EMERGINGOPTIMISM A new report from InEight is growingthehighlightingindustry’sinterestindigitalisation
COVER STORY 14 Emerging optimism Rob Bryant, InEight’s Executive Vice President for the APAC region, talks digital transformation in the construction industry.
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NATIONAL PRECAST 58
42 Equipped with confidence Elbourne Plant Hire’s Adam Elbourne explains how John Deere products have earned and maintained his trust over the years.
REGULARS 4
44 A formulated alternative - Recosol 185 Recochem’s Recosol 185 oleo fluid is much more than just a viable alternative to diesel for cold mix asphalt formations.
AUGUST 2022 CONTENTS
40 An automated genius Gordyn & Palmer’s technology is providing a “Genius” solution for asphalt plant automation.
48 Joining forces Two Central Queensland business partners are successfully replacing out-dated machinery with a Komatsu bulldozer. Telematics improving site productivity Teletrac Navman’s James French on how adopting AI powered telematics can improve the chance of sustained success. 52 One family, two brands Roads & Infrastructure discovers how UAA and MECON Insurance’s merger will benefit customers throughout the insurance industry. 56 AfPA Industry Experts Panel Session wrap-up of the AfPA Industry Experts Panel Session – EME2, held on 6 May 2022. Member Profile Aidan Murphy, Managing Director of Unite Resourcing, shares some insights from his experience in the pavement industry. Fast trains call for faster solutions Master Precaster Waeger Constructions the benefits precast elements provided for the Waterfall Station Upgrade. 61 CONEXPO Dana Wuesthoff, Show Director, CONEXPOCON/AGG provides an overview of the event. & summary of the awarded for infrastructure projects across the nation. Editor’s note 6 News Astec Industries’ innovation has led to significant improvements to its asphalt plant technology.
INSURANCE
CONTRACTS
32 The renowned ReLIXER rejuvenator Sripath’s ReLIXER rejuvenator is helping increase the use of Recycled Asphalt Pavement (RAP) in roadways around the world.
SUSTAINABILITY
Jorge Boil, Business Line Manager Infrastructure, explains what Astec’s 50-year milestone means for the company.
roadsonline.com.au 3
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38 Better together Rohan Mills of Caterpillar explains how the company’s skid steers and attachments work together to maximise productivity.
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57 AfPA
46 Maintaining stability, the Downer way Downer has provided high-quality outcomes for some of the nation’s largest infrastructure assets, while using Wirtgen Group machinery.
36 Celebrating sustained innovation
COMPANY PROFILE
23 Bitumen’s ‘one-stop-shop’ SAMI Bitumen Technologies has established itself as one of the leading suppliers of bituminous materials nationally.
AFPA SECTION
discusses
contracts
major
20 For a better future EcologIQ continues to establish an industry standard for the inclusion and development of recycled construction materials.
26 Always learning, always improving Rokon has evolved into one of Melbourne’s leading civil works contractors. Roads & Infrastructure learns how.
ROADS REVIEW 30 Roads Review We asked industry decision-makers, ‘What are the biggest challenges facing the productivity of the roads and infrastructure industry?’
BELOW:
18 Sustainability in action Tim Wadlow of ResourceCo on how the company is helping to establish a sustainable future for the construction sector.
EVENTS
TECHNOLOGY AND EQUIPMENT
Mike Wheeler
RESILIENCE AND INVESTMENT A PRODUCTIVE INDUSTRY
Roads & Infrastructure Magazine
For this month’s cover story, we sat down with InEight Executive Vice President for the APAC region, Rob Bryant. With help from a market research provider, InEight has published the 2022 Global Capital Projects Outlook report, collating the responses of 300 respondents to gauge the feel of the industry as it moves towards digitisation. Bryant says the next decade will be fundamental for the construction sector, with digitalisation enabling those within the industry to maintain the high standards of performance being set nationally. He says the industry is beginning to accelerate its productivity by investing in technology. We also speak to Rokon to learn more about the civil works contractor’s ambitious Burwood Brickworks Project, a master planned community currently under construction in Melbourne’s east. Rokon project managers, Max Rombiolo and Matt Griffin, speak on how Rokon’s approach to civil construction projects, which includes extensive stakeholder engagement, ensures that the productivity of the project can end Sustainabilityure. continues to be a topic of focus throughout the industry, with new innovations in recycled material use and construction waste collection helping to provide an alternative option to conventional materials. We learn more about ResourceCo’s commitment to environmentally friendly products by it repurposing construction and demolition waste to manufacture high-quality materials. Many of these materials are helping projects to reduce their costs, while easing the burden of construction on the environment. We also feature a preview of 2023’s CONEXPO. Now established as the largest construction trade show in the Western Hemisphere, the event will consist of 250,000 square metres of displays. We hear from Dana Wuesthoff, Show Director, CONEXPOCON/AGG, on the construction sectors “World Cup”.
