Recycling fuels demand for mobile plant: mobile crushing and screening isn't a new concept but it is a market that has grown very fast in recent years. Kyran Casteel assesses the market.(Crushing)(Company overview)

RAPID DEVELOPMENT OF building materials recycling in the 1990s encouraged a number of companies to start building tracked crushing and screening equipment. These offerings were added to those already being manufactured for the quarrying and mining industry. More recently the sector has followed the general path to consolidation, with a number of global groups competing with independent, usually more regionally based suppliers. However, this competition is still intense, based on crushing method, product quality, price and--probably most importantly--service and support. Here we look at some of the latest equipment on offer.

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Made in South Africa

At least two companies manufacturing in South Africa have entered the market for mobile crushers. Both are well-established firms, with one--Pilot Crushtec--being independent and the other--Osborn--being part of the global Astec Group.

In mid-2006, Pilot Crushtec launched the TM0605 trailer-mounted mobile, using the BR0605 horizontal impact crusher. This 30t/h machine has evolved from a skid-mounted version that the firm has been manufacturing for approximately 15 years. Pilot Crushtec also offers Rubble Buster, a fully mobile, tracked, diesel driven loading, crushing and stockpiling machine, also fitted with a derivative of the BR0605 crusher and aimed at the export market. And the Twistertrac is a fully mobile tracked vertical shaft impact crusher.

Sales manager Graham Kleinhans says the TM0605 has been designed for varied applications including glass and rubble recycling as well as ash, coal, clay brick and rock crushing operations. The fully portable unit is also aimed at new and/or smaller operators, either contractors or aggregate and sand suppliers, who do not have large budgets for capital expenditure and who require small capacities. It is small enough to be hand-fed. The …