CONCRETE PIPES AND MANHOLESLecuyer leverages flexibility of new systems to meet unique demands of local concrete pipe market

DECEMBER

2011 6Concrete Plant Internationalwww.cpi-worldwide.com

SPECIAL PRINTCPI 11/06

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CONCRETE PIPES AND MANHOLES

Hank Giles, Giles Associates, USA

Pipe dream becomes reality

Founded in 1956 by Maurice Lecuyer’s father, Lecuyer Concretebegan life as a small family-run business producing precast catchbasins, manholes and small diameter concrete pipe using a wet castprocess. However, dry cast pipe manufacturing soon took over themarket and Lecuyer abandoned wet cast pipe production to focuson growing its business in other precast products. In 1969, Maurice became president of the family business and overthe following decades would introduce many new product lines—including utility vaults, Easi-set and Easi-span precast utility build -ings, and Stormceptor storm drain systems—establish new locations,and expand the firm’s markets. However, the desire of MauriceLecuyer, now CEO, to return to the company’s roots in pipe pro-duction has grown stronger over the years.

“Mr. Lecuyer has been thinking about and researching every aspectof pipe production for at least the past 10-15 years,” says LecuyerPresident Antonio Tavares, who has been with the company for

many years. “We travel the world anyway visiting vendors, attend -ing trade shows, and touring other plants, just to stay current and tounderstand what is state-of-the-art for all of our products, but wehave also kept a close eye on the pipe industry as well.”

Market opportunity for automated plant

Tavares notes that the pipe market and manufacturing practices inthe Quebec province —Lecuyer is based in Saint-Remi, just south ofMontreal—has changed over the past few years to the point that thefirm’s leaders believed it was time to take action. “We saw thatmany pipe producers in our area were using older equipment andlabor-intensive processes,” Tavares observes. “We believed that thetime was right for a new, completely automated plant in Canada—which could produce the right types of pipe at the lowest possiblecost, yet do so with the highest quality and on-time delivery. That’swhat we’ve done with the help of our partners, Hawkeye-Peder-shaab and Advanced Concrete Technologies (ACT- American divi-sion of Wiggert+Co and Würschum GmbH). They’ve supplied acomplete turnkey project.”

The Lecuyer team chose to develop the new pipe plant—known asQuebec Concrete Pipe Inc. and in French as Tuyaux de BétonQuebec Inc. —on an industrial park site the company owned, adja-cent to its largest production facility in Saint-Remi. The company alsohas a site north of Montreal in Laval where it produces precastaquaduct products. The state-of-the-art pipe plant was designed andbuilt specifically to accommodate the HawkeyePedershaab PipeProXT RCP manufacturing system and ACT MobilMat Mo80/4-PCSconcrete batching plant. Both HawkeyePedershaab and ACT engi-neers assisted Lecuyer and its general contractor from the earlieststages through to completion to ensure an optimal outcome.

Beginning in November 2009 and continuing until the plant wasproducing commercial quantities of pipe in early 2011, Hawkeye-Pedershaab and ACT representatives visited the Lecuyer site nume-rous times, provided detailed drawings, consulted by phone andemail, and delivered and commissioned the pipe production equip-ment according to a detailed schedule, complete with performanceguarantees. Despite some of the harshest winter weather in historyin early 2009 and late 2010, the project moved smoothly, evenachieving initial startup a month ahead of schedule.

PipePro XT delivers production flexibility

Lecuyer chose the HawkeyePedershaab PipePro XT productionsystem because its unique turntable design allows three differentpipe products to be produced at the same time, making it ideal to

Lecuyer leverages flexibility of new systems to meetunique demands of local concrete pipe market

Le Groupe Lecuyer, Saint-Rémi (Québec), J0L 2L0, Canada

When HawkeyePedershaab’s Brad Schmidgall received the confirmation call from the Lecuyer Group of Saint-Rémi, Quebec, in the fall of2009 confirming that Lecuyer was ready to pull the trigger on the construction of a state-of-art automated concrete reinforced pipe (CRP)plant, he was not surprised. “We had been in discussions with the owner and CEO of Lecuyer Group, Maurice Lecuyer, and the President,Antonio Tavares, since 2007,” explains Schmidgall, HawkeyePedershaab Vice President of Sales for North America. “Long before that, wespoke with them at the Bauma show in Germany and elsewhere. They were very careful in researching the market and waiting for the rightcombination of factors to align themselves before making a commitment. That was smart and the results speak for themselves.”

Celebrating the opening of the state-of-the-art concrete pipe plantbuilt by the Lecuyer Group in Saint-Remi, Quebec, Canada, are keyparticipants, including, from left:,Ron Schmidgall,HawkeyePedershaab Vice President; Francois Halle, Lecuyer VicePresident of Finance; Charles Lecuyer, Executive Vice President;Maurice Lecuyer, CEO; Antonio Tavares, Lecuyer President; MarcContant, Lecuyer Director of Production (seated); and E. Max Hoene,President of Advanced Concrete Technologies.

