Concrete Truck Mixer

Transit Mixers That Keep Ready-Mix Workable from Plant to Pour

A concrete truck mixer — also called a transit mixer, mixer truck, or concrete mixer lorry — is a truck-mounted drum that carries ready-mix concrete from the batching plant to the pour. The drum sits on an inclined axis and turns slowly during the haul so the concrete keeps moving and does not segregate or begin to set. It is a transport machine, not a production machine: the concrete is batched and mixed at the plant, and the truck delivers it in workable condition. (For on-board production you would use a volumetric mixer, which is a different type — TRUEMAX builds drum transit mixers, the format that carries ready-mix at scale.) The CTM range covers seven sizes from 3 to 14 m³ of rated concrete capacity. Every model uses a drum and blades built from 520JJ wear-resistant steel, discharges from the rear by reversing the drum, and holds residual concrete to 0.2% or less so almost nothing is left behind after each load. The mixing barrel (the “upper part”) is engineered to mount on a range of chassis — Sinotruk, HOWO and Sitrak as standard, or a chassis you specify — and the whole unit is built and tested at our own factory in Haining, China. A truck mixer is the link between the batching plant that produces the concrete and the pump or boom that places it.

Products in This Series

Concrete Truck Mixer Specifications

The full CTM range. Across every model, the drum and blades are 520JJ wear-resistant steel, charging speed is ≥3 m³/min and discharging >1 m³/min, mixing speed is 0–14 r/min (2–14 on the CTM14), the slump range is 50–210 mm, residual concrete is ≤0.2%, and water is supplied pneumatically through a KT-18 radiator-cooled system.

Model	Rated Capacity (m³)	Geometric Drum Volume (m³)	Drum Inclination (°)	Water Tank (L)	Overall Dimensions L×W×H (mm)
CTM3	3	4.45	16	240	3968×1920×2065
CTM6	6	9.6	15	240	5414×2400×2446
CTM8	8	11.8	16	240	5800×2500×2816
CTM9	9	14.4	13	350	6640×2495×2652
CTM10	10	14.4	13.5	350	6190×2600×2696
CTM12	12	18.4	12	450 / 1000	7500×2600×2870
CTM14	14	20.4	12	450 / 1000	8000×2450×2906

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Drum, Blades and Wear Protection

The drum and its helical mixing blades are made from 520JJ wear-resistant steel — the same grade through the barrel and the blades — and a wearing strip is added to the blade edges to extend service life. The blade profile is designed for a higher fill rate, which lifts the drum’s effective loading capacity by about 5% over a conventional design. The feeding and discharging chutes, which see the most abrasion, carry multi-layer wear-resistant liners that extend their service life by around 50%.

Build quality follows through the rest of the barrel: key parts are cut by plasma for precision and repeatability, and the whole assembly is shot-blasted before painting so the coating adheres well and resists corrosion over a working life of constant washdown and abrasive concrete. On the inclined drum, the helical blades scoop concrete toward the back on charging rotation; reverse the drum and the same blades drive it out to the rear chute.

Low Residual and Consistent Slump

Two numbers separate a good transit mixer from an average one: how much concrete it leaves behind, and how well it holds the mix. TRUEMAX drums discharge to a residual rate of 0.2% or less, so almost no concrete stays stuck inside after a load — that means less wasted concrete, far less hardened build-up to chip out, easier washdown, and an accurate delivered volume on every trip. The drum and blade geometry holds slump variation to within 5% through the discharge stages, across a 50–210 mm slump range, and the onboard pneumatic water system lets the operator wash down the drum and chute and top up water to spec when needed.

Hydraulic Drive and Chassis Options

The drum is driven by a hydraulic pump, motor and reducer from established global suppliers — PMP (Italy), Rexroth (Germany) and Eaton (USA) on the pump and motor, with Lead, ZF or Bonfiglioli reducers — so spare parts and service are available worldwide. The package is specified to the duty and to the parts support in your market.

