There are a lot of variables in this decision. Are you a contractor moving site to site, or a fixed quarry? What product makes up most of your revenue? Could you run a Jaw/Cone setup 90% of the time and hire an impactor for the occasional contract or seasonal demand? What’s your feed size, fines content, and required throughput? A lot of New Zealand quarries have tunnel vision for impact crushers because that’s what everyone else runs. But every quarry is different. Don’t just take someone else’s word for it — if you get the opportunity, trial a cone crusher and compare the results yourself. Where a cone may not suit one operation, it can be perfect for another. You also need to think long term. Initial capital cost may be higher, but blow bars aren’t cheap. There’s a reason most major quarries in New Zealand operate with a Jaw/Cone setup.

In short — yes, you do need one. You may not realise it yet because you’ve never run one before. If you have the room for a stacker, our advice is simple: buy or hire one. You’ll thank yourself later. One of the most common comments we hear after someone buys a stacker is: “I should have done this years ago.” As the old saying goes, it’s the cheapest loader you’ll ever buy. Yes, you still need a loader to load trucks, but the reduction in machine hours, diesel consumption, and wear on your loader can be massive. It also takes a huge amount of pressure off the loader operator and improves overall site efficiency. The main downside with stackers — especially on larger material — is segregation. However, there are ways to minimise and manage this depending on your application and stockpile setup. If you have any questions, talk to the Rokbro team.