SUPPORTING DEMAND NEEDS There is an ‘upsurge in demand’ for raw materials, such as stone dust, which is an essential ingredient for the manufacture of bricks and concrete blocks
Photo by: Pilot Crushtec International
Crushing and screening specialists Pilot Crushtec International, the Southern African distributor of Metso products, says it has the technologies and support services to assist in supplying raw materials for the construction industry.
The company notes that there is a national drive to increase housing production, which has provided a welcome boost to the building industry. Pilot Crushtec points out that this has resulted in an “upsurge in demand” for raw materials, such as stone dust, which is an essential ingredient for the manufacture of bricks and concrete blocks.
Pilot Crushtec recently demonstrated the ability to assist its customers through the use of Metso’s equipment offering and its technical support, when it was able to provide the required solution by significantly increasing output, while also ensuring a reduction in operating costs.
The current suite of Metso equipment at the quarry site includes the Metso C100 jaw crusher with B feeder, a Metso CVB1845 four-deck screen, a HP 200 static cone crusher, a HP 300 static cone crusher and a CVB1845 four-deck screen with selective flop gates.
Pilot Crushtec CEO Sandro Scherf says one of its customer’s, which is a major quarry owner with a network of operations supplying producers countrywide, had reached its maximum capacity threshold using its existing plant.
“This particular plant configuration is used for the production of materials of between 0 mm and 9 mm in size and had ramped up to maximum capacity in using the equipment at its disposal. As a long-standing Metso user, they contacted us for advice and we were able to identify where the substitution of a larger capacity Metso product would relieve what had become a bottleneck.
“This was achieved by the substitution of the existing crusher with a new Metso HP300 static cone crusher, a purchase decision which has had a very positive effect on the customer’s business,” he states.
Scherf comments that the net result has been that the quarry has increased its in-specification dust production output by a reliable 50% and, in total terms, its benchmark plant capacity by a “remarkable” 40%.
He highlights that this has resulted in the quarry not only comfortably meeting customer expectations, but has also obviated the need for a planned additional shift to keep up with a “swelling” order book.
Scherf elaborates that the original expectations were that the quarry would increase its dust output by about 30%. However, collaboration between the on-site crew and Pilot Crushtec’s own technical staff enabled significant gains on what were already “ambitious expectations”.
“The financial implications have also been equally impressive,” he enthuses. Scherf adds that the initial purchase price has been offset by a substantial output of immediately saleable material and a direct decrease in operating costs.
He highlights that the product it replaces is also not standing idle as it is working well and “earning its keep” at another of the customer’s locations.