Twenty Terex TR100s for Stevin Rock
Largest quarry in the Middle East tops up its Terex fleet with 10 more TR100 rigid dumptrucks
TEREX Construction have supplied another 10 TR100 rigid dumptrucks to work at Stevin Rock’s Khor Khuwair Quarry, near Ras Al Khaimah, in the United Arab Emirates. The site – the largest limestone quarry in the Middle East – had already added 10 of the 91-tonne capacity Terex trucks to its fleet late last year.
Originally formed in 1975 and 99% government owned since 2004, Stevin Rock run more than 250 machines at the Ras Al Khaimah site. This includes 38 Terex TR100 rigid trucks as well as 20 of the previous 3311 and 33100 models.
‘We’ve got a big fleet of Terex trucks and that was a major factor in the decision to buy the new TR100s,’ said technical and operations manager Simon Turner.
‘The equipment was partly fleet expansion, along with an element of fleet renewal. We work 24h a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year, and working hours on a machine can easily reach 7,000h per year.’
The quarry itself extends 800m into the mountains behind Ras Al Khaimah, with more than 20 active benches and up to 30km of quarry face. The lowest working area is 40m above sea level and the highest is around 450m above that. Blasting takes place six days a week with more than 120,000 tonnes of material being excavated each day.
A mix of wheel loaders and crawler excavators load the limestone into a fleet of 110 rigid dumptrucks which carry the material to a range of crushers and screens, and finally to Stevin Rock’s own nine-berth all-weather harbour. Up to 70% of the material is exported throughout the Middle East and to the Indian steel industry.
Simon Turner, who took over running of the site last summer, has completely overhauled the working operation with impressive results. The company has seen a 15% rise in efficiency and a 30% rise in productivity, with hardly any additional machinery or personnel. Equally importantly, health and safety at the quarry has improved significantly.
‘It is a continuous course of improvement,’ said Mr Turner. ‘We’ve seen some big wins in terms of productivity, now the smaller things need to be assessed. This site is primarily about logistics, it’s a load and haul site. We have put the plan in place, now we need to prove it.’
The new Terex trucks are playing a part in the improved efficiency and productivity that is being achieved.
‘We’ve done a lot of cycle-time analysis to see where improvements can be made. We’re also looking at excessive truck idling and correct positioning for better efficiency. We look at everything from an efficiency point of view,’ explained Mr Turner. ‘Having the new trucks has certainly helped in our understanding of maintenance of the new systems too.’
The TR100 is the largest rigid dump truck in the five-model Terex line up. With a heaped capacity of 57 cubic metres, the 91-tonne (100-ton) payload truck is powered by a 1,050hp (783kW) Cummins KTA38-C engine driving through an Allison six-speed, electronically controlled automatic transmission. Automatic lock-up is available in all speed ranges, improving fuel efficiency and aiding productivity on site, while a dual-retardation system contributes to fast, safe haul times.
