DUMFRIES-based AMD Contract Services Ltd is reaping the benefits of investing in its crushing and screening operations and taking out a lease of a quarry in Upper Nithsdale.
The business, which specialises in operated and self-drive plant hire as well as contracting, decided to make significant inroads into the crushing and screening market in 2019 after winning a two-year framework to provide contract crushing services on behalf of Forestry and Land Scotland.
The firm’s equipment in this field has been predominantly supplied by Blue Machinery in the form of Powerscreen Premiertrak jaw crushers, a Powerscreen Maxtrax cone crusher and Powerscreen Warrior screener. The AMD fleet also includes two Hyundai loading shovels supplied by Taylor & Braithwaite and a Finlay 595 Hydratrak screener.
The business is also currently awaiting delivery of a new tracked stacker.
AMD managing director Fraser Dykes told Project Plant that turnover has increased by around 25% thanks to the ‘new wing’ of the business.
He said, “We’ve taken the lease of Tynron Quarry from local landowner, Buccleuch Estates, which was an old county council quarry and we started operating it as soon as we received the relevant permissions to re-open. It’s a small quarry; we’re not wanting to take over the world. We thought getting our own quarry would complement our contract crushing as well as helping to keep our own tipper fleet working.
“The investment of around £1.5 million on new machinery has also helped to create six new full-time jobs.
“When they’re not out on contract, we can put the crushers into our quarry to produce material,” Fraser added. “We produce rock armour, gabion stone, crusher run (6F2) and type one subbase.
“We’ve just been working away quietly. The goal was to raise 40,000-50,000 tonne a year and we’re achieving that. We’re finding our feet with it and it’s going well.”
