Cemex Partners with McLanahan for a High-Performance Modular Sand and Gravel Plant

Cemex UK is a leading supplier of construction materials and building solutions, providing cement, ready-mix concrete, aggregates, asphalt and a range of services that support residential, commercial and infrastructure projects throughout the United Kingdom. 

Located in West London, Cemex’s Shepperton Quarry plays a critical role in supplying aggregates to the company's ready-mix concrete operations and external customers. Due to limited transportation alternatives in the region, maintaining a dependable local source of sand and gravel is essential to serving the market efficiently. 

Challenge

After spending approximately 15 years securing planning approval for its Shepperton site, Cemex needed a processing plant capable of maximizing the value of its 1.3-million-tonne reserve while providing flexibility for future operations. 

"The plant is really important to Cemex because the west of London is really difficult for us to cover by any other means of transport, by rail or by sea. So, it's an integral part of our business," said Wayne Strevens, Operations Manager at Cemex’s Shepperton quarry.

Cemex needed a plant solution that could efficiently process sand and gravel into concrete aggregates and sand products, provide reliable production with minimal downtime and meet site-specific operational requirements while maintaining the benefits of a modular design. 

Solution

After evaluating several equipment manufacturers, Cemex selected McLanahan to design and supply a modular sand and gravel processing plant for the Shepperton operation. The modular configuration offered the flexibility Cemex needed, allowing the plant to be dismantled and relocated to future sites when required. 

Although the Shepperton reserve is significant for the region, it has a projected operating life of only four to five years. As a result, McLanahan provided Cemex with a plant design that would continue delivering value long after the site reaches the end of its life.

"The modular system was one of the things that attracted us to the McLanahan plant," said Strevens. "It means that we can very easily uplift this plant when required and relocate it. That made it a very attractive proposal for Cemex." 

The plant processes material ranging from approximately 100 mm down to 63 microns. Material is screened and washed before being separated into marketable aggregate products. Oversize material is routed through a crushing circuit and returned to the process, maximizing the recovery of usable material.

Results

The project delivered immediate benefits for Cemex, beginning with what Strevens described as one of the most seamless plant installations he has experienced during more than 40 years in the industry. 

"From the point of the actual commissioning, this plant has not missed a beat. It has been, without doubt, one of the best I've ever been involved with,” said Strevens.

Plant modules arrived in the correct sequence and were placed directly into position, allowing installation to proceed efficiently and according to schedule. 

Since commissioning, the plant has consistently met production expectations with only minimal startup adjustments, accompanied by strong support from McLanahan. Cemex has benefited from the modular McLanahan plant with reliable operation, high-quality products and “faultless” production.

Strevens also explained that the combination of equipment quality and customer support has made the project a major success.

"My favorite thing about working with McLanahan has been the support," said Strevens. "The quality of the equipment I'm really impressed with. The build-quality is exceptional, and the service that we've received up to now has been exceptional." 

The Shepperton project marked Cemex UK’s first experience with McLanahan. During the supplier evaluation process, company representatives visited another recently commissioned McLanahan installation in Cornwall to assess the equipment and engineering approach firsthand.

According to Strevens, McLanahan distinguished itself not only through its equipment but also through its willingness to collaborate closely throughout the project.

"McLanahan really accommodated Cemex’s requirements, understood our requirements and even some of the changes that we wanted to make to the plant," he said.

For Cemex, the combination of plant performance, flexibility and support has delivered a solution that meets both current production requirements and future operational needs. 

As Strevens said, "We've had a lot of plants in our time, and this one's been really good."