A leading US contract crusher engaged Superior Industries to deliver a custom processing solution for their application.
When it comes to crushing in the quarrying sector, there is not much that 25-year industry veteran Steve Valle has not seen.
As the general superintendent of Fred Weber Inc, Valle leads the Missouri-based crushing contractor across the US.
With the varying nature of the US, and the transient nature of contract crushing, the producer must tailor the plants in its portable fleet to suit the specific applications of each job.
“I’m never in one place for too long. Whether it’s moving from quarry to quarry or setting up for multi-year contracts, having a complete spread customised to our needs keeps the operation safe, productive and efficient,” he said.
Fred Weber Inc recently invested in a new portable configuration to crush granite on a major project in the Rocky Mountains region.
Due to the geography of the area, portability and ability to crush the material consistently was important to the contract crusher. Valle went to Superior Industries when looking for a partner to build this configuration. Headquartered in Morris, Minnesota, Superior Industries has been a long-standing original equipment manufacturer for mobile and static crushing, screening, and conveying equipment.
In Valle’s opinion, Superior’s commitment to high-quality manufacturing made it stand out in the market.
“Superior designs and manufactures every component in the plant – from feeding and screening to crushing, conveying, electrics and automation,” he said.
“With many plants, components come from different suppliers, so when problems arise there’s a lot of finger-pointing. “With Superior, there’s only one source to call, and they always have the solution.” Custom solution Superior Industries set about designing the spread which Valle and his team required. The manufacturer ensured each chassis and crushing and screening component would meet the standard required to deliver feed gradations, product specifications, throughput and stockpiling volume Valle and Fred Weber Inc required.
Superior Industries mounted the control house onto a hydraulic raise-and-lower system. This ensured the operator could oversee the primary jaw crusher and use the integrated rockbreaker to reduce oversize material efficiently. The crusher feed was also automated with belt feeders powered by variable-frequency drives that kept the cone crusher choke-fed and provided the capability to automatically adjust the belt speed to match motor load and crusher cavity level. The screens were equipped with chutes and flip gates. Fred Weber Inc’s crew of operators could use these to switch between blending products or producing multiple sizes in minutes.
Valle said these features were ideal when specifications changed during the project.
“It also ensures a consistent product and protects the equipment,” he said.
Superior Industries’ Vantage Automation provided control across the entire configuration. The easy-to-use platform enables the operator to start or stop all selected equipment in the correct, safe sequence, or, alternatively, the ability to control components manually when required.
“I’m not a computer guy, but the touchscreen is easy to navigate,” Valle said.
“Superior stayed on site through setup and training, making adjustments to suit how we operate. The design gives us flexibility now and when we move on to the next project. That versatility is critical for a contractor whose work spans an entire nation.”
Australian advantage
Superior Industries is supported across Australia by Tricon Equipment.
Since it was established more than two decades ago, Tricon Equipment has built a reputation for re-selling high-quality mobile crushing, screening, recycling and conveying equipment to its loyal customer base.
“The team at Tricon is widely known for its broad range of in-stock equipment, experience in material processing technologies, and dedication to great customer service,” Superior Industries director of international sales Jeff Gray said.
Superior Industries’ partnershipp with Tricon was established back in 2021, when the distributor was chosen as its supplier of aggregate equipment throughout eastern Australia.
Since then, the partnership has grown to the extent that Tricon is responsible for representing the US-based manufacturer’s full line of aggregate equipment across the nation, including its modular and stationary crushing, screening, washing and conveying equipment designed for the quarrying and aggregates sector and used around the world in these applications.
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