Solutions for the Aggregate Industry: Wm. Neundorfer & Co.’s Support Across the Great Lakes Region
The aggregate industry is the bedrock upon which many essential industries are built. Aggregate production is a demanding industrial process that requires complex material handling systems, robust equipment protection, and reliable process monitoring. From quarrying and crushing to screening and stockpiling, the aggregate industry faces unique challenges in processing crushed stone, construction sand, and gravel. Wm. Neundorfer & Co. provides comprehensive solutions and technical expertise to the aggregate industry in our service region of Ohio, West Virginia, Western Pennsylvania, and Western New York State. In this article we delve into how we along with our manufacturing partners provide comprehensive support to the aggregate industry.
Challenges in Aggregate Processing
Modern aggregate production involves complex material handling challenges in extreme operating conditions, while meeting stringent quality specifications. Each stage of the process, from primary crushing to final product stockpiling, presents unique challenges requiring specific equipment and systems designed for high-volume, continuous operation. In 2023 a total of 576,282,000 metric tons of aggregates with an estimated value of $8,888,200,000.00 was produced across OH, WV, PA, and NY according to the latest data provided by the U.S. Geological Survey.
Wm. Neundorfer & Co. helps our customers achieve success through our partnerships with established equipment manufacturers, providing engineered solutions backed by our regional application expertise. Our technical sales team maintains relationships with engineers and maintenance professionals throughout the Upper Great Lakes region to help ensure continued productivity.
Aggregate processing requires controlled material feeding and efficient screening throughout the production process. Vibratory equipment, including feeders, conveyors, grizzlies and screens, are indispensable tools in the aggregates industry. Through our partnership with JVI Vibratory Equipment, we provide custom-engineered vibratory solutions that use vibration technology to streamline processes and help our customers produce a higher quality final product.
JVI manufactures high-quality heavy-duty equipment custom designed for the aggregate industry. Their equipment is engineered to optimize performance and operating life while being designed to withstand high-impact loads of coarse, sharp and heavy materials.
Vibratory Feeders and Conveyors
Vibratory Pan Feeders:
- Reclaim tunnel feeders for controlled material extraction from storage areas
- Surge tunnel feeders for managing material flow between processing stages
- Primary and secondary Crusher feeders designed to optimize crusher performance
- Optional static chute work, tunnel adapters, rock boxes and target discharge boxes available for complete system integration
Cone Crusher Feeders:
- Tertiary cone crusher feeders engineered for controlled material distribution
- Quaternary cone crusher feeders for final stage crushing operations
- Available with optional trolley systems for easier maintenance access to crushers
Titan Feeder Systems:
- Railcar unloading stations for efficient bulk material receiving
- Truck unloading stations designed for high-volume operations
- Specialized feeders for discharging long slotted hoppers
Vibratory Screens
Grizzly Screens:
- Coarse separation of material prior to crushing operations
- Engineered to handle high volumes of material in continuous operation
- Designed to protect downstream equipment from off spec oversized material
Classifying Screens:
- Separating aggregates by particle size for processing or storage applications
- Various screen media options available for material specific characteristics
- Engineered for final product quality control, ensuring specification compliance for concrete sand, road base, and specialty aggregates
JVI vibratory equipment features single mass designs that use fewer moving parts for low maintenance and longer service life. They can provide equipment customized to retrofit new technology into existing processes or supplied as standalone units for addressing specific processing requirements without complete system replacement. All equipment is backed by factory support and service, with over 30 years of proven excellence in delivering reliable equipment solutions for bulk material processing.
Accurate material measurement and conveyor safety are critical for aggregate production efficiency and quality control. Through our partnership with BulkPro Systems, we provide industry-leading dynamic weighing systems, conveyor safety equipment, and monitoring accessories designed for demanding aggregate industry applications:
Belt Scale Systems for Production Monitoring:
Model N-61 Single Idler Belt Scale:
Heavy-duty, all-in-one design for process control applications with ±1% accuracy. Ideal for monitoring production rates from crushers, screens, and wash plants in aggregate facilities.
Model N-62 Single and Dual Idler Belt Scale:
High-accuracy weighing for heavy-duty applications with ±0.5% accuracy. Designed for production monitoring and load-out verification while tracking product inventory and controlling plant throughput rates.
Model N-64 Multi-Idler Precision Belt Scales:
±0.25% High-accuracy systems for critical aggregate industry applications requiring precise measurement for quality control and billing accuracy.
Speed Monitoring and Safety Systems:
Speed Monitors and Switches Sensors:
Protect valuable machinery from costly downtime, supply current operating conditions and provide an alarm if there is any variation from user supplied operating parameters.
Conveyor Safety Equipment:
Comprehensive range of safety switches, pull cords, and monitoring devices ensuring operator safety and equipment protection in aggregate facility conveyor systems.