DESPITE THE LASTING IMPACTS from the COVID-19 pandemic, in particular supply chain issues and skilled personnel shortages, the roads and infrastructure sector continues to push on. It’s impressive to see how the industry is bouncing back after a long two years of erratic COVID-19 lockdowns, with major infrastructure projects back up and running. Which is why, in this month’s edition of Roads & Infrastructure Magazine, we highlight the sector’s progress, as well as the on-going projects that are ensuring the industry can continue the momentum that has already been made.
Enjoy
4 ROADS AUGUST 2022 COO Christine Clancy christine.clancy@primecreative.com.au GROUP MANAGING EDITOR Sarah Baker sarah.baker@primecreative.com.au MANAGING EDITOR Mike Wheeler mike.wheeler@primecreative.com.au JOURNALIST Tom O’Keane tom.okeane@primecreative.com.au JOURNALIST Leon Cranswick leon.cranswick@primecreative.com.au DESIGN PRODUCTION MANAGER Michelle Weston michelle.weston@primecreative.com.au ART DIRECTOR Blake Storey DESIGN Bea Barthelson BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT MANAGER Brad Marshall brad.marshall@primecreative.com.au CLIENT SUCCESS MANAGER Justine Nardone justine.nardone@primecreative.com.au HEAD OFFICE Prime Creative Pty Ltd 11-15 Buckhurst Street South Melbourne VIC 3205 Australia p: +61 3 9690 8766 f: +61 3 9682 enquiries@primecreative.com.au0044www.roadsonline.com.au SUBSCRIPTIONS +61 3 9690 Roadssubscriptions@primecreative.com.au8766&InfrastructureAustraliaisavailable by subscription from the publisher. The rights of refusal are reserved by the publisher. ARTICLES All articles submitted for publication become the property of the publisher. The Editor reserves the right to adjust any article to conform with the magazine format. COPYRIGHT Roads & Infrastructure Australia is owned and published by Prime Creative Media. All material in Roads & Infrastructure Australia is copyright and no part may be reproduced or copied in any form or by any means (graphic, electronic or mechanical including information and retrieval systems) without the written permission of the publisher. The Editor welcomes contributions but reserves the right to accept or reject any material. While every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of information, Prime Creative Media will not accept responsibility for errors or omissions or for any consequences arising from reliance on information published. The opinions expressed in Roads & Infrastructure Australia are not necessarily the opinions of, or endorsed by the publisher unless otherwise stated.
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Finally, we hear from the Infrastructure Sustainability Council on the development of The Journey to Net-Zero report, which is highlighting ways in which the transport sector can achieve a low carbon output future without hindering productivity nationally. reading!
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in 2021, which recommended urgent action to deliver faster, more reliable, and more frequent services between capital cities and regional centres.
NEWS 6 ROADS AUGUST 2022
The new funding is contained in the Queensland budget forward estimates for new projects over the next four years, which includes many projects that will be delivered over the next decade.
The investments also include $212 million towards the $600 million Queensland Train Manufacturing Program, which forms part of $7.1 billion to boost the state’s train manufacturing industry.
A $500 million commitment from the New South Wales Government will bring faster rail a step closer to reality, pending agreement with the FederalAnnouncedGovernment.aheadof the 2022-23 state budget, the funding will go to the first stage of the Northern Corridor, helping build two new electrified tracks between Tuggerah and Wyong, new platforms and station upgrades, and new bridges –including over the Wyong River. The fast rail project aims to cut travel times dramatically between Sydney and the state’s regional centres, as well as expand the reliability and capacity of the rail network.
$500 MILLION FOR NSW FAST RAIL
Consumer research by the ARA last year reported that 35 per cent of Sydney residents surveyed would consider relocating to regional areas after COVID-19, with 49 per cent saying faster rail options would make them more likely to consider a move. Site investigations for the project are scheduled to commence before the end of 2022.
