What Size Concrete Batch Plant Do I Need? A Sizing Guide by Output and Project Type

How is batch plant size measured?

Plant size is the rated production in cubic yards per hour, and the rating assumes steady batching with trucks ready to load. Real output is usually lower than the nameplate figure. One buying guide notes that many plants are rated from 30 to 150 cubic yards per hour, but actual performance depends on material handling and operator efficiency.

Capacity also depends on the parts around the mixer. These include:

• Batcher size and cycle speed
• Aggregate bin storage
• Cement silo volume
• Conveyor speed
• Mixer type

A plant is only as fast as its slowest component.

What size plant do I need for a ready-mix operation versus a single project?

Size by the work the plant must carry at its peak. A single-project or residential plant serves one site at a time. A ready-mix yard feeds a truck fleet around the clock and needs far more output. Undersizing costs you jobs, and oversizing ties up capital. One sizing guide puts the cost of oversizing at $50,000 to $300,000 in unneeded capital.

The table below gives estimated ranges, so confirm them against your own production plan.

Another published breakdown places regional ready-mix companies and large paving operations in the 60–120 yd³/hr band, and major metro ready-mix and precast in the 120+ band. R&S builds both standard and fully custom plants, so capacity can match your production plan rather than a catalog size, as the R&S Industries site explains.

How do I calculate my peak cubic yards per hour?

Work from annual volume down to your busiest hour, then add a buffer. Here is the worksheet, with an illustrative example of 60,000 yards per year:

1. 01Annual yards: estimate your yearly volume (60,000 yd³).
2. 02Working days: count the days you actually pour (250), giving an average of 240 yd³ per day.
3. 03Peak-day factor: multiply by 1.3 to 1.8 for your busiest days. At 1.5, the peak day is 360 yd³.
4. 04Productive hours: divide by realistic production hours per shift, such as 6 of 8 (60 yd³/hr).
5. 05Truck cycle time: divide each truck's load size by its round-trip hours to see how many trucks your output can keep moving.
6. 06Growth buffer: add 20–30%. At 25%, the target is 75 yd³/hr.

Published guidance supports the buffer. It recommends adding 25–30% for startup time, cleaning cycles and downtime. Round the result up to the next standard size, then confirm that your trucks and loader can keep pace.

Stationary or mobile: how many bins, silos and what mixer size should I plan for?

Choose a mobile plant when the site changes. Choose a stationary plant when volume is steady and location is fixed. Mobile plants can reach high output as well. One manufacturer's mobile line is rated for production capacities up to 200 yards per hour. Stationary plants give you more storage and a layout built around truck traffic.

Bins, silos and mixer

A practical starting point looks like this:

• Aggregate bins: plan one compartment per material, with enough tons to cover a full shift without reloading.
• Cement silo: size it for your delivery schedule, plus a reserve for a missed delivery.
• Mixer: pick wet mix for precast and paving, or dry batch for ready-mix trucks.
• Controls: decide between manual and automatic batching.

R&S offers portable plants and full stationary operations, and its controls can be configured per project. For stationary work, R&S offers the Apache Series, a compact-footprint plant for space-limited sites and newer producers. It also builds the Comanche Series for high-capacity operations. Rated output is configured to your target rather than fixed per model.

What does a plant cost at each size, and what should I request from suppliers?

Treat these as market estimates, not quotes. One buying guide says batch plants run from under $100,000 for compact mobile setups to several hundred thousand for large central mix systems. Dealer listings for new stationary dry plants rated at 70 to 100 yd³/hr show asking prices from $249,000 to $274,900 on Machinery Trader. Installation, site work and controls can change the final figure. R&S quotes each plant per project.

Specs to request from any supplier

Buyers often compare quotes from JEL Concrete Plants, CONQUEST MFG and Liddell Industries, Inc. Ask each one for the same specs so the quotes line up:

• Mixer type and rated batch size
• Aggregate bin capacity in tons
• Cement silo size in barrels
• Controls, whether manual or automatic

Published specs show why this matters. A JEL ready-mix model lists a 550 bbl cement silo, aggregate bins rated at 20 tons and an automatic batching control system. A CONQUEST stationary listing includes manual controls, with a computer as an optional extra, according to the dealer listing. Compare delivery time and support as well as price. R&S'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 the quote stage.

What site, permit and power requirements should I check?

Check the site before you pick a size, because it can cap your capacity. Start with these:

• Footprint: leave room for bins, silos, a loader and truck loops.
• Zoning and permits: confirm local zoning and your state environmental agency's air-quality rules for dust.
• Water and runoff: plan a water source, plus stormwater and washout controls.
• Power: compare grid service with a generator for your motor load.
• Foundations: have an engineer confirm soil and pad requirements.

Permit rules differ by state and county, so ask your local agencies early. R&S can fit a plant to your site limits, since its team designs and builds the plants in-house in Brownwood and serves contractors and ready-mix producers across the United States.