2005 Ad

Concrete Producer, The, July, 2005

If you kept bumping into equipment, booths, and people at CONEXPO-CON/AGG 2005, there was a very good reason. A record 124,800 people attended the five-day show at the Las Vegas Convention Center in March.

The event spanned a record-breaking 1.88 million square feet, taken by 1968 exhibitors. International attendance was a record 21,290, or 17% of the total attendance. International visitors hailed from 130 foreign countries, including more than 40 business people from Iraq.

"Attendance and exhibit numbers reflected an improved economy, including pent-up demand to replace aging fleets," said show management. Coupled with one of the largest World of Concrete shows ever just two months earlier, construction--particularly concrete construction--clearly is on the move. "Our markets will continue to experience solid growth in 2005, resulting in another all-time record year for Caterpillar," James Owens, Caterpillar's chairman and CEO, said at the show.

"Today's positive economic and construction outlook provides a great backdrop for one of the biggest construction equipment shows in the world," said Ron DeFeo, chairman and CEO of Terex Corp., the construction equipment and ready-mix truck manufacturer.

Some of the largest exhibitors, such as Caterpillar and Ingersoll-Rand, took up dizzying amounts of space. Liebherr, the German-based manufacturer of concrete batching plants and construction equipment, alone took up 50,000 square feet of space, its largest CONEXPO-CON/AGG presence ever.

Some producer-related products from the show follow.

* Mobile central mix plant

The Cemco model 240 central mix batch plant is a truly mobile mixer, with low moving and set-up costs, making it economical for even smaller jobs. It features a self-contained 10-yard output mixer, and comes with a 275-hp diesel/hydraulic power unit. This durable plant is built to last, with a polyurethane coated mixer, a large sealed ball bearing assembly, and pinion gears mounted on the planetary gearbox. Cemco inc. 940-564-5855. www.cemcoinc.com. Circle 3.

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* Rugged batch plant

The MCG-11 mobile mix plant features rugged, unitized construction for high-quality concrete, consistent hatching, and low maintenance costs. Production capacity is rated at 228 cubic yards per hour. It also comes equipped with a 20-yard, three-compartment aggregate bin, a 30-inch batch conveyor, and a 500 bbl cement silo. Optional features include many larger size components. Erie Strayer Co. 814-456-7001. www.eriestrayer.com. Circle 4.

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* Huge boom pump

One of the world's largest concrete boom pumps, the Putzmeister 63Z-Meter reaches more than 200 feet vertically and 190 feet horizontally. It features a versatile, five-section Z-boom design for maneuverability and ergonomic control systems. The pump control system allows the operator to set pump parameters and view and change functions. Output control ensures optimum engine rpm, lowest possible fuel consumption, and reduced wear and noise levels. Boom control includes single joystick control to move all boom sections and slewing in tandem, while keeping the hose end level. Putzmeister America. 800-884-7210. www.putzmeister.com. Circle 5.

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* Versatile batching control

The Sysdyne batching system is a one-stop solution for your hatching needs. It uses a Windows XP platform and is versatile and expandable, handling order entry, ticketing, scheduling, reports, and more. Learning and using the system are simple, upgrades are as easy as plug and play, and customer support is free. Sysdyne Corp. 877-797-3963. www.sysdynecorp.com. Circle 6.

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* Carry less weight and more concrete

The drum on the McNeilus Revolution ready-mix truck is made with advanced composite materials, making it 2000 pounds lighter than a steel drum. This means producers can carry about one half cubic yard more concrete per load. Less weight also means using less fuel, saving owners from $400 to $700 per truck, per year. The composite material also reduces noise during loading and batch operations. McNeilus Truck & Mfg. 507-374-6321. www.mcneiluscompanies.com. Circle 7.

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* Concrete mixer

The London standard concrete mixer features a drum driven by a ZF PK7500 planetary direct drive gearbox, providing more than 53,000 foot-pounds of torque for loading, mixing, and discharging low-slump concrete. It features a positive seven-position chute lock system with replaceable pinhole plate. Plus, a rear pendant on 20-foot quick disconnect cable enables control for mix/discharge and engine throttle, as well as optional air chute lock, chute lift, air lift hopper, and drum pause/resume. London Machinery Inc. 800- 265-1098. www.lmi.ca. Circle 8.

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* Optimum weight distribution

The Peterbilt Model 357 is now available in a set-back front axle configuration with 115-inch bumper to back of cab. Its deeper front axle position is 68.5 inches from the back of the cab, which improves front axle weight distribution for increased payloads and improved maneuverability, making operation on congested jobsites safer and more efficient. The new configuration also features a sloped hood and lowered crown and grille. Peterbilt Motors Co., a division of PACCAR Inc. 800-447-4700. www.peterbilt.com. Circle 9.