveyors as part of a track mobile set-up is another perfect example of how to cut out unnecessary double handling, reducing fuel consumption and therefore carbon production.”
Powerscreen has evolved its product range to reduce environmental impact by making its crushing and screening equipment as fuel-efficient as possible, using direct drive systems for its crushing range and improving engine capabilities and driveline design for its screening range.
Robinson explained: “Direct drive systems are proven to be 13-18% more fuel-efficient when compared with hydrostatic, resulting in significantly less carbon emissions, while improvements to our screening range have reduced engine speeds from 2,200rpm to 1,800rpm, which not only means cleaner engines with less emissions but also reduced fuel usage and therefore carbon produced. For example, a typical mid-size screener running at 1,000 hours per year has a fuel usage reduction of approximately 450 litres, which equates to 1.2 tonnes less of carbon produced annually.”
Another important tool for fuel efficiency is Powerscreen Pulse, in-depth machine telematics that help customers see how and where their machines are being operated, understand fuel consumption and carry out fault-finding activities to ensure optimised performance.
“Powerscreen was the first mobile crushing and screening manufacturer to offer in-depth
Metso Outotec’s Lokotrack e-Power range includes 15 crushers and six screens
machine telematics with the launch of Powerscreen Pulse in 2013,” continued Robinson. “In the early days, it generated a large volume of data, but now our system has been refined to deliver actionable information with customised reports and suggested actions for more fuel-efficient operation.”
Electrification is currently a key focus of the Powerscreen decarbonisation strategy. The Powerscreen Hybrid range, designed to give customers alternative energy options to operate their range of crushing, screening and conveying equipment, has been dramatically enhanced to include more fully electric crushers and screeners and models powered by innovative combinations of diesel and electricity. These options enable customers to choose which fuel to use, depending on cost, location and availability, and are of particular benefit to customers who operate in an area where electricity is more cost effective than diesel fuel, where diesel engine noise is unwanted or on sites where electricity is the preferred energy source.
Robinson added: “Customers using Powerscreen Hybrid units powered off the grid have been able to reduce on-site carbon emissions by 57% per tonne of material produced. While our hybrid customers have traditionally been in environmentally conscious countries and states, where legislation or financial incentives are more focused on green energy, we are witnessing a significant uptake in non-traditional locations, as customers prepare to comply with increased government drives for carbon neutrality.”
engine size has been cut in half compared with the diesel-hydraulic unit, and the battery pack can mean emission-free running or give a power boost.
Working closely with automotive technology and using top-of-the-range, hyper-efficient drives and intelligent control systems, Powerscreen’s Eco-Warrior batterypowered screener has been designed to deliver on the powerful screening action that the Terex brand’s machines are famous for while being a self-charging or plug-in model that features a simple, quiet engine with no after-treatment requirements. The required
Robinson said: “To the best of our knowledge, this is the first battery-powered screener in the world and has been clocking up testing hours since it was built in 2019. It still delivers on the powerful screening action that Powerscreen machines are famous for, and we are now exploring taking it from concept to mainstream.”
Concluding, he added: “This isn’t a publicity stunt; the drive for decarbonisation is real, with the UK and other governments ruling that carbon emissions have to be reduced by 80% by 2050. It’s critical that we dramatically reduce our carbon footprint, and Powerscreen has many solutions available today in support of this. However, we’re not stopping there—we’re taking it to the
The Lokotrack e-Power range is an important factor in realising the goals of Metso Outotec’s Planet Positive initiative
next level, continuing to be the pioneers in adopting technology that supports the industry in meeting the requirements of government decarbonisation laws—this is the future.”
Sandvik jaw crushers are now delivered to quarrying, mining and construction sector customers with everything for plug-and-play installation.
“We deliver our jaw crushers with everything a customer needs for plug-andplay primary crushing operations,” says Mats Dahlberg, vice president lifecycle service, stationary crushing and screening. “It’s just to choose what extra components they require. There’s also a wide range of jaw plates that can be mixed and reversed to ensure optimal, versatile crushing.”
Sandvik says safety and sustainability are the global off-highway equipment giant’s priorities. A company spokesperson said: “We use the highest quality materials and parts in our equipment, while including lifting tools, guarding retraction and a modular maintenance platform for safe operation and maintenance. All Sandvik jaw crushers are built for the circular economy, meaning the complete machine – all the metal and rubber seals can be recycled.”
Powerscreen’s Pillars of Decarbonisation
available with the Sandvik Reliability and Protection package, said to always keep customers in control of costs and efficiency.
“To continue as a leading global supplier, we now include everything our customers need for a fast start-up and reliable operations. Together with easy and safe maintenance, our jaw crushers increase productivity, offer true reliability and excellent availability,” says Martin Johansson, product manager, Sandvik jaw crushers.
Sandvik jaw crushers can be delivered with complete infrastructure including feed hopper, feed hopper interface, drive and subframe with v-belt guard and motor bracket, an innovative guarding retraction arrangement and toggle plate stop.
With the launch of the new MOBICAT MC 110(i) EVO2, Kleemann presents a mobile jaw crushing plant of the new generation. The further development of the tried-andtested predecessor plant is said to offer users groundbreaking technologies for optimising all areas of a typical workday.
In designing the new jaw crusher, Kleemann says it concentrated on the requirements of demolition and building
operators. With an hourly output of up to 400 tonnes per hour, the new mobile jaw crusher meets the requirements in the medium output range. It delivers an impressive performance in a wide variety of quarry and recycling applications, emphasising effective coarse crushing.
The development engineers at Kleemann’s main Göppingen, Germany factory wanted the MOBICAT MC 110 (i) EVO2 to give customers optimum transportability and a fast start-up. The model’s transport height was reduced by 20cm compared to its predecessor to 3.40m. Relocation is now possible with simplified transport utilising semi low-loaders. The start-up procedure itself takes only around 10 minutes and includes set-up times for flaps, belts and feed hopper.
A special highlight of the MOBICAT MC 110(i) EVO2 is a new effective two-stage overload system. It effectively prevents blockages and material bridging that can lead to unwanted downtimes. If uncrushable material enters the crushing process, the CSS (closed side setting) opens two times faster than with the predecessor plant or, as an option, even up to 40 times faster.
This increases the availability and thus the overall output.
With the further development of SPECTIVE, Kleemann says it has set standards for user interfaces in the sector even higher. This digital operating concept has an intuitive structure and revolutionises plant operation with its extensive features. The 12-inch touch panel offers optimised user guidance and visualisation. Furthermore, new components such as a radio remote control and a small radio remote control have been integrated into the SPECTIVE world. The new digital solution SPECTIVE CONNECT sends all-important plant data to the smartphone.
In the new MOBICAT MC 110(i) EVO2, Kleemann has integrated a series of new technologies and improvements. The CFS (continuous feed system) guarantees continued crusher utilisation for daily outputs up to 10% higher. The independent double-deck prescreen effectively separates fines before they reach the crushing process. This increases the total plant throughput and is gentle, for example, on downstream cone crushers in the second crushing stage. Improved feed behaviour is guaranteed on the one hand by the extra-long articulated crusher jaw, whereas a flattened transition to the crushing chamber makes an optimum material flow possible. The accessibility for fast, safe and convenient maintenance has also been optimised.
With its innovative technical solutions, Kleemann concentrates on energy efficiency in all its new and further developments. The company’s improved diesel-direct drive concept can be seen in the MOBICAT MC 110(i) EVO2’s economical use of fuel, minimising operating costs. The plant’s output-dependent fan guarantees an increased cooling capacity, works when required and reduces fuel consumption. With its forward-looking, innovative technologies, Kleemann says it prioritises sustainability and lower customer operating costs. AB
The Sandvik jaw crusher family
Kleemann’s new MOBICAT MC 110(i) EVO2 at work on-site
Large loading gains
A large crawler excavator from a major global manufacturer is making a big impact in one southern European nation’s quarrying sector, while new zero-emission excavators and wheeled loaders are also making headlines. Guy Woodford reports
Hitachi’s new ZX490LCH-7 large crawler excavator is proving popular among Portuguese quarrying companies, demonstrating a positive impact on productivity and a claimed new comfort level for operators.
The new model – launched in September 2020 as part of Hitachi’s range of Zaxis-7 large excavators – has already been supplied to four quarries by Hitachi’s authorised local dealer in Portugal, Moviter.
Owned by the IGE Group, Windpark purchased a new ZX490LCH-7 to work at its quarry in the Penela region. Its decision to invest was based on its relationship with Moviter and the reputation of the Hitachi brand. “We recognise the high quality of Hitachi products,” says Nelson Simões, CEO of the IGE Group.
of the operations, loading the dump trucks with raw material. It is also being used to load a crusher and trucks with product at the end of the process.
“We wanted an excavator to work long hours without stopping,” explains Abel Torres, Socitop’s CEO. “We needed a reliable machine with a high level of versatility because we will use it on different job sites and applications, such as earthmoving after this contract. The ZX490LCH-7 represents Hitachi quality and excellent value.”
“We considered the total cost of ownership, compared to other machines, and the Hitachi excavator got the best numbers. That fact, together with the relationship we have with Moviter, and the quality of the after-sales service, made it an easy decision. The operators also love the machine, and that is important for us.”
Another ZX490LCH-7 is working at a quarry owned by Agrepor in Canas de Senhorim as part of a contract won by Socitop. The excavator is at the forefront
In Porto de Mós, Leiria, family-run business Garcogel has four quarries and specialises in the extraction of marble and limestone blocks. It is led by founder and CEO Garcia Anastácio and his sons, Paulo and Emanuel, and has recently added a ZX490LCH-7 to its fleet.
“In our region, there are several Hitachi ZX490 excavators,” says Garcia. “Our friends said it is a good machine, mentioning the excellent fuel consumption and overall productivity. It is also fast, extremely precise and easy to work with, and we have found that the hydraulics are spectacular.”
are delighted – the visibility, controls and feeling inside the cab are excellent. The power and speed also live up to the Hitachi name.
“In addition, I am also optimistic about the new digital solutions [provided by Hitachi]. The information can be useful for increasing productivity and reducing downtime and costs. Getting the most out of new technologies will also improve the performance of our overall operation. We can plan the daily work and production cycles of the site, in short and medium terms, to increase profits.
“All things considered, the ZX490LCH-7 is a very important asset to our company. Together, with the support of Moviter, we believe we chose the best solution in the market.”
Adelino Ferreira, CEO of Brivel, believes the new ZX490LCH-7 is an important asset to his company, which specialises in the production of aggregates and ready-mixed concrete. “Our operators
“At Moviter, we’re extremely proud to have supplied the latest Hitachi Zaxis-7 large excavators to four companies operating in the quarrying sector, just within the first month of this year,” says Rui Faustino, Moviter’s commercial manager. “Hitachi has continuously improved on previous generation machines to enhance the operator’s experience in the cab, meet the needs of owners, and provide support over the entire life cycle. By working in partnership with our valued customers, we can help them to create their vision.”
The September 2020-launched ZX490LCH-7 crawler excavator has already been supplied to four quarries by Hitachi’s authorised local dealer in Portugal, Moviter
SUSTAINABLE AND EFFICIENT
CUSTOM-MADE RECYCLING SOLUTIONS
The use of reclaimed asphalt, or RAP, is an absolute necessity today. At Ammann, we offer you custom-made recycling solutions – including high RAP utilisation. At the forefront of these efforts is the Ammann ABP HRT Asphalt-Mixing Plant.
This plant is all about recycling. In fact, HRT stands for High Recycling Technology. The plant incorporates a high degree of technology and innovation, in particular the countercurrent drying process of the RAH100 recycling drum.
Low emissions
• Indirect heating
• Homogenous heat distribution
• Recycling rates of up to 100 %
• Recipe flexibility as there is no need to overheat the minerals
High efficiency
• Low exhaust temperature
• Optimal RAP temperature
Reduced bitumen damage
• No radiation heat
• Gentle heating of RAP
German off-highway equipment giant Liebherr has introduced a pair of new local zero-emission excavators for quarrying and mining extraction customers.
The R 976-E electric crawler excavator and the R 980 SME-E replace the ER 974 B machine. The latest electric excavators to be developed and produced by Liebherr-France SAS in Colmar are not just converted diesel machines; the models and their electric power system were designed and produced entirely by Liebherr.
