Among the product introductions Astec Industries made earlier this month at ConExpo-Con/Agg was Astec Digital, a technology solution developed for what the company describes as “rock to road operations.” Eric Baker, vice president and general manager of Astec Digital, visited with Portable Plants editorial advisor Kevin Yanik at ConExpo-Con/Agg to discuss the new offering and how aggregate producers can take their next steps with the technology that’s available today.
Yanik: What’s your background?
Baker: I’ve been with Astec for 19 years, primarily on the mobile roadbuilding side and with new product development. Of course, I’ve always been around all of [our] equipment with customers. I’ve been in quarries and asphalt plants and on the road. I have a computer engineering degree and that background. I’ve always been really involved in the telematics side and with remote diagnostics fleet management on our roadbuilding equipment while getting to know the other pieces of it, as well.
Yanik: We see more technology being incorporated into crushing and screening plants these days so users can make informed decisions about their equipment. When it comes to technology for Astec crushing and screening plants, what does that solution look like?
Baker: We’re really trying to provide visibility of that whole ‘rock to road’ value stream, creating an ecosystem where we can connect all equipment – especially our own, but even other makes and models – into a platform where [users] can leverage data to run their businesses more efficiently, more safely, more sustainably and, ultimately, make more money. That’s the essence of it all – building a network to connect all of this.
Yanik: What exactly is Astec bringing forward here at ConExpo-Con/Agg?
Baker: Astec Digital is the launch. You see manufacturers coming at this from all different angles – telematics over here, cloud control over there. The whole premise for us is to have a business unit focused on this, build it out through our whole product portfolio, create a strategy and vision and then execute on it, rather than have a more disjointed method.
There’s a lot of technology in Astec plant controls with the acquisition of Minds [Automation Group], and there are things that can be leveraged into the crushing and screening world. Yes, the componentry is different, but the principles are the same.