Construction World March 2022

EQUIPMENT

The Lokotrack ® ST4.10™ mobile screen has an extensive 5' x 20' 9 m 2 screening area and is especially designed for large-scale aggregate screening.

As the economic pinch continues in sectors like construction and mining, there has been an alarming increase in the number of companies let down by underperforming crushing and screening equipment, spares support and technical aftermarket support, according to Pilot Crushtec Director of Sales and Marketing, Francois Marais. POOR CHOICES PLACE CRUSHING CONTRACTORS AT RISK

“It appears to us as if many companies have selected equipment based purely on price, rather than its suitability for their application.” “W e have fielded a growing number of calls recently from companies using other manufacturers’ equipment, requesting urgent assistance in providing alternatives or support to help them meet their contract obligations,” says Marais. “It appears to us as if many companies have selected equipment based purely on price, rather than its suitability for their application.”He highlights A s a handling, personnel lifting, and earthmoving specialist, Manitou Group’s know-how sets it apart, allowing it to create custom machines and attachments. Its 'Special Solutions' department offers a multitude of adaptations to meet the specific needs of its users. Load cell jib crane Manitou telehandlers have a number of applications, some of which require pull Francois Marais, Director of Sales and Marketing at Pilot Crushtec

capital expenditure on the equipment is being eaten up by fast-rising operating expenditure.” Operating risk The irony is that it is often the companies whose profitability is already marginal, who try to survive by purchasing low-priced equipment upfront. He points out that this exposes the business to dangerously high levels of operating risk, as any unexpected downtime quickly wipes out the narrow profit margin. “One bad purchasing decision can push these players over the edge,” reached, an audible and visual alarm is triggered. This system, validated by Apave (a group that supports companies in the fields of control through inspection, testing and measurement services), is proving to be effective. For increased safety, a shatterproof film has also been applied to the windshield to make the driver’s cab safer, and a blue dot projected onto the floor gives a visual indication of the machine’s forward travel. Four telehandlers have

the devastating impact which these constant – and sometimes catastrophic – technical failures and lack of spare supply have on the performance and reputation of these crushing service providers. With crushing contracts being invariably linked to strict time and output requirements, any downtime can place delivery and fulfilment at risk. “Even if the equipment can be kept functional, these unexpected repair and maintenance costs can end up rendering a project unprofitable,” he says. “What is happening in these cases is that any savings from the force to be measured as pipes 70 to 650 mm in diameter, with a weight of 70 to 500 kg per meter, are unrolled and rolled up. To meet this demand, the Group’s teams put their heads together and designed a jib crane with a load cell. A load cell has been added to the hook of a standard jib crane to enable the force to be measured. The measurement is then displayed on three different screens inside and outside the lift truck. When the maximum force is

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32 CONSTRUCTION WORLD MARCH 2022