Robustly designed and capable of withstanding extreme conditions, the R 976-E and R 980 SME-E weigh 90 and 100 tonnes, respectively, and are available in backhoe and shovel versions. They are said to stand out for their low noise level, optimum versatility and zero CO2/greenhouse gas emissions during operation.
In recent decades, Liebherr has demonstrated the quality and reliability of its electric technology with the success of its dedicated product ranges for mining, dredging and materials handling applications.
The electric system in the new Liebherr R 976-E 400kW crawler excavator is supplied with 6000V power via a cable connection, with the cable inlet in the centre of the undercarriage or on the sides if requested. A motor cable drum is also available as an option—a high-voltage 6000V current collector powers the machine. A switch cabinet transformer (high voltage/low
24V networks are located on the upper carriage.
The technology used in the R 976-E and R 980 SME-E is said to offer a host of advantages. Thanks to its constant speed, an excavator with an electric engine has a longer service life, whatever the load. Also, the high availability of transient power for complex machine movements enables very high productivity. The R 976-E’s low-voltage electric squirrel-cage engine drives the hydraulic system. The engine features heat shielding on bearings and motor windings. Integrated into a frame with a reinforced flange, it enables safe, soft starting.
Reduced maintenance and lower operating costs make an electric excavator more cost-effective than a diesel-engine machine, says Liebherr. For greater comfort, the R 976-E and R 980 SME-E are extremely quiet. The robustness, reliability, and costeffectiveness of the R 976-E and R 980 SME-E units make them products of choice
for environmentally friendly extraction applications.
The new Cat 992 wheeled loader for mining and quarrying customers is said to set a new standard by offering up to 32% greater productivity than its predecessor. This new large loader reduces maintenance costs by as much as 10% and offers up to 48% greater payload-per-fuel efficiency than the earlier model, the 992K.
Powered by the new Cat C32B engine with U.S. EPA Tier 4 Final/EU Stage V- and Tier 2-equivalent emission engine options, the new 992 meets the global industry’s demand for high-production equipment with greater payloads. Powertrain design enhancements to the transmission, axles and final drive, along with the new engine, deliver a 20% longer interval for planned component replacement.
Offering both standard- and high-lift configurations, the 992 delivers the lowest cost-per-ton when paired with fleets of Cat 775, 777 and 785 trucks. Standard-lift payload capacities reach 23.1 tonnes for quarry face applications and 27.2 tonnes for loose material handling, while high-lift capacities reach 20.4 tonnes and 24.5 tonnes in respective applications.
A new Z-bar linkage optimised for performance, and improvements to rimpull and breakout force, deliver greater machine capacity and efficiency. The new 992 has demonstrated in field testing up to 48% greater payload-per-fuel efficiency in applications where a four-pass match to 90.7 tonne trucks was achieved, versus five passes with the 992K. The powerful and efficient 992 provides up to 9.5% more rimpull during digging and up to 20% more breakout force, increasing productivity.
The new Cat 992 wheeled loader features an on-demand throttle mode to optimise payload-per-fuel efficiency without slowing production. New standard automatic
A new Liebherr R 976-E electric crawler excavator loading material into an articulated hauler
The new Cat 992 wheeled loader is said to set a new standard by offering up to 32% greater productivity than its predecessor, the 992K
retarding controls disable the impeller clutch, enable the lockup clutch, and use the implement and fan pumps retarding to slow the machine on grade. The available advanced automatic retarding controls with engine brake feature offer full control of the loader’s speed on grade to maintain a desired hold speed.
Automating critical digging cycle elements, optional New Autodig Components further improve productivity and efficiency while reducing tyre wear. To stop slippage before it happens, a tyre slip prevention feature reduces rimpull before the tyres are set and increases rimpull when downward force is applied to the tyre. The tyre set function detects pile contact and automatically lifts against the pile to set the tyres and increase available traction. The lift stall prevention feature automatically manages rimpull in-dig to prevent hydraulic stall while lifting through the face, so the 992 spends less time in the pile.
Optional new Payload Overload Prevention allows for productivity and efficiency improvements by providing a large enough bucket to be used to achieve target pass-match across a range of material densities without the risk of overload. With the overload value fully adjustable based on the target payload, this feature can be configured to automatically stop or slow the lift function when the overload value is exceeded.
Improvements to the setback and strike plane angles, a longer bucket floor, and a stronger and larger bottom section increase the bucket fill factor by 10%. The taller side plate with level top surface helps to improve visibility beyond the bucket edge to the material pile.
Available Operator Coaching empowers operators to exceed productivity targets by measuring and providing feedback to teach proper operating techniques. Among other
operating techniques, this feature shows how to properly shorten travel, avoid unracking in-dig, enter the pile with a level bucket, reduce the dump height, and use the kickout.
CASE Construction Equipment has staged the European launch of its new G-Series Evolution wheeled loader range. Complete with comprehensive enhancements across its entire line, the new G-Series Evolution wheeled loaders, upgrading the 2017-launched G-Series models, are said to improve performance and productivity by increasing uptime. They also empower operators with greater control and understanding of the machine and its capabilities, resulting in increased profitably.
Designed to be reliable and save time, the G-Series’ all-new payload system is integrated directly into the wheeled loader’s primary display. It provides bucket-weight, pass counts, accumulated/running weight, job-tracking data and more, for high-volume loading and production environments.
CASE SiteConnect and SiteWatch also come as standard for three years on each CASE G-Series Evolution Wheeled Loader.
CASE SiteWatch telematics is a solution designed to gather critical information about the machine’s performance and location and make that data quickly available. Featuring a new dashboard, SiteWatch is designed for intuitive navigation that identifies issues without requiring operators and fleet managers to be physically present.
This new European product features an
all-new touchscreen display that provides tablet-like performance for accessing all critical machine settings and operational data, allowing operators to anticipate and react more quickly to real-time changes in conditions.
CASE has simplified the previous engine power management operating mode offering with two new ones: Smart and Max. Max mode is ideal when the operator wants to work with maximum engine performance in tough conditions. In contrast, the new Smart Mode delivers high performance and an enhanced operating experience through improved communication between the engine and transmission on less challenging job sites.
Operators can take advantage of the new parallel lift functionality across all boom configurations that assists in material retention and smooth loading by automatically maintaining the angle and position of the bucket or forks.
Thanks to extended service intervals from 500 to 1000+ hours, the total cost of CASE G-Series Evolution Wheeled Loader maintenance has been reduced by up to 20% when compared to the current range.
In addition, CASE has developed CASE Care, a standard, planned maintenance programme with genuine parts and lubricants available in Germany and the UK, with Europe-wide availability planned. The programme is underpinned by the support, logistics and technical expertise of the widereaching CASE dealer network. AB
CASE’s new G-Series Evolution wheeled loader range includes the 1021G
Hauling operators focus on fuel efficiency and productivity
Quarry operators are increasingly seeking connected machines that let them monitor hauling payloads in real time and help control their cost per tonne. Liam McLoughlin reports
Hauling vehicle operators at quarries are putting the emphasis on high productivity and fuel efficiency in what they seek from their machines, and are also increasingly asking manufacturers for greater connectivity.
That is the view of Trozell Per, product manager for Volvo CE, who adds that the total cost of ownership (TCO) is also key for quarry customers. “They like to keep control of the cost per tonne,” he adds.
Per says connected machines are attractive to hauling operators as they are able to monitor the payload in real time, for example by using Volvo CE’s LoadAssist system.
LoadAssist works in combination with the Maps app, a traffic management system which enables operators to connect all the machines in a large quarry to check on the exact current location of loaders and excavators. “You can also see where you go to dump a load and with that you can keep track of where you have dumped the different materials by type,” says Per.
He adds that the company is continually working on hauling innovations. From June this year tyrepressure monitoring, which is already available on Volvo CE wheeled loaders, has now been extended to its rigid dump trucks (RDTs) and articulated dump trucks (ADTs).
The manufacturer is further developing its Automatic Traction Control (ATC) system with a function called Terrain
Memory. This learns the quarry locations such as gradients where wheel slips have previously taken place and engages the ATC to get better traction and prevent this happening.
Volvo CE also constantly updates its Site Simulation tool, which inputs the data about a quarry to give operators recommendations on the best fleet configuration and site set-up to reduce cost per tonne and maximise profitability. The tool can perform mixed fleet comparisons, and consider factors including machine size, quantity, fleet configuration and the optimal size of attachments such as buckets.
“The emissions and carbon footprint issue is becoming more and more important,” says Per. “The customers of quarry operators are demanding that they show the carbon footprint of crushed material, for example. They come to us as the OEM and ask us for the carbon footprint produced by our products. That is a big focus for us now.”
Per says that safety is another issue that has a high priority for hauling customers. Volvo CE has linked with Hexagon on the latter’s proximity detection system (PDS) that can be installed on haulers in quarrying and mining applications to detect if there is anyone nearby. This is available as an option on haulers made by Volvo CE, which supplies the interface for the Hexagon system.
Europe and the US are the two largest markets for Volvo CE’s haulers, but Per
says that China is growing. He adds that the company has seen no major impact on its hauling business from the COVID-19 pandemic.
“We came from a strong position [pre-COVID] where the factories were running at full capacity,” he says. “Demand for rigid dump trucks and articulated dump trucks is still very high.”
Per adds that the major stimulus packages being made for infrastructure in the US, China and EU in the wake of the pandemic are offering more opportunities for sales of hauling and other quarrying and construction equipment. “They are investing in infrastructure to try and avoid going into recession and that’s positive for us,” he adds.
Volvo CE is also focusing on the development of electric autonomous quarrying solutions, having tested the concept in a 2018 trial at the Vikan Kross quarry near Gothenburg with its customer Skanska.
Following this trial, it has now developed the TARA autonomous transport solution featuring the TA15 electric autonomous hauler – which has a 15-tonne hauling capacity – as a critical part of the offering. The TARA system is currently being trialled with an unnamed customer in Sweden.
“We are working on the industrialisation of the TARA/TA15 system,” says Per. “We plan to make it commercially available with the first customer implementation in Europe by the end of 2021. That is the target but it will be on a small scale.”
Volvo CE says operators of haulers such as its A30G are putting an emphasis on controlling cost per tonne
He adds that it is difficult to predict the potential for autonomous hauling solutions in the quarrying market, but says: “We will see an increase in these systems once we have proved that they are cost-efficient, environmentally-friendly and that they work.
“We have had interest in the system across Europe including from Switzerland and Germany. The initial set-up costs are a bit higher, but once everything is set up it’s really cost-efficient to move material with this system.”
Per says that an increasing number of customers are now asking when they can expect to see electrified haulers. “Quarrying equipment including crushers and conveyors is increasingly electrified and operators expect us to do the same thing with haulers.”
Other recent innovations on Volvo CE haulers include downhill speed control, and the OptiShift feature which lets operators move from forward to reverse without touching any pedals.
Doosan Construction Equipment has launched the new DA30 and DA45 ADTs for markets in the Middle East and Africa (MEA). The DA30 has a payload of 28 tonnes, while the DA45 can carry 41 tonnes.
The previous version of the DA30 ADT was upgraded in 2018 with a range of features including a new cab, a new selflevelling front suspension and a new tandem bogie system, and these are all incorporated in the new DA30 model. A similar process has been applied in the new DA45, with a new cab and a semi-levelling front suspension that adjusts itself independently depending on the operating conditions to ensure a comfortable working environment for the operator. The cabs on the ADTs have new comfortable hand grips and foot rests and an improved layout for the display which is designed to be easier to use even for older eyes.
The new models offer a number of other features including a new design for the front frame and bonnet components on the trucks, which Doosan says has been created by its design team in accordance with the latest market trends. It adds that the new dynamic look given to the ADTs reflects the high performance, power and robustness of the Doosan hauling range.
new DA30 hauler has a payload of 28 tonnes
A number of functional changes on the new ADTs are designed to improve safety, comfort and serviceability. These include a new positioning of the diesel and tank. The latter is now much lower than before, allowing the operator to fill the tank whilst standing next to the machine (‘ground level filling’).
The new haulers are equipped as standard with a real-time payload measuring system with a light indication for excavator operators, which will help them to place optimal loads in the ADTs to ensure excellent productivity and low fuel consumption.
The greasing system has also been relocated to make it easily accessible from ground level. Space has been provided above the automatic lubrication system (which is standard) for additional grease cartridges and a filling pump.
In addition, the transmission filters have been installed close to the greasing system, where they are also very easy to access. All of these systems are protected to ensure that any excess drops of oil/grease are collected
and can be removed during service and maintenance. New improved maintenance access will also help operators to perform daily checks faster and more safely.