The Queensland Government’s 202223 budget has delivered a $3.5 billion pipeline of new rail projects, on top of its existing Cross River Rail commitments.
Among the new projects is $924 towards the Gold Coast Light Rail Stage 3, $876 million towards the Logan and Gold Coast Faster Rail upgrade, $489 million towards the Beerburrum to Nambour Rail Upgrade Stage 1, $265 million towards the New Generation Rollingstock and European Train Control System fitment, and $107 million towards the construction of three new Gold Coast railway stations at Pimpama, Hope Island
The budget includes a boost to Queensland’s train manufacturing industry. The new funding will go to the first stage of the Northern Corridor. Image: Transport for NSW.
The Australasian Railway Association welcomed the commitment as potentially transformative for people living across the state. The ARA released its Faster Rail Report $3.5 BILLION FOR QLD RAIL PROJECTS
BOOST
$200 INFRASTRUCTUREQLDBOOSTMILLIONFORHOUSINGNSW’SCIRCULAR
The Queensland Government will invest $200 million to build essential infrastructure needed to unlock housing supply, as part of the 2022-23 State Budget. The Budget includes $200 million for two funds that are investing in the essential infrastructure needed for more new communities across South East Queensland.
are watched by over one billion people globally and injects $130 million into the NSWCirculareconomy.Quay is the gateway to Sydney’s
The Catalyst Infrastructure Fund (CIF) will also receive $150 million in equity funding for the major infrastructure needed to continue the delivery of new communities such as Ripley Valley and GreaterAlmostFlagstone.50,000residential lots are being unlocked in South East Queensland since the 2020 State election, including approximately 30,000 in Caboolture West helping to cater for the region’s expected population surge.
combination of ageing assets, poor amenity and disjointed public spaces has resulted in the NSW Government’s plans to renew the public space and interchange.
Pitt Street. Image: NSW Government. The new willAccelerationGrowthFundsupportgrowthareasinSouthEastQueensland.
A new Growth Acceleration Fund has been created to support the delivery of priority trunk infrastructure needed to develop new communities. An additional $50 million in equity funding has also been approved for the fund to help develop more residential lots and increase dwelling supply, $15 million of this already being allocated to delivery of water and sewer
8 ROADS AUGUST 2022 NEWS
The Circular Quay waterfront has been backed by the New South Wales Government with an additional $216 million investment, as part of the 2022-23 State Budget.
QUAY RECEIVES $216 MILLION INVESTMENT
The renewal of Circular Quay will create a more dynamic space for visitors and locals to enjoy new places to eat, drink and shop as well as delivering new wharves and an upgraded train station. The project will also provide an expanded pedestrian walkway on the Cahill Expressway and a redesigned First Fleet Park with grassed areas, native landscaping, water play and space for ceremony and events. The funding will enable further design work including planning approvals, an Environmental Impact Statement and community consultation to prepare the project for Communityconstruction.consultation to inform the statutory planning process will start from late 2022. infrastructure in Caboolture West. The new Growth Acceleration Fund will focus on growth areas in South East Queensland including the Sunshine Coast, Moreton Bay, Brisbane, Redland, and Gold Coast. It will fund new roads, water and sewerage infrastructure and other public facilities.
Image: QLD Government.
The Northern Territory Government has released its NT Infrastructure Strategy 2022 to 2030, as well as the NT Infrastructure Plan and Pipeline 2022 as part of its new Infrastructure Framework. The Framework, Strategy and Plan and Pipeline have been developed in consultation with Northern Territory and Federal Government agencies, local government, land councils, industry representative bodies and the private sector. The Strategy outlines the Territory Government’s vision for infrastructure investment, while the Plan and Pipeline provide a detailed roadmap of the projects, programs, and proposals to support thatKeyvision.infrastructure projects and programs include the continued investment in strategic road corridors such as Central Arnhem Road and Tanami Road, infrastructure in Central Australia to support for both the mid-term to 2030 and the longer term to 2050. Government advisory organisation Infrastructure Australia (IA) praised the Territory’s Infrastructure Framework, saying it aligned closely with IA’s refreshed, holistic approach to infrastructure assessment.
