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Midwest plant
Midwest Dry Cast

Midwest Dry Cast, based in Luverne, Minnesota, is specialized in the manufacture of concrete products suitable for pig farms, like slats and beams. This young US company wanted to evolve into an industry of the future and decided to industrialize its productionAs a partner for this project, they chose Quadra, a French manufacturer of special machines. Quadra delivered a precast production line to meet Midwest’s high expectations in terms of productivity and product quality.

A new collaboration

To industrialize production, the choice of a partner was essential and risky for the company. For Midwest Dry Cast, this production unit project was born out of a desire to evolve into an industry of the future. In addition to productivity criteria and product quality, this plant was part of a global process of improvement and progress. This is how operators’ health and safety and environmental criteria were taken into account in the development of the project.

An innovative concept

The kinematics of the plant allows to use two molds at the same time. An automatic mold handling and movement system positions one mold at the manufacturing workstation while the other is installed at the finishing workstation. The following operations are carried out at the manufacturing workstation – placement of reinforcements, concrete filling and vibro compaction. While the following actions are happening at the finishing workstation – trowelling, demolding, and quality control. The production cycle is split into two phases of similar duration.

Usine Air'bloc
Inauguration of a new plant dedicated to the manufacture of innovative concrete blocks

On October 21 and 22, 2020, the brand new Perin & Co. plant was inaugurated. Located in Saint Maudez, this facility is the 3rd Air’Bloc® plant.
established in France. In 2014 Perin & Cie will design and develop the Air’Bloc. It is the combination of a concrete block and an all-mineral cement-based insulating foam called Air’Mousse. To generate the insulation, Air’Mousse, patented by Perin & Co., a special filling machine must be installed. This machine is the result of a 3-year collaboration between Quadra and the Perin & Co. group.

Collaboration between Quadra and Perin & Company

As an industrial partner, Quadra participates in the development of Air’Bloc installations, provides innovative equipment, while improving existing production lines. As part of its new investment in Saint-Maudez, it was important for Perin & Co. that their partner was able to meet precise specifications. Thanks to its technical expertise and after an in-depth study of the various aspects of the project, Quadra was able to provide an appropriate response.

Plant layout

Given the particularity of the Air’Bloc® manufacturing process, the equipment was installed in a rational and functional manner. This layout allows each stage of the manufacturing process to operate simultaneously and continuously. With its different equipments, this versatile production unit can produce classic blocks, rectified blocks and high quality Air’Bloc®.

Palettisation des produits secs

The installation of this new plant had to meet very precise specifications both in terms of production performance and product quality. To meet the group needs, Quadra presented a solution capable of ensuring continuous operation of the vibrating press.

To achieve a high efficiency rate, simultaneous or independent production cycles have been proposed for the fresh products, the dry products and the packaging line:

  • By ensuring at all times, the supply of the press with empty pallets to consume concrete continuously.
  • By pre-storing a large quantity of dry products pallets, thus avoiding the presence and systematic intervention of an operator.

The handling solutions offered and the automated management of materials favoring the continuous operation of the vibrating press are the reasons why PREFER decided to renew their confidence in QUADRA for this new project.

Urvoy has chosen Quadra to supply a new wetcast production line for the manufacture of manholes using self-compacting concrete (SCC). The manufacruring process and the equipment were designed in order to meet the range of products manufactured in the line (manhole covers, risers, cones and bases), their dimensions (1m diameter, 300 to 1200 mm height), and their production features : cones and risers require a demolding by mold opening while covers and bases are demolded by flipping over.

This new production line has involved a 3D virtual reality reception in order to provide the client with a total immersion in his future plant, as well as an upstream work and validation of the ergonomic and the maintenance access of each working station of the process.

The production unit is made up of the following equipment : full automatic stacker crane, automated mold filling system, conveying system, demolding and palletizing cuber, and pallet exit conveyor.