For further information please contact:

Kathryn Coetzer, Marketing and Communications Manager
+27 (0)11 821 9019 / Fax: 011 388 3813
Kathryn.coetzer@za.atlascopco.com

Sonia Laverick – Laverick Media Communications cc
Tel: 083 310 4491  Fax: 086 671 6836
lavmedia@iafrica.com /  www.laverickmedia.co.za

For Immediate Publication
19th July 2013

Atlas Copco Powercrusher brings world-class mobile crushing and screening technology to the African continent

Atlas Copco Mining and Rock Excavation Technique complement their extensive range of Surface Drilling equipment with the recent addition of Powercrusher, a world-class range of high-performance mobile crushing and screening equipment.

Hartl Powercrusher, a crushing and screening equipment specialist based in Austria, was
Acquired by Atlas Copco in 2010. According to Shaun Montgomery, Atlas Copco
Powercrusher Regional Product Manager for Africa, Australia, the United Kingdom and
Scandinavia, this perfect partnership shares synergies of efficiency, safety, environmental
responsibility and sustainability with profitable development to customers. “It therefore
came as no surprise that over a short time period, Atlas Copco Powercrusher became a
front-runner in the European market, with Atlas Copco’s 70 customer centres distributing
crushing and screening plants and systems across the globe.”

“This successful three year partnership has now reached the African continent,” says an enthusiastic Hedley Birnie, Business Line Manager for Atlas Copco South Africa, Mining & Rock Excavation Technique. “The addition of the crusher and screener equipment range to our current surface drilling equipment offering, which comprises surface drill rigs as well as a wide range of Dimensional Stone Industry (DSI) equipment, not only expands our current product portfolio but also broadens our
Customer base.” 2/…Atlas Copco Powercrusher _ mobile crushing and screening technology

2/…Atlas Copco Powercrusher _ mobile crushing and screening technology

“As the Powercrusher line-up forms part of our Surface Drilling division, it is included in
Our core product offering,” continues Birnie and explains: “We are going direct to
market with the crushing and screening equipment, a strategy that confirms a sustainable
long-term investment and ownership that delivers many advantages and customer
benefits,” explains Birnie. “We see a definite advantage in using our divisional synergies
as a way of penetrating the market on all levels and in all areas. In the first instance, the
stock holding and controls are in our hands; we can get a better feel for our customer’s
technical and service requirements. The result is that we can offer the right product with a
first-rate response time and service,” continues Birnie who also points out that the Atlas
Copco brand name is a plus factor when going into the market “because it is not only well
known but highly respected in industries such as mining and construction. The crushing
and screening product ranges are further supported by our well trained, skilled
technicians.”

The Powercrusher range, which includes jaw, impact and cone crushers as well as standard, double and triple deck screens, boasts unique features that have been specially engineered for optimum mobility, flexibility and economy. The crusher and screener ranges are ruggedly constructed and engineered to ensure consistent size and quality of output material. Downtime is kept to an absolute minimum with special designs for quick easy adjustments and ease of access for equipment and service maintenance. “Add to this the compact design and excellent transport dimensions for superior mobility and we have an equipment range that will contribute to customers realising sustained productivity, lowest possible total cost of ownership and rapid return on investment,” states Birnie.

Atlas Copco Powercrusher jaw crushers, designed to operate in the most rugged environments, feature a ‘Quattro Movement,’ with an upward-thrust toggle plate position that gives a unique figure-8 motion on the moving jaw.
3…Atlas Copco Powercrusher _ mobile crushing and screening technology
3/…Atlas Copco Powercrusher _ mobile crushing and screening technology

This increases the feeding capacity and produces a post-crush at the crusher outlet enabling the crusher to obtain the maximum efficiency from the unit and also increases the time between wear part change-outs. “The action of the Quattro type jaw movement and design allow for more even wear over the full surface of the liner and not only on the bottom end,” explains Birnie and adds that by using the screen box, the jaw crusher has the ability to produce two sellable products, although it is sometimes more efficient to run with a stand-alone screener because the capacity is higher.

