13 questions with Terex MPS’s Russ Burns

By |  March 28, 2023
Burns

Burns

As Pit & Quarry’s editors traversed ConExpo-Con/Agg earlier this month, they met with a number of exhibitors who shared details about their latest wares and the experience at the March 14-18 trade show. P&Q editor-in-chief Kevin Yanik caught up with Russ Burns, sales director at Terex MPS, on the second-to-last day of the show. Burns shared details about two pieces of equipment Terex MPS launched in Las Vegas, and he touched on trends in crushing and screening.

Yanik: From what’s been shared previously with us, it sounds like the new Cedarapids CRC1350S portable cone crushing plant fits a niche in the market. What’s the niche Terex MPS is targeting here?

Burns: The CRC1350S is a high-production, high-mobility, closed-circuit cone plant. It’s the first 400-hp, closed-circuit cone plant on the market. Because of our customization capabilities on the screen side, we were able to design a screen that allows us to keep within strict travel restrictions while remaining highly mobile along with the high-production capacity of the 400-hp cone.

Our advantage is the ability and experience to engineer and design custom-built screens and feeders. This can be a challenge – especially in the triple-shafts arena. That enabled us to put a high-horsepower cone onto a chassis and still maintain the weight and height restrictions that allow us to be portable. Now, we’re the only ones on the market with this style plant. Actual output percentages will vary based on the application, but we’re probably 20 to 25 percent higher production than the 300-hp cones. So, we’re offering more horsepower and more screen capability on a portable chassis.

Yanik: What kind of interest are you getting in the plant, and how has ConExpo-Con/Agg been overall?

Burns: It’s been great. We’ve had a lot of people who are surprised to see it. Nobody expected this combination. When customers come up and realize it’s a 400-hp cone and a 7-ft. screen, the gears start turning in their heads. They realize how much more they can do with a plant like this.  Having that type of feedback has been absolutely amazing.

Terex MPS showcased the new CRC1350S portable cone crushing plant at ConExpo-Con/Agg 2023. Photo: P&Q Staff

Terex MPS showcased the new Cedarapids CRC1350S portable cone crushing plant at ConExpo-Con/Agg 2023. Photo: P&Q Staff

Yanik: What sorts of outputs can the combination you described do?

Burns: That’s a tough question to answer because it depends on your application. But 90 percent of the applications’ output will range from 400 to 600 tph.

A 400-hp cone typically isn’t found on a closed-circuit chassis. Most other competitors have weight restrictions. When you combine heavier cones and try to put a screen onto it, it becomes difficult to be portable, without removing items for transport.

The plant will be launched in Q3, maybe Q4. We’ll have four of these production units out by the end of the year.

Yanik: On that note, how is equipment supply right now?

Burns: It’s been a challenge. It’s now gotten to the point where it’s the little items. Before, it was castings and some bigger items.  Now, it’s items like seals and bearings that are more difficult to secure.  This has caused us to focus more on orders sold than on machine inventory.

The demand is certainly strong. Everybody is focusing their efforts on suppliers and who can provide what they need. Since equipment supply is low in the market, we are happy to see customers taking a closer look at our portfolio and considering new ideas to help generate production. This show proved people are looking outside the box for solutions, and we were happy to speak with them about our numerous innovative options available.

Yanik: Today, it seems like producers are more accepting of long team times. What do you make of the environment? Break down the good and bad for us.

Burns: It’s a catch-22. You want people to get the repair parts they need to maintain their equipment.  There is a fine line in balancing availability on whether you are supplying for production units or for your aftermarket.

When your supply chain slows, it becomes a balancing act of how much you’re sending to the aftermarket side of the business versus the production side, to make sure you’re keeping customers up and running and being fair to those who are expecting new machine deliveries.

Some repairs might be small, but one small thing could hold you for quite some time. Producing high tonnages every day is a big deal for the customer. We are focused on both aspects of our business, and our teams are working hard to deliver in a timely manner.


Comments are closed