Kent based Gallagher Group has bought a new Rapidmix 400CW mobile continuous mixing plant.

Above: The Rapidmix 400CW at Hermitage Lane quarry

The Rapidmix machine is operated primarily at the group’s Hermitage Lane Quarry site in Maidstone, although it can also be used on location if haulage presents an issue.

The plant is used in the production of the company’s Gallapave range of hydraulically bound material (HBM) and roller compacted concrete (RCC).

Gallagher Group said: “With the Rapidmix 400CW we are using the waste fines from our fixed primary crushing plant for our HBM products, saving dump trucks moving fines and space in our landfill. The Rapidmix 400CW is a well-built piece of equipment but as with every piece of new equipment there is always minor initial teething problems. The customer service that Rapid International gave was second to none. Most queries were resolved over the phone with the remote login access from head office in Northern Ireland.”

HBM is used as sub-base and base course to replace traditional capping layer, type 1 sub-base and tarmacadam base course in road construction, and so reduce road digging and avoid the need for a geotextile membrane.

RCC is a semi dry concrete product that is a wearing surface used where strong pavement is required to stand up to massive loads and specialised equipment. With its high flexural strength, it does not require forms or finishing and is fast and economical to produce. RCC is typically used for ports, airports and warehouses.

Semi dry mixes, such as HBM and RCC, are typically less economical to produce in a conventional static batch plant. The Rapidmix mobile continuous mixing plant solves this problem as it is specifically designed for semi dry mixes, ensuring a high output of high quality homogenous material at all times, the manufacturer says. The on board high speed Rapid Twin Shaft mixer contains chill cast steel mixing paddles which are phased to optimise mixing action while maximising throughput.

The recently updated Rapidmix 400 CW incorporates full weighing options for all materials – aggregates, cement and water – with automatic data logging for record keeping.