Fully electric: customer crushes gravel with RM crusher using power from the grid

• Welbers in Wemb, North Rhine-Westphalia, utilizes the RM 100GO! hybrid crusher to crush up to 110 tonnes of gravel per hour, achieving energy savings of about 50% and reducing total operating costs by 11% annually by using grid power.

• The RM 100GO! hybrid crusher offers improved aggregate geometry over traditional cone crushers, leading to better asphalt adhesion and more appealing decorative chippings, meeting the diverse needs of Welbers' customers.

• A successful test run organized by RM dealer Christophel on Welbers' site showcased the RM 100GO!'s ability to process gravel and C&D waste into high-quality aggregate, leading to the purchase of the machine in May 2023.

• The hybrid drive of the RM crusher aligns with Welbers' ecological philosophy, allowing for emission-free operation and significant diesel cost savings, with EUR 1000 saved on fuel since June.

• The RM 100GO! hybrid crusher's simple grid connection process enables quick setup for fully electric gravel processing, delivering promised performance and efficiency.

• The mobility and flexibility of the RM 100GO! hybrid crusher allow Welbers to switch between electric mode for gravel and diesel mode for on-site C&D waste processing, enhancing operational independence and compliance with Germany's new building materials directive.

• Welbers plans to crush approximately 40,000 tonnes of gravel annually using grid power, with intermittent C&D waste processing, demonstrating the RM 100GO! hybrid's versatility in handling different materials cost-effectively and sustainably.

Crushing 100% electric saves around 50% on energy costs and protects the environment:

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RM customer Welbers in Wemb, North Rhine-Westphalia, crushes up to 110 tonnes of gravel per hour with their RM 100GO! hybrid, fully electric, connected to the grid. The results speak for themselves because fully electric drive reduces energy costs by around 50%, the total operating costs by 11% per year, and it also protects the environment. The family-owned business also benefits from maximum flexibility. Thanks to the hybrid crusher, they can crush other materials, such as C&D waste, in addition to fully electric gravel processing.

Welbers in Germany have been operating a sand and gravel plant for generations. In July 2023, they purchased their first crusher, an RM 100GO! hybrid, to process gravel to the highest quality 0-16 fraction final aggregate. The reason is that the cone crushers they used to hire cannot achieve the quality of results achieved by impact crushers. "With the new RM 100GO! hybrid, we get a much beter geometry of aggregate compared to the cone crushers we used to use. Asphalt adheres beter and decorative chippings look beter; essential criteria for our customers, who range from landscape gardeners and building contractors to private consumers," says Jonathan Schaffers, Managing Director of Welbers Kieswerke GmbH.

Impressive trials on the company's premises

Although the German company was initially sceptical about the performance of the RM crusher, a test run in May dispelled their concerns. The long-standing RM dealer Christophel, a competent partner and supplier of mobile processing technology with plenty of experience in gravel plants, organised a test run directly on the customer's site to demonstrate how the RM 100GO! processes 16-40 mm gravel and oversize feed material of 32-130 mm to produce the highest quality 0-16 mm final aggregate. In addition to processing gravel, Welbers also tested the machine briefly with C&D waste. Indeed, the machine confirmed what many satisfied RM machine owners from the surroundings have already discovered: a finished 0-45 mm final aggregate, as well as a screened oversize aggregate at a high output with good operating costs. The impressive results convinced the customer, and they ordered their RM 100GO! hybrid at the end of May.

Protect the environment and save on fuel costs with hybrid drive

The aim of leaving land in beter condition from an ecologically standpoint than it was before excavation started, has always been the philosophy of the Welbers' family business. That is why they decided to go for the hybrid version of the RM crusher, in addition to capitalising on the grid

connection they already had on site. Now nothing stands in the way of emission-free, fully electric operation. An atractive side advantage is the saving on running costs: already high fuel costs are reduced by using electricity. Since taking delivery of the new machine in June, it has already saved EUR 1000 on diesel.

Fully electric crushing: easy and uncomplicated

Previously, hardly anybody processed gravel fully electrically using mobile crushers. If you have an existing connection to the grid, however, this is easier than you might have thought. To power the crusher, Schaffers first connects the 15-metre cable to the grid transformer station and then to the crusher. This simple step sees the machine ready for action in just a few minutes. "We are very satisfied with the crusher because it really delivers the performance it promises in electric mode and does and excellent job of processing gravel," says Schaffers.

Maximum flexibility & mobility

In addition to cost efficiency and reducing emissions, Schaffers appreciates the additional advantages in terms of the flexibility and mobility of the hybrid crusher. Because the crusher is mounted on a chassis with crawler gear, they can move from processing gravel in electric mode to crushing 0-45 fraction C&D waste directly on site in diesel mode. In contrast to the processing of C&D waste being outsourced, as it was previously, this can now be done flexibly and independently at any location. This level of mobility paired with low-emission drive technology is something that the owner really appreciates. Particularly with regard to the new substitute building materials directive, which took effect in Germany at the beginning of August 2023, because now the company’s major advantage is that they no longer have to constantly obtain proof of suitability from external service providers, but can do that themselves.

They have processed several thousand tonnes of gravel since July, and all without fuel. The company plans to follow a processing schedule, whereby every couple of months C&D waste will be crushed for two to three weeks. The rest of the time they will process gravel in fully electric mode. They will therefore crush around 40,000 tonnes of gravel a year using power from the grid.

"The RM 100GO! hybrid is ideal for handling both process applications: C&D waste and natural stone. I am delighted we have found Welbers the perfect solution, which is both cost-efficient and environmentally friendly," says Christian Knepperges, Sales Manager at C. Christophel GmbH.