An investment in a new sand washing plant has been made by Wopfinger Transportbeton at its Eggendorf site in Lower Austria. The company says that this has resulted in a 60% increase in gravel production, from 135tonnes/hour to 220tonnes/hour.
Before the new Evowash sand washing plant was installed Wopfinger says it was working two shifts at Eggendorf to meet the capacity requirements of the ready-mix concrete plant located at the sand and gravel pit. This has now been reduced to one shift “as a result of both the quality and quantity” of the washed gravel now being produced.
“Our previous sand production system was a real bottleneck for us and resulted in us having to work two shifts in order to ensure we had enough gravel to meet our concrete production requirements,” says Franz Denk, technical director at
“By addressing this issue we have introduced significant efficiencies into our production processes at Eggendorf.”
The decision to invest in the new Evowash system was made following a visit to the Eggendorf site by
“We visited the Eggendorf site following an invitation from Mr Denk and conducted a full audit of their existing processing plant,” explains Ivanoff.
“It was clear that by introducing the Evowash the company would eliminate the loss of quality fine sand, which would make a significant contribution towards optimising performance.”
The new Evowash 101 sand washing plant produces 100tonnes/hour of washed 0-4mm sand which is exclusively used in on site concrete production.
The Evowash receives material from the existing wet screening plant directly to the sump where it is then pumped to the integrated 625mm cyclone. The underflow from the hydrocyclone is discharged onto the Evowash dewatering screen and stockpiled, while the waste water containing the 0-63 micron fraction overflows the top of the hydrocyclone and is sent to settling ponds.
Wopfinger Transportbeton has manufactured concrete at Eggendorf since 1990 and the plant was upgraded in 2011 to support the construction of the A2 Motorway for which Wopfinger supplied more than 25,000m3 of concrete.
The Eggendorf production facility is located just off the A2 approximately 50km south of the Austrian capital Vienna, and is one of four gravel plants operated by Wopfinger Transportbeton in Lower Austria. The company has 14 concrete production facilities in East Austria.
The company says it has developed a reputation as technical leaders in the production of ready-mix concrete in Austria. The production of a consistent washed sand product is crucial to maintaining quality and performance across the range of concrete products it manufactures, and the introduction of the Evowash system has “ensured delivery of a washed sand which meets these strict quality requirements.”
This project by Wopfinger Transportbeton is said to be indicative of a renewed focus from the construction materials industry on the identification of areas for investment that will create efficiencies and reduce costs within existing processes.
“The feedback we are getting from our customers indicates that there is an industry-wide recognition that investment in new equipment as a means of reducing costs is not only viable but essential,” says Ivanoff.
“Our project at Eggendorf is a good example of the benefits to be gained from this approach.”
Wopfinger Transportbeton, part of the Schmid Industrie Group which comprises over 70 companies and has pan-European strategic investments, is the largest ready-mix concrete supplier in southern Austria and employs 200 people at 12 concrete plants and additional distribution centres.
It is also a leading player in the Austrian construction materials market and is a member of a number of trade associations including GVTB (The Austrian Quality Association for Ready Mix Concrete); BRV (Building Materials Recycling Association) and BetonMarketing Austria.
