How Mini Hoppers Transform Construction

Concrete transportation and distribution on construction sites can be messy and problematic. The biggest problem that many contractors face is that concrete is heavy and difficult to spread. When installed in tight spaces, the concrete installation process can be time-consuming and may require extensive clean-up if concrete is spilled or dribbled outside the concrete forms. 
Working with concrete can be difficult even for experienced construction professionals. Yet versatile tools like mini hoppers can make all the difference, delivering efficiency and versatility to construction professionals. 
In this article, we'll examine the transformative potential of concrete mini hoppers in construction, demonstrating how their versatile applications streamline operational workflows, improve safety on job sites, and contribute to environmental sustainability. 
With the correct use of your Deslauriers PVC concrete chute, you can improve efficiency and accessibility while reducing waste and saving money. Below are five ways that you can use your Deslauriers mini hopper. 

The mini hopper concrete funnel is a small hopper with an elephant trunk concrete chute. It's an attachable piece that fits on the dispensing system of the agitator truck to direct concrete from the chute funnel to the area of need. Along with the 6-foot, 8-inch diameter elephant trunk attachment, the mini hopper distributes concrete easily and accurately. It's made from lightweight high-density polyethylene and comes with chains to help it hang in place. 

The difficulty of pouring concrete into a standard form or foundation is caused by its heft and needs to be kept moving, or it will begin to cure. Concrete can be transported on-site for direct pouring out of an agitator truck, but these bulky trucks have limitations. 
Sometimes, reaching one or the other side of the foundation from the agitator truck is difficult or impossible. When this happens, concrete must be manually spread quickly, or poured into the foundation from a wheelbarrow. 
A mini concrete hopper can streamline the process of pouring concrete into forms or foundations. The hopper, with a concrete elephant trunk add-on, can direct concrete to the precise location where it's needed to fill the form without relocating the concrete using a wheelbarrow or moving the agitator truck. 
Using the mini hopper in this way makes for faster concrete pouring and more efficient project completion. Using the mini hopper saves valuable time and can allow you to pour concrete to fully fill the foundation without moving the agitator truck. 

Just as it's not practical to move a lot of concrete to fill difficult-to-reach parts of a foundation, it's also not practical to redirect small amounts of concrete from an agitator truck to areas far from the truck's discharging system. Some contractors resort to hand-mixing their concrete in small amounts to fill miscellaneous needs around the job site, but the use of the mini hopper can change that. 
The mini hopper allows for easy dispensing of concrete to small, out-of-the-way areas around the job site. Simply use the elephant trunk to direct concrete directly to the area of need or to a wheelbarrow for transport. 

Tight and hard to reach areas on the job site can be a problem, especially if you're working on a job site with uneven ground or terrain with different levels where the agitator truck cannot drive. Transporting concrete to other levels of the job site in a wheelbarrow or bucket takes a lot of time and manpower. 
It's better to use a tool that can direct concrete straight from the agitator truck to the area of need, ideally without even moving the truck itself. This is why many contractors use mini concrete hoppers. These tools transport concrete easily just by redirecting the elephant trunk to the appropriate location. 
Mini hopper concrete moving is easy. To get the work done, attach the elephant trunk for concrete to the truck's discharging system. 

The risk of injury is very real for contractors moving heavy, awkward concrete. A cubic yard of wet concrete weighs approximately 4,000 pounds or more. While your workers will move wet concrete in much smaller quantities, a sense of urgency could lead your employees to move too much too quickly, resulting in injuries. 
Injuries cost contractors a great deal. Injuries can lead to an increase in workers comp premiums, which can be so high as to be detrimental to the contractor business. In addition, injured workers can cost time by not working, putting more strain on their fellow coworkers. This can slow projects, reduce profits and may even impact your reputation with clients, who don't always react well to delays. 
The mini hopper can reduce injuries relating to transporting concrete by making it easier for your workers to move concrete without lifting, using back muscles or lifting with their knees or shoulders. This allows workers to keep up with the work for the day without straining to lift concrete and move it quickly from one location to another. 

Precise pouring is difficult for large cement mixers. The resulting waste and mess can be difficult to measure, but it's said that cement production generates 2.5 billion tons of carbon dioxide (CO2) every year. On a small scale, wasted concrete costs contractors money and time. Mess clean-up is time-consuming, and wasted concrete means more money is spent on concrete than necessary. 
The more precise the concrete pour, the less waste is produced on each construction site. Mini hoppers help create that precise pour by directing fresh concrete to the area of greatest need. 
The elephant trunk concrete chute is especially useful for ensuring that concrete is only directed where needed and nowhere else. Many contractors are using mini hoppers in this way, to reduce waste and mess on the job site. This has a positive environmental impact and a positive impact on your business. 

Mini hoppers bring efficiency and safety to the job site by helping contractors transport concrete where it needs to be. The Deslauriers Inc. mini hopper is a sturdy, durable piece of construction equipment that helps easily move concrete. 
If you're a contractor who works regularly with concrete, consider the Deslauriers Inc. mini hopper for your next construction project. Contact us today to learn more about our product, or buy yours online.