A Ready Mix Concrete Plant produces concrete in very much the same manor as a chef prepares a recipe. All the required materials/ingredients (sand, stone, cement, water ect.) are stored in holding bins, silos and tanks. Concrete mix designs or recipes are stored the plants batch computer by the cubic yard. The batcher inputs your order including name, address, mix design, quantity and any special instructions into his computer. The computer than multiplies the quantity of your order by the mix design to determine the total weight of all the material needed for your order. The plant has scales which than weigh the dry materials (sand, stone and cement) and meters to measure the liquid materials (water and chemical admixtures). The plant (a dry batch plant)than discharges the liquid materials into the truck followed by the dry materials, which is than mixed by the drum of the concrete truck very much like a blender. A central mix concrete plant mixes all the ingredients into a large overhead drum ( similar to the drum on a truck) and homogenously mixes the concrete which is than poured into the drum of the truck.

The entire batching or loading process, from the truck pulling under the plant to the truck leaving the yard, takes 10 to 15 minutes depending on the quantity of your order. While the truck is being loaded, the driver analyzes his order to determine the best route to the job site and note any special instructions that might be required for your order. Please note that the more accurate the address and directions given to the dispatcher, the faster your truck will arrive to the location. A driver searching for any unsure address means that the concrete is in the truck longer than is should be and starts to cook, or become hot and gives you less time to work with the concrete on the job site. This can also cause our delivery schedule to back log because a truck is on a particular order longer than necessary.

Ready Mix Concrete is sold by volume in cubic yards or on certain NYS and NYC projects by cubic meter. One cubic yard is equal to 1 yard high x 1 yard wide x 1 yard deep. Before placing your Ready Mix Concrete order, measure you forms to calculate the cubic yards of concrete required to fill them. If you do not know how to calculate the cubic yards required please use the concrete calculator on the web site or the dispatcher can help calculate the amount. When calculating you cubic yards always figure an extra 5% to 10% to account for irregular grades and forms, it is extremely expensive to return to the job for 1 or 2 yards if you run short.