Because the mixing barrel is designed as an upper part, it can be mounted on the chassis that suits your market and regulations. Standard options are Sinotruk, HOWO 7, HOWO N7 and Sitrak (with MAN engine, ZF gearbox and MAN cab), in Euro II to Euro V and 4×2 through 8×4 drive, with an air-bag seat and air conditioning. Other chassis brands can be accommodated — we design the upper part to match.

Why Contractors and Ready-Mix Companies Choose TRUEMAX

We manufacture, deliver, and support your equipment — from our factory floor to your jobsite, with local teams standing behind every unit we sell.

Factory-Direct Pricing

Customized Configuration

Proven Project Track Record

On-Site Installation & Training

24-Hour After-Sales Response

Global Spare Parts Supply

About Truemax

Established in 2003, Truemax is a concrete and construction equipment manufacturer with its own factory in Haining, China and over 10 overseas offices. We supply equipment, spare parts, and on-site service to contractors in more than 120 countries.

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FAQs

What is a concrete truck mixer, or transit mixer?

It is a truck-mounted rotating drum that carries ready-mix concrete from the batching plant to the jobsite. The drum turns slowly on an inclined axis during the haul to keep the concrete agitated so it does not segregate or set, and reverses to discharge at the rear on arrival. "Transit mixer," "mixer truck" and "concrete mixer lorry" all describe the same machine.

Does the truck mix the concrete, or just carry it?

Primarily carry it. The concrete is batched and mixed at the plant; the drum agitates it in transit and can complete or finish mixing, but a transit mixer is a transport machine, not a production plant. If you need concrete produced on board and on demand, that is a volumetric mixer — a different type that TRUEMAX does not supply in this range.

What is the difference between rated capacity and drum volume?

The rated capacity (the CTM number) is the volume of mixed concrete the truck is designed to carry. The geometric drum volume is larger — about 1.4 to 1.6 times — because the concrete needs head space to tumble and mix. As an industry rule, a drum is filled to roughly two-thirds of its geometric volume when carrying mixed concrete. On the CTM10, for example, a 14.4 m³ drum carries 10 m³ of concrete.

How much concrete can it actually carry on the road?

That depends on weight limits as much as drum size. Concrete weighs roughly 2.4 tonnes per cubic metre, so a 10 m³ load is about 24 tonnes of concrete before the truck's own weight. Axle and road regulations cap the practical payload, which is why larger capacities need a heavier multi-axle chassis — 6×4 for around 8–10 m³, 8×4 for 12–14 m³.

What chassis can the mixer be mounted on?

The mixing barrel is built as an upper part, so it can be fitted to Sinotruk, HOWO 7, HOWO N7 or Sitrak chassis as standard, in Euro II to Euro V and 4×2 to 8×4, and to other chassis brands on request. We design the upper part to match the chassis you intend to register and run.

Why does a low residual rate matter?

Residual is the concrete left clinging inside the drum after discharge. A low residual rate (≤0.2% on TRUEMAX drums) means less concrete wasted on every load, far less hardened build-up to chip out, faster and easier washdown, and a more accurate delivered volume — which adds up over a fleet running multiple loads a day.

Learn More About Concrete Truck Mixers

A concrete truck mixer is a truck-mounted rotating drum that transports ready-mix concrete from a batching plant to the placement point while keeping it workable. The same machine carries several names: transit mixer, mixer truck, concrete mixer lorry in the UK, ready-mix truck or RMC truck in South Asia, and agitator truck or concrete agitator in North America, where the emphasis is on the drum agitating the load rather than producing it. They all describe one type of equipment — a drum transit mixer — and should not be confused with a volumetric mixer, which batches and mixes dry materials on board and is a different machine TRUEMAX does not build in this range.

