How Our On-Site Concrete Mixers Work for Your Project
After more than 20 years in the concrete business, the Custom Concrete team know that project efficiency isn’t just in the mix – it’s also in the method. For builders, renovators and DIYers, ready-mixed concrete is always a gamble. You risk over-ordering and paying for waste, or under-ordering and risking a cold joint. Our on-site concrete mixing trucks eliminate that gamble entirely.
We bring a mobile batching plant to your project, whether you’re in Bedford, Hertford, or Aylesbury. Because we mix the exact quantity you need on the spot, the concrete is as fresh as it gets, giving you maximum workability. Nothing is wasted, and you only pay for what hits the ground.
If you need to know the practical specs, this guide is for you. We’ll cover the dimensions of our trucks, their maximum carrying capacity, and how the driver operates the controls to give you the perfect custom mix.
On-Site Essentials – Truck Access and Delivery FAQs
A volumetric mixer is a big piece of kit – it has to be to carry over 8 cubic metres of materials! But having delivered to every type and size of site in Bedfordshire, Hertfordshire, and Buckinghamshire, from tight renovations to large self-builds, we’ve learned a thing or two about access.
Our 8-wheel trucks are surprisingly agile, but a successful pour always starts with a quick site check. Here are the practical answers to questions our customers regularly ask us.
Our 8-wheel trucks are approximately 10 metres long, 2.5 metres wide, and 4 metres high. We ask that customers check for any restrictions on the way in to the site, not just the final pour location.
Our volumetric trucks can carry enough material to mix up to 8.5 cubic metres (8.5m³) of fresh concrete in one go. Because we mix on-site, we don’t impose a minimum delivery amount.
The truck weighs a lot, so the most important thing is solid, firm ground. A reasonably smooth surface is ideal. We can’t drive over things like manhole covers, soft grass, or down narrow tracks with low-hanging trees or overhead cables. Our driver will only access a site under your instruction.
We can pour directly into dumpers, or for trickier jobs (like a back garden slab or upper floor pour), we offer concrete pump hire to get the concrete there with no fuss.
From Raw Materials to Perfect Mix – A Step-by-Step Guide
As a long-time supplier, we can tell you that the biggest benefit of on-site mixing isn’t just “no waste” – it’s the complete control it gives you. We can make multiple, different mix designs on a single visit. This is only possible because our trucks are mobile batching plants that combine all the raw materials at the point of delivery.
So, how do our on-site concrete mixing trucks turn a pile of sand, stone, and cement into your fresh concrete? Here’s how our drivers/operators do it:
The Driver Sets the Mix – Our operator programmes your requirements into the truck’s digital control system. This tells the truck the precise ratio of all ingredients.
Aggregates on the Move – The hoppers holding sand and stone release the materials onto an internal conveyor belt.
Precision-Measured Cement – The cement silo, a separate container, adds a computer-controlled stream of cement powder to the aggregates.
Water for Workability – Onboard water tanks supply clean water to the mix. The system controls the flow to guarantee the correct water-to-cement ratio for the strength you need.
Adding Admixtures – Any “special ingredients” you’ve ordered – like a plasticiser for a pump mix or an accelerator for cold weather – are introduced from their own tanks.
Creating Fresh Concrete in the Auger – Finally, all five components arrive at the mixing auger. This is a high-speed, enclosed screw that violently combines the materials. It blends everything so thoroughly that by the time it reaches the end of the auger (and your pour), it’s a perfectly consistent, high-quality, and totally fresh concrete mix.
How Site-Mixed Concrete Solves the 3 Big Problems of Drum Delivery
For a builder or self-builder, most site problems come down to time, money, or risk. A ready-mix concrete drum delivery brings all three to your project. There’s the risk of the truck getting stuck in traffic and arriving with a “hot” mix that’s already going off. There’s the wasted money of over-ordering. And there’s the time-pressure of having to lay it all before it sets.
A volumetric mixer (our “mobile batching plant”) eliminates all three of these problems. Here’s how it does it:
It Solves the “Time & Risk” Problem – Our concrete is mixed fresh, on your site, right in front of you. It doesn’t exist until you ask for it. This means it is 100% fresh, giving you maximum workability.
It Solves the “Waste & Money” Problem – Using the Custom Concrete calculator allows you to know the exact volume of concrete you will need for your project. With site mixed concrete, you only pay for the concrete you actually use. There is no surplus, no “half-used drum” charge, and zero disposal fees for waste.
It Solves the “Flexibility” Problem – A drum arrives with one single, unchangeable batch. What if you need a footing mix and a slab mix? That’s two separate deliveries you’ll need to pay for. Our trucks carry all the raw materials, so our operator can pour your C20, then simply program a new mix and pour your C35 right after it.
If you’re ready for a concrete delivery that gives you more control and less waste for your next project in Beds, Herts, or Bucks, give our team a call – 01525 861899