Quarry learns how Striker Crushing and Screening developed the Eco Mix pugmill for WA Limestone.
WA Limestone is a seasoned provider of construction materials. For more than 20 years, it has supplied a product that consists of a two per cent bitumen and limestone emulsion mix, unfortunately, its old mixing plant had become outdated and difficult to maintain.
The business needed a new solution, so it contacted Striker Crushing and Screening, a fellow WA-based business, founded by Craig Pedley, to design and manufacture a better mixing solution.
“It comes down to the relationship I have with Craig, I told him my idea and asked if Striker could do it, and they did. That’s the relationship we have, Craig and the team at Striker know what we need,” WA Limestone managing director Steven Della Bona said.
“I gave Striker my ideas and some sketches and asked if they could build it for me.
“They came up with some designs and manufactured it to suit our requirements.
“We’ve probably had the old mixer for 30 years now and it’s getting harder to maintain.
“The Eco Mix was designed to be easy to work on, safe to clean and easy to maintain.”
Striker founder Craig Pedley and his team developed the Eco Mix with key features that prioritised maintenance and ease of operation. It is one of the first prototype machines built in Striker’s Henderson manufacturing facility, using the new factory set-up. The upgrades to the Henderson facility were made possible by the Modern Manufacturing Initiative government grant.
The Eco Mix pugmill has been equipped with onboard pressure cleaners and pressure washers for cleaning and maintenance purposes, as well as a 3.7m mixing chamber. Compared to WA Limestone’s old mixer plant, it requires fewer employees to operate, which will generate cost savings for the business.
The old plant required three workers: two who were tasked with working wheel loaders to feed the material into the hopper and stockpile it, and the pugmill operator. The new Eco Mix plant does not need the pugmill operator, which is a benefit that has impressed WA Limestone north metro quarry manager Joe Concei.
“The old plant was producing about 200-tonnes an hour, whereas we will be able to get 350 tonnes an hour comfortably with the Eco Mix, possibly even 400,” he said.
“The old system also required an operator to control the flow rates of the feed, water and bitumen, whereas the Eco Mix is fully automatic, so you can dial the feeder to 350 tonnes an hour and you don’t need an operator to control it.”
Trusted partners
The development of the Eco Mix pugmill is far from the first development in the partnership between Striker and WA Limestone.
Steven Della Bona estimated that more than 50 pieces of Striker equipment are in WA Limestone’s fleet. He has high hopes for the Eco Mix after witnessing the exceptional performance of all of Striker’s pieces of equipment previously.
The partnership between the two companies can be traced back to when Craig Pedley designed a mobile jaw crusher for WA Limestone more than 20 years ago. At the time, WA Limestone was led by its founders Michael and Renzo Della Bona, and their brother-in-law Peter Zamboni.
Both businesses have maintained their family ties and values in the intervening years. Steven (son of Michael) and David Della Bona (son of Renzo) are currently directors at WA Limestone, while Jordan Pedley (Craig’s daughter) is set to lead Striker as it moves into an exciting future. The alignment of their values has formed the basis of a strong business partnership between the pair.
Steven Della Bona looks forward to WA Limestone continuing its partnership with Striker well into the future.
“You can’t beat the feeling of having someone to ring up any time of the night or the day when there’s an issue and know that they’ll answer the phone and resolve it,” he said.
“With Striker, you also know that you’re dealing with the people that have designed and built the plant.
“They carry all the spare parts, so you know they’ve got everything that you’ll need. Craig and the team at Striker are very knowledgeable and experienced within the industry.
“Their understanding of our business and the aggregates that we produce makes it a pretty easy choice to come back to. They have a great ability to understand the requirements of what’s needed by us as a customer, and they deliver it.” •
For more information, visit strikercrushing.com
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