Both of the new machines are equipped with additional external round hand rails to prevent accidents and hazardous situations. Inside the cab, there is a new additional grip on the right-hand side for increased safety for the operator. The electronic and hydraulic systems in the new trucks have also been upgraded to offer improved performance with extended functionality and new technology.
Doosan says the developments in the new DA30 and DA45 ADTs have resulted from intensive market analysis, customer visits, interviews with operators and additional feedback gathered by the Doosan ADT product and R&D teams at the company’s ADT plant in Elnesvågen, near Molde in Norway.
“With all of these advanced features incorporated, the new Doosan ADTs establish a unique benchmark in load-carrying performance, fuel efficiency, enhanced controllability and high operator comfort, together with improved reliability, durability and reduced maintenance and servicing costs,” the manufacturer says.
German OEM Liebherr’s new TA 230 Litronic articulated dump truck has won the Red Dot Award: Product Design 2021. The judges of the international design awards praised the aesthetics and functionality of the Liebherr machine and the other winning
The TA 230 Litronic ADT is configured for maximum payload in continuous operation, including in difficult terrain.
The machine has a new lighting concept that features LED headlights to enable improved visibility and safety, both for the machine operator and those around the hauler. LED dipped-beam headlamps with integrated high beam illuminate the road and the extra powerful, optional LED headlights on the front of the cab illuminate the entire working area. The L-shaped multifunction light with animated light functions is a homage to the Liebherr brand name. AB
Volvo CE’s TARA autonomous transport solution features the TA15 hauler
Doosan’s
Strength in recycling numbers
Demand for recycled and secondary aggregates is strong and growing in the UK and other parts of Europe and the wider world. Guy Woodford & Liam McLoughlin report
According to the latest Mineral Products Association (MPA) figures, 28% of the 250.9mn tonnes of aggregates supplied to customers in the UK in 2018 was recycled and secondary (R&S) aggregates. Within that impressive figure, 25% was recycled and 3% secondary aggregates (china & ball clay waste, colliery spoil, fly, furnace and incinerator bottom ash, iron & steel slag, slate waste, clay & shale, chalk). That UK R&S percentage of overall annual aggregates supply was the highest in Europe in 2018, with France a close second on 27% and Netherlands third on 24%.
The rise of the European and wider world recycled aggregates market complements the sustainability agenda of some of the world’s biggest building product makers. The likes of CEMEX, LafargeHolcim, HeidelbergCement and CRH have all committed to ambitious carbon emission reduction targets across their global operations.
The above quartet and other significant cement producers contribute to the Global Cement & Concrete Association (GCCA)coordinated Innovandi Global Cement and Concrete Research Network. Innovandi has brought together 40 top scientific and academic institutions and 30 industry partners to develop new ways to aid the sectors’ lower carbon emissions goal.
The Sheehan Group, a leading British construction materials and plant hire company, has called on the UK construction
industry to increase its use of recycled products following the news of another national materials shortage.
The UK Construction Leadership Council confirmed in April 2021 that cement, aggregates and plastic products had been added to the growing list of essential items in short supply, which already includes tiles, bricks, timber and steel.
The Builders Merchants Federation and Construction Products Association warned high demand for construction products combined with supply issues mean challenges will worsen in the short term. A shortage of raw materials was cited as part of the problem.
Following these warnings, the Oxfordbased Sheehan Group is encouraging contractors to source local recycled products and supplies to reduce the UK’s overreliance on global supply chains, improve the environment and support local jobs.
Tara Sheehan, finance director at the Sheehan Group, said: “This is the latest challenge the UK construction industry has been hit with due to an over-reliance on the global supply chain. It is leading to contractors struggling to obtain materials and hampering our economy at a time when the country needs to bounce back.”
She added that the Circular Driven Economy is key to long-term sustainability for the construction industry and the environment. Sheehan said that if more construction companies embraced its core
principle of keeping resources in use for as long as possible, it would help make the UK market more self-sufficient, protect the environment and jobs.
“The UK is over-reliant on raw materials and imported products,” she said. “But we can take greater control by using recycled materials. We produce recycled aggregate, sand, concrete, and blocks used in construction projects and have seen the benefits first-hand.”
The Sheehan Group has a water treatment facility used to wash construction and demolition waste destined for landfill, turning it into reusable aggregate and other products. Half of the recycled material is used in its construction projects, and the rest is sold to contractors.
Quarrying equipment manufacturers see increased business from customers looking for recycling application-suited crushing, screening, and washing plants, complemented by highly productive and ultra-efficient loading and hauling machines.
A new Hyundai HL960A wheeled loader is said to be proving its worth handling a wide range of recycled aggregates at G Webb Haulage’s Little Paxton quarry site in Cambridgeshire, England.
The loader is helping meet increasing demand from developers for recycled aggregates, which can meet a specification at a fraction of the cost of virgin material.
While offering a range of recycled aggregates from Little Paxton, G Webb
The Sheehan Group has called on the UK construction industry to increase its use of recycled products
Haulage also operates a virgin stone quarry and a second recycled aggregates facility nearby.
The new Hyundai HL960A wheeled loader is already a firm favourite of the longstanding operator and Little Paxton site foreman Nigel Missen.
To handle the large amounts of incoming and outgoing materials, the company relies on a single, frontline wheeled loader. “We have had a number of machines over the years but have recently settled with Hyundai,” Missen explains.
Replacing an 18-month-old HL960, the new HL960A, supplied by local Hyundai dealer Willowbrook Plant, is kept extremely busy five and a half days a week.
The huge Little Paxton quarry contains a massive variety of recycled aggregates and soils ready for dispatch. Incoming aggregates are also catered for with a small processing area occupied by another Hyundai - an HX140 feeding a Sandvik crusher and McCloskey tracked three-way screener.
The arrival of the new loading shovel has seen the older HL960 machine retire to a slightly more sedentary life within G Webb Haulage’s fleet. The company runs a fleet of over 50 wheeled and articulated tippers and a small fleet of earthmoving equipment for both the quarrying activities and outside earthmoving projects the company picks up to service its local operations.
The large Little Paxton site and the variety of materials processed requires the HL960A wheeled loader to be flexible and agile. “With the amount of material we dispatch on a daily basis, having dedicated bays for each material wouldn’t be possible as we stock hundreds if not thousands of tonnes of the most popular products,” says Missen. “This means we need to be travelling from one end of the site to the other, sometimes after each truck. The Hyundai HL960A is ideal for this; it’s the right size for the site to give us the perfect combination of manoeuvrability and performance.”
feels the general-purpose unit fits their needs exactly.
The HL960A is powered by a new Stage V emission-compliant Cummins B6.7 diesel engine, delivering 168kW. The Cummins engine delivers slightly more power and has increased its torque output by 15% over the outgoing HL960 model. Meeting the Stage V regulations involves the loader using Cummins’ Single Module after-treatment system that incorporates a DPF (diesel particulate filter), SCR (selective catalytic reduction) and Urea dosing in a single unit, taking up 50% less space than the previous system. The large bonnet covering the machine’s vital components is electrically opened and gives ample room around the engine and a cooling pack for service access.
The HL960A rides on a pair of heavy-duty axles offering a ground clearance of over 400mm and, due to the short wheelbase, boasts a relatively tight 7.75m turning circle. Wide and well-spaced non-slip steps provide access to the large cab.
a bank of switches to the operator’s righthand side behind the main joystick. Joystick steering can be specified as an option, but Webb did not take this. “I like the steering wheel; it’s responsive and light to use,” says Missen. “I have been very impressed by the noise or lack of it in the cab.”
Willowbrook carries out servicing with remote monitoring of the machine undertaken through Hyundai’s Hi-MATE telematics system. The A model has Engine Connected Diagnostics (ECD), which reports any engine failures immediately to both the Hi-MATE system and the engine manufacturer themselves.
“The fuel consumption is good as is its AdBlue intake,” adds Missen. “If it stays as reliable as my old machine, I’ll be a very happy man.”
With an operating weight of 19.2 tonnes, the HL960A carries a straight-edge bucket with a capacity of 3.3m³. Many heavyduty and light material buckets are available for other applications, but G Webb Haulage
The Hyundai cab features large areas of glass to provide all-around visibility, in addition to
Rubble Master’s RM 120X mobile impact crusher, a hybrid model that can be both diesel-electric and purely electric-powered, has been in series production since autumn 2020. It is the Austrian manufacturer’s first NEXT philosophy crusher, combining enhanced safety, maximum efficiency and maximum performance.
In September 2020, due to increased orders, Taha Zahir, based in Kafr Qasim, a hilltop city near Tel Aviv in Israel, decided to expand its fleet with its second RM crusher, choosing the new RM 120X. Like Taha Zahir’s early-2018-purchased
G Webb Haulage’s Hyundai HL960A wheeled loader
A Hyundai HX140L crawler excavator is part of G Webb Haulage’s fleet of earthmoving equipment for both its quarrying activities and outside earthmoving projects
RM 120GO!, the RM120X is processing construction and demolition (C&D) waste in an enclosed hall. The aggregate produced is then used as road substructure. Given that Taha Zahir’s processing takes place inside a building, the lowest possible dust and noise emissions were key concerns for the company when deciding on its new crusher.
Feed material with an edge length of up to 800mm is now processed fully electrically by the RM 120X to produce cuboid final aggregate (0-32 mm). In order to keep dust levels during the crushing process as low as possible, Taha Zahir also ordered a dust suppression system that minimises dust formation using water mist generated by a water pump and spray bar.
Every day, approximately 1,000 tonnes of C&D waste mixed with plastic, wood, and textiles are delivered to Taha Zahir. To ensure clean, high-quality final aggregate, the firm decided to install a wind sifter on both its RM impact crushers. The C&D waste is now free of unwanted light materials, leaving it able to produce a high-quality final aggregate.
The new RM120X is said to be very user-friendly, both during operation and maintenance. Rubble Master’s proven RM
A Rubble Master RM 120X mobile impact crusher is proving a big C&D waste processing hit for Israel-based Taha Zahir
machine operation and more accessible machine components - has been further developed for the new NEXT machines. With the innovative machine communication lights, the customer can now easily see the system’s current status. If the machine displays the green light, then everything is working perfectly. If the yellow light is on, the operator knows that a service is needed, and the red light indicates a warning.
about the new crusher’s safety features. As the first crusher in the NEXT series, the RM 120X keeps the operator well outside the danger zone during the crushing process. The radio remote control with display, RM GO! SMART (optional) as well as the machine communication lighting considerably increase the safety of the machine operator. All information relating to the crushing process is displayed in the RM GO! SMART App on a mobile device, smartphone or tablet. AB
Aggrecycle has invested more than £100,000 in new vehicles and branding as it relaunches from its urban quarry in the heart of Leicester, central England.
The recycling firm has developed a new offering for small local operators to provide the full range of recycled, decorative, and quarried aggregates for Leicester and the wider Leicestershire county and East Midlands region building trade.
Based at its urban recycling quarry in Syston St East, the company recycled more than 150,000 tonnes of material in 2020, as AR Aggregates.
Almost half of the relaunch funding has been spent on a tipper lorry for small deliveries up to four tonnes—the rest spent on branding activity, including a new livery for Aggrecycle’s large lorries.
The latest investment comes on the back of a £900,000 investment in state-of-the-art German crushing and screening machinery in late 2019.
Andrew Thompson, Aggrecycle’s managing director, who runs the business with his brother, Darren, the company’s operations director, says there is a growing market for clean, quality
recycled materials in the building trade.
“We know from our experience in construction and demolition that 99.9 per cent of spoil arising from these projects can be recycled. It’s part of our job to make that happen.
minimising landfill and keeping the supply of aggregates local to Leicestershire.
“Technology and equipment are so good now that the products we provide are indistinguishable from freshly quarried materials, so it makes sense to use them wherever possible.”
Andrew says Aggrecycle is keen to help reduce the carbon footprint of the regional construction industry by
“If we can do that, by careful pre-planning and maximising the segregation of materials arising during construction processes, then there’s no reason not to either recycle every possible element or arrange for it to happen.
“People talk about the circular economy – we’re putting it into action. We’re keen to work locally if possible and help see our materials, most of which come from local projects, re-used as the basis for new construction projects.”