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CONCRETE PIPES AND MANHOLES

meet local market demands. “In the smallmarket in which we operate, it’s vitally im -portant that we have a flexible manufactur -

ing system that allows us to fill multiple smallorders for different types of products. Withthe HawkeyePedershaab PipePro, we canproduce, for instance, 10 inch, 30 inch and72 inch pipes in the same production run.Or, if necessary, just 72 inch pipe to meet alarger order.”

This capability enables Lecuyer to easilyand efficiently fill a variety of orders withoutstockpiling a large inventory. Not only doesthe system enable just-in-time productionand delivery, but the HawkeyePedershaabsystem is completely automated, requiringjust a handful of workers to operate: one formonitoring the pipe machine, one for moni-toring the robotic handling systems, two torun the CageFlex reinforcement cagesystem, and two to move finished pipe toyard storage and conduct maintenance.No dedicated workers are required to runthe ACT MobilMat batching system, whichis computer controlled and integrated withthe HawkeyePedershaab system.

“Most manually operated pipe plants wouldrequire at least two to three times as manyworkers,” notes Hawkeye-Peder shaab’sSchmidgall. “By building our plants withrobotic systems and computer control, wereduce labor demands to a minimum andoptimize output and quality.” The Hawkeye-Pedershaab PipePro XT pipe manufacturingsystem includes the following features:· Three-station rotary turntable design

enables three sizes of pipes to be pro-duced simultaneously. Dry cast mix ismoved from the ACT MobilMat bat-ching system to the PipePro hopper byconveyor.

· Automatic demolding is accomplishedby an automatic crane (off bearer) thatmoves the mold unit (containing fromone to four pipes) to a moving floorsystem. The mold jacket is then loadedwith a new reinforcement cage andreturned to the production system.

· Moving floor transports green pipe intotwin curing tunnels for approximatelyeight hours of curing.

· As pipe exits the curing chamber, it isprocessed by a robotic system thatremoves the joint rings at either end ofthe pipe. The rings are automaticallycleaned and returned to the productionsystem.

· Post-production processing automaticallytips the pipe and conveys it downline fordeburring, vacuum testing (every pipe istested) and marking.

· Pipe sorting lines send different sizepipes to an appropriate line to be pik-ked by a forklift truck and moved to thestorage yard.

“The HawkeyePedershaab PipePro andACT MobilMat systems give us so manyoptions and the highest quality,” Tavaressays. “We vacuum test every pipe we pro-duce and randomly test pipes hydraulicallyas well. In addition, we check the measure-ments of the tongue and groove or bell andspigot of every pipe to ensure total accuracy. We record every detail of production onour computer systems, including concretebatching details, HawkeyePedershaabsystem characteristics, PSI, and other fac-tors and we can associate it with each pipeby the serial number we stamp on thepipe.”

Here, a 24-inch Tri-Pac of RCP is demoldedonto the moving floor of theHawkeyePedershaab pipe productionsystem. Multi-form modules (1 to 4 moldsper module) greatly accelerates production,allowing small bore pipes to be produced at a rate of less than a minute each.

HawkeyePedershaab PipePro XT pipe production system installed in the new Lecuyer Group facility in Saint-Remi, Quebec, featuresunique turntable design that allows three sizes of pipe to be produced at the same time, providing flexibility and efficiency to meet varying market demands.

The HawkeyePedershaab CageFlex welding system at the newLecuyer pipe plant automatically produces precision pipe cagesusing advanced weld technology that saves time and energy.

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MobilMat delivers batching consistency

Tavares was reassured to learn thatHawkeyePedershaab recommended theACT MobilMat batching system for the newpipe plant. “We have seen ACT batchingsystems at trade shows and at many plantswe have visited and knew that it was a pro-ven, highly engineered and automatedplant.

Consistency and stability in dry cast mix isessential for a high quality product and theACT system gives us that.”

The ACT MobilMat Mo80/4-PCS batchplant includes the following features: · Wiggert HPGM 2250 high shear

counter-current planetary mixer can pro-duce 48 cubic yards per hour of drycast concrete andprovides optimalcement dispersion promoting higher initialstrength and consistent mix production.

Mixer features automatic high-pressurecleanout system that saves end of daycleaning time and increases mixer life.

· PCS Control System is PC based, provid -ing an intuitive, color coded real-timedisplay of batching progress. The systemintegrates process supervision, productionreporting, inventory tracking, and recipemanagement, with plant maintenance,and costing functions. The PCS systemprovides a performance edge by combin-ing speed, accuracy, flexibility, and connectivity in one system.

· Hydromat microware moisture probe inmixer enables precision water/cementratio calculation and batch water adjustment.

· Hydrotester moisture probes insand/aggregate bins automatically compensate batch weights for variationsin aggregate moisture content.

