Dickerson & Bowen pumps up production

By |  August 15, 2018
Photo courtesy of REMco

The success of the crushing circuit led to the installation of a new PROscreen. Photo courtesy of REMco

In the world of asphalt paving, contractors stay on top by maintaining complete control over the quality and delivery of the asphalt mix while also keeping costs down.

That’s the mission for Brookhaven, Mississippi-based Dickerson & Bowen Construction, which produces and places more than 700,000 tons of asphalt per year. Founded in 1947, the company is recognized for premium paving projects that include highways, city and county roads, airports and commercial developments throughout central and southwest Mississippi.

For optimum quality control and cost efficiency, Dickerson & Bowen operates its own asphalt plants at four locations – and under the name D&B Sand & Gravel, the company controls its raw material costs by processing its own aggregate products at three mining facilities.

According to the D&B management team, operating its own asphalt and aggregate plants sets the company apart in its region.

To better meet market demand, D&B sought to boost its aggregate production, particularly at its Georgetown Plant, which experienced crushing and screening bottlenecks due to the operation of older, antiquated equipment. Maintenance downtime even exceeded uptime at this plant.

When the D&B management team decided to upgrade the plant, it wanted new crushing and screening equipment to be robust and reliable, yet affordable.

“We needed to find well-built units that would allow us to beef up production while also meeting our budget targets,” says Keith Killingsworth, D&B plant foreman.

The plant upgrades began in consultation with REMco (Rock Engineered Machinery Co.), which maintains its North American manufacturing operations and materials test crushing facilities in Livermore, California. After working with REMco application engineers, D&B installed a REMco Model 1530 RockMax vertical shaft impact (VSI) crusher. The success of the crushing circuit led to the recent installation of a new REMco PROscreen.

“We’re excited about the results,” Killingsworth says.

Along with eliminating bottlenecks and lowering operating costs per ton, D&B pumped up production volumes by more than 40 percent, Killingsworth adds, while also significantly minimizing the company’s capital equipment investments.

Cost-efficient operation

Photo courtesy of REMco

The material flow at the plant begins with washed material being fed to a 300-hp RockMax VSI. Photo courtesy of REMco

The material flow at the plant begins with washed material – either 57s or pea gravel – being fed to a 300-hp RockMax VSI. Here, material is crushed into a range of products, from 1/2 in. to 3/8-in.-minus. The crushed material is conveyed to a triple-deck, 6-ft. x 20-ft. PROscreen.

“It’s a heavyweight, well-braced screen that’s priced very affordably,” Killingsworth says.

Killingsworth also likes that the screen is configured for grease versus oil lubrication, for ease of maintenance and reduced costs.

“Our previous screen was just worn out, and we spent more time working on it than running it,” Killingsworth says. “Now, we’re seeing productivity and plant uptime.”

With the new screen, D&B can make three different products at one time.

“By opening a gate or closing a flap, we can easily change out products,” Killingsworth says. “We’re able to stockpile 300 tph of finished products – and that’s without even putting a full load into the crusher.”

While the previous system produced volumes of less than 1,800 tpd, the new equipment processes up to 2,500 tons of pea gravel each day.

“We can easily put out 10,000 tons of 1/2-in. material without batting an eye,” Killingsworth says.

As for the RockMax VSI, it paid for itself within a year and a half according to Killingsworth.

“This VSI is well built and reliable, and it has saved us a lot on wear costs,” he says. “On the old crusher, we had to change out the anvils every eight hours. On the new crusher, we change out the tips every 100 hours, and every 300 hours we pull out the rotor.”

Now, by employing economical crushing and screening solutions, Dickerson & Bowen can effectively retain control over the quality of its asphalt mix, providing customers with high-quality finished products while meeting budget and timeframe requirements.

The company’s aggregate-processing facilities and asphalt plants are cost-efficient and strategically located, allowing Dickerson & Bowen Construction to remain a leader in cost-effective asphalt paving solutions.


Crushing and screening specs
After an analysis of Dickerson & Bowen’s application, REMco worked closely with the company to provide economical solutions and optimize the crushing and screening circuits for maximum performance.

“We’ve engineered the PROscreen for reliable performance,” says Mike Howell, Central Region manager for REMco.

According to Howell, the PROscreen is designed with heavy-duty dual coil spring trunnion suspension. Its modular mechanism tube and support-deck frames are secured by high-tensile bots with self-locking nuts for easy replacement. Additionally, the vibrator mechanism features heavy-duty, double-row spherical roller bearings, outbound flywheels with adjustable throw weights, and personnel guards.

To meet the requirements of any product sizing application, the PROscreen is manufactured in a range of sizes – up to 8-ft. wide and in lengths up to 24 ft., and in one-, two-, three- and four-deck configurations. Screen decks are available in single-crown, double-crown or flat to suit specific screening needs.

Regarding the RockMax vertical shaft impactor (VSI), Howell says it minimizes material recirculation and increases the volume of net finished product with an ideal particle shape because the VSI achieves a high crushing velocity.


Information for this article courtesy of REMco.

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