Pictured left to right: Darren Thompson; weighbridge supervisor Austin Randon; and Andrew Thompson
Stocking up on wear parts can avoid shortages
In the continuing uncertain post-COVID conditions, some quarry equipment distributors are going against conventional thinking and stocking a larger range of wear parts. The increased number of parts might have to be kept in stock for a longer period, but it can avoid expensive air freight charges and lengthy waits for delivery. Liam McLoughlin reports
The current environment of uncertainty worldwide is impacting operations globally, one way or another - including supply chains, equipment manufacturers, distributors and quarry owners. Some producers have delayed their equipment investment decisions because of this uncertainty. Maintaining, or upgrading, their current equipment allows the luxury of time but, as the average age of the fleet starts to increase, parts and service take on a new importance.
Crushing and screening plant manufacturer McCloskey says that the timely and reliable provision of parts, and a proactive approach to maintenance, become the cornerstone of productivity and, ultimately, profitability. It adds that, for distributors, this represents a call to action and offers an opportunity to focus on customer support and service. In addition to price and parts availability, having a knowledgeable staff that knows its customers is key to keeping customers coming back.
Dealers for Metso Outotec-owned McCloskey have commented on how they
are working with customers in the current environment and how their business is adapting to the new environment.
Among them is Mark Senyard, national support and marketing manager for Kemach Equipment in South Africa, who says: “It’s not only about selling a new machine. The hard work starts after that, ensuring that the customer’s aftermarket needs are known and delivered upon.
“It is critical to understand what the customers’ expectations are and how best to support them.”
Tim Watson, marketing manager for McCloskey Equipment in the UK, says that ensuring machines are serviced and/or the correct maintenance items are used is not new or isolated to the aggregates business.
“Machines are used in so many different applications that it is impossible to see every eventuality,” Watson adds. “To assist with reducing any distance between our experts and operators, we are investing and deploying the latest technology to increase remote visibility and make communication easier, regardless of distance or location.”
In addition to price and parts availability, having a knowledgeable staff that knows its customers is key to keeping customers coming back
Philip Barr, CEO at MSC Group of Companies in Australia, has tackled the parts challenge head on by stocking a large range of parts. This might go against a lot of companies’ thinking but “if you don’t have the parts, you’re going to either need really expensive air freight to get them, or have to wait six or eight weeks, which doesn’t work when your customer could have two, three or four machines down. We can have some parts in stock for two, three or four years but it’s worth it in the long run.”
Readily available wear parts are a key component in the ongoing, and uninterrupted, process of crushing stone. Factors impacting a crusher can range from environmental factors, like moisture or temperature, to the material being fed into it, to the most basic of all - age of the equipment. In the current situation driven by the desire to extend the life of currently owned equipment, ongoing maintenance of the protective liners is a relatively straightforward means to achieve longevity.
The focus has turned to proper preventative maintenance conducted both by the end user and the equipment provider. This requirement further increases the need for services, particularly for operations that find they are short of resources at their site.
According to Shane Fleming, managing partner for Rock & Recycling Equipment in the US, “a lot of customers are having trouble finding skilled mechanics. It’s gone from a lot of people working on their own equipment to them needing good, dependable support. What I’ve seen is a shift with more and more people wanting a servicing option, that’s where I see things going.”
The general expectation is that demand will continue to grow as postpandemic stimulus spending is launched by governments to restore balance, and that after-sales support will continue to grow in lockstep.
Barr sums up one of the keystones of a successful after-sales relationship - keeping in touch. “Do what you say you’re going to do and ring people back straightaway. I think that’s really important these days. People want to be talking to someone when they ring you. They don’t want to be stuck on the phone getting passed around. Having one good contact they can talk to is important, a person with a good base understanding of the machines.”
Berco, a manufacturer and supplier of undercarriages and components to the
“We can have some parts in stock for two, three or four years but it’s worth it in the long run”
Philip Barr CEO, MSC Group
world’s main heavy-machinery OEMs, is strengthening its aftermarket business.
With over 100 years of experience and expertise in the industry, the Italian company is extending its high-quality product lines to give customers even better access to replacement components. The extended range will, says Berco, offer a very competitive TCO (total cost of ownership).
In its aftermarket offer, Berco supplies
A LONG WAY TOGETHER
track chains and shoes, idlers, sprockets, track and carrier rollers. A leader in the mining segment, the new strategic development will see the company boost its aftermarket presence in the highly competitive construction industry.
Through a strong collaboration with company dealers, a service presence will be established in strategically important locations. This will allow customers access to the right product, at the right time, in the right place.
To implement this new strategy, Berco has established a new team composed of dedicated experts who possess the experience and mindset to be successful in the aftermarket. The team will fully avail Berco’s comprehensive original equipment (OE) knowledge and pedigree while expanding its aftermarket construction offer.
Diego Buffoni, Berco’s head of aftermarket, said: “The introduction of a focused aftermarket strategy, a clear structure and an increased product portfolio are already creating many growth opportunities and revenue streams for the company. Our goal will be to provide every customer in our various industrial fields with a one-stop-shop offer for all their heavy-duty aftermarket needs.”
Berco’s aftermarket offer includes three different product lines: Original, Platinum and the most recent, Service. The Original Line provides customers with identical
components to OE parts in terms of design and production process. The Platinum Line goes one step further, surpassing OE in quality, durability and performance. This line offers tailored solutions to large machines that must operate in extreme climatic and soil conditions. With increased reliability and lifespan, the Platinum Line is designed to provide cost savings in the long term by allowing machines to operate for significantly longer periods without interruption.
The Service Line was created to supply machines in the construction industry. The inaugural line, which is aimed at excavators with capacities of 13, 20 and 30 tonnes, is now being made available to customers. This line comes with a very high warranty (2,000 hours under normal running conditions) and better resistance to abrasion, impact and humidity.
As a next step, the Service Line for dozers – chains, rollers and sprockets for the D4, D5 and D6 classes – will be completed during the second half of the year.
Following the launch of Sandvik Optitooth jaw plates, Sandvik Mobile Crushers and Screens has now created a number of complementary ready-to-order maintenance kits which include Optitooth jaw plates and its new Optitooth side plates for the Sandvik QJ241, QJ341 & QJ341+ jaw crushers.
The Swedish manufacturer says that benefits for its crushing and screening customers include longer wear life and convenience. With all parts in one kit, they simplify service, increase maintenance efficiency and consequently increase uptime.
The tailor-made Optitooth kits are designed around the natural usage of the wear parts in the crusher, and offer all components an operator needs with just one part number.
Sandvik says key customer benefits include increased performance – Optitooth Jaw plates are matched with the new Optitooth side plates which are designed to greatly increase the efficiency and extend the wear life of the crushing chamber.
It adds that the maintenance kits also improve profitability by increasing maintenance efficiency and productivity. They also enable equipment operators to replace their wear parts in just one service interval following wear patterns.
Sandvik says the kits also provide greater availability by avoiding delays or parts shortages with delivery of all components in one shipment.
It has created kits in three different offerings for convenience. Firstly, the Optitooth Fixed Kit 1 with an Optitooth jaw plate and new lower side plates.
The Optitooth Swing Kit 2 comes with a Swing Optitooth jaw plate and new lower side plates. Finally Optitooth Kit 3 features
SHAFT SCREENER
one fixed and one swing Optitooth jaw plate, and new upper and lower side plates.
All the necessary components are supplied with the kit to keep the crushing chamber operating at optimal performance.
Sandvik says the new enhanced side plates introduced with its Optitooth Kits have proven to last up to three times longer in trials.
“This improvement in wear life matches perfectly with our Optitooth jaw plates, making them the ideal combination for superior performance,” it adds.
Volvo Construction Equipment (CE) says that steel hardness is of major importance for the service life of wear parts such as its excavator buckets.
The manufacturer states that the quality and hardness of the steel used in the wear parts can affect how quickly the bucket’s cutting edge wears down.
Volvo CE only uses 500 Brinell steel in its bucket edges, bolt-on edges and segments, which it says delivers superior service life compared to many cheaper offers. The company says that genuine Volvo CE parts are made of steel with consistent properties, with the same hardness throughout and not just a hard surface and a soft centre which can be the situation for other offers.
“By upgrading from 400 to 500 Brinell, the service life can increase by 70%,” the company adds. AB
THE BRAND NEW MB-HDS523
Revved up for more off-highway engine demand in 2021
CAs the global quarrying and construction world pursues growth after a long period of COVID-19 pandemic-induced disruption, demand for quality off equipment engines is likely to rise.
Guy Woodford reports
ummins could see an eight to 12% increase across its off-highway machine engine business in 2021 as the market recovers more rapidly than expected from the COVID-19 pandemic.
That is the view of Eric Neal, executive director of the U.S-headquartered on-highway and off-highway engine maker’s off-highway business, who adds the proviso that the upbeat forecast is valid “as long as we can get the material to build engines. We’ve got a lot of demand right now that can certainly support that growth, and maybe more actually.”
In a COVID-19-hit 2020 of general market contraction, China and, to a lesser extent, India were the countries providing the biggest boost to Cummins’ revenues, both for on-highway and off-highway engines.
Cummins’ full-year 2020 results, published in February, showed that revenues totalled US$19.8bn, 16% down on 2019. Sales in North America declined 21%, and international revenues declined 7%. Sales were down over the year in all major regions except China, where demand for trucks and construction equipment reached record levels.
Speaking to Aggregates Business about Cummins’ 2021 trading outlook, Steve Nendick, the company’s Global Off-Highway marketing communications director, said: “Our recently released Q1 2021 results painted a positive picture of the industry, with strong demand for our products across all global markets. Although this rising demand is encouraging, the rapid pace of recovery has undoubtedly placed a strain on global supply chains, leading to increased challenges. The shortage of key components and bottlenecks in global logistics have been the primary issues we have had to contend with.
“Unsurprisingly, the ability to maintain supply to our customers is our key focus, and we’re doing everything we can to mitigate any impacts of the pandemic. We’re also
“The investment will enable us to continue developing and integrating advanced diesel power for on- and off-road use, as well as alternative powers solutions including hybrid, electric, hydrogen and natural gas”
Steve Nendick, Cummins
ensuring that this is done while keeping our employees and stakeholders safe, taking necessary precautions at our facilities to protect against COVID-19. We remain cautiously optimistic about the global vaccine rollout, and we look forward to opening up our offices for people to return when it is safe to do so.”
Nendick said that since Cummins launched its Stage V Performance Series engine range in 2018, the business continued developing products that add value to customers, particularly for quarry and construction markets.
“This is typified by our recently launched Stop-Start capable B6.7 Performance Series engine, which gives operators the opportunity to eliminate unnecessary engine idling whilst still maintaining performance and reliability, leading to reduced overall running costs, noise and emissions.
“This extension of the Stage V Performance Series range follows on from the introduction of power units, ranging from 75-503kW, which make the integration process into applications such as crushers much simpler, thereby reducing the leadtime and cost for OEMs [original equipment manufacturers]. Similarly, we followed this up by adding dual rear-engine power takeoffs – REPTO, for short - to our B6.7 and L9 power units, increasing the capability of the engine to power more features on the equipment.”
With no further emissions reduction legislation for off-highway machines expected until 2030 at the earliest, Nendick says Cummins’ engineers are continuing to tailor engines for customer installations
Cummins’ B6.7 power unit
to drive efficiency and reliability. “Our work doesn’t stop, and we will bring further developments to the market in the coming years.”
Nendick emphasised the importance of Cummins’ Darlington Technical Centre in North-East England. “It develops engines to meet the latest on-road and off-road emissions regulations for Europe and other regions where the company operates. The team works with the relevant authorities to ensure these products meet the required specifications throughout their useful lives. This includes an in-service monitoring programme for Stage V diesel engines, developing a system to measure real-world emissions in the tough working conditions of construction and quarrying machinery.
“We have plans to develop the centre further and increase its capability over the next few years. The investment will enable us to continue developing and integrating advanced diesel power for on- and off-road use, as well as alternative powers solutions including hybrid, electric, hydrogen and natural gas.”
Nendick said Cummins expects diesel to remain the “go-to power solution” for many quarrying and plant machines for the foreseeable future. “Additional capabilities will help Cummins develop ultra-clean and ultra-efficient diesel engines for the expected Stage VI regulations when they come, as well as Euro VII for on-road vehicles. Work is underway - so watch this space for further news of its progress.”
