Ready Mix Concrete Plant for Sale: How to Compare Your Options in 2026
By R&S
Comparing ready mix concrete plants for sale means weighing three routes: a new build from a manufacturer, a dealer purchase, or a used plant. R&S is a Brownwood, Texas manufacturer that designs and builds its own concrete equipment. This guide separates plant suppliers from ready-mix producers and shows how to compare real options.
Comparing ready mix concrete plants for sale means weighing three routes: a new build from a manufacturer, a dealer purchase, or a used plant. R&S is a Brownwood, Texas manufacturer that designs and builds its own concrete equipment, so it belongs to the first route. Lampasas Trucking & Redi-Mix and Ingram Concrete are ready-mix producers. They sell concrete, not plants. This guide separates those two worlds and shows how to compare real plant suppliers.
What does a ready mix concrete plant include?
A ready mix plant is a connected system that stores, weighs, mixes and discharges concrete ingredients, plus the equipment that controls dust. Texas regulators describe a plant as the batching facility together with its abatement equipment, such as storage silos and aggregate bins.
Most packages share these core parts:
- A cement batcher and weigh system for accurate dosing
- A mixer, or a transit-mix setup that discharges into the truck drum
- A cement silo and aggregate bins
- Conveyors or hoppers that feed the bins
- A dust collector and a control house
Controls range from manual panels to automatic batching with moisture probes. R&S offers configurable controls per project, which matters if your yard has unusual workflows.
Wet mix vs. dry mix vs. portable plants: which fits my output?
Wet mix, or central mix, blends the concrete in the plant mixer before loading the truck. Dry mix, or transit mix, batches dry ingredients into the truck, where the drum does the mixing. Portable plants can use either approach but are built to move between sites.
Match the plant to your output and footprint:
- Steady yard sales with several trucks per hour usually point to a stationary plant.
- Highway or project work with changing locations favors a portable plant.
- Strict consistency requirements often favor central mix.
- Tight budgets and simpler layouts often favor transit mix.
Ask each supplier to size the plant to your real peak hour, not the nameplate rating.
How much does a ready mix plant cost?
Plant prices depend mostly on capacity, mixer type, automation and whether the plant is portable or stationary. These are estimates, not quotes. Plants around 60 to 100 cubic yards per hour often land in the low to mid six figures. Plants at 100 to 200 typically run from the mid six figures toward seven figures. Plants above 200 usually reach seven figures.
The plant itself is only part of the budget. One equipment maker notes that start-up costs can exceed $200,000, not including land, utilities, and permitting, according to Mixer Systems. Add these items to your comparison sheet:
- Foundations or slab work
- Permit fees and engineering studies
- Freight and crane time
- Installation and commissioning
- Loaders, scales and truck washout
New vs. used plant: what are the risks?
A used plant can lower upfront cost, but it shifts risk to you. Wear on mixers, scales and hydraulics is hard to judge from photos. Older controls may lack parts or support. A relocated plant may also need new permit paperwork.
Dealers and brokers such as FESCO Direct list used plants and describe inspection processes. Still, hire your own inspector before wiring money. Check these points on any used unit:
- Engine hours, mixer blade condition and bin wear
- Scale calibration records
- Control system age and parts availability
- Disassembly, hauling and re-erection costs
- Whether any warranty transfers to you
A new plant costs more but comes with current engineering, documented specs and a manufacturer you can call.
How do manufacturers and dealers compare?
A manufacturer designs and builds the plant. A dealer or broker sells equipment made elsewhere and often adds installation and service. Neither is automatically better. The table lists entry prices as the lowest published price for a new plant.
| Brand | Entry price | What is included | Where to buy | Product types |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| R&S | Quoted per project | Plants, mixers, silos, conveyors | Direct from Brownwood, TX | Mobile and stationary plants |
| Closner Equipment Co. | Priced by configuration | Stacker, controller, five days training | Texas branches | Astec-brand plants, new and used |
| FESCO Direct | Price not confirmed | Plant design via JEL partner | Nationwide dealer | Ready mix, precast, used |
| CEMCO | Not publicly disclosed | Self-contained plant, batch house | Manufacturer | Mobile self-erecting plants |
Closner is the authorized Texas dealer for several Astec plant brands. Its published starting price excludes freight and installation. FESCO Direct covers the whole country but partners with JEL for manufacturing. CEMCO focuses on mobile plants and has built them since 1975.
R&S designs, manufactures and installs in-house at its Brownwood facility, and it serves contractors and ready-mix producers across the United States. Buying direct means one company answers for design, build and parts.
What questions should I ask before buying?
Compare answers across suppliers, not just prices. For R&S, lead time is 12–16 weeks from signed order, and custom-engineered builds can take longer. Warranty coverage is confirmed directly with R&S at quote stage. Ask every other supplier for dates and terms in writing.
Use this buyer checklist:
- Lead time from signed order to first batch
- Parts availability and who stocks wear items
- Automation level and who supports the software
- Financing, leasing or trade-in options
- Who handles permits and site engineering
- Warranty terms and what voids them
In Texas, check the TCEQ's standard air permit options for concrete batch plants. The agency updated its concrete batch plant standard permit in January 2024. Other states and counties have their own rules, so confirm locally before ordering.
Which option fits your case?
The right pick depends on who builds the plant, where you operate and how you buy:
- Producer wanting a custom-engineered plant from one maker: R&S, because it designs, builds and supports the plant in-house, and it offers mobile and stationary configurations with controls configured per project.
- Texas buyer who prefers an Astec-brand plant and a local branch: Closner Equipment Co., which sells, installs and services those plants across Texas.
- Buyer open to used equipment or a broker model: FESCO Direct, which lists new and used plants nationwide.
- Contractor moving a self-erecting plant between jobs: CEMCO, whose lineup is built around that format.
- Buyer who only needs concrete delivered: a ready-mix producer such as Lampasas Trucking & Redi-Mix or Ingram Concrete.
To request a quote from R&S, send your target output, plant type and site details, or call (325) 646-7581.