Concrete machinery: ready-mix industry getting ready for the energy transition

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The debate was introduced by a presentation by CECE Secretary General on the roadmap to carbon-emissions reduction in the construction machinery sector. An overview of the trucks sector, made by ACEA, introduced the commitment by trucks’ manufacturers to transition away from internal combustion engines. The average age of the running truck fleet in Europe is over 13 years and is estimated to being even higher in the concrete trucks segment, with over 15,000 truck mixers estimated by ERMCO in need of swift replacement. This is of course an investment opportunity, but something that needs a long-term perspective for concrete producers to make decisions.

The three CECE OEMs presented their views on the energy transition of the concrete equipment sector. The main take-away from that is that there is a role for hybrid truck mixers – which lead to over 30% fuel savings – but the technological tendency is indeed the full-electric solution. There are some alternatives to this, which OEMs are now putting on the market already, such as a machine where the mixer runs on the batteries installed by the truck manufacturer or a stand-alone battery power installed by the mixer (or pump) manufacturer. All these solutions are designed to fit the specific applications of the ready-mixed concrete industry and have to adapt to its specific work-cycles such as short driving ranges, the possibility of frequent but short recycling cycles at the concrete plant and the stationary work by the mixer/pump itself.

ERMCO members have reacted to the presentation by showing great interest, but also some understandable concerns with regards to the transition and the decisions it requires. Indeed, the current lack of charging infrastructure, the mark-up in price and the lack of policy stability are making some of the investment decisions difficult to make.

CECE and ERMCO have agreed to continue these discussions in the future.