FINAL STATIONSGIPPSLANDUPGRADEDRELEASEDDESIGNSFOR
NEWS 10 ROADS AUGUST 2022 the recovery of tourism, the Beetaloo Sub-basin development, and the Darwin Regional Water Supply Program. The Framework also includes a new two-phase audit to assess the Territory’s
Final designs have now been released for major train station upgrades at Bunyip, Longwarry, Morwell and Traralgon, in Victoria’s east. The final designs aim to improve safety, accessibility and enable more passenger rail services along the Gippsland Line. The designs include a new accessible pedestrian overpass at Traralgon Station, as well as an upgraded, more accessible underpass at Morwell Station. Bunyip and Longwarry station designs feature additional platforms, improved car parking and better integration with their respective townWorkscentres.onthe station upgrades are set to get underway, with construction to include track duplication at Bunyip and Longwarry, NT INFRASTRUCTURE STRATEGY 2022-30 RELEASED
Morwell Station will feature an upgraded, more accessible underpass. Image: Victoria’s Big Build. a crossing loop extension at Morwell and second platforms at four stations, to provide more opportunities for trains to pass eachDrainageother.improvements between the new and existing tracks at Bunyip and Longwarry stations will also get underway, along with trenching works to make way for level crossing upgrades. The designs have been informed by community feedback and come as part of the Australian and Victorian governments’ Gippsland Line Upgrade. The project will deliver more frequent and reliable train services to the growing communities of Gippsland and will create 500 jobs in theMajorregion.construction on the Gippsland Line Upgrade is targeted for completion in late 2022. The pipeline includes investment in strategic road corridors such as Tanami Road.
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The Federal and Queensland governments are providing $170 million in funding to build and increase the resiliency of essential public infrastructure damaged in the
The Spring Farm Parkway stage one project will connect communities across Sydney’s south-west. Image: Transport for NSW. The Betterment Fund will help councils improve infrastructure flood resilience. Image: QLD Government. 2021-22 disaster season. The 2021-22 Betterment Fund, delivered by the jointly funded Commonwealth-State Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements (DRFA), will allow councils and state agencies to improve key assets such as causeways, culverts, roads and bridges to better withstand the impacts of natural disasters.
Eligible applicants within local government areas impacted by the Central, Southern and Western Queensland Rainfall and Flooding; Ex-Tropical Cyclone Seth Flooding; and the South East Queensland Heavy Rainfall and Flooding can apply for projects from the $150 million funding to improve the resilience of essential public assets that were damaged as a direct result of those floods. A further $20 million made available through DRFA efficiencies is available in all 66 local government areas activated for disaster funding following the nine disasters that impacted Queensland during the 202122 disaster season.
WORKS COMMENCE ON $206 MILLION SPRING FARM PARKWAY
The New South Wales Government has begun construction on the $206 million Spring Farm Parkway stage one project that will connect communities across Macarthur in Sydney’s south-west. Spring Farm Parkway will be a four-lane divided road extending about one kilometre from Menangle Road, west over the Hume Motorway to Menangle Park Urban Release Area with new signalised intersections at Menangle Road. The project will also upgrade 600 metres of Menangle Road at Menangle Park and add a shared pathway for pedestrians and cyclists. Premier Dominic Perrottet said the parkway would be an important piece of infrastructure for Greater Sydney that would service the state’s fastest growing regions, unlocking opportunities for NSW families. Stages one and two of the project aim to provide an east-west link between Camden Bypass, the Hume Motorway and Menangle Road, improving access for Macarthur residents to employment precincts across Sydney. Plans will also allow for future southfacing access ramps to support continued growth in the area. Stage one of the project is being delivered by Georgiou Group, and is due for completion by the end of 2024.
The $170 million available in Betterment funding is the largest ever made available in a single disaster season in Queensland.
ADDITIONAL $170 MILLION FOR DAMAGED QUEENSLAND INFRASTRUCTURE
NEWS
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Bryant says this growing realisation is consistent with the demand for InEight’s digital offerings – the company’s project management software is now used on global construction projects valued at more than $1“Ittrillion.shows that there’s a continued demand for products that have an element of consistency that can be used wherever InEight Executive Vice President for the APAC region, Rob Bryant.
