Brad Pelella of Profex channels the power of the Strickland SCP80 Mechanical Concrete Pulverizer through a CAT 345C L Excavator at the firm’s yard in Newburgh, N.Y.

Profex, Inc., a Newburgh, N.Y.-based general contractor, has found a cost-effective way to recycle concrete in-house with the Strickland SCP80 Mechanical Concrete Pulverizer. The firm purchased the attachment from Ransome Attachments of Marlton, N.J. in March 2017 and is already impressed with its durability.

The SCP80 – quick coupler-mounted on a Caterpillar 345C L Excavator – has been chewing away at a roughly 40,000-cubic-yard stockpile of concrete slabs, foundations, walls, light pole bases, and footings leftover from Profex's building and site projects. The pile is supplemented by the occasional incoming load from a customer. A Powerscreen Trakpactor 320SR Horizontal Shaft Impactor Crusher is the centerpiece of the “closed circuit” operation.

Once the pulverizer feeds the broken down concrete waste into the crusher, the finished product – Item #4 – is dumped onto a 60-foot stacker. The processed material is then used on the contractor's projects or sold to customers for applications ranging from parking lot subbase to backfill for trenches.

In early 2017 Profex was preparing to purchase the CAT 345C L in response to a growing demand on its projects for recycled concrete. It helped that the firm already had the required permitting to accept concrete waste, which is increasingly difficult to obtain. Profex needed a sturdy mechanical pulverizer to channel the power of its new 45-ton excavator, but wanted a cost-effective, yet durable alternative to the pricier brands on the market, according to Pelella. They discovered the SCP80 on the internet and admittedly had doubts about its durability based on the low cost.

Profex was aware of the more expensive pulverizer brands on the market, but unwilling to pay the extra cost, according to Brad Pelella. “The only difference in the two attachments is the jaws; in the Labounty they're bolted, and in the SCP80 they're welded,” he explained. “I've used the Strickland quite a bit in the few months we've owned it and there's little to no wear on the jaws.”

“It comes down to cost,” Pelella said of Profex's decision to buy the SCP80. “It costs more money to have someone sitting on a breaker and getting less done in a day. By breaking the concrete down, I can put it through my crusher and process it for less dollars per yard,” he said, adding that the SCP80 is allowing him to generate up to 300 additional cubic yards daily.

Eric Ransome, owner of Ransome Attachments, recognizes that Profex's experience is typical of his Strickland customers. “The cost-effectiveness is just phenomenal,” he said. “Everything about Strickland saves you money without losing the quality.”

Click here to learn more about the Strickland SCP80 Mechanical Concrete Pulverizer.

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