McLanahan and Goonvean Aggregates celebrate successful partnership with open day

McLanahan Corporation held their first Open Day in the United Kingdom in collaboration with Goonvean Aggregates at their Melbur Quarry in Cornwall on 10 October 2024. With over 60 attendees, the day showcased the hard work and innovation both companies have put into the site, highlighting the impressive results achieved through the implementation of McLanahan’s state-of-the-art complete aggregate processing system.

Visitors were treated to an in-depth tour of Goonvean’s granite-based secondary aggregate processing operation, where they were able to see firsthand the incredible transformation Goonvean has undergone following the installation of the McLanahan wash plant. Throughout the day, educational sessions on key topics such as construction and demolition (C&D) recycling and tailings and water management gave attendees a comprehensive understanding of how the McLanahan equipment can contribute to them achieving their sustainability and operational excellence goals.

One of the highlights of the event was the Q&A session with Goonvean's General Manager Matt Penny and Quarry Manager Darren Lightfoot. They shared with attendees the challenges they faced and the improvements they have been able to achieve with McLanahan’s support. Penny's passion for the business, particularly the drive towards sustainability and zero waste, was evident as he described how the UltraWASH Modular Wash Plant, UltraSAND Plant, and EcoCycle High-Rate Thickener have allowed Goonvean to completely eliminate waste from their production process.

Darren Lightfoot described in detail how the McLanahan system can be started and run by one team member, allowing them to free up resources elsewhere in the quarry. Another benefit that Darren mentioned was that as well as the ease-of-operating of the system, it will also run without requiring downtime on a daily basis. From their perspective they’ve had little to no downtime with the system at all since installation.

Goonvean's dedication to environmental sustainability was a key driver behind the partnership with McLanahan, and the manufacturing company are proud to have played a pivotal role in helping them achieve their ‘zero to tip’ goal. McLanahan’s equipment not only improves efficiency and productivity at the sight but also aligns with Goonvean’s mission to reduce carbon emissions and operate as sustainably as possible. By recovering valuable sand and aggregate materials from what would have otherwise been waste, the team at Goonvean has been able to maximise resources, boost profitability, and contribute to a greener future for the industry.

The success of the Open Day also highlighted the strength of the relationship between McLanahan and Goonvean. From the initial design of the wash plant to ongoing feedback and support, collaboration between the two companies has enabled Goonvean to tailor their equipment to meet the specific needs of their quarry. As Matt Penny shared, “The support from McLanahan has been excellent and allowed us to push forward with our strategic goals as a business.”

David Hunter, McLanahan’s Aggregate Systems Business Line Director, was also on-hand to provide attendees with invaluable insights into the technical capabilities of McLanahan’s equipment and how they’ve helped transform Goonvean’s operations. His decades of expertise, along with McLanahan’s 189-year legacy of engineering excellence, were central to the day’s educational sessions and a source of great value to those in attendance.

Donal McNicholl, Director of Sales for UK and Ireland for Aggregate Systems, gave an engaging presentation on the unique selling points of McLanahan’s wide range of wet processing equipment and plants. He gave specific insight into how the company’s systems are the most effective in the C&D recycling industry and how McLanahan works with end users to understand their unique applications when design a plant.

Executive Vice President of Sales and Business Development Cory Jenson gave the crowd an exclusive look at some new technology that is currently being developed for McLanahan’s line of filter presses. Cory took a deep dive into the inner workings of the McLanahan filter press and explained in depth the benefits of this equipment to the end user, as well as specifically pointing out the effectiveness of the design features like the patent-pending cloth changing feature. He explained that this new feature will make it safer and more efficient when changing filter cloths and will revolutionize filter press maintenance.

The open day proved to be a true celebration of innovation, partnership, and sustainability between two leading companies. Goonvean’s success with McLanahan equipment demonstrates how modern solutions can enhance productivity, sustainability, and profitability in today’s aggregate industry. McLanahan is looking forward to continuing this partnership and helping Goonvean achieve even greater milestones in the future.