ROADS & INFRASTRUCTURE SITS DOWN WITH INEIGHT EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT APAC REGION, ROB BRYANT, TO LEARN MORE. Digitalisation continues to be a hot topic throughout the construction industry. Last year, InEight published its first Global Capital Projects Outlook report, detailing the optimism levels across the industry, and assessing track records, plans and attitudes towards digital transformation. A second report, based on survey data collected in March this year, again evaluates the enthusiasm across the industry towards a digital Accordingfuture.toRob Bryant, InEight’s Executive Vice President for the APAC (Asia Pacific) region, the industry’s digital transformation is “inevitable”. “Now more than ever, there’s a significant appetite for digitalisation,” Bryant says. In conjunction with a market research provider, InEight conducted an online survey of 300 respondents drawn from each of its focus regions: the Americas, Europe andTheAPAC.survey included 26 questions designed to gauge general confidence and optimism levels across the industry - 67 per cent of respondents were project owners, and 33 per cent were contractors globally. “We worked with Frost & Sullivan to develop a report, which would give us insights on the behaviours, focal points and concerns within our market,” Bryant
14 ROADS AUGUST 2022 INEIGHT’S 2022 GLOBAL CAPITAL OUTLOOKPROJECTSREPORT IS GAUGING PERSPECTIVESTHEON CONSTRUCTIONTRANSFORMATIONDIGITALINTHEINDUSTRY.
Bryant says the report’s findings about universal implementation and excitement for digitalisation was more than just a “pleasant surprise”. He says the report highlights an increasing realisation of the significant improvements that digitalisation can provide the industry, in terms of productivity.
EMERGING OPTIMISM says. “Reports such as these help us to develop solutions that can satisfy the needs raised. It also gives us a barometer on where the industry is, in its journey towards digital transformation. “It also provides customers an industry benchmark as to where they sit in their own digital transformation journey and help them to identify ways to improve their operations. I think that’s one of the best things that stakeholders in the industry can get. There’s lots of learnings that can be gained from this, which is why we did it and why we’re happy to share the results.”
Nations and companies in the APAC region have been quick to adopt technology and start to put it to work in their projects.
FINDINGS FROM INDUSTRY ENGAGEMENT
“What we’re seeing is more global consistency,” Bryant says. “In the past, we’ve seen the APAC region lead the way in terms of digitalisation, the UK has traditionally led in process innovation and digital standards.
“Now we’re seeing a trend across the different regions in North America, Europe, and APAC, where there is a growing sentiment on how digitalisation can add value to businesses.”
Bryant says material supply and labour shortages have resulted in a shift of focus towards productivity and efficiency gains. Australia is continuing to move through one of its largest ever labour shortages, with more than 423,000 job vacancies nationally, according to data from the Australian Bureau ofAsStatistics.such,Bryant says the use of digital platforms to optimise project delivery is now“Theparamount.surveyresults tell us that the industry is moving forward. However, from a contracting and delivery efficiency and productivity point of view, Australia does have a little bit of catching up to do, with what might be viewed as best practice in other parts of the world. “For the global construction industry, it’s very much been a collective experience throughout COVID-19. This has also presented a silver lining, an opportunity to drive real change in the industry at a global level by setting higher standards and expectations of performance,” he says. So, what has the industry been doing to ensure it satisfies project delivery, while coping with lasting economic impacts? “The construction industry is now starting to accelerate its progress of delivering better outcomes, by investing in technology,” Bryant says. “If projects have been unable to add people as a resource due to international demand, then they are seeking improvements through digitalisation and transformation of process. This is a very efficient way of improving productivity, managing conflicting project schedules effectively, and navigating future demand.”
Bryant says progress is also being made by state governments across the country in fostering digital transformation. “Something for us in APAC to consider is how well the states are coordinated, in terms of the delivery methods and the lessons learned, and the way that they can bring digitalisation into a more holistic initiative,” he says.
InEight’s 2022 Global Capital Projects Outlook report shows strong enthusiasm towards the use of data and analytics in major developments.infrastructure
roadsonline.com.au 15 our customers are in the world. We can then configure these to adapt to local and regional demands when required.”
COVER STORY
“IF PROJECTS HAVE NOT BEEN UNABLE TO ADD PEOPLE AS A RESOURCE DUE TO INTERNATIONAL DEMAND, THEN THEY ARE SEEKING IMPROVEMENTS THROUGH DIGITALISATION AND TRANSFORMATION OF PROCESS. THIS IS A VERY EFFICIENT WAY OF IMPROVING PRODUCTIVITY, MANAGING CONFLICTING PROJECT SCHEDULES EFFECTIVELY, AND NAVIGATING FUTURE DEMAND.”
