How Ideal Ready Mix is running portably with success

By |  May 25, 2021
The Eagle Trek TSP is a portable wash plant featuring an EIW classifying tank and a twin fine material washer on a Department of Transportation-approved chassis. Photo: EIW

The Eagle Trek TSP is a portable wash plant featuring an EIW classifying tank and a twin fine material washer on a Department of Transportation-approved chassis. Photo: EIW

Ideal Ready Mix Co. has been producing ready-mixed concrete since 1947.

Comprised of Ideal Sand and Ideal Masonry Products, the company operates three sand plants and 40 ready-mix plants throughout Iowa, northern Missouri and west central Illinois. Ideal Ready Mix makes concrete, stone, sand and masonry products for use in roads, commercial buildings, bridges, schools, trails, parking lots, power plants and more. 

Background

In 2017, Ideal began production at its Coppock, Iowa, site after core samples revealed the product needed to make state-certified sand was located under the cornfields there.

Ideal obtained the necessary permits, built the pond for dredging the sand, and set up the site for a portable classifying plant, which would allow the company to remove unwanted sand sizes and ensure product was in spec.

Ideal operates portable crushing plants at its rock quarries, and it wanted a similar setup for its washing plant – one that would allow for moving to different locations. 

“The intent was to have a portable plant so we could take it around to our other facilities,” says Ted Pallister, plant manager at Ideal’s Coppock location. “Ideal wanted to go with the portable plant because they could take this plant from Coppock, Iowa, to Wayland, Missouri, fill it up, and then come back here.”

Approach

Through JW Bell, EIW’s (Eagle Iron Works) Iowa dealer, Ideal purchased all-new EIW equipment for the new site – including an Eagle Trek TSP (tank screw plant) and a Classic single-shaft fine material washer.

The Eagle Trek TSP is a portable wash plant featuring an EIW classifying tank and a twin fine material washer on a Department of Transportation-approved chassis. This allows the plant to be moved quickly and easily between sites, or to different locations on the same site.

“With portable equipment, it’s easier to hook onto it and move it than a stationary unit because stationary means it’s positioned there to stay,” says Chip Allen, sales and product support representative at JW Bell. “With portable, you pour a pad, you can move it to the different location easily, and see faster setup time to start operating, dredging and getting product on the ground.”

Impact

The Eagle Trek TSP allows Ideal to create two primary products, which are separated in the sand tank.

Following separation, one product is discharged to the twin sand screw underneath that is part of the Eagle Trek TSP, and a secondary product is dewatered by the single-shaft screw that was added to the system. This secondary product can be stockpiled for sale instead of sent back to the pond.

Both the single screw and twin screw are driven by EIW’s robust gear reducers, which are known for their longevity.

“They appear to be built pretty strong because if we can’t tear them up here, they can’t be torn up,” Pallister says of the gear reducers.

While Ideal initially installed a Mark VI control system from EIW to operate the sand tank, Ideal recently updated it to EIW’s new Mark X control system to increase the efficiency of the classifying tank.

“Our pond is so widely varied that we’ve got to have something computerized to try to keep it in spec,” Pallister says. “We switched from the Mark VI to the Mark X because it was a more efficient system and to get our product to be more efficient and cost-effective for us.”

Pallister estimates Ideal could be making sand at the Coppock site for 20 years. In five or six years, the plant will have to be moved to access reserves underneath it. This is where the portability of the Eagle Trek TSP will be a benefit.

“Hopefully, we can get it up and running quicker than a standard plant, which would take us longer to get up and running,” Pallister says.

Both EIW and JW Bell will continue to provide Ideal with service and support.

“JW Bell has worked well with us,” Pallister says. “Our salesman will deliver parts. If I order something, normally I’ve got them the next day or within an hour.”

As for the equipment itself, Pallister is impressed with the Eagle Trek TSP and Classic fine material washer.

“The Eagle equipment is nice,” Pallister says. “It’s heavy built, durable and it lasts.”

Information for this article courtesy of EIW (Eagle Iron Works).

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