BulkPro Systems’ equipment provides crucial information for successful plant management. Their systems are engineered for the harsh environments and demanding accuracy requirements of aggregate production facilities, where dust, moisture, and continuous operation present ongoing challenges.
Aggregate production requires precise monitoring of raw material inventory and finished product levels throughout processing facilities. Through our partnership with BinMaster, Wm. Neundorfer & Co. provides comprehensive level measurement and inventory management solutions engineered for demanding aggregate industry applications:
Point Level Indication Systems:
Rotary Level Indicators:
Robust paddle-type switches providing reliable point level detection in bins, hoppers, and surge piles containing abrasive materials such as crushed stone, sand, and gravel.
Capacitance Probes:
Capacitive level switches for point level indication in various aggregate materials and wash plant applications.
Continuous Level Measurement and Inventory Management:
SmartBob Level Sensors:
Advanced cable and weight technology providing continuous level measurement for silos, bins, and stockpiles throughout aggregate facilities. Multiple sensor configurations enable comprehensive finished product inventory tracking with wireless data integration available.
Non-Contact Radar Systems:
BinMaster NCR series radar sensors deliver accurate level measurement without material contact, ideal for monitoring challenging applications such as cement and fly ash levels in ready-mix operations and asphalt plant storage systems.
3D Level Scanners:
Advanced scanning technology providing detailed material distribution mapping in large stockpiles and storage areas, enabling accurate volume calculations and inventory optimization for finished products and specialty aggregates.
Integrated Monitoring and Control Systems:
BinCloud® Software Integration:
BinCloud® Centralizes inventory management enabling real-time monitoring of material levels across multiple plant locations from multiple devices, supporting multi-site aggregate operations. Comprehensive plant-wide level monitoring integration for bins, silos, and stockpiles, providing operators with centralized visibility of finished product inventory and production capacity.
Custom Notification Systems:
Automated alerts and reporting to prevent overflows, material shortages, and delivery delays, supporting consistent aggregate supply schedules for construction projects.
Wireless Networking:
Implementation of wireless radio communication systems reduces installation complexity while providing real-time material level data to centralized control systems, enhancing operational efficiency and safety protocols in large aggregate operations.
BinMaster level measurement systems address critical aggregate production monitoring requirements including finished product inventory management in storage silos, process material level control in surge bins, and specialty product monitoring in blending operations. These systems provide essential data for production planning, customer delivery scheduling, and process optimization in aggregate processing operations.
Aggregate facilities frequently encounter material flow challenges in bins, hoppers, chutes, and railcar loading operations due to material compaction, moisture content variations, and environmental factors. Through our partnership with NAVCO, we provide engineered vibration solutions to address these critical material handling issues.
Industrial Vibrators
Pneumatic and Electric Bin and Hopper Vibrators:
NAVCO industrial vibrators eliminate bridge formation and rat holes in processing containers including bins, hoppers, and chutes. With a wide range of pneumatic and electric vibrator sizes available in multiple configurations and mounting options, there is a vibrator to ensure consistent material flow in aggregate production environments.
Chute and Transfer Point Vibrators:
Specialized solutions for material flow problems in transfer chutes and loading systems. Available in pneumatic or electric drive options suitable for aggregate industry applications.
Railcar Unloading Equipment:
Aggregate facilities shipping products by rail benefit from NAVCO’s specialized loading and unloading equipment:
HCP (Hopper Car Portable) Railcar Vibrator:
Pneumatic piston vibrator designed for quick deployment in rail yards to improve unloading of covered hopper railcars. The portable design allows rapid movement between railcars for efficient material discharge.
Railside Shaker:
Heavy-duty vibratory equipment for improving bulk material unloading from hopper railcars in harsh rail-side environments, ensuring complete material discharge and reducing carryback.
Overhead Shaker:
Engineered for open-top hopper railcar unloading, utilizing applied vibration technology to safely drive energy into railcars for fast, safe, and complete material discharge, improving railcar unloading operations.
NAVCO vibratory solutions address critical aggregate production challenges where consistent material flow directly impacts production efficiency and customer satisfaction. From raw material processing through finished product loading, these systems ensure uninterrupted material movement essential for maintaining production schedules and maximizing facility throughput.
Aggregate production requires controlled material metering and environmental isolation between process systems. Through our partnership with Bush & Wilton, we provide engineered rotary airlocks, slide gate valves, and diverter valves designed for reliable operation in demanding aggregate industry environments:
Rotary Airlocks for Material Metering:
Bush & Wilton rotary airlocks provide controlled material discharge from bins, silos, and dust collection systems while maintaining pressure differentials. Applications include:
Heavy-Duty Drop-Through Airlocks:
Engineered for abrasive aggregate materials, available in cast iron, stainless steel, and wear-resistant alloys designed for continuous operation.