“Victoria, New South Wales and Queensland are arguably more advanced in their digitalisation approach to major projects being delivered through the state’s Department of Transport. Bringing those lessons together and helping everyone develop a common standard would go a long way to delivering a consistent standard for projects nationwide.”
ENDURING CHALLENGES Across Australia and the Asia-Pacific region, challenges brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic have emphasised the need for reliable services across the industry, especially for capital project and construction professionals.
A STRONG OUTLOOK Bryant hails the Global Capital Projects Outlook as a success, saying the report is essential in ensuring InEight remains in tune with the construction industry. He adds that the findings of the 2022 report establish how “fundamental” the next five years will be for the success of the sector. “If these opportunities aren’t seized, and the lessons aren’t learned, then there may be consequences. I absolutely believe that in the next five years, the way that technology is enabling change, we’ll look back and see new major players emerge. And that will be based on how well they adopt technology, how well they digitalise and how much they’re innovating and changing their delivery models,” Bryant says. “The construction industry has the ability to make this a pivotal moment in its life cycle.”
The report suggests digitalisation can help companies to optimise their operations, despite suffering from skilled worker and supply chain shortages.
The report also demonstrates the role that data and analytics can play in achieving sustainable outcomes.
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“It’s essential that people understand ‘how does adopting a different practice facilitate an easier day’s work for the trades, a more profitable outcome for the contractor and a timelier and more predictable outcome for the owner?’ If you can harness that understanding of the benefits, then all the
“To put it very simply, if you enter information once, and you can rely on that consistently and with confidence, then you can make better decisions throughout a project’s life cycle,” he says. “If you have to constantly recheck and validate the data source every time, then you get inefficiencies and things become much harder to predict. The effective use of data and digitalisation tends to correlate with the success of a project.”
Government, there is the potential for Infrastructure Australia to be charged with greater authority over major projects, and a mandate on improved planning activities, engagement and delivery practices.” He also says that a greater shared belief in the power of digital project controls technology will go a long way to improving the construction sector.
COVER STORY
DATA IS POWER
Another essential component raised by the Global Capital Projects Outlook 2022 report is the use of data and analytics in major infrastructure projects.
Bryant says the days of repeated surveys, data entry and transactionally distributed project information are numbered. Instead, more organisations are digitally organising asset“We’vedata.observed that capital project data needs to be considered with the full life cycle in mind. Data that you collect at the very beginning of the project and its initiation is the data that you can rely on in its operational phase, providing you capture that, and you can have it in a reliable format for use through the life of that asset. Having a single-entry point for data, which can be consistently used, is where the most gains can be had.
“We’ve definitely seen a growing aspiration for sustainability throughout the sector,” Bryant says. “Traditionally, sustainability has been focused on the end-product. I think addressing the captured carbon, energy savings and responsible sourcing of materials that occurs in the construction process is the next big challenge. And you need data points to bring all of that together.
“There are a lot of variables that you couldn’t possibly track in a manual sense. You need to have data points and analytics to determine what your environmental savings are. Most organisations want to be sustainable and with data, they can measure their impact.”
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Tim Manager.OperationsResourceCoWadlow,
TIM WADLOW, RESOURCECO OPERATIONS MANAGER SA, SAYS THE COMPANY IS HELPING TO ESTABLISH A SUSTAINABLE FUTURE FOR THE CONSTRUCTION SECTOR.
Tim Wadlow, ResourceCo Operations Manager SA, says the company’s 30-year commitment to sustainability has helped to extract “maximum value” from what would otherwise be discarded materials. “We’re providing a service that the general community wants to progress with. Our company and society don’t want to see these valuable resources going to landfill, which is why we are ensuring they’re being reprocessed and put back into the market. It’s all about progressing a circular economy” heC&Dsays.waste comprises mixed heavy loads which usually contain a combination of timber, concrete, bricks, rubble, metal and plastics. ResourceCo accepts materials in the waste stream from all stages of construction, including final site clean-ups, before sorting through the contents. Salvaged metals are shipped to external companies for further sorting and recycling. The remaining inert materials are recycled by ResourceCo and then supplied back to the civil construction market, as an alternative to virgin quarry materials.
