Fred Weber, a Missouri-based contract crusher, tackles jobs throughout the continental U.S.
To deliver quality products at the lowest cost per ton, the company combines human resources with custom processing solutions. Since each of its projects is different, each plant in its portable fleet is customized and configured to fit the specific job.
Currently, one of its new portable spreads is crushing granite on an estimated three-year-long contract near Loveland, Colorado, where Fred Weber’s crew supplies construction materials used on a major reservoir project.
Fred Weber’s Steve Valle, a 25-year industry veteran who is the general superintendent on the site, says portability is in his DNA. As Valle put it, he’s “never in one place for too long.” Whether it’s bouncing from quarry to quarry, or on longer-term crushing jobs like this one, he recognizes the importance of portability to Fred Weber.
“Having a complete spread like this one, customized entirely to our needs, makes our operation more safe, productive and efficient,” Valle says.
Single-source advantage
When researching new plants for this major project, Valle says Fred Weber chose to work with Superior Industries due to Superior designing and manufacturing every plant component – from feeding and screening to crushing and conveying, as well as all the electrical and automation.
“With most plants, certain components are outsourced to different manufacturers,” Valle says. “If there’s a problem, you’re often referred to another party, and there’s a lot of finger-pointing. With Superior, there’s only one source to go to – and they always have the solution for us.”
Valle also points to the advantage of having a Superior dealer, Power Equipment Co., nearby. Not only does Power Equipment supply parts and service support, but Valle says the local dealer was instrumental during the site prep phase in providing much of the grading and excavation equipment needed to construct roads and pads in preparation for the new plant.
When coming into a bare site and setting up a new plant, Valle says there are always issues to work through.
“Whether on the phone or in person, Superior is always there to troubleshoot,” he says. “They were on-site with us from setup to start-up and throughout the training process.”
Custom-engineering edge
To achieve maximum efficiency, Valle says each chassis and each crushing and screening component on the plant is customized to meet desired feed gradations, product specifications, throughput, production capacity, material transfer and stockpiling volume.
First, the control house is mounted on a hydraulic raise and lower system to allow the operator to look over the primary jaw. Since the control house is outfitted with a rock breaker, the operator can reduce shot rock and other oversize material much more efficiently.
Superior also “dialed in” an ability to automate and control crusher feed. The cone and vertical shaft impact crushers are equipped with feed bins and belt feeders with variable-frequency drives. Via an automation program, feed is easily controlled ensuring the cone crusher is choke-fed, as the belt feeder automatically speeds up or slows down depending on amp draw and the fullness of the crusher cavity.
As for product flexibility, each screen is equipped with chutes and flip gates.
“In just minutes, with the flip of a gate, we can alternate between blending several products, or processing three separate products, for example,” Valle says. “It’s just that simple.”
He adds that there are even more opportunities for customization because Superior manufactured all plant components.
“While this new spread is customized to suit the current project, we can easily separate out components or reconfigure the plant for future jobs,” Valle says. “Due to its design and engineering, this plant gives us product flexibility today and will continue to deliver that versatility when we move on to the next project.”