The construction sector has an extensive supply chain. When contractors submit orders for lumber, concrete, rebars and other products, they set in motion hundreds of transactions, many of which start at mines and production facilities.

Quarrying and concrete mixing are two operations which depend on the construction sector to sustain profitable businesses. To win bids with distributors, contractors and other such professionals, they implement efficiencies to reduce costs. A part of this strategy involves configuring industrial measuring instruments that enable plants to deduce how much product they manufacture on a daily basis.

Recent data would suggest that mines, quarries and construction product manufacturing facilities will ramp up operations to meet the needs of a growing building industry.

Construction set to expand

Last October, Ai Group released its Construction Outlook, predicting that the 2016-17 financial year will be one of consistent business. For example, after two years of declining activity, engineering construction is estimated to grow 4.8 per cent. Complementing this activity is rising value in infrastructure projects (11.9 per cent). 

The research firm maintained that engineering and infrastructure expansion will result from greater investment in urban transportation initiatives. Revenue from road and rail projects is also expected to increase 16 and 11.4 per cent, respectively. 

Additionally, commercial and residential work will remain strong in 2016-17. The report's authors anticipated that private sector building activity may rise 6 per cent. Queensland, according to WT Partnership, is one such state that is taking measures to encourage apartment construction, particularly in growing cities such as Brisbane and the Gold Coast. In 2016-17, the consultancy expects tender prices to grow 4.5 per cent.

How will this impact mines and manufacturing? 

Large-scale infrastructure projects as well as commercial and residential buildings ultimately depend on the minerals market. The latter sector produces cement, a common material used in construction. 

Manufacturing cement is a precision-oriented process, one that operates on volumetric feeders and dynamic belt weighing instruments to support proper mixing. Engineering Intro noted that cement producers generally use calcium, silicon, iron and aluminium to create the final product. These minerals are typically obtained from sand, clay and limestone. 

Preparing cement for construction is a lengthy process. After extraction, grinding, proportioning and blending, manufacturers have to send the material through pre-heater and kiln phases. Finally, the product is cooled and ground before it's packed and shipped.

Based on the statistics from Ai Group and WT Partnership, it's possible manufacturers may have to reassess their facilities before accepting new orders. SRO Technology can conduct a thorough analysis of your instrumentation, ensuring all devices are working appropriately.