As a major concrete equipment manufacturer, Ajax Fiori offers wide range of concreting solutions for various infrastructure projects. Debasis Bhattacharya elaborates more on the products and technologies.

Serving the construction industry with a legacy of over 25 years, Ajax Fiori provides total concrete solutions to its customers for their specific needs in concrete production, transportation and placement. Its range of innovative products, including self-loading concrete mixers (SLCMs), batching plants and concrete pumps, designed to help the customers produce and deliver quality concrete, whenever the demand, wherever the need arises, and whatever the volume required. The versatile user-friendly machines help customers improve productivity, while increasing profits along the way.

Self-loading concrete mixer
Ajax had foresighted the potential for self-loading concrete mixer (SLCM) market way back in 1992, as it is the appropriate tool fit for Indian contractors for small and medium volume projects. Initially, there were doubts in the minds of the customers about the utility of this product, but once the machine proved its ability and performance, rest is history in the concreting sector. Ajax SLCMs are available in four models - Argo 4000, Argo 2500, Argo 2000 and Argo 1000, with 4 cu m, 2.5 cu m, 2 cu m and 1 cu m batch volumes, respectively.

Self-loading mobile concrete mixer is utilised as a merger of loader, mobile batching plant and transit mixer for small to medium volume concrete requirements. These machines are equipped with a concrete batch controller to obtain the required quality of concrete by allowing the operator to calibrate the quantity of aggregates into the mixer as per mix design. These four-wheel drive machines are also available with crab steering, hence are highly manoeuvrable. These machines can be deployed in any kind of terrain.

Admixture dosing unit (ADU) plays a key role while using a SLCM for high grade concrete. Ajax Argo SLCM comes with an option of ADU, which will be a major relief to the customers working on high grade concrete.

Batching system plays a key role in the quality of concrete and Ajax had developed an advanced batching system in Argo which will be a game changer in the market.

Concrete batching plants
Ajax offers a wide variety of batching plants, ranging from 30 cu m per hour to 240 cu m/hr. The compact reduce bin batching plant series (CRB series) and inline reduced bin batching plant series (IRB Series) are the result of understanding customer needs and their site constraints. The plants are available in capacities of 30 cu m/hr and 60 cu m/hr.

Compact reduce bin batching plant series: CRB series batching plants come standard with planetary mixers, which is the most ideal mixer for producing all grades of concrete and all types of slumps. World over, the planetary mixers have replaced the turbo mixers for most applications, owing to its capability of producing high-quality concrete of different types. The key benefits of planetary mixers over conventional turbo mixers are:

The planetary mixer mixing tools rotate in a synchronised manner and are able to turn the material distributing all of the material uniformly in the pan without favouring the different nature of the materials, creating a homogeneous mix; each revolution changes the flow pattern.

The intensity of the mixing action, appropriate speeds combined with design of the mixing tools provide a complete homogenisation and an efficient flow pattern. The pan of the planetary mixer is completely empty, thus allowing the material to cover the complete area in a minimum time.

Planetary mixers have a single type of mixing tool with a geometry that together with a combination of movements distributes evenly the material.

The compact reduced bin batching plant of 30 cu m/hr capacity was designed to fulfil the need of its customer in the RMC and infrastructure segments. In today's competitive world, capital and operational cost plays a vital role in the success of the business.

The CRB 30 eliminates the need of the belt conveyor for handling aggregates and thereby reduces the capital cost by 30 per cent compared to other similar plants available in the market.

Aggregate weighing system is independent of skip transfer system, thereby reducing the cycle time and increases productivity

The entire plant can be transported in a single trailer and thereby reducing transportation cost compared to other plants

• Plug-and-play electrical system, thereby fast erection at site

• Compact layout, hence minimal space required

• Minimal concrete foundation required for erection

• Skid foundation also available as optional, which eliminates the need of a foundation

Inline reduced bin batching plant series: The IRB series batching plant is designed for sites where loading of aggregates cannot be done from both the sides of the bins due to site constraints. These batching plants are best suited for customers who needs four to six bins for different aggregate sizes.

The inline bin batching plant series (IBP Series) are the large capacity batching plants ranging from 120 to 240 cu m/hr and predominantly used for NHAI road projects and major dam projects. These plants comes with twin-shaft mixer technology for handling bigger aggregates (above 40 mm).

Concrete pumps
Ajax launched the very first 25 m boom pump in the Indian industry. Made out of high grade and lightweight steel, the 70 cu m output pump can be mounted on a 4X2 chassis, which places this machine at the top of the list of boom pumps as none of the manufacturer has combined such a mammoth pumping machine on a compact chassis. These traits of Ajax's A25ZX makes this machine an economical choice for customer.

The ASP series concrete pumps come standard with 'S' valve technology, efficient hydraulic system and customised manifold, which is ideally suited for high-pressure vertical pumping of concrete.

Key features of ASP series concrete pumps are:

• Efficient use of engine power for effective fuel consumption
• Appropriate feeding height ensures clear visibility of concrete at hopper
• Effective control system with simple electrical panel
• Efficient open loop single hydraulic pump
• Automatic greasing, wired remote, hopper vibrator, and limit switch for hopper grill safety ensure high performance of the pump.
• The ASP series of stationary concrete pump is currently available in three capacities viz., 40, 50 and
• 70 cu m per hour, working in multiple job sites all over India.
• Today, it has more than 12,000 plants and machinery in the market catering to various infrastructure projects in the country.

Debasis Bhattacharya is Head - Sales, Marketing & Product Support at Ajax Fiori Engineering (I) Pvt Ltd.