New Jersey’s roads and highways are among the busiest in the nation. That’s partly due to the state’s location at the crossroads of New England, New York, and the lower Middle Atlantic. New Jersey is a hub for transportation throughout the Northeast Corridor, and the state serves as a major gateway for the movement of international goods to the rest of the country.
One of the companies helping to keep New Jersey’s busy roads and highways in top condition is Tarheel Enterprises Inc. The company was founded in 1987 by George, Michael and Alex Chrysanthopoulos. Tarheel Enterprises, employing 150 to 200 people, is primarily involved in heavy highway and bridge construction but also does some general site, excavation and underground utility work.
Based in Morgan, in eastern New Jersey, Tarheel Enterprises enjoys its proximity to some of New Jersey’s major roadways, including the Garden State Parkway, New Jersey Turnpike, I-287, and Routes 1, 9 and 35. In addition to contracting work, the company also owns Tarheel Quarry, a 400-acre (161.9 ha) quarry located in Blakeslee, in northeast Pennsylvania.
According to owner George Chrysanthopoulos, Tarheel Enterprises previously trucked concrete rubble off site, and then had to buy aggregate to bring back in as fill. However, the company recently purchased a Lokotrack LT1213S mobile impact crusher with screen from its local Metso distributor, Binder Machinery of South Plainfield, N.J.
According to Jim Preston, Tarheel’s vice president of construction, “The basic function of the LT1213S for us is crushing concrete. We do a substantial amount of concrete removal. We bring the concrete to the crusher and crush it to DOT specs. We also do a lot of bridge work, peeling off the existing concrete roadway slabs, being very careful not to damage the bridge. We then use the LT1213S to crush this material. As a result, we don’t have to pay to dispose of concrete and we don’t have to buy DGA from another supplier.”
Tracked Crushers Save Time, Money
Tracked crushers transport easily and are ready to work almost immediately. Once on site, they self-propel to follow the material to be processed. With the track-mounted system there is only the transportation of the equipment to the site, and the move to the next site when the work is completed. The bulk of on-site haulage is eliminated, as is the capital cost of the equipment, associated labor and maintenance costs, and the wear and tear on the roadways. The concept is especially well suited to reconstruction of streets and highways, and the mobility of track-mounted units allows them to operate in cramped urban settings.
Tarheel Enterprises has used the Lokotrack LT1213 to crush concrete on a number of recent jobs, including reconstruction of Route 287 from Edison to South Plainfield, a road project that is expected to continue through November 2008. The company also used the LT1213S to crush on the Route 46 reconstruction in Passaic County.
Tarheel Enterprises is currently using the LT1213S to crush at a 5.5-to 6-mi. (8.8 to 9.6 km) stretch of Route 1 and 9 from North Bergen to Palisades, a road reconstruction job that will require crushing on and off for another year and a half.
Complete Mobile Processing Plant
The Lokotrack LT1213S mobile impact crusher is designed to provide the contractor market with a complete crushing and screening process in one machine, according to Metso. The LT1213S can be used in both primary and secondary applications, and in open or closed circuit operations. Because it comes equipped with a detachable screen and return conveyor, the LT1213S is capable of producing one, precisely calibrated or two end products in a range between .75 and 2.75 in. (1.9 and 7 cm) in size.
The LT1213S crushes feed material in a Nordberg NP1213M impact crusher. This crusher was designed by Metso specifically for mobile crushing applications. After crushing, the material is screened with the inclined screen, and oversized material is returned to the crusher by the return conveyor. The detachable, one-deck screen module features a large screening area of 42 ft., 2 in. (12.9 m), and the rotation of the screen can be turned as needed.
Tarheel Enterprises has been pleased with the performance of the LT1213S.
“It’s a great machine and it works fast,” Preston said.
In addition to the performance of the Metso mobile crusher, Preston also appreciates the support Tarheel Enterprises gets from Binder Machinery.
“The folks at Binder Machinery are good people, and they do a good job for us.”
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