According to Jay Giltz, the outlook is good for those in the business of concrete crushing. “Even though highway funding over the past two years has been limited, we believe the industry will begin to pick up for two reasons: the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) has begun specifying more recycled product, and throughout the United States, state legislatures are following suit. Although some states still favor virgin aggregate due to a large number of state quarries, the nation as a whole is trending toward a mix of virgin and recycled spec product.”

Giltz is a member of Team Eagle Sales. Eagle Crusher manufactures a complete line of heavy-duty impact crushers, portable crushing systems, screening plants, and conveyors for the recycling and aggregate markets. Giltz commented, “Set-up time and downtime are two of the biggest challenges in this industry, but our enclosed, gas-powered hydraulic motor and controls provide easier set-up and maintenance. Also, we deliver parts fast, so customers are up and crushing rather than down and waiting. The reality is, if customers are not up and crushing 24/7, they’re losing money.”

Designed for high-volume production and minimal downtime, the Eagle Crusher line of UltraMax® Portable Crushing and Screening Plants and UltraMax impactors deliver marketable products at a lower cost per ton for maximum profitability. Eagle Crusher customers utilize the UltraMax Plants and impactors to recycle demolition debris, including asphalt and steel or heavily reinforced concrete, to make a cubical spec product. Giltz reports that his typical customer produces anywhere from 60 to 800 tons per hour (TPH), with an average of 150 to 250 TPH. Plants are also used in the aggregate industry to crush sand and gravel, limestone, basalt and shot rock.

Eagle’s E-Plant, with applications for concrete crushing and recycling, is their newest product. The Eagle Crusher UltraMax 1200-25CC is the most popular concrete crusher they now offer. This closed-circuit plant takes a large feed size and makes a spec product from concrete rubble, right on site.

The portable UltraMax 1200-25CV is suitable for primary and secondary crushing. Other products offered include: the portable UltraMax 1400-45, a high-volume, primary/secondary crushing plant; the portable UltraMax 1000-15CC, which easily converts to a high-output secondary crusher; the UltraMax 1000-15CV, ideal for frequent site changes and sizeable production; the portable UltraMax 500-05CC, which is ideal for a variety of aggregate and recycled materials; and the portable UltraMax 500-05CV, which is highly portable and ready to crush in 30 to 60 minutes.

There are seven models in the UltraMax line of impactors, designed for bare-shaft, skid-mounted, and portable applications.

The Hybrid Traxx offers all the advantages of a portable crusher in a versatile track machine. “For all of our customers who must handle debris of any kind, Eco-Crusher® products recoup much of their costs by providing the capability to recycle on-site. From the hardest of rock, to asphalt, concrete with rebar, sand dirt and trash piles – the portability of an attachment makes it best suited for the smaller volumes of debris and aggregate that our customers deal with on a daily basis,” stated Larry Giberson, vice president and owner of Eco-Crusher manufacturer, Giberson Enterprises.

The company has recently expanded its product line to include crushing, screening and recycling attachments for skid-steers all the way up to 120,000 pound excavators. Production outputs for the Eco-Crusher lines now range from 10 TPH to an impressive 200-plus TPH. One new rotary bucket has a 2 1/3 yard capacity and can produce material at a rate of 135 TPH.

“The Eco-Crusher ability to reclaim steel from concrete has been a popular feature with our customers – they have given us plenty of positive feedback about that,” Giberson said. He also noted, “A crusher attachment does not require the same permit or approval hassles that are often associated with larger crushers. Recycling on-site is very popular now for a variety of reasons, some related to legislative trends. We offer products for this developing market niche. Our products provide a very favorable cost-per-ton to produce finished product – the commodity involved, which is why our products are the best solution for our customer’s jobs. As fuel costs fluctuate, the industry frequently turns toward portable on-site recycling, to minimize fuel costs and boost the bottom line,” Giberson said.

“Genesis Attachments is a global leader in the design and manufacture of high-quality excavator attachments, including concrete processors, grapples, shears and specialty attachments. We also provide multiple product lines designed for concrete processing applications,” stated David Palvere, director of business development.

He said their Logix Processor LXP features an industry-leading quick-change jaw design, to provide powerful multiprocessor capabilities. “The product is ideal for concrete processing. The LXP with a concrete cracker jaw, designed for concrete recycling, features jaw tips that concentrate force to more thoroughly crush heavy concrete. Our Genesis concrete processor provides unparalleled crushing power, up to 50 percent faster cycle times and a large jaw opening that increases productivity and easily processes oversized reinforced concrete. Replaceable cutting blades eliminate rebar torching, and bolt-on wear components dramatically reduce overall maintenance and operating costs,” said Palvere.

Genesis also offers a demolition recycler, the GDR, which is designed for concrete processing and recycling. The GDR is available with a large opening pulverizer and concrete cracker jaw options. Their mechanical pulverizer, the GMP, stands up to the rigors of concrete processing and removal. The product’s proprietary, bolt-on teeth are easily replaced and fully protect the parent material from wear. In downsizing or preparing fill to be left on-site, the GMP quickly processes concrete walls, floors, decks, foundations and pre-cast structures.

The Genesis concrete cracker, or GCC, combines strength, efficiency, speed and economy to crush and pulverize concrete while simultaneously cutting rebar. The GCC is quickly mounted in place of an excavator’s bucket and operates off the existing bucket cylinder to downsize material, including rebar-laden, high-strength concrete, for feeding into a stationary jaw crusher.

Palvere noted that end-users benefit from fast cycle times and plenty of crushing force from their tools, because they enable them to process large piles of concrete quickly. “Flexibility is also important. So, having the ability to switch tools or jaws rapidly adds operational up-time and increases machinery utilization, which in turn, generates revenue,” he said.

He continued, “Recycling has been factored into almost all demolition projects for environmental reasons, but it should also be profitable to secure full participation. Separation of materials, concrete and rebar, is important to make each end product saleable and reusable. While everyone wants to do the right thing, many face challenges in completing projects profitably. Purchasing tools that offer performance and flexibility can facilitate processing in most concrete recycling applications."