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Focused Growth
Replacing a Crusher in the Midst
of a Pandemic in Saint-François
Due to its age and the difficulty in finding replacement parts, the CC03 crusher had become a real risk for the entire aggregate production at the Saint-François quarry. The time had therefore come to find an alternative solution for the Demix Agrégats division.
Following a rigorous call for tenders conducted jointly by the engineering and procurement departments, a crusher made by Chinese manufacturer Nanchang Mineral Systems (NMS) was selected. More powerful and less expensive than conventional equipment, the new cone crusher with a 450 HP motor was the first of its kind to be installed by a division of CRH in North America. Consequently, the onsite assistance of an NMS technician was required to ensure proper commissioning. Then the global COVID-19 pandemic struck... and the federal government closed the borders the day before the NMS technician was scheduled to arrive on Canadian soil!
Seeking a solution
In order to install the new crusher, ingenuity and flexibility were required. That’s how NMS technician Alex Chow’s skills were put to use remotely. Given the 12-hour time difference between Quebec and China, Alex would stay up at night at his home to provide advice on the installation of our crusher. Alex kept track of the work’s progress mainly through WhatsApp, an application for sending text messages and photos, as well as through conference calls. When night fell in Canada, Alex would be busy during the day on his side in China, seeking clarifications from NMS’s engineering department when issues were beyond his area of expertise. His truly outstanding dedication made all the difference.
The project also benefited from the advanced expertise developed on a similar crusher located at the Demix Agrégats Varennes quarry, in situations requiring physical assistance or in the context of issues unknown to the manufacturer.
In addition, the challenges related to electricity were numerous throughout the process. Several electrical modifications were required to comply with the Canadian Electrical Code, both in terms of equipment and electrical installations. The capacity of the CC03 electrical room had to be increased to accommodate the increased power of the new crusher.
A success story from
start to finish
Valued at $650,000, the new crusher at the Saint-François quarry is a resounding success, with the plant breaking new production records since it began operations on May 13, 2020. It is a powerful example of collaboration, ingenuity and mutual aid, in French, English and Mandarin, as this project required! Congratulations to the whole team: Stéphane Gobeil, Anthony Adam and Jean-François Houde.
THE STORY BEHIND NMS
Founded in 1970, the Chinese manufacturer Nanchang Mineral Systems (NMS) is a scientific and technological enterprise engaged in mineral and aggregate processing, technology research, engineering design, product development and equipment manufacturing. NMS benefits from a commercial agreement with GDS Group, a purchasing entity located in China with business ties to CRH.
16 | THE CONVEYOR | December 2020