Exhibitor Spotlight: Premier MBP

Back once again at this year’s UK Concrete Show, leading supplier of ProAll volumetric concrete mixers Premier MBP have a long history of showcasing their products at premier industry events, including Plantworx, Scotplant, and QMJ’s Hillhead.

“We’ve found the most value to come from concrete-specific exhibitions such as The UK Concrete Show,” says general manager, Elizabeth Richardson. “We feel the geographic positioning of the UK Concrete Show gives us good national coverage and allows us to see as many interested parties as possible.” 

And, with over 35 years of experience in the concrete and commercial vehicle sector, Premier MBP are now the UK’s leading supplier of the world-class ProAll Reimer Mixer, thanks to company owner, Reg Gorman, who discovered the brand mixer at a trade show in 1997 while searching for the best machine to use in his own concrete supply business. 

From those humble beginnings - building a handful of mixers to put out to work - Premier MBP has grown under the leadership of managing director, Gary Coller, to being one of the leading suppliers of volumetric concrete mixers in the UK market, and ProAll’s largest distributor worldwide. 

Premier MBP's skilled team includes technicians, fabricators, and mechanical and electrical engineers all operating from a five-bay workshop in Newbury that can hold up to 10 trucks internally, with an axle weighbridge and two full-length pit lanes. 

“Our success,” says Gary, “revolves around our ability to adapt quickly and effectively to meet our customers’ business needs, including the recent innovation of the lightweight mixer range specially designed for Premier MBP’s client base. Our mission is to provide durable, high-performance construction machinery using the most technologically advanced equipment. Alongside our ethical values and industrious ethos, we believe we provide the perfect volumetric mixer and aftersales care for anyone looking to gain a competitive advantage in the world of concrete delivery.” 

As a long-standing exhibitor of The UK Concrete Show, it was a foregone conclusion Premier MBP would be in attendance again this year, Elizabeth revealed.  

She adds: “The 2023 show was both fruitful and stimulating for us, especially meeting customers old and new. It’s always been a great opportunity for us to see some of our favourite concrete industry faces, and introduce ourselves to new visitors, and we’re anticipating 2024 to be just as enjoyable!”  

Visitors to Premier MBP’s stand will be able to see two of its L8025 mixers on Renault 8x4 C440 chassis. 

Responding to the UK’s Road Vehicles (Authorised Weight) (Amendment) Regulations 2023, the ProAll design team began working on a plan to meet the requirements of Premier MBP customers, including researching and experimenting with lighter, but still robust materials. 

“The design team explored a range of options,” explains Gary, “including reducing components and lighter alternative mechanisms. What they developed was a lighter mixer constructed with high-strength aluminium and direct-tension lockbolts. This is the same grade of aluminium used on marine vessels and aircraft. It’s highly corrosion resistant and most able to withstand a tough environment. The direct-tension lockbolts avoid weakening any panels with welding and deter cracking by providing a vibration-resistant solution.” 

For construction contractors and concrete producers, volumetric mixers have long been an invaluable solution for quality, cost-effective on-site mixing. Each component – stone, sand, cement, and water – is loaded into separate compartments on one truck, metered, and mixed into fresh concrete in a high-production mixing auger for a fresh mix anywhere, anytime.  

Previously, volumetric mixers have been susceptible to inconsistencies throughout a load and required much technical skill to maintain mix specifications. Without a careful eye on the mix, the slump could change, and delivering a consistent pour could take constant, inexact adjustments to several aspects of the mixer.  

With ProAll’s Commander control system, automated functions and digital controls give unprecedented control, accuracy, and consistency. Elements of a mix are precision measured several times a second, and auto-controlled by a cutting-edge programmable logic controller (PLC).  

The ProAll Reimer mixer was the first mixer in the world where all functions of the mixer are connected, including belt speed, water, and cement. Belt speed will always be constant, and it will be precisely linked to a variable cement flow, water flow, and auger speed, so your slump and strength are right on, every time—just set a water-cement ratio, and let the Commander do the rest.  

“A glance at the Commander screen,” explains Gary, “will show you that all elements of your mix are in check; and if you should need to make an adjustment, to add more water, for example, it only takes a small, simple adjustment on the dial.  

There are lots of other helpful features on the ProAll Reimer Mixer’s Commander control system, like a washout setting for quick and easy cleanup and joystick chute controls for ultra-responsive auger movement.”

Looking ahead, Gary is confident Premier MBP can capitalise on the last three years of demand and company growth: “After three years of solid growth, we saw a small drop in sales in September 2023, which we thought might continue well into 2024 given market predictions, however, December 2023 saw an influx of last-minute sales and this has continued into January 2024.” 

While the company expects 2024 will be a more “moderately paced year” for volumetric sales, they are expecting a “strong and steady year” maintaining typical sales volumes as the industry maintains its usual resilience, new players enter the market, and existing fleets renew, and companies invest in the latest equipment. 

The global drive towards Net Zero is also playing a part in future growth and product development, with Premier MBP keen to play its part. 

“As an industry,” says Gary, “we have defined many goals to help us achieve Net Zero, and some companies are making a difference. Several of these goals were harder to achieve in practice and therefore as an industry, we are possibly behind where we could be in some areas.” 

One area Gary believes Premier MBP can contribute to is minimising CO2 through waste concrete by eradicating it at the point of production - volumetric mixers only mix and pour what you need, this reduces wasted concrete through estimating quantities.  

“Concrete is a contributing factor to carbon dioxide emissions and the industry already produces low carbon cement and uses recycled aggregate in appropriate applications, both of which are compatible with the ProAll Reimer mixers following initial calibrations and mix design setup.

There are multiple ways to reduce concrete’s carbon footprint such as optimising concrete mix design, utilising admixtures, specifying innovative types of cement, and only mixing what you need.  

We hope to see many more ProAll Reimer volumetric mixers in use within the construction sector supporting the global net zero goal for 2050.”