Innovative Plant Projects: Elevating US Aggregates® Operations with Creative Solutions

At US Aggregates®, we tackle big problems head-on, leveraging the creativity of our miners to solve complex challenges. Our Safety Rewards Program encourages miners to showcase their solutions, rewarding safety submissions and offering incentives to locations that reach 1,000 points annually. 

By fostering a culture of ingenuity, continuous learning and collaboration, our teams enhance their processes and inspire other locations to follow suit. Our miners constantly develop innovative solutions to the challenges they encounter, elevating our operations and strengthening our safety culture, including the recent projects below. 

Heavy Equipment Parking Lot Revamp – Linn Grove / Pleasant Mills 

The team installed divider walls for each parking spot, creating designated areas to hang cords for the haul trucks and loaders. They also added a drain tile in the trench to ensure proper water flow. 

Color-Coded Screens – Delphi 

The team made a color-coded chart that breaks down all the secondary plant screen setups. It showcases the number of screens, shaker location, screen size and specific product modes. The color coordination streamlines the process of switching screens for different products and creates an organized storage system with consistent efficiency.

Pump Draining Engineering – Thorntown 

The team engineered a solution for pump freezing issues during the winter. They redirected drainage, added a rubber liner for antifreeze and installed an access bung and pump to remove residual water. This eliminated the need for manual thawing and improved efficiency. Preventing freeze related issues helps maintain consistent operations and helps reduce overall wear and tear of equipment. 

Garage Door Chain Guard – Portland 

The team noticed the garage door for the maintenance shop had a gear and chain exposed. They created a guard to cover the exposed gear and chain. Painting the guard a high visibility yellow alerts people of danger in the area. 

Porta-Pak Grease Storage – Crawfordsville 

The team uses grease across the mine site and needed a consistent, protective storage method to use while transporting it. They researched methods to find a container that protects against damage and contamination. It makes transporting and accessing the grease easier, reducing time spent locating or replacing tubes.   

As the 2024 mining season comes to an end, we extend our heartfelt thanks to all our miners for their unwavering commitment to safety. Stay tuned for more safety and innovation during our annual refresher trainings set to take place in January 2025!