The Aggregates, Odisha trusts Metso’s modular plant with its seven product variations

Metso's unique design meets high product requirements

The Aggregates made sure that the plant was set up right from the start with zero-level difference, keeping the Metso design intact, to ensure smooth operations, continuous production and consistent quality. Out of the total production, i.e. 40,000-50,000 tons per month, two-thirds of the production was consumed internally by The Aggregates internal companies and subsidiaries, with the remaining production sold to other big players in the industry.

Producing seven product variations from one plant is always a daunting task and a concern for many players in the industry. Operating in a region where irrigation and roads projects were ongoing simultaneously, it was essential for The Aggregates to be able to deliver multiple product variations. They evaluated several options available to them and finally settled with Metso in order to be able to deliver on this varied demand for aggregates. Mr. Arun Sarkar, Director, The Aggregates, Odisha, shared, “We opted for a modular plant because our product requirements were high, and we had our own land available to set up the plant.” He added, “We modified the layout as per Metso’s compact design and the plant was set up with the Metso design intact. This design allowed for the plant to be set up with up to zero-level difference, so there is no stoppage in production under any circumstances.”

With no change in the design, obtaining multiple products from the modular plant was never a problem for The Aggregates. They managed to produce various products from the plant, such as -65mm, -40mm, -20mm, -10mm, -6mm, -4mm & GSB. They were also able to meet the aggregate production requirements for their own projects while having additional production to sell specific aggregates to other players in the region. They were able to consume two-thirds of the total production for their ongoing projects, and the rest was sold to customers who had specific requirements.

“The Aggregates had a need for seven end-products from a single plant, and Metso was able to deliver a modular plant with design changes to meet their need. The plant consisted of a Nordberg® C106™ jaw crusher, Nordberg® GP220™ cone crusher, Metso DS 1855™, 4-deck screen and an additional screen, Metso CVB 1845™, 3 deck, to produce all seven products,” shared Mr. Sanjeev Raina, DGM, Systems Execution, Metso India.

He added, “The innovation done at both ends enabled them to achieve the desired quality and quantity from the plant. Metso supplied the crusher with advanced automation in order to achieve consistent production while maintaining quality. The Aggregates also separated the plant from the production area and installed a unique water-sprinkling system to control dust. They constructed a wall to separate the plant from its production area, so there were no issues in plant operations and plant maintenance. Loading and unloading of material was done outside the wall, hence the plant was clean and easy to maintain.”

Producing 40,000-50,000 tons a month

The plant achieved production of 40,000-50,000 tons per month, on average, and the required quantities in the desired sizes was easily achieved by The Aggregates. Depending on the requirement, the plant was able to deliver the best quality product at a lower cost, which invariably contributed to the customer’s confidence in Metso and its product. Mr. Arun shared, “Even after 2 months of installation, we were doubtful if we had taken the right decision. But at present, we are very satisfied with Metso because it is a very good plant and we can achieve what we want from this crusher. The after-sales service is also very strong – and even the spares are provided in time, as they have their local production facilities nearby. Therefore, we believe in Metso equipment and are confident that the plant will function hassle free also in the near future.” He added, “As per demand from our group companies and demand from the market, we are producing 40,000-50,000 tons per month, which is 5-7% more compared to other crushers. And we are selling specific products to L&T without any quality issues.”

Plant automation enables more production at a lower cost

Metso IC50C™ plant automation is unique, state-of-the-art plant automation to ensure optimum utilization of the equipment. The primary role of automation is to bring precision and consistency to the site’s operations, which enables predictable and stable production. Automation also helps to maintain the end-product quality, which ensures profitable operations of not only the crusher, but the entire crushing plant.

“By automating the entire secondary stage, we were able to monitor the cone crusher’s cavity, screens and product conveyors. Thanks to this installation, the cone crusher was running in choke feed, hence the product shape was good and the liners were wearing-out evenly,” shared Mr. Sanjeev. He added, “With the help of Metso’s and other automation installed in plant, The Aggregates was able to remotely access the production data, power-consumption data, etc., from their office located 40 km from the site.”

Mr. Murali Lal, Managing Director, The Aggregates, Odisha, shared, “When we planned to enter this quarry business, we studied many companies; after primary and secondary research, we were confident that we would go with Metso only. It had a good track record and was a global player in this field. Today, I believe it was the correct decision, as our production costs have been reduced by 10-13% over the months. Automation has played a key role in delivering results that match our expectations, and we are getting the desired production at reduced production costs. We have not faced any problems ever since we went with Metso, so if we set up any other plant in the future, it will surely be a Metso plant.”