How the drum mixes and agitates

The drum sits on an inclined axis — 12 to 16° across the CTM range — and is lined with helical blades that act as an Archimedes screw. Rotated one way during charging and transit, the blades draw concrete inward and fold it back on itself, keeping aggregate suspended in the paste so the load does not segregate or stiffen prematurely; reverse the rotation and the same blades drive the concrete out to the rear chute. Drum speed is variable from 0 to about 14 r/min: low speed agitates a mixed load in transit, higher speed mixes or remixes and speeds discharge. On the CTM range, charging runs at 3 m³/min or more and discharging at over 1 m³/min, so loading and unloading do not become the bottleneck in a delivery cycle. Because the drum does mechanical work continuously, its interior and blades are the main wear surfaces — the reason they are built from 520JJ wear-resistant steel rather than mild plate.

Rated capacity, fill rate and how it is measured

The figure in the model name is rated concrete capacity — the volume of mixed concrete the truck is designed to carry, not the size of the drum. The geometric drum volume is larger, about 1.4 to 1.6 times the rated figure, because mixed concrete needs head space to tumble; put the other way, the drum is filled to a padding (fill) rate of roughly 62–69% of its geometric volume. A CTM10 therefore pairs a 14.4 m³ geometric drum with a 10 m³ rated load. Units differ by market: most of the world rates mixers in cubic metres, while North America uses cubic yards, so a 10 m³ drum is about 13 cubic yards — which is why the same machine is searched as a 6-yard, 8-yard or 10-yard concrete truck. Drive configuration is often quoted as a wheeler count: a 6-wheeler is a 6×4 with three axles, an 8-wheeler an 8×4 with four.

Payload, weight limits and chassis

What a mixer can legally carry is usually set by axle weight limits, not by the drum. Fresh concrete weighs roughly 2.4 tonnes per cubic metre, so a 10 m³ load is about 24 tonnes before the chassis and drum are counted. That is why capacity steps up with axle count: lighter 4×2 and small chassis suit 3–6 m³ urban and short-haul work, 6×4 chassis carry around 8–10 m³, and 8×4 chassis are needed for 12–14 m³. Because the mixing barrel is engineered as an upper part, it is mounted on the chassis that matches the registration, emission standard and road limits where the truck will run — Sinotruk, HOWO and Sitrak as standard, or another brand on request — rather than forcing one chassis on every market.

Keeping ready-mix workable in transit

Concrete is perishable. Slump falls as cement hydrates, faster in heat, so a load that left the plant workable can arrive stiff. Many ready-mix standards cap the haul at around 90 minutes or 300 drum revolutions from batching to discharge for this reason. The drum and blade geometry is designed to hold slump variation within about 5% through the discharge stages across a 50–210 mm slump range, and the onboard pneumatic water system lets the operator wash the drum and chute and add water to the approved mix on arrival when permitted. In practice, short hauls, steady agitation in transit, and water managed on site are what deliver a consistent slump to the pour — the truck protects the mix the plant produced, it does not rescue one that has been on the road too long.

Wear, residual and operating cost

Over a working life the drum, blades and chute liners are consumables, and two figures drive their cost. The first is wear: 520JJ steel through the barrel and blades, wearing strips on the blade edges, and multi-layer liners on the charging and discharging chutes extend service life on the surfaces that abrade fastest. The second is residual — the concrete left clinging inside after discharge. A residual rate of 0.2% or less means very little concrete is wasted per load, far less hardened build-up to chip out, faster washdown, and a more accurate delivered volume. Across a fleet running several loads a day, low residual and long wear life are recurring savings, not one-time specifications, which is why they belong in any concrete mixer truck comparison alongside capacity and chassis.

Where the truck mixer fits in the ready-mix chain

A transit mixer is one link in a continuous chain: the batching plant proportions and mixes the concrete, the mixer delivers it workable, and a concrete pump or placing boom moves it to the point of placement. The mixer sets the rhythm of the pour — a pump can only place as fast as trucks arrive — so fleet size and round-trip time are planned together with batch output and placing rate, not in isolation. On a continuous high-rise or large-slab pour the limiting factor is the slowest link: too few mixers and the pump idles; too many and trucks queue while slump drifts. Matching mixer capacity and number to the plant's output in m³/h and the pump's placing rate is the core of delivery planning, and the reason ready-mix operators size a fleet against typical pour volume and haul distance rather than buying the largest drum available.