Einstein would give thumbs up to quarrying equipment and building materials innovation

If you always do what you always did, you will always get what you always got,” said Albert Einstein with reference to the need for innovation.

The great German-born 20th century theoretical physicist, who developed the much discussed and dissected theory of relativity, would be delighted to know that innovation is very much at the forefront of the modern quarry equipment manufacturing industry. This magazine has devoted many pages to eye-catching projects, such as the world’s first 3D printed excavator, known as Project AME (Additive Manufactured Excavator), the introduction of all-electric powered crushing and screening plants, and ever more sophisticated quarry plant fleet analysis software solutions.

Albert would, no doubt, also approve of similar global-scale innovation in the world’s building materials sector. 643 CEMEX, for example, recently completed successful trials of the claimed world’s first remote controlled concrete plants. The Mexican-headquartered global building materials giant, which has a dedicated Innovation Centre near Berne in Switzerland, and other major world players such as 8161 LafargeHolcim and 674 HeidelbergCement, spend millions of euros every year in developing new innovative, environmentally friendly and sustainable building products.

1707 Aggregate Industries, a leading UK building materials supplier and part of the LafargeHolcim group, is another company with a strong innovative streak. In the big interview in this issue of Aggregates Business Europe, Aggregate Industries CEO François Pétry emphasises the importance of developing new building products, such as the company’s ground-breaking secondary aggregate, 4418 Lytag, and explains why the firm’s innovation strategy for 2018 is focusing on Robotics and Artificial Intelligence (AI), Virtual and Augmented Reality (VR and AR), Digital Engineering, Smart Materials, Offsite Construction and Blockchain. Aggregate Industries’ heavy involvement with LafargeHolcim’s cutting-edge R&D facility in Lyon, France, also helps the company test innovative solutions. A current example of this is in the firm’s testing of new low CO2 cement.

432 INTERMAT 2018 Paris, the world’s biggest construction and quarrying show of the year, takes place 23-28 April. It will happen in a climate of new-found optimism among major and small to medium-sized construction and quarrying OEMs. Our sister publication, Global Report Construction Equipment 2018, recently reported a 16% increase in construction equipment sales globally in 2017, with a rise in European market sales contributing to this notable growth. 7836 CECE (Committee for European Construction Equipment) says it is likely that European unit sales will rise by a further 5-10% in 2018. In this edition, we look at whether French aggregates demand is mirroring increased demand for construction and quarrying equipment in Europe.

Remaining in France, this issue of ABE includes a feature based on my visit to 448 Metso’s key European base in Mâcon, central-east France. The site celebrated its 120th birthday last year and recently began production of the first model from the Finnish global quarrying and mining equipment giant’s revolutionary new MX Crusher Series – launched globally at 404 CONEXPO-CON/AGG 2017 in Las Vegas, USA. It was very interesting to learn how the Mâcon hub is setting standards for Metso’s global business network. Indeed, innovation is very much to the fore at the Mâcon site, which is Metso’s global centre of crushing excellence. Albert Einstein would have enjoyed a visit if he was still around today. Like me, he may well have also even enjoyed a glass or two of local red and white wine at the end of his site tour. À votre santé, Albert!