US Aggregates® recently invested in the new find grind plant at its Portland location. The investment supports sustainability goals by reducing waste and increasing efficiency. The new plant can process previously wasted materials two to three times a day. This state of the art facility provides the company with the opportunity to expand into new markets and serve a broader customer base, reaching clients as far west as Washington State and as far east as New Jersey. Portland’s ability to now produce and expand their fine grind material offerings is a key differentiator that helps them meet the specialized needs of current and future customers.
The rebuilding of the plant included building approach ramps, pouring concrete for the foundation, lifting bins into place, mounting blowers and rotary air locks, and completing programming and electrical needs. The installation of advanced equipment, most notably a classifier, has made this possible for the plant. A classifier is a machine that sorts materials according to their size, shape and density. This enables the plant to separate waste materials into usable products, effectively turning what was once discarded material into new revenue streams. Classifiers also help plants to increase efficiency while optimizing size control and overall product quality. A few weeks ago, they had their first trial run where they sent a couple truckloads of product to a customer.
With a project of this magnitude, the team shared that the biggest challenge was maintaining full operations while the new equipment was being installed. Over the course of the building, the team needed to maintain service to their glass stone and fertilizer customer base. To meet customer demands, the team coordinated between on-site workers, contractors and staff from other locations.
Plant Manager Corey Price is beyond grateful for all the hours and effort the Portland team, engineering team and contractors put into this project to make it successful. The team is especially appreciative of all the contractors involved: TJ’s Concrete, J Crane, HES and Ironclad Metal Worx LLC. This project is the tip of the iceberg for the further innovation and expansion that is to come. “The Portland team is a tight-knit and hardworking community with a strong sense of camaraderie built through shared challenges like this build,” highlighted Corey. US Aggregates is proud of everyone who came together to tackle this monumental project and mark a historic moment in the company’s history and future!
Corey Price, Carl Krockenberger and Anthony Treadaway contributed to this article