ResourceCo manufactures a wide range of recycled pavement materials, aggregates, sands and asphalt products from its facilities nationwide, turning materials such as crushed concrete, bricks and asphalt into reusable products. Its catalogue of recycled products for the civil construction industry now includes PM1 Base Course, PM2 Recycled Rubble, Recycled Sand, Glass, 20mm Screening Aggregate and 10mm Concrete Aggregate. For Wadlow and ResourceCo, the collection of C&D waste is a “no-brainer”, presenting significant benefits for both industry and the environment. “Obviously, there’s economic benefits in being able to create high-quality products from recycled material,” he says. “But most importantly, this process reduces the impact that manufacturing virgin materials can have on the environment, protecting our natural resources by giving these products a new life. “The demand for these products has grown substantially, in part due to the changing of specifications in the civil construction sector to allow for recycled product use. The public perception of recycled products has also changed, originally these products had a stigma of being expensive and lower quality than standard materials. Now we’re producing a quality product for the world to see,
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R esourceCo continues to expand and grow its business pillars across Australia. With Construction & Demolition (C&D) waste processing and collection sites across most states, the company is one of the established leaders in diverting waste from landfill nationally.
SUSTAINABILITY IN ACTION
ResourceCo’s Wingfield plant in South Australia.
roadsonline.com.au 19 ENVIRONMENT SUSTAINABILITY& generating positive outcomes.”
“It’s fantastic,” Wadlow says of the move. “This not only benefits the contractor by providing a cost-effective solution, but it benefits the community as well.”
“We’re always looking to improve our manufacturing plants and products. As part of this ambition, we have visited facilities overseas, looking at best practices and seeing where we can improve our equipment and strategies,” he says. “There’s definitely room for development in the civil construction sector, for C&D waste recycling and reuse, as well as glass.”
Wadlow adds that ResourceCo will approach future development with open“Thisarms.isan opportunity for growth. We already see that, and that ambition throughout the civil construction sector to use more sustainable products is inspiring,” he“Thesays.future is very exciting.”
ResourceCo manufactures a range of recycled pavement materials, repurposed from Construction & Demolition waste.
THE NEXT STEP Following the continued success of its C&D recycling stream, ResourceCo is eyeing an expansion of its glass recycling capabilities for the civil construction sector. The company will install a new glass plant at its Wingfield facility, which is set to be commissioned in December. Wadlow says ResourceCo is already working closely with local council MRF facilities, glass manufacturers and state authorities to develop a product which satisfies specifications.
As a result, ResourceCo is starting to see the inclusion of recycled materials mandated during the contract and tendering process for major infrastructure projects.
“FEEDBACK FROM OPERATORS WHO HAVE USED OUR RECYCLED MATERIALS HAS ALWAYS BEEN VERY POSITIVE. AMONG CONTRACTORS AND ENGINEERS, THE GENERAL CONSENSUS IS THAT OUR MATERIALS HAVE A DENSITY ADVANTAGE OVER QUARRY PRODUCTS.”
One of ResourceCo’s marquee facilities is the multi-million-dollar plant in Wingfield, in Adelaide’s north. The facility recently celebrated a pugmill production milestone of eight million tonnes of repurposed rubble product used to build new roads, homes and buildings, since its opening in 2004. The facility is responsible for supplying products to some of South Australia’s largest infrastructure projects, such as the Northern Expressway, Port River Expressway and Flinders Ports. Wadlow says the inception and continued success of ResourceCo’s Wingfield plant has helped to establish an increasing demand for sustainable products both in South Australia and nationally. “Feedback from operators who have used our recycled materials has always been very positive. Among contractors and engineers, the general consensus is that our materials have a density advantage over quarry products,” he says. “This provides considerable cost savings in terms of transport, allowing the contractor to go further with less material.”
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A MULTI-MILLION-DOLLAR
ECOLOGIQ IS NURTURING THE USE OF SUSTAINABLE MATERIALS IN SOME OF VICTORIA’S LARGEST EVER INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS. MRPV’S DIRECTOR, PROGRAM SERVICES AND ENGINEERING – ALEXIS DAVISON, PROVIDES A PREVIEW OF THE UPCOMING GREENER INFRASTRUCTURE CONFERENCE.
