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PORT ALLEN, LA: While SENNEBOGEN purpose-built machines continue to grow as America's preferred material handler in scrap metal operations, the increasingly familiar green machines recently debuted in unloading applications for Mississippi River ports.
A SENNEBOGEN 835 M machine is now operating on the river facilities of South Louisiana Cement in Port Allen, near Baton Rouge, LA, where it is used for unloading imported cement. South Louisiana Cement is part of the Angelle Concrete Group, one of the three largest concrete producers in the state. Angelle produces about 70,000 cubic yards of concrete a year and is one of only five independent concrete companies in the United States that imports its own cement.
The Port Allen facility moves about 700 tons of cement every day. The rubber tired SENNEBOGEN 835 M is permanently stationed on a work barge moored at the site, alongside the hopper of a crushing system that processes the cement for further distribution. River barges loaded with imported cement dock next to the work barge for the SENNEBOGEN 835 M material handler to load cement directly from their holds to the hopper. The wheeled green machine sits up on outriggers and is fitted with a 2-yard clamshell bucket to reach down into the hold, lift out the cement and swing it around to the hopper – about 180o.
According to Bob Walsh, the Operations Manager at the site, a key advantage of the SENNEBOGEN machine is the hydraulic cab, which elevates the operator into position to have a clear look into the hold. The excellent stability of the 835 M makes unloading of the barges very easy, as the machine is able to handle a full grapple in any operating position. Another plus is the level of service provided by H&E Equipment, the SENNEBOGEN distributor in the Louisiana and Mississippi area.
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The elevating cab of the SENNEBOGEN 835M gives river port operators a clear view into the hold of barges as they load or unload, making the machine a highly productive choice for transfer applications on inland waterways. |
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Walsh says that the 835 M has proven to be a highly reliable machine that moves the material with about the same efficiency as the vacuum system that was in place previously. The SENNEBOGEN machine operates continuous cycles for 10 hours a day and can unload a full barge in two days. Bob does feel that their SENNEBOGEN does provide them with additional flexibility. They use it not only to unload the barge, but also to remove the barge cover and lower a skid steer into the hold for final clean up.
SENNEBOGEN material handling machines have been used extensively in port operations worldwide for many years, but this is one of the first such applications in the United States. Since the green machines first came to America in 2000, SENNEBOGEN has become a major fixture in the scrap and recycling industry and has recently turned more attention to other businesses where the purpose-built material handlers have been successful. According to Bobby Slay at H&E, the Mississippi delta is a natural home for SENNEBOGEN machines, meeting diverse requirements in forestry and bulk-handling applications for the region's many ports.
SENNEBOGEN has been a leading name in the global material handling industry for more than 50 years. Based in Charlotte, North Carolina, SENNEBOGEN North America offers a complete range of purpose-built machines to suit virtually any heavy lift or "pick & carry" application. A growing network of distributors supports SENNEBOGEN sales and service across North America, ensuring the highest standard of professional machine support and parts availability.
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