European quarrying OEMs go big in America at CONEXPO-CON/AGG 2017

European quarrying and construction equipment OEMs were out in force at the recent 404 CONEXPO-CON/AGG 2017 exhibition in Las Vegas, USA – the world’s biggest industry show of 2017.What made the five-day showpiece event even better was the amount of new equipment launched at the Las Vegas Convention Center – both globally or solely for North American market customers.

Among the key global product launches was 448 Metso’s new MX4 cone crusher, based on patented Multi-Action crushing technology, combining the piston and rotating bowl into a single crusher. The Finnish crushing and screening giant says the MX4 offers 10% more uptime and 10% lower running costs than any other comparable cone crusher currently on the market.

460 Sandvik’s comprehensive crushing and screening line-up on show in Las Vegas – including the new QJ341+ jaw crusher and new Sandvik CS550 cone crusher for second-stage crushing – is said to lower customers’ total cost of ownership, while also boosting equipment performance and safety.

Meanwhile, 668 Terex Finlay had its I-140 direct horizontal impact crusher with variable speed and the proven 3652 Terex CR032 chamber in pride of place on its stand.

447 Powerscreen had a trio of machines on show: the Premiertrak 600 jaw crusher, Warrior 600 screen, and Warrior 2400 screen.

Meanwhile, 435 Kleemann, part of the 475 Wirtgen Group, unveiled to the North American market the Mobicat MC 110 Zi EVO mobile jaw crusher. It was joined in Las Vegas by two other EVO series models - the Mobicone MCO 9 Si EVO mobile cone crusher, and the Mobirex MR 110 Zi EVO2 mobile impact crusher.

Another ambitious European brand, 634 Keestrack, said it was maintaining its technological edge with the H4e - a new full-hybrid version of the up to 250tonnes/hour Keestrack H4 cone crusher.

Many more European manufacturers caught a lot of quarrying and construction industry attention at CONEXPO-CON/AGG 2017. You’ll read about what they had on show in more detail inside this issue of ABE.

Before flying out to Las Vegas for the show, I spent a day visiting three Carrara marble quarries in Tuscany, Italy to see how 395 Caterpillar wheeled loaders, excavators and articulated trucks are efficiently handling demanding block loading work. Such advanced yellow iron was nowhere to be seen when Michaelangelo was choosing Carrara marble his acclaimed 15th century Pieta statue, now in St Peter’s Basilica in the Vatican, which depicts the crucified Christ in the lap of his mother, Mary. But as this issue’s Quarry Profile will illustrate, such machines are proving invaluable to modern day Carrara quarry operators.

Elsewhere in this issue we’ve got an interview with the 2904 Institute of Quarrying’s new CEO, James Thorne. James outlines his priorities for shaping the future growth of the famous UK industry institution – which is, this year, celebrating its 100th anniversary.

Eastern Europe has a diverse aggregates sector, with encouraging growth in demand seen in countries such as Poland and, perhaps more surprisingly, Ukraine. As a fascinating feature inside explains, Ukraine’s aggregates growth is being achieved despite Russia introducing higher tariffs on crushed stone imported from its western neighbour by rail. Russia had been Ukraine’s biggest aggregates export market prior to Russia’s military intervention in Ukraine in 2014. Now, rising Ukrainian domestic aggregate demand and increased efforts by Ukrainian aggregate producers to export more to EU countries has led to exciting new commercial opportunities.