Volvo Penta is another major supplier of engines to global quarrying and mining plant customers. Andreas Nyman, the manufacturer’s manager of Field Test & Data Management, offers insight into the Swedish company’s approach to designing its quarrying and mining machine engines.
“Stone crushers face tougher working conditions than most construction machines. Moreover, their owners and operators need to count on them performing with power and durability at all times,” says Nyman. “An engine failure in a mine or quarry will not only disrupt production but also potentially
“Your work is much too valuable for you to waste time and resources on engines that cannot do the job”
Andreas Nyman, Volvo Penta
put operators at risk. So, how can engines be optimised to ensure stone crusher performance and uptime in demanding applications?
“Stone crushers need engines with a correctly specified torque curve and an ability to handle both heavy and light loads effortlessly. The engine needs to run at a high capacity and do so steadily without losing speed when handling heavy stones and rocks or high volumes of sand or gravel.
Additionally, Nyman says mining and quarrying customer plant engines should have long service intervals. “Two-hundredand-fifty-hour service intervals are relatively common, but that essentially means that those maintenance breaks that disrupt your uptime are relatively common too. This is partly why Volvo Penta’s engines come with 1,000-hour service intervals. Long service intervals allow you to focus on your operations, without frequent interruptions.”
Engine manufacturers and OEMs should ideally work in close cooperation, says Nyman. He stresses that doing so will foster solutions that are even better at serving the varying needs of their customers. “By getting a better understanding of a particular application or work environment, factors like engine performance, engine maintenance, and fuel consumption can be improved further.”
Nyman says attentiveness and innovation is a key combination when it comes to engine optimisation and development. “All of our Volvo Penta engines can run on HVO 100, for example. This is a much-appreciated feature, not least among customers who want to phase out fossil fuels from their production. There is also a growing interest in diesel-electric solutions for stone crushers. It is a very interesting concept and could be a step towards an increased electromobility portfolio.”
Nyman says Volvo Penta works with its customers out in the field (including down in the mines and quarries) to ensure that its engines always perform as they should, whatever the application.
“Some operators are used to engines failing and may even expect having to restart them from time to time. This practice should be a thing of the past. Your work is much too valuable for you to waste time and resources on engines that cannot do the job.”
A good example of this involved a quarrying project north of Stockholm, Sweden. “One of their stone crushers was overpowered for its workload and application. As a result, we decided to shift from the D8 engine to a D5 engine. We also changed the hydraulic pumps and reduced the rpm by half. This did not in any way affect the stone crusher’s performance or uptime negatively. Instead, we managed to cut fuel consumption by more than a third. Not only is that highly beneficial in terms
Volvo Penta’s Andreas Nyman says stone crushers need engines with a correctly specified torque curve and an ability to comfortably handle both heavy and light loads
of the significantly reduced total cost of ownership, but it is also certainly better for the environment too. Lowered costs, without any compromise in terms of productivity or quality, in other words.”
To verify an engine’s durability, reliability and performance, Nynas says you have to “test it and test it and then test it some more”. He adds: “As for our Volvo Penta engines, they undergo in-house testing in test cells, as well as field tests. In these field tests, we install the engines in customers’ machines and test them in actual operations. This way, we can see how the engines work in – and respond to – certain applications, climates and environments.
“This rigorous testing process makes it easier to adjust and fine-tune the engines and make sure they come with the right torque response, power, emission requirements, etcetera. Our ambition is to test our engines in as many applications as we can, to make them the best and most well-adapted engines possible.”
Nyman highlights how advanced analytics can be used to study individual engines and components, as well as stone crushers and other machines in their entirety. This enables Volvo Penta and its customers to get an even better, deeper understanding of how they work. And, occasionally, why something may not perform quite as intended.
“Through advanced analytics, more specifically machine learning, you can create a virtual machine that receives and processes data from a physical engine, or a stone crusher, for example. The virtual machine learns from this data, gaining insights that would be difficult to get otherwise. This information is highly valuable in terms of product development. Positive features can be improved, and flaws can be detected, fixed and prevented.
“Data analytics is already a key part of our engine development projects. The next step is to use more advanced analytics on our data. That is now used as a proof of concept but will be the next key part of product and solution development. For example, we have used advanced analytics on data from our customers’ production engines; for predictive
maintenance and to learn more and further improve our engines.”
Nyman says Volvo Penta is currently working with OEMs to create state-of-theart energy propulsion systems. “However, it is our belief and experience that we should collaborate even more closely. Doing so allows us to better support OEMs in quality and maintenance and to continue to meet customers’ requirements as these emerge and develop over time. Moreover, it will put us on a common path towards better sustainability solutions for stone crushers and screeners.”
Speaking during a recent JCB virtual press conference event, Tim Burnhope, JCB’s chief innovation and growth officer, stressed how the event-unveiled machines all benefited greatly from the company’s new Stage V-compliant engines.
“The common thread today is Stage V engine technology. We’ve stated previously our clear belief that internal combustion engines will play a leading role in powering construction equipment for the foreseeable future. But the foreseeable future is not forever, particularly when it comes to fossil fuels. We will certainly need alternatives to fossil fuels sooner rather than later. Until then, engines will need to have close-to-zero impact on air quality and offer a route to zero greenhouse gas emissions. Stage V has been an important step on this road to zero.
“As a manufacturer of diesel engines, we have set out to ensure that diesel can be part of the environmental solution, not part of the problem. At Stage V our engines certainly deliver. The three-litre JCB 430 DieselMax engine delivers up to 7% improvement in fuel consumption, a corresponding reduction in CO2 emissions, and a 10% increase in torque to 440Nm for improved response and drivability. It also offers lower noise, virtually zero particulate emissions, and lower running and service costs.
“The higher power 4.8-litre JCB 448 DieselMax engine at Stage V delivers a fuel consumption reduction of over 5%, together with a corresponding reduction in CO2, All our Stage V engines produce virtually zero particulates and NOx [nitrogen oxide]. Our
Volvo Penta works with customers in quarries and mines to ensure that its engines always perform as they should
journey towards zero emissions over recent years has been remarkable. We are very proud of what we’ve achieved at Stage V. Our engines lead the way on innovation. This is JCB’s clean diesel technology. It is here now. It delivers on Stage V, future-proofs the JCB range, and sets a new standard for the industry.”
The JCB press conference included the Stage V-compliant versions of the manufacturer’s popular 140X, 150X and 220X crawler excavators – all of which use the JCB DieselMax 448 engine.
Speaking after the event, a JCB spokesperson said: “They [DieselMax 430 and 448] are well suited to quarrying applications due to their robust fuel and induction air filtration systems. Their power density and delivery also suits quarry machines well either within JCB machinery or for loose engine supply into other quarrying and aggregate production machinery.”
Large engines are well suited for quarrying applications because they provide the power density needed to manage heavy, hard materials. John Deere Power Systems (JDPS) has expanded its engine line-up to accommodate high-intensity, highhorsepower jobs, such as heavy-digging material handling in the mining and quarry industry.
The John Deere PowerTech 13.6L diesel engine provides OEMs with more power per litre than previous 13.5L configurations. John Deere designed this engine specifically to meet customer needs of increased power and torque. With outputs up to 510kW, it has 14% higher power, and 11% increased peak torque, making it a reliable and durable power solution. The John Deere 13.6L engines have been working more than 47,000 hours at high load in various applications. Many operational challenges were even more
extreme than typically confronted in the field; repeating high to low loads to confirm thermal durability, block loading to show strength, and ultralow idling to demonstrate oil pressure capabilities.
Continuing with an analysisled process first used with the 13.6L engine, John Deere Power Systems announced its new 18.0L engine at CONEXPO in 2020. The 18.0L is the largest engine in John Deere’s line-up, offering rated power up to 676kW.
This engine is the second in a new era of products for John Deere that are engineered specifically to address customer and market needs. The 18.0L engine was designed for extreme durability and is ideal for heavy-duty applications around the world.
Since the 18.0L engine builds on the advancements made during the 13.6L engine development, there are multiple technological and design similarities. These include John Deere model-based controls, a rear gear train and streamlined service and repair capabilities.
The John Deere model-based controls offer advanced prognostics capabilities and reduce the overall number of sensors needed, which improves transient response. Switching the location of the gear train from the front to the rear of the engine reduces noise and torsional vibration. In addition, its streamlined design factored in the top 20 service and repair jobs normally completed on an engine as part of the development process, resulting in reduced repair time.
Both engines also feature a three-piece integrated harness with a protective channel — further improving overall reliability.
To meet customer needs for fewer and shorter planned maintenance intervals, John Deere utilised hydraulic lash adjusters (HLAs) in the 18.0L engine design. The HLAs are hydraulically operated and self-adjusting, eliminating the need to manually reset the valve lash — a lengthy service process. This was a key-value point for John Deere customers and internal partners.
The 18.0L also features a three-piece integrated harness with a protective channel, further improving overall reliability.
In addition, locating the gear
train in the rear of the engine improves durability while enhancing operational flexibility, as it enables more gear-drive auxiliary power take-off capabilities.
There is an immediate benefit to implementing a fully electric solution for underground mining: it eliminates all diesel exhaust. Because the application needs are so specific, mining OEMs can pioneer fully electric off-highway solutions even as battery technology develops.
Electrification helps companies obtain the permits needed to start new mines since it allows them to have a neutral environmental footprint. And while electrification also helps with permitting new mines, it also enables companies to drill deeper into existing mines and expand existing mining shafts. Since they’re using electric vehicles, they don’t need to create extra ventilation as they go deeper underground. Even in mining applications where it doesn’t make sense to run a completely electric system, hybrid solutions offer increased benefits. In the on-highway market, it’s been established that electrification improves fuel economy. This benefit still applies to other applications, reducing overall fuel costs.
Because the John Deere solution includes power-generation and traction-drive components designed to work together, JDPS can work with a vehicle system integrator to provide a solution that generates the right amount of energy for the tractive power. OEMs benefit from the knowledge and extensive experience John Deere has developed in designing efficient, reliable drivetrain systems. John Deere can provide OEM customers with integrated electricdrive generation, traction drive and power electronic components to interface effectively with their unique machine and designed for their specific application. AB
John Deere’s 13.6L engine
John Deere’s 18.0L is the largest engine in the company’s line-up
Battery energy storage solutions like Atlas Copco’s ZenergiZe can store energy from renewable sources, such as solar panels, for use when grid power is unavailable
Enabling the sustainable quarry site of tomorrow
Liam McLoughlin reports
The aggregates industry is at a turning point when it comes to embracing sustainability. According to research website Our World in Data, 10.6% of energy-related greenhouse gas emissions originate from manufacturing in industries including quarrying and mining, construction, textiles, wood products, and transport equipment.
Bárbara Gregorio, product marketing manager – innovative energies & digital solutions at Atlas Copco’s Power and Flow Division, says that both quarrying and construction operators have to balance the increasing pressure to take steps to address the issue with the need to optimise effi and remain competitive.
“For a long time, the very nature of quarry sites, which are often off-grid and sometimes remote, has meant that they have had to rely exclusively on generators to power and start vital equipment,” says Gregorio. “The European Stage V emissions standards have already set tighter emission restrictions on diesel engines in non-road mobile machinery to improve air quality. Now, li-ion battery energy storage solutions provide new, greener ways to complement the generator’s power.”
She adds that high-density lithium-ion batteries, such as those used in Atlas Copco’s ZenergiZe lithium-ion energy storage units, are lighter and much more compact than traditional alternatives, yet able to provide over 12 hours of power with a single charge. They are not designed to replace a generator as their primary function is different: a battery stores energy while an engine generates it. However, they are ideal for making the use of generators more flexible and energy effi
Gregorio says that one of the greatest benefits of battery energy storage solutions is their capability to store energy from renewable sources, such as solar panels, for use when grid power is unavailable, or the use of a generator is unsuitable.
“This opens up several new applications on-site, from being the sole source of power for low-load equipment, such as telecoms antennas, to working together with a generator to enable electric vehicle (EV) and electric tool charging stations,” she says.
“In the ideal case, the batteries can serve as the standalone power solution when combined with a renewable source. The ZenergiZe unit, for example, can enable a 100 percent reduction in CO2 emissions compared to a generator when used as a standalone power solution in the island mode.”
Li-ion battery storage solutions offer operators several simple ways to make the use of generators more efficient, practical, and environmentally friendly. Gregorio says
Quarry operators can leverage lithium-ion battery energy storage solutions (ESS) to address sustainability challenges and work towards greener and more efficient operations.
that benefits are also felt outside the quarry site, as any steps taken to reduce noise and minimize CO2 emissions can help ensure a good relationship with the surrounding community and protect the brand image.
