Tarmac ramp up production at Tunstead thanks to Zappshelter
Company installs two custom-built Zappshelters to protect clinker stockpile from the elements
WHEN production volumes grew rapidly at Tunstead Quarry, Tarmac needed extra storage for a key cement-making material, clinker. As the UK’s leading provider of sustainable construction materials and solutions, expanding the company’s on-site stores while minimizing environmental impact was a priority.
The lack of dry storage for the clinker produced at Tunstead was already increasing production emissions and costs. With no weatherproof facility to store clinker during kiln shutdowns, the problem also led to interruptions in production.
As Steven Cox, cement grinding production co-ordinator at Tarmac, explained: ‘When clinker had been left outside in the past it gained a crust on it, and we ended up re-crushing it. So we were actually processing it twice, which was quite a cost to the business.’
To prevent this and protect the material from the Peak District’s harsh weather, the Tarmac team installed two 17m wide x 56m long Zappshelters with custom grey-coloured canopies. Mounted on concrete blocks, both ends of the canopies are left open for easy stock rotation.
With this solution, on-site storage capacity was quickly increased with no impactful construction on site. ‘There was no groundwork required and the team were able to put the Zappshelter up on existing land within a few weeks,’ explained Mr Cox.
‘By having the clinker within the shelters, it means we’re not having to reprocess it when we come to use it again. This means less power consumption, less machine usage, and less emissions from the machines.’
Alongside the environmental benefits, the Tarmac team also saw a huge impact on production, as Mr Cox outlined: ‘It allows us to plan for a longer window throughout (kiln) shutdown, so we’ve always got clinker for cement production and are always able to satisfy the customers’ needs.’
Zappshelters are made in Britain and engineered to be permanent using Ferroten steel. This is typically three to four times stronger than any other shelter systems on the market and means they can withstand the Peak District’s high winds, heavy rain, and snow.
‘The Zappshelters have weathered some storms up here in Buxton. We’re renowned for being quite high up, with constant weather impacts, but thanks to their resilience, the Zappshelters have not moved an inch, said Mr Cox.
Along with the Zappshelter’s speedy construction and reliability, Mr Cox was impressed and reassured by the level of support from the team. ‘Although we didn’t need it, Zappshelter were just a call away for any remedial work,’ he said.
‘I think for anyone who’s looking for additional storage that’s quick to turn around and has great support, then it’s certainly an avenue worth looking down. Zappshelter has been great for us and is something that we’d look to use again in the future.’
