Process and Design Engineering (Aggflow and Layout)
- Analyze projected sales demand, including annual volumes and product mix.
- Determine required hourly production capacity based on annual and weekly operating hours.
- Factor in efficiency, labor scheduling, and overtime control to establish realistic capacity targets.
- Select and configure crushing and screening units to ensure no single component limits overall capacity or remains underutilized.
- Design process flow to produce yield percentages that closely align with the sales forecast, reducing the need for frequent mode changes.
- Limit upfront capital expense by right-sizing equipment and eliminating unnecessary options.
- Incorporate flexibility to adapt to market fluctuations—capturing potential sales opportunities while avoiding excess inventory.
- Balance crushing ratios to achieve optimal product shape, desired product mix, and minimal waste.
- Design screen capacity around the preferred screen media type for maximum efficiency.
- Strategically select finger gates, splitter gates, and chute configurations to minimize initial cost while maintaining operational flexibility.
- Provide the ability to adjust particle size distribution among products to maximize revenue and ensure consistent, specification-compliant gradations.
- Size surge piles and bins to minimize project cost while ensuring continuous crusher feed and compatibility with automation systems.
- Size crushers to optimize reduction ratios, minimize recirculation, and improve yield while controlling fines generation.
- Incorporate automation to adjust operations dynamically and fully utilize crushing capacity during mode changes and fluctuations in feed gradation.
RFP/Bid Process Facilitation
- An unbiased and independent scope of work promotes competitive bidding, resulting in lower bid prices, reduced project overruns after award, and clearer, more consistent bid comparisons. This approach maintains flexibility in selecting the best equipment for each application—such as crushing, screening, and conveying—without limiting choices to a single vendor.
- A competitive process involving multiple contractors ensures the best overall value for the project owner. Savings of approximately 10% are typical, which is significant given that a new plant may cost $30–40 million. By allowing contractors to contribute design ideas and rebidding based on refined scopes, owners can achieve both better designs and lower costs.
- The cost of a professional design and bid facilitation process is typically around 0.1% of total project cost ($35–45K for a $30–40M plant) and can yield savings of 10–15% ($3–6M). Beyond cost reduction, this process results in a more efficient, flexible, and profitable plant that delivers long-term value.
- Plants optimized to produce a higher percentage of the most valuable products while minimizing waste generate substantially greater profitability—an area where equipment manufacturers often lack specialized expertise.
- Several comparable projects are currently underway with other producers, providing valuable benchmarks and current market pricing insights that help ensure cost accuracy and project efficiency.
Design-Build Contractor Selection
- Assess the current capabilities and capacity of multiple design-build contractors to identify the one best suited for the project’s specific requirements.
- A high level of multidisciplinary capability is essential to ensure the project is completed safely, on schedule, and within budget.
- Evaluate all key disciplines, including project management, engineering design, process flow engineering, construction, electrical, and automation.
- Assess each contractor’s turnkey capacity and the skillsets of their project team members.
- Leverage knowledge of comparable past projects to establish realistic cost expectations based on current market pricing.
Project Scoping
- Balance project cost with design capacity and flexibility to meet current market demands and adapt to future changes.
- Account for the expected lifespan of the facility in all design decisions.
- Apply value engineering principles throughout the design process.
- Eliminate unnecessary equipment and conveyors, minimize conveyor lengths, and right-size capacities for efficiency.
- Incorporate knowledge of material characteristics to ensure optimal performance and reliability.
operational assessments
- Increase efficiency and reduce costs using a proven facilitation process that identifies high-value improvement opportunities through systematic evaluation.
- A diverse, primarily internal team with relevant expertise conducts a multi-day assessment in collaboration with site management.
- Improvements are accelerated by quantifying potential profit gains and prioritizing opportunities based on value and ease of implementation.
Aggregates 101 OVERVIEW Training
If you’re new to the industry, a supporting vendor looking to educate your team, or an investor seeking an overview and insights, you can receive the right level of training to meet your goals.
Brent Ward, P.E., is an accomplished leader with over 30 years of experience in the aggregates industry, having held pivotal roles with five leading producers. His career encompasses executive leadership and operational management, driving transformative outcomes across diverse functions, including operational excellence, business process optimization, engineering, greenfield development, capital investment, large-scale project execution, acquisition due diligence, and strategic mine planning.
Brent has spearheaded performance improvement initiatives for five top-tier producers, notably leading the design and implementation of comprehensive programs at two organizations, resulting in significant operational and financial gains. His expertise in EBITDA-focused design and execution has been instrumental in delivering high-impact production plant construction projects, blending technical precision with strategic vision.
Currently, Brent provides specialized consulting services to the aggregates industry, focusing on operational enhancements through innovative technology adoption, site assessments, capital project management, process engineering, and customized training programs. His hands-on approach ensures practical, high-value solutions tailored to client needs.
Brent holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees in mining engineering from the Missouri University of Science and Technology. He has also served on the boards of directors for both the Missouri University of Science and Technology and the Colorado School of Mines, contributing to the advancement of mining education and industry standards..
