The last several years have been a time of significant technological advancement in the construction materials industry.
Historically, the industry has been slow to adopt new or evolving technologies. Concerns about initial investments or not wanting to be the “guinea pig” to try something new have held companies back from diving into the latest developments.
In recent years, however, that trend has started to change. Companies are more willing to try things like AI, automation or predictive maintenance tools as the benefits of these offerings become clearer.
Hearing from producers and manufacturers throughout last year at events like AGG1 and World of Asphalt reinforced this trend. A resounding sentiment from the shows was a desire among manufacturers to incorporate technologies that allow producers to do what they do best – and not have to worry about a part or piece of equipment failing on them mid-production.
With another AGG1 and World of Asphalt around the corner, I can’t wait to hear what else manufacturers and producers are doing with the technology available to them.
Planning with a purpose
In an industry where time truly is money, the difference between unplanned downtime and scheduled maintenance can be hours or days – and hundreds of thousands of dollars.
When manufacturers can tell producers that an otherwise unnoticed part or component is going to fail in the coming days or weeks, and can plan to come out and proactively replace it, that means more than just good customer service. That means more time producing material and more money made for the operation.
As I talk with manufacturers about how prevalent predictive maintenance has become, I am blown away by how accurately these tools can predict when a component is at the end of its lifespan. I am also struck by how valuable the peace of mind these developments provide is. That alone might seem to justify an investment.
It isn’t just the cost-savings that are impressive about these emerging technologies. More and more, lately, I’m hearing about producers that are incorporating AI, autonomy or predictive maintenance into their operations to make up for a shortage of available workers.
Using these technologies to supplement the staff an operation already has can have a two-pronged effect. First, there is the cost savings of having fewer employees on payroll. But second, and perhaps even more important, is the benefit it can have on safety. By removing employees from potentially dangerous areas of the operation, worker safety can be notably improved.
In this month’s issue of Portable Plants, several conveyor component manufacturers share how these trends are playing out in the material handling market.
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Featured Photo: Portable Plants Staff