Family-owned Conco Quarries is using Terex Trucks’ TR70 to increase productivity at its limestone mine in Willard, Mo. “Over the last seven decades Conco has grown from a small operation with just seven employees and four trucks to almost 200 staff members and close to 100 delivery trucks,” said Chris Upp, vice president and general manager of the quarry division at Conco Companies. “Despite the large-scale growth of the company we are still very much a family business and we pride ourselves on maintaining close relationships with our customers through excellent service.”
Founded in 1947, Conco Companies was set up by Ralph Reed and his stepson Tom Baird. With a primary focus on the production of ready-mix concrete, Conco sailed through its first decade of business and made the decision to purchase the Garrett Construction Co. in 1958.
The assimilation helped the company become a leader in the industry by expanding its operations significantly and the acquisition also led to the corporation becoming the owner of two quarries, which gave rise to Conco Quarries. Today, Conco is also a subsidiary of Ash Grove Cement, the country’s largest privately-owned U.S. cement company.
Seamless Operation
With 70 years’ experience, Conco has a reputation built on providing quality products and exceptional customer service. To help continue the smooth running of its operations at its Willard facility, the company recently purchased Terex Trucks’ 72-ton capacity rigid hauler, the TR70. Designed to aid maximum production with minimum effort, the machine is working 10-hour days hauling crushed limestone from the face of the quarry to the crusher.
Supplied by Terex Trucks’ Midwest dealer GW Van Keppel, Conco opted for the TR70 as part of an ongoing equipment renewal program. The business decided the dump truck was a perfect fit for its operation due to the machine’s haulage capacity which exceeded that of its existing machines by 30 tons. Well suited to the environment of the quarry, which is made up of wide roads, the hauler is designed to bear the weight of the abrasive rocks at high volume.
“The reputation of Terex Trucks’ rigid frame trucks precedes itself and it’s great to have a respected company such as Conco putting our machines to the test,” said Dan Meara, regional sales manager, Terex Trucks. “When we got the call from GW Van Keppel that Conco was keen to put one of our trucks to work in its Willard facility we knew the TR70 would fit right in, and we worked together to create a competitive offer. Once the deal was done, we did two days of training with operators on site at the quarry and the machine has been delivering since.”
Powerful Performance
The TR70 is fitted with a 760-hp Detroit Diesel MTU-2000TA 12 cylinder engine. The robust rigid hauler features a high-capacity body with exhaust heating to limit carry-back and increase productivity while a 15-degree sloping tail chute gives good retention and permits controlled dumping into the crusher. Effective gearing coupled with optimum weight distribution also means the machine can move more material using less fuel, less fuss, and in less time.
Constructed in Motherwell, Scotland, the TR70’s haul cycles are kept short thanks to smooth acceleration that helps to keep operators comfortable. Furthermore, the hauler boasts a spacious air-conditioned cab complete with an air-suspension seat to reduce operator fatigue, ergonomic controls, large mirrors and a color reverse camera to provide excellent visibility.
“The truck is a welcome addition to the operation we run at our Willard facility,” said Upp. “We provide vital services to our community here at Conco; we have many high-priority customers so everything we crush we sell meaning downtime simply isn’t an option. Our expectations for the TR70 were big and it’s done well to help increase productivity. Going into this transaction we were a first-time Terex Trucks customer but based on our early analysis, we believe this truck will give us solid, long-term performance.”