Blazing sunshine and dry conditions heralded the opening day of the four-day event, despite initial forecasts that Queensland?s sometimes erratic weather might dampen the proceedings.
On the first day Precisionscreen general manager Paul Kerr declared the event a ?mini-Hillhead? ? in reference to the UK biennial trade show which puts on a live demonstration of plant and equipment in a working quarry environment.
In addition to Precisionscreen, Sandvik Construction also had a strong presence and the master of ceremonies was Michael Brookshaw, Sandvik?s EMEA distributor manager for Europe, the Middle East and Africa.
Other suppliers to participate on the day included Hitachi Construction Machinery Australia, Transmin, which has recently acquired the rights to rebranding and distributing Sandvik?s line of rock breakers and hammers under the new Rammer banner and Brisbane-based insurer CityCover.
The highlight of the day was the live demonstration which showcased new Sandvik/Precisionscreen units, including a crushing and screening circuit comprising Sandvik?s new model QJ341 (mobile jaw), QH440 (mobile cone) and QA450 (mobile screen).
Complementing the demonstration were a Hitachi ZX470 long carriage excavator, which fed the QJ341, and a Hitachi ZX330, which was equipped with a Rammer BR3288 rock hammer. Zipping in and around the heavy duty equipment were two John Deere K644 and K744 wheel loaders.
In addition to the working demonstration, quarry personnel were also able to get up close and personal with a range of other Sandvik, Precisionscreen, Hitachi and Transmin products on display.
Notable among these was the imposing edifice of Precisionscreen?s PS480T, a 20? x 8? horizontal triple-deck on tracks which can be transported as one component and whose screening area is indeed an impressive 480 square feet (or 44m2).
It features discharging conveyors that fold hydraulically for transport, including two with radial motion to increase stockpile capacity. The hydraulically levelling undercarriage also helps to reduce unwanted stress during movement of the machine and ensures the screening plant is dead level before operation.
To conclude the day, Precisionscreen and Sandvik gave away prizes including diecast miniatures of some of the machines on show.
Three lucky customers – Gary Bell (Gillear Lime, Warrnambool, Victoria), Mick Santin (Santin Quarry Products, Lismore, New South Wales) and Daniel Lewis (Lewis Quarrying, MacLane, NSW) ? won the main prize: a HeliTours chopper flight from Oxenford Quarry to Surfers Paradise. The flight included some spectacular aerial views of not just the Nucrush quarry but other quarries situated along the Gold Coast hinterland.
Paul Kerr and his staff hailed the opening day a massive success. ?The feedback we?ve had from our clients so far ? and today (3 May) was our quarry day, it has been focused on stalwarts of the quarry industry ? is that it was a very valid use of our time,? Kerr said.
?It also showed them that Precisionscreen and Sandvik have a commitment to the industry, we?re focused on the industry and we know the industry. All of the customers, including a couple of people that are big contractors to the industry, have said that this would make them a ?one finer sand in a super stream? package for solutions.
?They?ve seen a full solution on the site, they know we can deliver a full solution and they?ve seen the case studies from the company and our achievements. So for us, that?s everything we wanted to get out of a day like today.?
More information about the mobile plant and equipment on show at the Precisionscreen expo will appear in a future issue of Quarry.
Damian Christie attended the opening day of the Precisionscreen Expo on 3 May, courtesy of Precisionscreen Australia.