Recycling

Super-fine milling is a technique that has been used in Brazil to rehabilitate roads for the World Cup The rehabilitation work had to be carried out speedily and economically, while minimising traffic disruption. To meet these requirements, contractor Fremix Engenharia e Comércio has been using a Wirtgen W200 cold milling machine that is fitted with a super-fine milling drum.

Representing an investment of around US$113 million, Botswana’s A1 national road between Tonota and Francistown is undergoing a major upgrade This single-lane section is being progressively transformed into a north- and southbound dual carriageway, crossing four existing river bridges along the way. A strategically important transportation route for both Botswana and the southern African region, the A1 passes through Francistown, the nation’s second largest city, heading northwards to end at the Zimbabwe b

The market for milling machines is highly competitive and there is an array of firms offering equipment to the global market. German company Wirtgen is the worldwide market leader and has an enormous range of models available, but other companies too are keen to grow market share, with Caterpillar and Roadtec strong in North America and BOMAG, Dynapac and Caterpillar are also pushing hard to build share in Europe for instance. Other companies too are keen to grow their shares of global sales and several of

Chinese firms are growing their expertise in terms of products and international sales – Mike Woof reports China’s major off-highway construction equipment manufacturers have grown in a relatively short period and now number amongst the largest players in the sector. Some of the key firms are looking to boost exports and are providing tough competition, particularly in the emergent markets. Best known for its wheeled loaders, LiuGong has been developing its excavator range, with production of the E

Çesan has developed the King Batch 280 T/H for applications where customers face problems with a lack of infrastructure. The compact design allows it to be transported anywhere in the world, claimed the company, in just eight containers, significantly reducing transport costs. The company has also developed a mechanical base for the plant, allowing it to be assembled and commissioned on any surface. Previously, asphalt plants required purpose-built concrete slabs for effective installation.

The use of sophisticated machine control technology has helped halve the schedule required for a road contract – Jeff Winke. By using the latest machine control systems on the equipment fleet, a US contractor has managed to halve worker hours, machine time and overall costs. “We chopped 50% off the contract schedule,” said Jim Swenson, licensed professional land surveyor for Oregon Mainline Paving based in McMinnville, Oregon. “The project was completed a year ahead of the two-year schedule,” he explained.