· Four-compartment aggregate storagesystem, accommodating a full day’s pro-

duction, is located inside the new pipeplant facility to protect it from the harshwinter elements. The bins are loaded bya conveyor from an exterior ground-levelbunker where aggregates can be dum-ped from a truck. The aggregate is auto-matically directed to the correct bin by a4-position shuttle belt.

· Two cement silos are located outside thebuilding, both equipped with radar siloprobes for accurate continuous levelindication and user-definable alerts for“low” and “high” silo levels to help ininventory tracking.

· Sustainability features include: high efficiency electric motors to reducepower consumption and extend plantlife, grey water recovery system enablesrecycling of mixer wash water; and dustcollection system maintains a clean workenvironment.

ACT MobilMat Mo80/4-PCS concrete batching plant is installed inside the new Lecuyer RCPplant to protect it from the weather. At left is the mixer platform containing a Wiggert HPGM2250 high shear counter-current planetary mixer; four-compartment aggregate storage binsare to the right of the mixer. Precision dry cast mix is transferred to the HawkeyePedershaabpipe system via the overhead conveyor that extends from the mixer platform.

Even after three months of operations, the Wiggert HPGM 2250 counter-currentplanetary mixer at the heart of the ACTMobilMat batch plant looks clean enough to eat from. Automatic dust collection andmixer clean out systems help reduce maintenance and operating costs.

“The ACT MobilMat batch plant came pre-wired, pre-plumbed and factory tested,”Tavares notes. “It was delivered and instal-led and running in almost no time. It wasready weeks before HawkeyePedershaabeven needed it. That was impressive. All ofthe important features of the ACT batchplant support our goal of lowest cost pro-duction, low labor requirements, and consis -tent high quality. Even the efficient electricmotors on the plant help keep our operat -ing cost low. It all adds up!”

According to ACT President Max Hoene,“The MobilMat batch plant operates in away that is counter to what people typicallyexpect or believe about concrete batchplants. Our philosophy is that concrete batch -ing does not have to be a dusty, dirty pro-cess. In fact, it is this perception of concreteplants as dirty that can set up managementto accept mediocre housekeeping stan-dards. A dirty plant is probably not operat -ing at optimal capacity and not being main-tained well.”

He continues: “The MobilMat plant atLecuyer is clean and easy to maintain thatway. Automatic washout, dust collectionand other features not only help keep aclean, safe plant work environment but alsohelp reduce operating costs. Anotherimportant benefit of our clean plant philo-sophy is that it makes it easier for our custo-mers to retain happy and competentemployees to operate their mixing batchingplant. No one likes to work in a dirty envi-ronment.”

Certified for sale

The new Lecuyer pipe production facilitywas ready in February 2011 for inspectionby the Bureau de Normalization du Quebec(BNQ), the provincial certification agencyaccredited by the Standards Council ofCanada (SCC). “We passed all of ourtesting by 28 February 2011 and couldthen begin selling our pipe,” Tavares says.

“We had already approached many of ourexisting customers in January and hadnumerous advance orders for pipe. We arewell known in this market and have a repu-tation for quality and on-time delivery. Weare well on track to meet our tonnage goalsfor this year and we are certain that ourproduction will continue to build in the nearfuture.”

The combination of HawkeyePedershaabPipePro XT pipe production system andACT MobilMat concrete batching giveLecuyer the greatest possible competitive

edge. “When they see the perfection in ourproduct, our customer knows that level ofquality carries through in every product weprovide,” Tavares emphasizes. “For a com-petitive price, our customers get the highestquality, on-time delivery, a detailed produc-tion history, and the assurance that we arehere for the long haul.”

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CONCRETE PIPES AND MANHOLES

The ACT PCS Programmable Control System uses a graphical point and click user interface and keyboard to control the ACTMobilMat batching plant. The PC basedsystem uses a programmable logic controller(PLCs) to control every part of the batching/mixing plant.Once set, the plant runs unat-tended with extreme precision.

This four-compartment aggregate storagesystem is located inside the Lecuyer pipeplant to protect aggregates from the harshCanadian winter. Aggregates are dumpedby truck into an outside ground-level hopperand conveyed inside to a four-positiontransfer belt that automatically loads theappropriate bin with sand or stone. Twocement silos are located outside.

FURTHER INFORMATION

Le Groupe Lecuyer17, rue du MoulinSaint-Rémi (Québec), J0L 2L0, CanadaT +1 450 4543928 · F +1 450 4547254antonio.tavares@lecuyerbeton.com · www.lecuyerbeton.ca

Wiggert & Co. GmbHWachhausstr. 3b76227 Karlsruhe, GermanyT +49 721 943460 · F +49 721 402208info@wiggert.com · www.wiggert.com

HawkeyePedershaab506 S. Wapello St.Mediapolis, Iowa, 52637, USAT +1 319 3943197 · F +1 319 3943977info@hawkeye-pipe.com · www.hawkeye-pipe.com