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The need to increase production capacity and introduce new technology led RedBull Powder Company to build a new state-of-the-art explosives manufacturing plant in Waikato.
“And we now have the capacity and modern technology to lead the industry in New Zealand.” RedBull recently commissioned the plant to manufacture new explosives products for the quarry, mining and construction markets. RedStar Emulsion is the new high velocity, high energy, bulk emulsion explosive for mines and quarries, and RedStar Plus is an aluminised bulk emulsion with even greater heave and velocity. “RedStar is not a ‘me too’ product,” says operation director Mike Henderson. “RedStar and RedStar Plus have distinct superior characteristics that will allow RedBull to improve blast performance and reduce blasting costs for the entire market. Our product formulations are unsurpassed. “Aluminising the emulsion adds to product costs but the improvement in blast performance is quite incredible. We are the only New Zealand explosives company offering this option,” explains Mike. “Greater energy in the blast will allow more effective blasting in hard basalts and also enable pattern expansion and reduced costs in greywacke and limestone deposits.” The RedStar bulk truck, or Mobile Mixing Unit (MMU), has a 10 tonne delivery capacity and the ability to blend a range of products on the quarry bench.
The MMU was manufactured in Perth, Australia, by International Explosives Equipment Pty. The MMU is the new flagship of the RedBull fleet and will now become a common sight on New Zealand roads, and in quarries and mines. RedBull engaged Pennsylvania-based engineers, ZMW, to design and oversee commissioning of the plant. They have consulted on over 40 explosives manufacturing plants around the world and to all the leading explosives companies. “They are global experts in plant design, emulsion formulation, explosives chemistry, explosives safety and commissioning of plants” says Peter. ZMW also assisted with the establishment of an on-site laboratory for stringent quality control of raw materials, in-line QC and final product testing to ensure consistency of products before dispatch to customers. International shipping of explosives has become increasingly difficult and costly over recent years and constraints at New Zealand ports have made importing more difficult. As a result RedBull has also started to manufacture packaged explosives at the new Waikato plant. RedBull’s new RedPak Packaged Emulsion eliminates significant freight cost and introduces a high quality, lower cost, New Zealand-made product into the local construction and quarry markets. RedBull becomes the only manufacturer of packaged explosives in this country.
“Local manufacture will also reduce our inventory holding cost, eliminate supply lead time and guarantee future product availability for our market. We’ll also have the ability to enter new export markets.” RedBull opted to maximise local fabrication of the plant and equipment rather than import the completed items. The major components, the pre-mix and blender modules as well as all the tanks and ancillary equipment, were all built in New Zealand to the American design. This reduced costs, limited exposure to currency fluctuations and improved RedBull’s ability to control quality. Penrose-based Sabre Engineering was chosen to build the plant after demonstrating the required technical capability and high quality work in stainless steel fabrication. Extensive pre-fabrication computer modelling combined with their extensive engineering experience resulted in a unique, state-of-the-art plant, delivered on time and to budget. Much of the equipment, including boiler, motor control centre and pumps were procured directly by RedBull with Sabre providing on-site engineering, fabrication and assembly. In recognition of their environmental responsibility, RedBull required that the plant be designed to ‘Zero Discharge Standard’. “There is absolutely no discharge from this plant,” American plant designer Tom Zukovich explains. “It is a closed system and any waste product is recycled.”
“We recently completed a huge plant in China as well as a new facility for the Panama Canal project. This Kiwi plant needed to be relatively small, very versatile and cost effective. We were able to achieve this without compromising quality, safety or environmental standards. “I have designed and commissioned dozens of plants around the world,” he adds. “This plant is a credit to the local engineers and management. It has been superbly executed and I have been impressed by the dedication to quality and safety.” Plant manager Tony Van Houtte of Hamilton was recruited from process management in the dairy industry to oversee construction of the plant, and then manage production. “I came from a high compliance process environment and this is similar in that respect,” he says. “Building this plant has been both challenging and rewarding. Now the focus has moved to production I can utilise my Fonterra training in quality control, product consistency and continuous improvement. It is such an exciting time for us all.” Regulatory compliance, plant certification and safety standards are obviously a significant component of any explosives facility. ZMW’s Bob Morhard has chaired many international industry safety and technical boards. He led the compliance and HAZOP Safety team on this project and was able to give confidence to both the RedBull directors and the New Zealand Department of Labour that this would be a world class facility. RedBull’s RedStar product range is set to change the industry and this star will surely shine brightly in the years ahead.
Q&M Vol.7 No.4 August-September 2010 |
“This is a world class facility designed to the best and safest international standards,” says managing director Peter Shapiro on RedBull’s new explosives plant in Waikato.
“We can blend just what the job needs,” explains Mike, “from ANFO to aluminised emulsion and at varying formulations.”
“The volume of packaged explosives used in New Zealand and the Pacific Islands is low, but the construction and small-quarry markets deserve to be better served with lower cost products. RedBull will meet that requirement with the new RedPak,” explains Peter.
Another challenge was to design the plant to New Zealand production demand levels, he says.