Aggregates Manager’s Top 25 RollOuts for 2009

In a tough market, manufacturers respond with product introductions that offer streamlined features, greater efficiency, and better economy.

by Kerry Clines, Senior Editor, and Therese Dunphy, Editor-in-Chief,

How we made our choices

When we ask readers how we can best help them keep track of changes in the products and services they use to produce aggregates, almost everyone wants an annual short list of the really important stuff.

No wonder. The sheer volume of introductions is overwhelming. Aggregates Manager covers hundreds of products each year in its RollOuts departments and Supply Lines features.

So each year, our staff reviews all the product introductions we’ve covered for the past year (our Top RollOuts “year” actually runs from the December 2008 issue through the November 2009 issue) to pick out 25 that we believe are worth further review. Our priorities are new concept products — which are rare — new series/new generation products in categories that relate to the aggregates industry, and other rollouts which serve our readers’ interests by increasing competition in a product category.

Inevitably, we omit deserving products, either because we just didn’t understand the significance of the product or because the announcing company didn’t communicate what was special about the product, or both. In either case, we apologize in advance for these omissions.

Sand Processing

McLanahan

High shear, natural attrition

McLanahan Corp. says its “ultra-clean” attrition scrubber uses radial and axial turbines to create high shear and natural attrition to address sand equivalency and durability problems in natural construction sands, as well as for surface cleaning of mineral sands and in soils washing applications.

Loader Tire

Michelin

Increased productivity

Michelin says its XHA2 loader tire features additional rubber in the tread to make the tire more damage resistant; sidewalls strengthened with a special protective rib and anti-scrape shield; and crack-absorbing rubber compounds to help prevent flats. The tire is said to last 9 percent longer than its predecessor.

Power System

Powerscreen

Choose diesel or electric power

Powerscreen’s dual power screen gives users an option of diesel or electric power to help avoid high fuel costs and address environmental concerns about diesel emissions. Once positioned on site, the unit can be switched to operate on electricity. The track screen retains all the benefits of a mobile machine.

Technology

Vista Training

Wheel loader simulator

Vista Training’s interactive, PC-based training simulator for wheel loader operators puts raw trainees or experienced operators at the controls of a modern wheel loader in a virtual quarry. The Wheel Loader Personal Simulator offers eight lessons of increasing difficulty. Commercial software licenses start at $6,000.

Screens and Screen Media

Durex/Linatex

Wear-resistant screen

Durex Products, a division of Linatex Corp. of America, says its Armor Screen combines wire cloth with a molded coating of polyurethane. The polyurethane coating provides relief-tapered openings to increase throughput and reduce plugging; the woven wire backbone creates a wear-resistant liner.