Biggest-ever order for SBM Mineral Processing

SBM to supply six concrete mixing plants for construction of world’s longest immersed tunnel

SBM Mineral Processing GmbH have won their biggest-ever order for the exclusive supply of concrete mixing plants for construction the world’s longest immersed tunnel for both road and rail traffic. The contract includes the delivery of six mixing plants for the production of the three million cubic metres of concrete required for the construction of the tunnel.

The Fehmarnbelt Fixed Link Project is the final stage in the realization of a direct traffic corridor across the Fehmarnbelt, between Lolland in Denmark and Fehmarn in Germany. The link will accommodate four lanes of road traffic, two emergency lanes and two railway tracks.

Femern A/S, a subsidiary of Danish state-owned Sund & Bælt holding A/S, were tasked with planning, building and operating the link between Denmark and Germany. In 2016, they awarded the Tunnel Portals and Ramps, Tunnel South and Tunnel North contracts to Femern Link Contractors (FLC) – a consortium of nine major European construction and civil engineering firms.

Construction work on the project, which commenced in January this year, will involve the creation of an 18km long immersed tunnel, including the portals and ramps and portal buildings in both Denmark and Germany.

During 2021, SBM Mineral Processing will deliver a EUROMIX 3300 SPACE plant (pictured), which will produce concrete for construction of the infrastructure works, followed by the first two out of a total of five LINEMIX 4500 CM plants, which will produce concrete for the tunnel elements. The remaining three SBM LINEMIX plants, all equipped with BHS DKX 4.5 twin-shaft mixers capable of producing 4.5 cubic metres of concrete per batch, will go into operation in mid-2022.

‘Concrete has become a high-tech product,’ remarked Erwin Schneller, managing director of SBM Mineral Processing. ‘As a machine and plant manufacturer with decades of experience, we can offer innovative solutions and sophisticated concepts to our customers. This will ensure that FLC can produce concrete economically, quickly, as sustainable as possible, and in accordance with the necessary quality criteria.’