Features

Wirtgen is gearing up its operations in the concrete paving market - Mike Woof writes Concrete paving is a technology developed and pioneered in the US, so it is no surprise that US firms GOMACO, Guntert & Zimmerman, Power Curbers and Power Pavers, have had such a high profile in this market over the years. However one European firm, Wirtgen, is a serious competitor in the sector, the only non-US supplier to the market.

Changes to the way bitumen is produced and traded mean that traditional ways of specifying – and buying - it may not be enough - Frank Albrecht, MD of Albr3cht Supply Concepts, explained why to Kristina Smith Traditionally, we have specified bitumen using two values: the penetration (pen) and ring and ball figures which define the hardness of the bitumen and its softening point respectively. Taking that approach today is risky, warns Frank Albrecht, managing director of Albr3cht Supply Concepts. “It’s not

Close to Guerrero Negro in the west of Mexico the world's largest salt field is located. There two Wirtgen Surface Miners 2200 SM produce enormous amounts of the "white gold" - economically and in top quality. The company Exportadora del Sal S.A. (ESSA) – a joint venture between the Mexican government and Mitsubishi Corporation – has produced salt on a large scale in the Ojo de Liebre Lagoon since 1957. With a total area of 33,000 ha, this gigantic evaporation pond is now the largest salt works of its kind

At bauma China 2014, Liebherr announced new machines while also revealing its latest results. The company is optimistic for its financial performance, despite tough market conditions at present.

Asphalt plant manufacturers report major supply deals for highway and construction projects - Pat Smith writes International asphalt plant manufacturers have been reporting major successes with their products, which are now working on highway and airport projects worldwide.

Formwork firm Pilosio is taking corporate responsibility and sustainability very seriously indeed through its peace awards - Kristina Smith reports Italian formwork specialist Pilosio held its fourth annual Building Peace Award in the historic setting of Venice’s Scuola Grande on Friday 12th September. This year’s winner was politician Samia Yaba Nkrumah, the daughter of Ghana’s first democratically elected president, highlighting her planned project to build a new library and learning space in Akosombo, ne

New financing models have been used to deliver key transport links in the US - * Patrick D Harder and Brandon J Davis Florida Department of Transportation’s (FDOT) public-private partnership (PPP) programme has made impressive progress, setting precedents for US transportation planning and funding. On March 26th 2014, FDOT opened 16km of new reversible express lanes as part of its US$1.8 billion I-595 Corridor Roadway Improvements Project. Just a few months later, on August 3rd 2014, FDOT opened twin tunnel

A new two-lane road has been built in Meghalaya, India, providing a challenging project for the construction team The new road lies at a comparatively high altitude and provides a bypass around Shillong, the capital of Meghalaya and which is one of the smallest states in India. Shillong is located 1,496m above sea level, with the highest point being Shillong Peak at almost 2,000m, and the area has a much cooler climate than the rest of tropical India. Shillong is also only 55km away from Mawsynram, which is

Russia looks set to accelerate its road building programme – Eugene Gerden writes The volume of road building in Russia should be doubled by 2022, according to a recent order of Russia’s president Vladimir Putin. He said, “We need a real breakthrough in road building during the next several years. These volumes should be doubled during the coming decade.”

New developments in low temperature asphalt offer both cost and environmental benefits - Dr Nizar Ghazireh (Lafarge Tarmac) & Dennis Day (Nynas Bitumen) Low temperature asphalt (LTA) technology has considerable potential for reducing carbon emissions associated with road construction. The lower temperatures used to manufacture these materials mean that less energy is required and therefore lower emissions, which create better working conditions and result in lower impact on the environment.