CBR aim for restoration and reliability
Hitachi EX1900-6 excavator improves productivity and environmental credentials at Belgian chalk quarry
IN the Romont chalk quarry in the east of Belgium, a new Hitachi EX1900-6 has already proved to be a successful acquisition for Ciment Belge Reuni (CBR) since it commenced work in January 2013.
The Hitachi ultra-large excavator, the largest of its kind in Belgium, is not only helping to enhance productivity on the 30-hectare site in the province of Liège, but is also a key part of the company’s environmental responsibilities.
CBR are part of the Heidelberg Cement Group, who have seven production facilities located in the Benelux countries, including the Lixhe plant, which makes 1.6 million tonnes of cement annually. It is situated along the banks of the Albert Canal and is supplied with raw materials by the nearby quarries of Romont and Loën.
Romont was opened in 1974 to exploit the marl deposits, which consist of a lime-rich mudstone with variable amounts of clay and silt. The current licence expires in 20 years, but CBR are shortly hoping to extend this agreement for another 40 years. The total layer of aggregate materials extends over an area of 550 hectares, with 230 million tonnes of chalk available for extraction.
The project is entirely situated on high-quality farmland. The site’s biodiversity is the subject of biological studies and areas of ecological interest are already present and will be partially maintained. The final goal is restoration to a landscape of high agricultural quality and richer in natural elements than it was prior to its exploitation as a quarry.
In addition, CBR consider their immediate environment by employing direct digging rather than blasting. The site’s close vicinity to the village of Eben-Emael, licence restrictions on quarrying, and the demand for separated materials also favour to this method of extraction and, hence, the decision to invest in a new ultra-large excavator.
CBR opted for an eight-year, 20,000-hour service agreement with the machine as just one part of the Support Chain after-sales programme offered by Hitachi and its official dealer in Belgium, Luyckx. Other examples include: a training session held by Luyckx for CBR’s operators and technicians; a routine maintenance check carried out every 500 hours; and the availability of parts required over the lifetime of the machine.
‘We are very happy with the EX1900-6 and the service provided by Luyckx,’ said Samuel Wittemans, manager of CBR’s Romont Quarry. ‘There have been no problems at all with the new excavator and it is working very well.
‘CBR needed a new 200-tonne excavator and there were four main options to choose from. There were seven people involved in the decision-making process for the new machine. In my opinion, the Hitachi EX1900-6 offered the best compromise for cost, support service and technical specification.’
CBR utilize two dumptrucks to work with the EX1900-6 during the extraction process, with the excavator making five passes per load. When combined with the other ultra-large excavator on site, it will help to extract 3 million tonnes of materials per annum: 2.2million tonnes of chalk materials for the Lixhe plant; and 0.8million tonnes of overburden for the restoration work.
Johan Duplessis is one of the EX1900-6 operators and this is the first Hitachi that he has operated during his career. He said: ‘It is smooth to operate, the controls are user-friendly and within easy reach, and the loading cycle is fast. I also like the air-conditioning in the cab – it’s a very comfortable working environment.’