“That is why forward-thinking constructors are already taking steps to make ESS part of their site’s power network to manage peak power requirements and work towards achieving three zero operation, with zero emissions, zero noise, and zero maintenance,” Gregorio adds.
Atlas Copco has now introduced ZBC, the
Li-ion battery energy storage solutions provide greener ways to complement power from generators
to create microgrids. The new ZenergiZe is designed as an ideal solution for demanding applications that require a constant and significant flow of electrical energy.
The ZenergiZe ZBC range offers rated power from 100kVA to 1000kVA and an energy storage capacity of 250kWh and 2000kWh depending on the model, to deliver high power with long autonomy.
Atlas Copco has officially announced Power Technique as the new name of its Construction Technique business area. The company says Power Technique has been chosen as the name because power is recognised by customers as the integral characteristic of the core product categories in the portfolio – air, power (including light) and flow. The business area will serve multiple customer segments including construction, industrial, drilling, oil and gas and petrochemicals. The change is effective immediately.
Moving forward, the manufacturer says the Power Technique business area will offer a core portfolio of products including portable compressors, generators, light towers and pumps along with dedicated construction products including handheld pneumatic, electric and hydraulic tools and compaction and concrete products. In addition, it will continue to provide products and customised solutions for drilling, oil and gas and geothermal exploration applications, among many others.
UK-based JCB has introduced its first Rental Series (RS) generator set with EU Stage V power, which the UK manufacturer says offers customers increased prime output with reduced emissions. The G40RS V replaces the Stage IIIA G36RS model, delivering 40kVA at 50Hz frequency.
The G40RS V rental generator set is a transportable power-generation system that has been designed to work in the harshest rental environments. Built on an over-gauge base frame, with a 2mm thick Galvtec steel canopy, the G40RS V has a 40mm fixed single lift point, four base-frame lifting points and integrated fork pockets, for rapid deployment to site. The integrated fully-bunded fuel tank is compliant with the European ADR standards for safe road transport, and the canopy has vertical hot air discharge vents, to
reduce noise and prevent dust swirl around the set on-site.
The generator is powered by a JCB by Kohler KDI 2504 TCR four-cylinder turbocharged engine, developing 42.4kW (57hp). This uses a single-can diesel oxidation catalyst (DOC) and diesel particulate filter (DPF), that is mounted in front of the radiator to retain slim canopy dimensions. The DOC is maintenance-free and the DPF is regularly cleaned using regeneration. The regeneration strategy has been designed to maintain optimal machine operation, even at low loads and temperatures, maximising uptime for the customer.
Large, lockable doors enable easy access to all service points and routine service intervals are set at 500 hours. All replaceable filters are located on the cold side of the engine, while a lift-off panel provides access to the cooling pack, load bank elements and the DOC/DPF canister. JCB says there is no requirement for selective catalytic reduction (SCR) or diesel exhaust fluid (AdBlue).
The G40RS V can be supplied with DSE7310 or DSE8610 (synch) controllers to provide an industry-familiar control environment. A four-pole Schneider circuit breaker is standard and there is an emergency stop button mounted on the canopy, adjacent to the control section. All controls are located behind a lockable door with viewing window and are shielded from the engine compartment.
The optional DSE8610 synch controller is designed to allow the G40RS V to be easily connected to other machines, to deliver flexible, adaptable power as required. JCB LiveLink telematics provide standard remote monitoring, in effect placing a virtual engineer with every RS generator set on-site. The ADR-compliant fuel tank provides a minimum of 24-hours operating autonomy and the lifting points have been designed to allow fully-fuelled delivery.
JCB comments on the new RS generator set: “With clean Stage V power, common DSE control systems and premium MeccAlte alternators, in a proven robust yet compact package, the G40RS V leads the way for Stage V adoption in the JCB Power Products Rental Series generator line-up.”
Power-systems supplier Kohler has launched its M139 generator canopy. The company says it offers high levels of anticorrosion performance, making it suitable for use in harsh outdoor environments in markets such as Africa and the Middle East.
The M139 integrates powers from 165 kVA to 250 kVA. It completes the redesign of canopies for Kohler’s industrial range, with the previously released M137 and M138 covering 22 to 130 kVA.
The canopy is made from aluminiumzinc coated steel, which is designed to provide superior protection against corrosion compared with standard galvanised steel. Tests at the French Corrosion Institute near Kohler’s headquarters in Brest, northwest France, showed that the M139 continued to provide resistance up to 1,500 hours in a climatic chamber under salt-spray conditions.
The company says the design of the M139 has also resulted in the removal of certain welds, eliminating water traps that can accelerate the spread of rust.
“The M139 canopy integrates generators for prime and back-up electricity production in global markets, and it will find application in a broad range of small industry and retail settings,” said Kevin Bougault, product manager for the small diesel range at Kohler.
Other design advantages include grooved sheets to provide additional structural solidity of the canopy, therefore reducing vibration.
The M139 also comes with a chamfered roof and plastic finishing on the corners, providing additional protection.
“Durability was a crucial factor from the outset,” said Bougault. “Our designers and engineers worked closely with first-class suppliers to ensure the production of a canopy that is built to last.”
Kohler states that day-to-day practicality was also an important consideration. The M139 features a door at the front and a double-sized panel on the side for ease of access for maintenance teams. An oculus on the door provides clear visibility of the generator control panel, and the M139 also features a lifting eye as standard so that it can be easily hoisted from the top.
The M139 will be offered to global markets through an extended distribution network, providing delivery within two weeks. AB
JCB’s new G40RS V rental generator set is designed to work in the harshest environments
Kohler has launched the new M139 generator canopy
The importance of Dubai’s new building code
Dubai’s revised building code is set to galvanise the emirate state’s construction sector and building materials demand. V L Srinivasan reports
Dubai is among the leading cities in the world attracting foreign investment, particularly in sectors such as real estate and tourism. Its government offers many incentives to these sectors, the latest one being the recent revision of Dubai’s building code.
The move is part of the emirate state government’s economic diversification programme which aims to reduce its dependence on hydrocarbon revenues. The Dubai Executive Council, headed by Crown Prince His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, initiated a major step in this direction by approving a new building code for Dubai in October 2020.
ABOVE & BELOW: Creekview project: pictures by Azizi Developments
“Today during a @TECofDubai (The Executive Council of Dubai) meeting, we approved the Dubai Building Code, aiming to reduce construction costs and ease the process for citizens & investors.”
His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince, Dubai
“Today (October 7) during a @TECofDubai (The Executive Council of Dubai) meeting, we approved the Dubai Building Code, aiming to reduce construction costs and ease the process for citizens & investors,” the Crown Prince tweeted later.
The new building code creates a unified set of standards for construction that promotes sustainable development and innovation in building design. It will enhance Dubai’s international investment attractiveness and promote diversification of projects in the emirate’s construction sector.
Coming as a big relief to construction companies whose businesses were adversely affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, the new Dubai building code offers a one-stop-shop for obtaining approval from the emirate’s licensing agencies and departments. It also eases procedures for consultants, contractors, developers, investors, and owners.
By standardising building requirements, the new building code will also speed up the completion of the design phase of construction projects. Investors can ensure compliance with all design requirements without checking with various departments individually.
Collaborative working between banks and governments with their clients to ensure that there is enough liquidity, mitigating the default risk and reducing the likelihood of disputes remained at the top of the government’s agenda, amid the construction industry’s struggle during 2020.
Reasons aplenty
One of the major reasons cited for government approval of the new building code was the opportunity to prevent construction firms such as Arabtec, which helped in building the world’s tallest Iconic 160-plus storey Burj Khalifa tower in Dubai,
“With policies and measures in place, such as FDI Law enacted in 2018 to further open the UAE market to investors in certain sectors, and the issuance of our Positive List, which allows for greater foreign investment across 122 activities, the UAE was able to increase our FDI value by 32% in 2019.”
Thani bin Ahmed Al-Zeyoudi, Minister of State for Foreign Trade, United Arab Emirates
facing liquidity problems.
Arabtec is one of the oldest construction giants and had aimed to become one of the top 10 construction companies in the world but it has collapsed with liabilities reportedly of around US$2.75 billion.
In a statement, company chairman Waleed Al Mokarrab Al Muhairi said: “Limited liability has impacted the progress of Arabtec’s projects, and this has been exacerbated by the effects of COVID-19.”
Arabtec had 22 projects underway, worth a combined US$5.2 billion. Its MEP division, Efeco, had 15 projects under execution and its EPC subsidiary Target Engineering had 13 projects in train, worth a combined US$13 billion.
Another reason for the collapse is that the spiralling cost of imported building materials, following the rise in shipping costs. This has put companies in a tight situation and they are in no position to pass them on to the buyers as the properties are now being sold at cheaper rates compared with a year ago.
The prices of building materials, except cement which is abundantly available in the local markets, are believed to have risen between 10% and 20%. “From China, freight has gone from US$1,000 to US$4,000 on a 40-foot container, and for India, rates have gone from US$300 to US$1,200 – that’s nearly 400% since September 2020,” said Anis Sajan, managing director at building material supplier Danube, as quoted in the UAE daily, Gulf News
“Rates from Europe are now 2,000 euros from 1,200 - and that too is available only
on a first come, first served basis. Shipping companies want to make up for the huge losses they had borne earlier this year because of the COVID-19 disruptions,” the newspaper reported.
Until August, imports into the UAE were available at US$1,000 for a 40-foot container. The price shot up to US$2,000 during August, and went up to US$3,000 during SeptemberOctober. At the start of this month, some of the transactions were at or were around the US$4,000 mark. What’s making it worse is that transit times from China and European ports are now averaging 40 days as opposed to 20 earlier, the report added.
Role of FDI
In the words of UAE’s Minister of State for Foreign Trade, Thani bin Ahmed Al-Zeyoudi, Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) played a critical role in the country’s economic growth and the country was the largest recipient of FDI in the region in 2019. This was largely due to its increased focus over the years on enhancing local conditions to attract FDI.
“With policies and measures in place, such as FDI Law enacted in 2018 to further open the UAE market to investors in certain sectors, and the issuance of our Positive List, which allows for greater foreign investment across 122 activities, the UAE was able to increase our FDI value by 32% in 2019,” he said.
The UAE was ranked 16th among 190 countries in the World Bank’s Ease of Doing Business 2020 report due to its digitisation strategies and promising business regulatory environment.
Contract and growth
In a report, the Dubai Land Department (DLD) said that Dubai’s real estate market witnessed transactions worth AED72.5 billion (US$19.73 billion) in H1 2020 despite COVID19.
These figures indicated that Dubai’s real estate sector was gradually returning to normal, driven by the stimulus packages and initiatives launched by the government in the past few months, and the new building code is expected to give a fillip to the government’s efforts in 2021.
However, international construction consultancy, Linesight, in its latest Middle
“The new building code is another example that showcases the UAE’s unparalleled investor friendliness, stability and proactiveness when it comes to the development of the real estate sector.”
East construction industry findings, said that the UAE’s construction industry was expected to contract by nearly 2% in 2020 due to the impact of COVID-19.
The report said that the construction industry across the region was expected to be buoyed as many governments announced stimulus packages, resulting in a rebound to modest growth in 2021, with recovery already being witnessed in some countries.
In an interview with Dubai-based Arabian Business magazine, the regional director for Linesight Middle East, Ciaran McCormack, said he believed any opportunity to assist in the reduction of construction cost by practical means is always worthy of consideration. The pressure to procure projects in line with tight programme milestones and budget constraints is an ever-present challenge, and McCormack said that any effort to streamline building rules, particularly regarding permitting and approvals, needs to be seen as a positive.
He added: “Whilst many consultants would feel that the design stages for many projects are already being fast-tracked to achieve ambitious milestone dates, the whole process can be undermined where delays occur outside the control of the principal parties. I believe the one-stop-shop approach will be welcomed by the industry at large.”
GlobalData, a leading business market intelligence consultancy, said the UAE construction sector recorded growth of 3.3% in 2019. Pre-COVID, this figure was expected to increase to 4.3% in 2020, predominantly driven by a range of government initiatives. However, with the onset of the virus and the subsequent drop in oil prices, output was expected to contract to 1.9% in 2020, before recovering to 3.8% in 2021.
