First CDE plant in the US logs more than 40,000 hours

CDE washing system at GS Materials in North Carolina (Image credit: CDE)

CDE’s very first plant in the US was one of its patented EvoWash sand washing systems which was sold to materials giant Martin Marietta Materials Inc.

“More than process material, those early plants laid the foundations for CDE’s long-term growth across the region,” stated CDE’s business development director Darren Eastwood.

He added, “That was perhaps a sign of things to come. At the time, we were a new player in the market, yet right out of the gates one of our flagship products was put to work for one of the United States’ largest producers of construction aggregates. That was an important moment. It signalled we had arrived.”

Consistency is key

Soon after, the company designed and engineered its first full-scale washing system for North Carolina-based GS Materials. This system has now logged in excess of 40,000 hours of operation and is supported by CDE’s after-sales division, CustomCare.

“Our plant is running as efficiently as the day it was commissioned back in 2013,” said GS Materials’ plant superintendent Robert Kellam. He added that this is testament to the proactive support offered by the CustomCare team.

“Without CDE, we’d have a really hard time selling some of our product here on this site. It would be too dirty. It’s not only important for us to have an effective washing solution, but an efficient one too. Our CDE plant keeps us running to schedule and our product to specification.

“That level of consistency is key and the upkeep and maintenance delivered by CDE’s customer service team underscores the success of the entire operation over the years.”

Since installation, the plant has continued to produce 200 tons per hour of various materials, including #57 stone, 1.25-inch gravel, mason sand, concrete sand and up to 110 tons per hour of golf sand, which is supplied to USGA golf courses in the East Coast region, including the world-renowned Pinehurst Golf Club.

The importance of after care

CDE’s approach to after-sales support is central to the long-standing relationships it has with its customers, according to CustomCare manager Andrew Bunting. It guarantees customers get the maximum performance from their equipment.

Once a project is commissioned, the customer is introduced to CustomCare. This 24/7 service and aftersales support is delivered by an in-house team of engineers familiar with the objectives and operation of the customer’s plant. The service includes regular preventative maintenance inspections and customer site visits.

“GS Materials purchased its plant back in 2013. We have a close partnership, making sure we support the team and that it can continue to produce the premium materials needed.”

In-market support

The GS Materials plant was a foundational moment in CDE’s story. It paved the way for continued market expansion and the opening of the company’s North America headquarters in Cleburne, Texas.

Part of this investment included the development of fully stocked and managed stores to house replacement high-wear and consumable plant components to minimise plant downtime and ensure customers’ operations are running at optimum efficiency to boost return on investment.

The proactive and preventative approach to maintenance sees 1,000s of replacement parts readily available for immediate dispatch across North America.

“Everybody knows it’s difficult to get parts when you need them, but CDE has its warehouse in Texas where it keeps most of our parts in stock. It gives me great reassurance that Andrew and his colleagues have my best interests in mind,” Mr Kellam said.

Looking to the future

Reflecting on the 40,000+ hours of operation, he added that he looks forward to a long partnership with CDE.

“We’ll always be doing business with CDE. If we’re not running material, then we’re not making money. Andrew and his team get this – they get us – and they have demonstrated their responsiveness and commitment to keeping us up and running time and time again.

“We’re looking forward to building on this great partnership to see what we can do next to wash bigger and wash better.”