High-Capacity Airlocks:
Specialized units for feeding high-volume pneumatic conveying systems and batch plants with minimal leakage and maximum throughput.
Dust Collector Airlocks:
Low-maintenance designs for reliable discharge from baghouse and cyclone dust collection systems common in aggregate processing plants.
Batching Plant Feeders:
Controlled feeding for cement, fly ash, and specialty additives to concrete and asphalt batch plants.
Slide Gate Valves:
Versatile gravity flow control valves featuring one-piece cast housings and heavy-duty components ensuring reliable, low-maintenance operation for material isolation and flow control applications in aggregate processing circuits.
Diverter Valves:
Engineered for reliable material routing in gravity flow and pneumatic conveying systems, providing controlled material distribution to multiple stockpiles, load-out systems, or processing lines.
Bush & Wilton material handling components provide essential process control and environmental isolation throughout aggregate production operations. From controlled batching in concrete plants to dust collection system discharge, these engineered solutions ensure accurate material metering while maintaining system integrity and operational safety standards critical for aggregate processing facilities.
Aggregate operations require specialized mixing capabilities for dust management and environmental compliance. Through our partnership with DustMASTER, we provide engineered mixing systems designed for aggregate industry specifications.
DustMASTER Planetary Mixers provide:
Dust Processing and Environmental Management:
Planetary mixing systems process baghouse dust collected from aggregate crushing operations into low-moisture, dust-free material suitable for safe truck loading and transportation. Counter-rotating paddles efficiently blend collected dust with metered water into compactable, soil-like material eliminating environmental and safety concerns associated with dry dust handling.
Flexible Process Control:
Programmable logic controller systems provide complete flexibility for adjusting mixing times and water-to-dust ratios, enabling optimization for specific aggregate dust characteristics and disposal requirements. Manual override capabilities allow the operator to intervene when needed while systems are designed to run automatically during standard operations.
Efficient System Integration:
Planetary mixers mounted on load cells integrate seamlessly with existing pneumatic feed systems and dust collection infrastructure. Material is charged from storage silos via gravity feed, with hydraulically operated bottom doors enabling rapid discharge of conditioned material into haul trucks in approximately 30-60 seconds, maintaining production throughput in continuous crushing operations.
Engineered Durability:
Aggressive counter-rotating paddles provide efficient mixing action while withstanding the demanding conditions of dust conditioning applications. Load cell monitoring ensures consistent batch processing and precise control over final material characteristics.
Aggregate facilities managing baghouse dust collection rely on DustMASTER planetary mixing systems to convert environmental liabilities into safe, transportable material while maintaining compliance with environmental regulations and protecting worker safety standards critical to modern aggregate operations.
Regional Support and Distribution
Operating throughout Ohio, Western Pennsylvania, West Virginia, and Western New York State, Wm. Neundorfer & Co. has a comprehensive understanding of regional aggregate industry requirements and operating conditions.
Regional Presence Advantages:
Rapid Technical Response and Product Delivery
Our local support enables quick response to equipment failures, process modifications, and technical consultations, minimizing production disruptions. As a regional distributor for our manufacturing partners, we maintain inventory of critical components and commonly-specified products, ensuring rapid turnaround for emergency replacements and planned maintenance requirements.
Application Expertise:
Understanding of specific challenges in regional aggregate production facilities, from quarry modernization projects to environmental compliance requirements and advanced technology integration.
Proven Performance:
Established relationships with major aggregate producers demonstrate consistent delivery of reliable engineering solutions and responsive product support throughout the construction materials industry.
Advanced Technology Integration
The aggregate industry continues evolving with new technologies for improving efficiency, reducing environmental impact, and enhancing product quality. Wm. Neundorfer & Co. provides solutions that incorporate advanced monitoring, control, and material handling technologies while maintaining compatibility with established production processes.
Whether implementing wireless monitoring systems in existing quarries or designing custom material handling solutions for new processing plants, we combine proven technology with practical engineering to solve specific operational challenges.
Partnership for Operational Excellence
As aggregate production continues adapting to construction industry demands, environmental regulations, and advancements in technology, Wm. Neundorfer & Co. remain committed to providing practical solutions. Our manufacturer partnerships ensure access to current technology and equipment, while regional expertise guarantees practical, reliable implementations.
From quarry operations through finished product delivery, from raw material processing through quality control systems, we provide comprehensive support maintaining the foundation of aggregate production within our region.
For more information or details on how we can help you select the right equipment for your application, contact Wm Neundorfer & Co today.
We have the expertise and experience to ensure you get the advice and recommendations you require for your specific aggregate processing application.
For more information or details on how we can help you select the right equipment for your application, contact Wm Neundorfer & Co today.
We have the expertise and experience to ensure you get the advice and recommendations you require for your specific application.
