Leading global equipment manufacturer Astec Industries recently hosted a customer open day and factory tour at its Johannesburg facility to showcase some of the worldclass machines in its expansive “Rock to Road” range that are available locally.
Astec offers equipment for every phase of road building – from quarrying, crushing and processing the aggregate to concrete production and road construction. The group supplies more than 100 products to a global customer base in the aggregates, construction, infrastructure and mining sectors, and offers worldwide training, education, service and support.
Astec’s operations are divided into two primary business segments. Materials Solutions includes aggregate and other material handling and processing solutions, including crushers, screens, apron feeders, rock breakers and bulk material handling. Infrastructure Solutions encompasses road building, asphalt and concrete plants, thermal and storage solutions.
At the open day hosted by Astec Africa Middle East at its state-of-the-art Elandsfontein manufacturing plant on October 10, 2024, visitors had the opportunity to view Astec rock breakers, cone crushers, conveyors, feeders and road building equipment.
The high-performance, multi-function Astec SX-6ex soil stabiliser/reclaimer that was on display offers an ideal solution for South African roadbuilders. Offering two applications in one high-performance machine, it can be used for both soil stabilisation and asphalt reclamation. It is built to work with strength and precision in the toughest environments. With a 447 kW (600hp) Cummins QSX15 engine and a weight of 33 112kg, the mid-size SX-6ex offers a rare combination of power and mobility, allowing it to excel in a variety of applications.
Currently in stock at Astec South Africa, the Astec SB-3000 Shuttle Buggy is renowned for its efficiency, safety and comfort. This material transfer vehicle is powerful yet manoeuvrable. Its important features include easy maintenance access, a tight turning radius, bright lighting, nimble steering and high visibility cameras. The SB-3000 has a 25-t storage capacity and is powered by a Stage 5, Cummins B6.7 engine.
The Astec rock breakers showcased at the open day were the BX15 and BXR50C. The BX15 is one of Astec’s mid-size series hydraulic breaker attachments. It is made to withstand harsh environments. This line of attachments is designed for breaking concrete and rock and built for continuous and efficient demolition. Optimal production, extreme energy impact and continuous duty in harsh conditions are among the benefits of the BXR50C.
The rock breaker’s extra-long stroke pressure balanced piston, oil regeneration system and button-nose piston maximise the blow energy needed to break hard rock. High-strength alloy plate steel with abrasion-resistant plate housing and heat-treated alloy pistons allow the rock breaker to withstand the harshest conditions. Boxed housing keeps the noise levels down, which is essential in high density population areas.
The Astec TS36X140 radial telescopic conveyor, currently in stock and ready for shipment, offers one of the most cost efficient and effective ways of stockpiling material on the market. The reduction of segregation, degradation, contamination and compaction when stockpiling ensures ‘in specification’ material for any application. Astec radial telescopic conveyors cater for a complete range of applications and industries. They offer 30% more stockpile capacity on the same footprint when stockpiling in a trapezoidal shape compared using standard conveyors.
Part of the Telestack Revolution Series, the Astec HF823R, also ready for shipment delivers the ultimate hopper feeder flexibility. The mobility feature makes it ideal for barge loading and unloading, rail loading or unloading and stockpiling. The ability to move parallel enables the operator to manoeuvre the unit parallel to the vessel, removing the need to reposition it when ship-loading or ship-unloading. This translates into significantly improved loading rates and efficiency.
The Astec FT200 track cone crusher was also showcased. This machine’s unique roller bearing design generates higher efficiencies and reduces operational expenses by up to 50%. Astec mobile cone plants are engineered for maximum cone crushing productivity.
The FT200’s other notable features include a variable-speed hydraulic drive; remote closed side setting (CSS) adjustment; interchangeable chamber configurations; field-replaceable base frame tub and V-seat liners; and a hydraulic cone brake. This exceptional unit is permanently precision balanced with protected internal counterweights. Its feed hopper features a level sensor and it has a 95l lube oil tank with an immersion heater.
Astec’s customer open day also included a site visit by a select group of industry stakeholders to see a new Astec machine making its debut in South African road construction and rehabilitation. The Astec RX-600ex-4 cold planer is being used on the rehabilitation of the R21 highway in Gauteng.
