Betonex - Forerunner in North Africa’s aggregates business

A complete crushing and screening plant

Algeria is the largest country in Africa, located in the north of the continent.  The country has experienced a steady growth in the aggregates market since the beginning of the 2000’s, with infrastructure and construction developing steadily.  

In 2015 Betonex and Metso signed a contract for the design, delivery and installation of a complete crushing and screening plant to Betonex's newest quarry in El Hamra-Mansourah, in the Bordj Bou Arreridj region of Algeria to fulfill growing market demand and the company’s goal to exceed the annual production of 3 million tonnes of aggregates with production start-up end 2017.

Karim Benseba, Manager of Betonex, is the second generation to run the Algerian business after their father. Betonex, part of the Benseba Group, has a long history of working with Metso, the first joint project took place in 2008, at the company's other operation, El Mehir Agrégats. “We chose Metso for our second installation based following the technical advice and recommendations on spare parts of our first investment. Metso operates in Algeria and imports spare parts on our behalf, making it easier for us to service and maintain our facilities.”

Growing with demand

The market demand for aggregates in the construction sector continues to be high in Algeria with governmental programs focusing on public works, such as housing programs, extending road and highway infrastructures such as the Hauts Plateaux highway, and the new expressway between Anhif and Bejaia and the railway sector.

Betonex saw the opportunity and made a decision to grow: “In 2012, we decided to invest in a 500-tonne-per-hour installation. Our goal is to exceed 3 million tonnes per year.” explains Karim Benseba about the reasons spearheading this second plant.

A complete aggregate plant solution was commissioned from Metso to grow the business. “The project specifications focused as much on the health, security and environmental aspects for the operators as the production output. Metso’s plant solution includes feeders, conveyors, crushers and screens, a dust suppression system as well as a complete automation system. For the primary stage, Metso installed a Nordberg® C160™ jaw crusher and a PREMIER ES™ horizontal screen, the first ones in Algeria.” Comments Pierre Taoufik, Project Manager, Metso.

In compliance with Algerian standard for aggregates, Betonex’s company goal is to produce high level aggregates quality mirroring European standards. 

Working together towards healthier working environment

One can rightly say the company is a forerunner in the aggregates business in many ways. Quality and quantity to meet the market demand of aggregates is their business goal, in conjunction with the best health and safety standards for employees and operators.

Mr Benseba continues about safety: “We installed footbridges along each conveyor. The tunnel is equipped with a camera, auditory alarms and emergency stops so that operators can work at ease in a more secure environment”.

Betonex and Metso share the same value base and priority on employee health and safety as well as working sustainably. With this new installation, the company is investing in cutting-edge dust suppression equipment.

Minimizing dust is three-fold. For health, safety and environment as a whole: “We believe that protecting the environment should be everyone's business. It is in the nature of crushing that there is a lot of dust, we want to implement an overall environmental plan at the outset”.

“Metso took part in a study of dust reduction with us. They recommended atomization at the primary stage and confinement at the secondary stage. Through Metso’s experience I believe we’ll have good results aligned to our production goal.”

The local presence of the Metso team in Algeria is fundamental. The knowledge of the crushing process as well as available wear and spare parts is fundamental for the plant to succeed.

“Metso has always accompanied us and I believe that it’s a duty for a hardware supplier to accompany the customer in all stages of the project: plant design and also in the after-sales service. We succeeded in choosing the right equipment for our process through the help and knowledge of Metso experts. This is what a true partnership is”. sums up Karim Benseba.