The Atlas Copco Powercrusher impact crusher range offers huge output capacity for handling large feed sizes and can be used as a primary unit in recycling and soft stone applications. With high reduction ratios and throughputs, these crushers can eliminate up to two crushing stages, (application-dependent), with substantial cost reduction implications. “Excellent output capacity is also delivered by the compact 1000mm Atlas Copco Powercrusher cone crusher,” notes Birnie. “The crusher is designed with an ‘all in’ in-feed that increases particle-on-particle crushing, which in turn improves the quality of the end material shape, decreases wear on the machine parts, and can eliminate the need for pre-screening.” The cone crusher is particularly suited for crushing highly abrasive material with high silica content. “Our latest cone-crushing technology, powered by a 287 kW (385 HP) engine, is capable of processing up to 160 tonnes per hour,” adds Birnie.

The Atlas Copco Powercrusher screeners feature a compact design and high screening efficiency ideally suited for quarry, mining and construction application requirements.
The robust Grizzly model, capable of handling large in-feeds, is ideal for use as a pre-screener before crushing stages and as a general recycling tool. Some of the screening models in the range can be used in combination with crushing plants or fed independently by a loader. 

4…Atlas Copco Powercrusher _ mobile crushing and screening technology

4/…Atlas Copco Powercrusher _ mobile crushing and screening technology

Montgomery discusses the advantages of portable and semi-mobile plants over fixed plants: “As an initial investment, mobile plants are more cost effective due to their extreme flexibility. In addition to the fact that they can be customised, they can be moved easier and more affordably from site to site and can be positioned where needed. For example, as a quarry grows, the material gets further and further away. Transporting of material costs money and can form as much as 32% of operational costs for mines. With the steady growth of business in the rest of Africa, cross border activities from South Africa are on the up and up; if you take into account that no permits are required for a mobile set-up, mobile plants provide a convenient, cost effective and flexible solution for local industry. In today’s volatile markets capital investment remains a risk and with all these advantages, it is not surprising that globally, banks give preference to mobile plants.”

Montgomery also points out that mobile plants can be used to complement fixed plants. “Although capacity is larger on fixed plants compared to mobile plants which deliver approximately 400 to 500 tons per hour tops, when used in conjunction with fixed plants, mobile plants offer a more cost effective and flexible option to pump up overall plant capacity.”

While the extensive Powercrusher range is suited to diverse applications, from mining to gravel pits, Birnie notes that they plan to focus on the construction industry in particular, explaining that the Atlas Copco Powercrusher concept has the ideal products and support for this industry. 

“We also see the future heading in a direction of increased recycling in line with first world requirements and this will therefore be another focus industry for us.”

5…Atlas Copco Powercrusher _ mobile crushing and screening technology

5…Atlas Copco Powercrusher _ mobile crushing and screening technology

“We have identified all the market challenges and we recognise the importance of
specialist knowledge and skills to meet these challenges to achieve sustainable success in
the relevant market sectors. Atlas Copco Powercrusher is uniquely positioned to offer our customers unrivalled crushing and screening solutions and, in so doing, create a show piece second to none,”concludes Birnie.

Atlas Copco is an industrial group with world-leading positions in compressors, expanders and air treatment systems, construction and mining equipment, power tools and assembly systems. With innovative products and services, Atlas Copco delivers solutions for sustainable productivity.
The company was founded in 1873, is based in Stockholm, Sweden, and has a global reach spanning more than 170 countries. In 2012, Atlas Copco had about 39 800 employees and revenues of BSEK 90.5 (BEUR 10.5) Learn more at www.atlascopco.com.

Atlas Copco Surface Drilling Equipment is a division within Atlas Copco’s Mining and Rock Excavation Technique business area. It develops, manufactures, and markets rock drilling equipment and mobile crushers and screeners for various applications in civil engineering, quarries and open pit mines worldwide. The division focuses strongly on innovative product design and aftermarket support systems, which give added customer value. The divisional headquarters and main production center is in Örebro, Sweden.