Recycled asphalt shingle (RAS) use is on the rise, meaning more opportunities for contractors and more portable grinding equipment is being put to use in the field. PP&E caught up with Jerry Morey, president at Bandit Industries Inc., to get his perspective on the rise in RAS and for his take on the market’s future.
PP&E: Can you describe the interest Bandit has seen in the recycled asphalt shingles area over the last five years? Has interest in this area grown, and if so how has it grown?
Jerry Morey: Interest in RAS has definitely grown over the past five years. RAS usage in the United States increased 56 percent in [2012] alone. Five years ago there were just a few states that allowed RAS usage. Today, [37] states allow it. And outside of RAS usage in hot-mix asphalt, we are also seeing RAS used to fire cement kilns.
Sales in shingle grinding packages for our Beast horizontal grinders have been steadily increasing as a result. We have picked up many new customers who exclusively grind shingles – both stationary and mobile operations – and we’ve also had many previous customers switch their Beasts over to shingle grinding to take advantage of the growing market.
PP&E: The National Asphalt Pavement Association, based on a report released in January 2014, is reporting remarkable growth in RAS over the last few years. Where does Bandit anticipate the RAS market going? Do you anticipate RAS will become a key staple of your business?
JM: We anticipate the market for recycled shingles will increase rapidly. There is a stronger push than ever for recycling and this is an area where a recycled product can be produced without much difficulty. States [want] to take shingles out of the landfill. State DOTs (Departments of Transportation) are increasing the percentage of shingles allowed in hot-mix, and the use of ground shingles to fuel cement kilns will increase. Presently just 12 percent of waste shingles are recycled, so there is considerable supply to encourage stronger demand.
PP&E: From your perspective, what are the challenges of entering the RAS arena if shingles are a product a recycler has not handled previously? How is the material-handling procedure different with shingles than wood? Any significant differences?
JM: Entering the shingle market is dependent upon the basic premise of supply and demand – having a market for the ground shingles and a source of material to grind. Many of those that are grinding shingles are contract grinders that are already providing a grinding service, or for those that collect new shingle waste and tear off shingles.
Sometimes, finding a source of material can be as simple as setting up a free dump location for shingle waste, but it’s not always that easy. Another challenge is that grinding shingles is a very dirty, abrasive grinding application that depends heavily on sizing. Having a good, precisely sized final product is important, and heat can quickly become an issue. Too much heat isn’t good, but using too much water to cool the process isn’t good either. It’s not as simple as grinding wood for mulch, where size or heat aren’t always major factors. And the new spec for RAS is finer than the earlier spec, so creating a saleable final product can be delicate.
The grinders for wood and shingles are extremely similar. The differences lie in the cutting teeth that are used for shingles, which are hardened to help resist wear and designed to break up shingles into as fine a product as possible. Many of the other wear parts when grinding shingles are also hardened to help make them more resistant to wear.