Businesses elated
Construction companies in Dubai feel that the new building code represents another momentous move - a great testament to
“Whilst many consultants would feel that the design stages for many projects are already being fast-tracked to achieve ambitious milestone dates, the whole process can be undermined where delays occur outside the control of the principal parties. I believe the one-stop-shop approach will be welcomed by the industry at large.”
Ciaran McCormack, Regional director for project management consultancy, Linesight Middle East
the creation of a unified set of standards for construction that will promote sustainable property development and innovation.
Farhad Azizi, CEO of Dubai-based property developer Azizi Developments, said that the new building code is another example of the UAE’s unparalleled investor friendliness, stability and proactiveness when it comes to the development of the real estate sector.
According to him, there has already been a “strong uptick” in demand and sales, especially from international investors, with new markets being unlocked.
Azizi said his company’s upbeat market outlook is also based on construction being barely affected by the pandemic. In 2020 alone, Azizi Developments casted over 300 storeys, poured over 239,000m³ of concrete, built over 3.68 million sq. ft of built-up area (BUA), and recorded more than 17.6 million man-hours.
To enhance structural designs of building projects in the emirate, Azizi notes that Dubai authorities issued new and improved regulations on 22 February 2021, which Azizi Developments has since implemented in its property designs.
“The main change that may have a major impact on our designs is within the seismic design code, which has changed from Uniform Building Code to the American Society of Civil Engineers code. This will reduce design costs, affecting the prices of concrete and steel quantities,” said Azizi.
“We feel these changes are a major leap forward, as they benefit industry stakeholders
such as community developers and civil contractors, and result in cost optimisation in terms of base materials - especially in steel and reinforced concrete, all while improving build quality. In turn, this translates into reduced costs for end users, granting those who invest in property here even higher return on investments.” AB
“Limited liability has impacted the progress of Arabtec’s projects and this has been exacerbated by the effects of COVID-19.”
Waleed Al Mokarrab Al Muhairi, Chairman, Arabtec
Continuous improvement pays dividends for Midmar Crushers
Having previously scooped the Top Independent Performer award three times in the past five years in ASPASA’s annual ISHE Audit, Midmar Crushers has risen to the summit of the South African quarrying industry’s health and safety compliance regime following its crowning as the overall Top Performer in the association’s 2020 audit. The achievement is testimony to the Midmar Group’s continuous improvement approach over the years, which is proving to be paying dividends. Munesu Shoko reports
Over time, companies learn internally how to work in an organised, efficient manner, identify opportunities and make changes accordingly. They also learn how to pinpoint areas where value is added and where it is absent, and evolve over time. That, in a nutshell, is a continuous improvement approach, which can assist businesses to operate on a higher level.
This approach has truly been adopted and demonstrated at Midmar Crushers. The family-owned quarry operation has been part of the ASPASA audit process since 2008 and has been selected as the top independent quarry in either the Environmental (About Face) or Health & Safety (ISHE) audit for seven years. In 2016, however, the operation was named the Top Independent Performer in both categories.
Over the past five years, explains ASPASA
ISHE auditor Marius van Deventer, Midmar Crushers was awarded the top independent performer three times, finishing twice in third overall place and once in seventh place over the same period. Since entering the ISHE Audit, the operation has achieved Showplace Status (audit scores of 95% and more) five times. The quarry’s average score since 2008 is 93.32%, an achievement Van Deventer calls “truly an extraordinary health & safety performance to be proud of”.
Commenting on Midmar Crushers’ latest achievement, Van Deventer says management at the operation didn’t necessarily do anything drastically different this time around, but it was a matter of “doing things better on a consistent basis over the years”.
Over the years, management at Midmar Crushers, says Van Deventer, continued to source the right skills and service providers
to add value to the different parts of the business. For example, he says, a couple of years ago, Noshcon (Paul Chapmen and Ronelle Affinand) was contracted to join the team as the occupational health and safety consultant. Together with management at Midmar Crushers, they have reassessed risks and developed a sustainable documentation system, thus ensuring high levels of legal compliance.
“Perseverance in every aspect of their business is a winning recipe for Midmar Crushers. Teamwork has also been central to the operation’s success, with everyone pulling in the same direction to close gaps identified from previous audit findings. Closing gaps, however, is half the battle won; ensuring that sustainable corrective actions are put in place and followed up through planned task observations ensures that negative previous audit findings don’t repeat
themselves,” says Van Deventer.
The same view is expressed by quarry manager Gary Botha, who says that throughout its 25-year existence, the operation has developed and persevered through the good and challenging times.
“Being awarded the Top Performer award for the 2020 ISHE Audit is a huge achievement for the entire Midmar team as we are striving for continual improvement through our health & safety and environmental compliance to ensure safety for all individuals on site. Our business philosophy, “Effecting change through positive contact”, is a true reflection of what we do on a daily basis,” says Botha.
Focusing on effective teamwork has been the key to the success of Midmar Crushers, says Bronwyn Moore, GM of Midmar Group. Working as a “well-oiled machine” paves the way forward, while respect and integrity on all levels of interaction are the foundational values required, she says. As part of this initiative, onsite training has been essential in assisting the team to fully understand the context of their work and to ensure that effective teamwork is realised.
“Health and safety are important not only in the work environment but even in our personal lives too. Regular training is done with the entire Midmar Crushers team as we deem it imperative to keep these topics top
train the team on site and equip them with powerful motivating tools such as DVDs, newspapers, magazines and real-life articles that the team can relate to with regards to all aspects of health, caring for the environment, safety hazards in the workplace, as well as relevant issues in personal environments,” explains Moore.
Moore, however, believes that to be successful in these sorts of initiatives, there is a need to have both strong leadership and management capabilities. “Leadership is about getting individuals to comprehend and believe in the vision of the company and to work together on achieving goals, while management is more about administering and making sure the day-to-day activities are happening as they should,” she says.
Leadership and management must go hand in hand, she stresses. “They are not the
complementary to one another. Any effort to separate the two within an organisation is likely to be disruptive. For any company to be successful, it needs management that can plan, organise and coordinate its staff, while also inspiring and motivating them to perform to the best of their ability,” says Moore.
For Midmar Crushers to be at the top, the Midmar Group has over the years invested in several capital projects to improve processes. There has been continual improvement year on year, says Moore. For example, the crushing plant office, with a good view of the crushing plant, has been built in order to remove employees from the frontline of exposure and place them in a safe working environment. The office is equipped with technology that makes crushing user-friendly. Midmar has also recently installed a bigger
LEFT: With a 97.19% score, Midmar Crushers is the Top Performer in ASPASA’s 2020 ISHE Audit ABOVE: Midmar Crushers has, over the years, invested in several capital projects to improve processes on site BELOW: A fleet of haulers used at the quarry
jaw crusher (Sandvik CJ211) in the main plant to maximise utilisation of the entire plant.
“Walkways using gabion baskets have been created strategically to minimise man-to-machinery contact as part of the traffic flow process,” she says. “Signage has been strategically placed around Midmar Crushers to guide and control the flow of machinery, staff and visitors and to promote keeping the site clean and tidy.”
Managing health & safety during a pandemic such as COVID-19 has been a test for many operations. Moore alludes to the fact that COVID-19 has been a big challenge around the world and has brought about enormous devastation of the economy and the population. How did Midmar Crushers manage to deal with the challenges brought about by the pandemic?
“After the initial lockdown we started returning to work with an adjusted ‘normal’ which was unpredictable and required flexibility and rapid response. We had decided as a team to face it head-on and accept it as a new reality. Learning and sharing on a daily basis about the challenges and new information received from around the world was at times very difficult,” she says.
The Midmar Crushers team posing with the recently awarded ASPASA trophy ABOVE: Management showcasing their recent trophies from ASPASA. From left: Derryn Fourie (director); Gary Botha (quarry manager); Laurencia Maphumulo (health and safety award winner); and Bronwyn Moore (general manager) BELOW: A Hitachi excavator feeding material into the primary jaw crusher at Midmar Crushers’ main plant
“Being awarded the Top Performer award for the 2020 ISHE Audit is a huge achievement for the entire Midmar team as we are striving for continual improvement through our health & safety and environmental compliance to ensure safety for all individuals on site.”
Regulations implemented by the Department of Mineral Resources and Energy (DMRE) and the guidelines set down in the National Disaster Management Act, created extra work in the implementation of new policies, procedures, training and checklists, to name a few. “We, however, persevered and ensured all were implemented and continue to be implemented to safeguard the safety of all individuals who work at or visit our quarry,” concludes Moore. AB
TOP:
India’s northern crushing powerhouse
With demand for aggregates swelling from infrastructure projects, North India’s crushing plant owners are opting for rapid capacity expansion and embracing cutting-edge production technology. Partha Pratim Basistha reports
Many crushing plant operators across North India are back in action, having scaled back their output during India’s first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic. Renewed large-scale roadbuilding and railway infrastructure work overseen by the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) is fuelling operators’ investment in increased production capacity and high-tech plant capability.
Speaking at a recent webinar attended by Aggregates Business International, Nitin Gadkari, India’s Minister for Road Transport & Highways and the Minister of Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs), said: “India has managed to achieve three world records recently. Firstly, we could manage to achieve a record by constructing 37km of road per day during 2020-21. Secondly, construction of a 2.5km four-lane concrete road was achieved in a matter of 24 hours. Our ministry also achieved a record by constructing a 26 km one-lane road in 24 hours flat.
“The Ministry has constructed 13,327km of National Highways up to March 2021 as compared to 10,237km in March 2020. The award figure is 10,965km during this period as compared to 8,948km in the previous year. We will look to retain this momentum.”
MoRTH has planned to construct about 60,000kms of national highway in the next five years – with many linked projects in Northern India states. GHV India has been awarded the contract to build the
Sohna-Vadodara section of the 1350km Delhi-Mumbai Expressway. Meanwhile, PNC Infratech has been awarded the contract to build four-lane roads on the Hapur Road section of the Delhi-Meerut Expressway. Work on the project must be completed in two years. Another major road project in North India is the 600km Delhi-AmritsarKatra Expressway. KCC Buildcon and CDS Infra Projects have emerged as bidders for construction of the first three packages of the project.
Indian Railways is laying the 125km Rishikesh-Karnaprayag railway line 825 metres above sea level in the North India state of Uttarakhand. The build includes 12 stations, 17 tunnels and 35 bridges. The project of national importance, also known as Chardham, will connect North India’s four major centres of pilgrimage: Gangotri, Yamunotri, Kedarnath, and Badrinath.
Buoyed by the ongoing and upcoming big ticket projects’ huge aggregates requirements, North India’s biggest quarry and crushing plant owner, LSC Infratech, has been one of the heaviest investors in new crushing technologies. The company
is commissioning a new state-of-the-art crushing, screening, and silica sand washing plant in the Karauli district of Rajasthan. It will be LSC Infratech’s eleventh major facility in North India. The new mega-production unit includes a stationary jaw and cone crushing plant from Indian crushing and screening equipment manufacturing major Propel Industries, and a silica sand washing plant from Germany-based Hazemag allimineral, and Australian firm Mineral Technologies. The plant line-up will be producing 14-22-44mm aggregates, 0-5mm manufactured sand, and varied graded silica sand.
Shiv Kumar Agarwal, chairman & managing director, LSC Infratech, said: “The mineral processing facility will have maximum levels of integration between the crushing and silica sand washing systems. The aim was also to have largescale, reduced cost of production through maximum availability of the systems. Due to this, based on our past experiences, we went for Propel’s QM250, 250tph cone crusher, having very low cost of production. The very high grade of manganese steel inside the
A Kobelco excavator and Eicher RDT at work at an S.S & Co quarry in Uttar Pradesh
crusher can accommodate large boulder sizes. Besides Propel’s 2060 200tph, threedeck vibrating screens will be able to work with good levels of flexibility. On top is Propel’s superior product support services.”
One of the major signs of on-site plant integration is a network of radial stacker conveyors. Throughput from the crushing plant is directly transported by the conveyors to the site’s washing systems, doing away with the need for rigid dump trucks during this stage of the production process. However, LSC’s five newly acquired Tata India-made 38-ton rigid dump trucks will be used to transport raw materials four kilometres to the new high-performing crushing plant, and to transport final crushed aggregate products to customer sites.
