Concrete brick, block and paving-making machinery and technology supplier Pan Mixers South Africa (PMSA) in March launched the new Fiori DBX35 self-loading concrete mixer, designed specifically for emerging markets in Africa that require high-quality concrete on demand at a more affordable price.

The new Italian-designed and manufactured DBX35 self-loading mixer will be part of a range of equipment, with a smaller and then larger unit being available as entry-level machines in the Fiori range, notes PMSA sales and marketing manager Quintin Booysen.

“To make the DBX35 more affordable, all nonessential parts were removed from the mixer and certain design aspects were adjusted. “Fiori’s quality standards have, however, remained uncompromised,” he says.

Two major design changes that have been made to the DBX35, when compared with prior models, are the introduction of front-loading arms and a grab bucket, which replaces the standard bucket found on other Fiori machines.

Booysen points out that this design change was implemented to serve as a cost-saving benefit for up-and-coming contractors that are unable to afford a capital-intensive weighing system for measurement.

“The Fiori DBX35 is the ideal self-loading mixer for customers that have not budgeted for a separate weighing system to measure all the aggregates, as the grab bucket allows the user to more accurately measure materials when loading the bucket, which can be filled up to 90% capacity. “This is not possible with a standard bucket design,” he adds.

According to Booysen, the Fiori DBX35 self-loading mixer also offers additional benefits to the African market, including more accurate volumetric loading, as well as shortened loading times, as a result of the positioning and inclination of the drum.

Further, its compact design results in considerable transport savings, says Booysen.

“Two Fiori DBX35 self-loading mixers can fit into one standard 140 m3 shipping container, which halves the transport costs, compared with other similar size competitor mixing machines. “This is another major value-add in terms of ensuring affordability, without compromising on efficiency or reliability,” he continues.

Booysen highlights that PMSA is proud to add the DBX35 self-loading mixer to the company’s product range.

“This mixer fills a gap in the local market for an affordable and reliable self-loading mixer, which offers the user accurate measurement without the need for additional equipment. It is the ideal self-loading mixer for the price conscious customer, and I am confident of obtaining measurable market share across sub-Saharan Africa in the foreseeable future,” he concludes.