Originally posted on the Herald Express Website.

Glendinning, the region’s largest family owned quarrying, concrete products and road contracting business, has commissioned its new crushing and screening house and bin storage system at its Linhay Hill Quarry, Ashburton.

Roddy Grant from Centristic meets Ian Glendinning, Barry Wilson and Ian Ashford

The £8.5 million facility, which includes a £3.5 million asphalt plant completed in 2010, replaces the existing plant more than doubling the capacity of stone throughput and opening up valuable limestone reserves located under the 30 year-old redundant structure thus securing the long term future for the 53 year-old business.

Glendinning managing director, Barry Wilson, said: “This is a very significant moment in the history of this business. We are able to increase productivity by through putting a maximum of 600 tonnes of stone per hour (TPH) from the previous 250 TPH going through the old installation. We are also able to combine crushing, screening and storage for different grades of materials in one facility which has a bespoke design interlinking all conveyors, walkways and lorry loading.

“The successful delivery of this complex project is entirely down to the input of local businesses whose commitment, trust and teamwork ensured that we remained on course throughout and that problem-solving and unexpected challenges were dealt with quickly and efficiently.

“The bespoke new plant design has incorporated state-of-the-art control technology including dust encapsulation, sophisticated health, safety and environmental systems and lower energy consumption per tonne produced.”

Newton Abbot bulk materials handling equipment manufacturers Centristic Limited provided the bespoke design after consultation with Glendinning’s staff. Director Roddy Grant said: “This really was a bespoke project as no models for this type of installation exist. However, we have worked with Glendinning for a long time and knew that the business has strong values so we were prepared to go the extra mile and commit totally to the project.

“The working relationship was superb. The contract enabled Centristic to invest in new IT and computer generated modelling systems while ensuring that Glendinning finished with a facility that would be industry leading.”

The new plant required over 1,000 tons of locally fabricated and galvanised steel with live stone storage capacity of 750 tons. There are 18 conveyors and over 1.2 kilometres of walkways providing access for maintenance. The project also involved constructing new access roads using Glendinning’s in-house Contracting Division.