Agarwal said: “One of the major considerations of setting up this facility has been to cater for large-scale aggregates demand from road, general infrastructure and, importantly, ongoing railway projects in North India. The sand manufacturing unit has been set up to meet rising demand of silica sand from glass manufacturers like Saint Gobain, Asahi Glass and others.” LSC’s new Karauli district mine is feeding the new crushing plant with very good quality soft rock, metamorphic rocks, and silica dioxide SI02, required for making silica sand.
He continued: “We have carried out extensive research on the kind of silica sand
TOP: A rigid dump track at the Rishikesh-Karnaprayag 125km railway line project in Uttarakhand RIGHT: LSC Infratech has invested in a Hazemag allmineral sand washing plant ABOVE: A Tata Hitachi wheeled loader at the new LSC Infratech site in Rajasthan
beneficiation plant, we should go for our new facility to have less cost of production. The prime consideration to go for Hazemag allmineral sand washing plant was due to its unique ‘up-current classifier technology’ featuring higher levels of water pressure than competition plant offerings. This up-current classifier technology comes with an ability to cut the right size of silica sand through up-current water stream, thus eliminating traditional sieve-based separations.”
To have higher productivity while reducing operating costs, LSC has acquired two new three-ton Tata Hitachi hydrostatic wheeled loaders. The company has also bought 26-ton LiuGong excavators. The excavators will be used at the mines for loading the raw materials into the rigid dump trucks.
Agarwal said: “Higher fuel efficiency was one of the considerations in going for the LiuGong excavators. However, the other most important reason to go for 26-ton units was to have balanced productivity as required in the present COVID-19 scenario, with its fluctuating demand for aggregates.
“A 26-ton excavator can be both rationally used during peak and non-peak times. Through this usage we will be able to hedge our loan instalments comfortably. This is without shelling out a higher amount,
as would have been required for a higher tonnage class equipment, even when it was less in use.”
Crushing plant owners in India have been generally preferring to have 20-ton class excavators. In some cases, they have been going for long-track excavators to work on larger stockpiles.
S.S & Co is another major North India-based quarrying company with a pan-India presence working on increasing its production capacity. The firm is setting up one new three-stage jaw-cone plant and another two-stage jaw-cone plant in Mouganj, located between Allahabad [officially known as Prayagraj] and Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh state. The new Metso plants are scheduled to begin production from next month and will mainly cater to upcoming state road and railway infrastructure projects.
Manjeet Chawla, director of S.S & Co, said: “We will be selling the aggregates from the new facility to road contractors working on big stretches, so productivity requirements will be quite high. For this reason, we have gone for Metso plants. We have relied on Metso plants since we have been in business. This is due to the very high levels of reliability and superior product support.” For the Mouganj facility, S.S & Co will be buying six excavators, likely 22-38-ton class models from Kobelco. The company already has a mammoth fleet of 150 20-30 and 48-ton class Kobelco excavators.
S.S & Co operates 15 quarries in Bharatpur, Rajasthan. The quarries, leased from the Rajasthan government, all use Metso plants. Having recently set up two new two-stage jaw-cone plants within its Bharatpur quarry portfolio, S.S & Co is in the process of installing a further two-stage jaw-cone plant. The new Metso crushing plants are likely to be commissioned after the 2021 monsoon season.
Chawla said: “The plants will be producing up to 40mm aggregates which will be sold to road contractors with projects in Rajasthan and Uttarakhand in North India, and Delhi and its capital region.” S.S & Co will also be setting up an additional four two-stage plants in the East Indian state of Odisha later this year.
Chawla added: “Rocks from Haryana and Rajasthan are typically quartz with high levels of abrasive character. These require jaw and cone units with superior levels of metallurgy, with minimum wear and tear, for which we believe, Metso is the ideal choice.”
Rocks originating from Uttarakhand and other parts of North India, like the bordering areas of Jammu and Kashmir, Pathankot, Uttarakhand and bordering states of Uttar Pradesh are river boulders.
S.S & Co uses Atlas Copco and Epiroc rock drills during its aggregates production. The company also uses one two-stage Sandvik jaw-cone plant in Bhiwani, Haryana. S.S & Co also has crushing plants in the Central India state of Madhya Pradesh. The firm also employs a limestone mining contractor for cement plant customers.
Operating a different business model is Abhishek Malakumar, director of Malakumar Engineering. The company owns its own mine in the Charki Dadri region of Haryana and at Satna in Madhya Pradesh. It has one Terex three-stage jaw-cone-screen plant at Charki Dadri producing close to 90,000 tons of aggregates per month.
Malakumar said: “We crush 10% of the output from our mines and sell it to various contractors and end users. Remaining big boulder chunks obtained through drilling, deep-hole blasting and, finally, excavation are sold to various end users. We have refrained from setting up crushing plants. This is due to very high levels of competition in the business, due to large-scale concentration of crushing plants in the region.” There are close to 300 big and small crushing units in Charki Dadri, running plants between 100-300tph capacities.
“Since we only sell boulders to crushing plant owners, for enhancing productivity in our mines, we have been making sizeable investments for higher capacity excavators and advanced rigid dump trucks.” The company has 50 EC-350 35-ton Volvo excavators and 13 35-ton Kobelco 380 excavators.”
Malakumar said that he and his team’s experience of working with Volvo units has been great due to the machines’ strong break-out forces. “The excavators have strong undercarriage, enabling it to work on very rough and undulated terrain. Through Caretrack, we have been able to get good services from Volvo,” he explained.
Malakumar Engineering recently bought 20 Bharat Benz 8x4 rigid dump trucks with rock bodies. The company also has a fleet of 50 6x4 Man rigid dump trucks.
Demand for higher capacity rigid dump trucks has increased among crushing plant owners and road and rail project contractors working on aggregates-thirsty long road construction stretches. The other demand driver has been a requirement to travel over longer distances to deliver the final crushed aggregates to customers.
Pranav Shroff, deputy general manager of marketing at Construck Tata Motors, said: “28-ton 6x4 and 35-ton 8x4 units continue to remain the major demand segment of the rigid dump trucks from quarry owners in North India and other parts of India. However, we have been recently witnessing demand shifting to higher capacities [48-ton 10x2 and 10x4 RDTs] from major crushing clusters in North India. This is notably from operators in Kabrai, Jhansi and Kotputhli in Uttar Pradesh.” Tata Motors has recently launched the BS-VI emissions-compliant 10x4 Signa 48.25 TK rigid dump truck.
Arun Raizada, senior vice president of Himgiri Automobiles, the Ashok Leyland trucks dealer for Delhi and National Capital Region and parts of Uttar Pradesh, said: “There has been a spurt in uptake for Ashok Leyland’s newly launched Avtr range of longhaul 10x4 five-axle rigid dump trucks. This is due to its higher productivity and faster cycle times, delivered by 250hp fuel-efficient Ashok Leyland engines. We have been selling a fair number of these heavier units to crusher
ABOVE: Shiv Kumar Agarwal, chairman & managing director, LSC Infratech RIGHT: Arun Raizada, senior vice president of Himgiri Automobiles
plant owners and contractors involved in road projects. However, with the onset of the second wave of COVID-19, there has been some decline in business enquiries and off-take of the vehicles.”
While quarry owners in North India have been making big capital investment to acquire newer technologies for higher productivity, purchases create higher expectations around product services.
Manoj Kotru, director of Alpha Teknisk, dealer for Volvo and SDLG products in Haryana, Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Delhi and the National Capital Region, said: “Business has been growing. Demand is up for advanced solutions. Notwithstanding, customers are insisting on big discounts and for extended warranties on excavator booms, tracks, and other vital components. There is now also bigger scale demand for free parts availability. These are new challenges. Nonetheless, in most cases we work closely with customers and try to work out product support packages which are commercially conducive to both parties.” AB
LSC Infratech’s new aggregates and silica sand production plant in Karauli, Rajasthan
Sandvik Mobile Crushing & Screening is now offering its Premium data subscription on new equipment and retrofit packages complimentary for seven years to mark the 1,000th mobile unit connected with My Fleet to leave its factory.
Digitalisation has never been more important than it is in today’s climate, and it has positively changed the way of working for many people over recent months.
Sandvik Mobile Crushing & Screening has invested heavily into its online distributor portal and My Fleet telematics systems over the past two years. Every new machine within the Q- and U-440i range of mobile crushers and screens is equipped with a My Fleet telematics device and fully connected when it leaves the factory.
“It’s an exciting time to hit this major milestone of 1,000 units now connected to My Fleet,” said Jesper Persson, vice president of Sandvik Life Cycle Services. “We are proud of the progress we have made in digitalisation and automation and how the technology supports our customers. This investment will enable them to learn more about their operation and how
best to improve it by tracking their fleet and its health. Alerts and notifications will proactively help to resolve issues before they become critical, whilst also enabling remote support wherever possible, saving on time, cost and thereby generating the desired uptime in a sustainable way.”
The 1,000th mobile unit delivered is a Sandvik QI442 impact crusher. The customer taking ownership of it is Sandvik Mobile Crushing & Screening’s US Distributor in Wisconsin, Miller-Bradford & Risberg Inc (MBR).
Customers will be able to benefit from enhanced levels
Hidromek unveils HMK 635 WL wheeled loader
Sandvik Mobiles celebrates My Fleet 1,000 units
of technical support. Whether through Sandvik or from its trained distributor network, technical support specialists will view the same operational data and view notifications of any alerts or machine faults via the system, thereby offering remote support without necessarily needing to be on site.
Sandvik My Fleet customer benefits include remote access to your fleet 24/7 via a mobile device or PC; optimised performance through monitoring of operational data; maximised uptime through planned service and preventative maintenance; quick and efficient support through remote visibility of
Hidromek’s new HMK 635 WL wheeled loader is said to shorten cycle times and increase productivity.
The HMK 635 WL offers high breakout power and excellent control capability in severe working areas such as quarries and concrete plant sites.
Being environmentally friendly and productive with its Stage-5
engine with 210kW and 1200Nm torque, the highly durable HMK 635 WL also has a standard operating weight of 20.6 tonnes and 3.5m² bucket capacity. It saves fuel under all conditions owing to the high torque it provides, even at low rpms.
HMK 635 WL has five forward and three reverse powershift transmission and shifting gears.
The machine’s TIPSHIFT function enables the loader to change direction quickly by pressing a single key without using the gear lever when the machine moves forward or backwards while loading. Hidromek says this increases productivity and ensures safe operation without losing control of the steering.
The HMK 635 WL provides
machine; safe and sustainable operation with reduced need to dispatch an engineer to site; and peace of mind through enhanced security with geofencing.
All Sandvik machines that are already fitted with My Fleet and working out in the field will automatically be granted the extended seven-year data subscription. This includes customers who have purchased the My Fleet retrofit kit.
The retrofit kit can be fitted to all Sandvik 1 Series models onwards. For more information on compatibility and the benefits My Fleet can offer, please contact the Customer Support team. www.rockprocessing.sandvik
easy usage with its high manoeuvrability while working in narrow areas due to its articulation angle of 40° and allows works to be completed quickly.
Meanwhile, the HMK 635 WL’s panoramic cab provides a wide field of vision and excellent insulation against noise. Furthermore, features such as heated, adjustable, air suspension operator seat, fully automatic air conditioning system, versatile holder, kickdown button for downshifting and touch control panel offer a comfortable working environment for the operator.
Easy access to service points on the machine from ground level enables the HMK 635 WL’s fuelling up and battery maintenance operations to be performed easily. The cab may be manually tilted to 35° with a jack, and the bonnet may be tilted to 80° with the aid of an electric actuator, making access to the engine assembly easier.
03-04: 4th Construction Equipment Forum Berlin 2021 Estrel Convention Center, Berlin Organiser: IPM AG Tel: +49 511 473 147 90 www.constructionforum.eu
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Organiser: The QMJ Group Tel: +44 (0) 115 945 4377
Email: Harvey.sugden@qmj.co.uk www.hillhead.com
OCTOBER
24-30: bauma Munich, Germany
Organiser: Messe München Tel: +49 89 949 11348
Email: info@bauma.de www.bauma.de/en/
MEET THE TEAM
Aggregates Business travels the globe attending conferences, events and equipment shows, keeping you informed of the latest offerings. Come and join us for a chat at any of the events below.
JUNE 2022
21-23: Hillhead 2020 Hillhead Quarry, Buxton, Derbyshire, England
OCTOBER 2022
24-30: bauma Munich, Germany
These dates were correct at the time of going to press, but please note that the COVID-19 pandemic means some events may be rescheduled with little advance notice
