Norsk Stein AS continues to expand with fiberglass
Norsk stein AS is Norway's leading producer of crushed stone and stone materials. They also hold the record for Europe's largest crushed stone plant, located in Jelsa. Here they produce up to 12 million tons of stone annually. An enormous facility, with proportions so large that it is difficult to imagine. Here they will blast and collect stone for many years to come, and are constantly working on improvements and streamlining the workplace. We have been fortunate enough to be part of this development, and more and more fiberglass has started to appear at the crushed stone plant.
Platform for tensioning station
Norsk Stein AS extracts rock through controlled blasting and transports the material through the crushing plant via a network of conveyor belts. These belts, which connect different processing stations, are essential to keeping production running. Over time, however, the belts can stretch and lose tension, reducing transport efficiency or, in the worst case, stopping it altogether. To prevent such interruptions, regular maintenance of the conveyor belts is essential.
Our latest initiative with Norsk stein AS focused on optimizing this maintenance process. Maintenance is typically performed at a so-called tensioning station, where the belts are vertically oriented for easier access. We were commissioned to develop and construct a platform to be integrated into the tensioning station, with the goal of improving access to the conveyor belt for maintenance work.
One of our technical draftsmen designed a custom platform. The design took into account the limited space in the tensioning station while ensuring that the platform met strict safety requirements. The result was a robust and functional solution, designed to fit perfectly into the unique environment of the tensioning station.
Design of the platform carried out in SolidWorks.
Low weight made installation a dream
Installation of the platform was carried out by two of our skilled workshop workers, Umar and Krystian.
The first thing they had to do when they arrived in Jelsa was to transport the material up to the tensioning station, a full 27 meters above ground. This was done by hoisting the material to the top, a simple and safe solution thanks to the low weight of the fiberglass material.
The weight also made the installation itself a dream. Despite the limited space inside the tensioning station, the entire installation was assembled and adjusted by hand.
The tensioning station, 27 meters above ground.
Design of the platform carried out in SolidWorks.
More projects on the way
We are incredibly proud of our collaboration with Norsk Stein AS, and that they see the benefits that come from using fiberglass.
Fiberglass has a long lifespan and requires little maintenance. It is very light without compromising strength. The weight to strength ratio of fiberglass is excellent.
Fiberglass is not affected by exposed and extreme environments such as extreme heat or cold. The material is incredibly resistant to corrosion and rust.
This makes it a good fit in a tough environment, such as ours at Norsk Stein.
Saad Rahman – Project Manager, Trainee – Norsk Stein AS
New projects are already planned.
Glassfiber Produkter AS will deliver an 18 meter long footbridge over the sea, which will provide easier access to the quay. A safe choice that will withstand the harsh environment near the sea at Jelsa. We will also deliver a Repo platform that will be used for bulk sampling from a transporter, i.e. to collect rock samples that will be sent to the lab.
Norsk Stein AS will be blasting at Jelsa and several other of their locations for many years to come, and we look forward to continuing to be involved!
The enormous blasting area at Jelsa.
The conveyor belt transports stone around the crushing plant.
A network of conveyor belts.
Watch video from the visit
In connection with the installation, we took a trip to Jelsa and made a short video from the visit.