As a result, ecologiQ was launched as part of Victoria’s Big Build in 2019, by current Major Road Projects Victoria’s CEO, Allen Garner. As Major Road Projects Victoria Director, Program Services and Engineer – Alexis Davison explains, the initiative was established to drive the demand and supply of sustainable materials for the infrastructure sector. “It’s an initiative that is geared to encouraging increased use of recycled material in infrastructure projects. With the [2020] export bans on certain waste materials, excess waste, landfill issues and resource constraints, there’s a big opportunity here to make a difference,” she says. “We really wanted to look at ‘what can we use? And why aren’t we using it?’, whether it be plastic, paper, tires or glass. There’s a variety of waste streams that – if we can assign value to – can provide environmental, economic and social benefits.”
FOR ROAD AND RAIL RECYCLING
Along with contributing to Victoria’s circular economy and encouraging further innovation in transport infrastructure construction, ecologiQ is aiming for Victoria to be recognised as the global leader in recycled and reused material use by 2025. As part of this vision, ecologiQ developed Major Road Projects Victoria Director, Program Services and Engineering – Alexis Davison. ecologiQ developed the Recycled First Policy, encouraging recycled material use for projects across Victoria.
ccording to the State Government, Victoria is on track to generate 40 per cent more waste annually than With the infrastructure sector also contributing up to 70 per cent of emissions throughout planning and construction (Infrastructure Sustainability Council), the Victorian Government sought to establish a future for recycled products.
20 ROADS AUGUST 2022
“I think it’ll be a valuable opportunity for people to connect with their peers and potential partners. We’re hoping that people will make connections, particularly our contractors in the supply chain. I think it’s going to be important for the attendees to deepen their understanding of the circular economy principles.”
“It will connect relevant partners in the industry, such as suppliers, with government contractors. There are many innovative ideas throughout the industry, now we need to focus on making these concepts a reality,” Davison says. For more information, visit: ecologiq.vic. gov.au/conference-2022
“One of the first things we did was write that policy. The Recycled First Policy is connected to where we see our role in the circular economy as creating demand and assigning value to materials,” Davison says.
As part of the program, and in a world first, noise walls along the Mordialloc Freeway were constructed from 75 per cent recycled plastic, accumulated from kerbside collections. By using recycled products, construction of the noise walls helped to divert more than 570 tonnes of plastic waste from landfill. The amount of plastic waste was also the equivalent of products collected from 25,000 homes across the state in one year. “That noise wall also set a precedent for Australian specifications, which we wrote as a result of that project,” Davison says. Further innovation is also being trialled as part of the State Government’s rail infrastructure works. “We’re working hard to signal to the market that we have a growing demand for recycled products. If you’re trying to develop an innovative product, you need to know that your research and development investment is going to be worth it. We have a really critical role to signal that we’re serious and that we are open to explore any product that people pitch to us,” Davison says. “We’re currently supporting the Monash Rail Institute. They’re working on a plastic railway sleeper. Currently, there’s a product that’s approved for use in very low speed environments. But what we want is a plastic sleeper that can be used on the high-speed lines, which could present an opportunity to recycle millions of tonnes of plastic. We want to keep doing trials and implementing these products as part of the Recycled First Policy.”
roadsonline.com.au 21 ENVIRONMENT SUSTAINABILITY&
ECOLOGIQ’S GREENER INFRASTRUCTURE CONFERENCE ecologiQ’s progress in supporting a circular economy will be on show this year, during its two-day conference this 6-7 September.
The Mordialloc Freeway’s noise walls were constructed with 75 per cent recycled content.
THE BIG BUILD ecologiQ is also pushing industry to optimise the use of sustainable products as part of the State Government’s $90 billion Big Build.
the Victorian Government’s Recycled First Policy, requiring contractors to optimise the use of sustainable materials when delivering transport projects across the state.
The conference will feature speakers from industry and government, as well as opportunities for networking. Davison says the event will present an “excellent” opportunity for organisations to increase their sustainability awareness. “We’re holding this conference to accelerate change. We want to share what’s going on around the country. We want to share innovations, we want to celebrate best practice and we want to hear from people who have inspired significant change,” she says. “It’s really to showcase what Victoria is doing, and the impact that procurement policies and the Recycled First Policy are having – on the growth of the circular economy in the infrastructure sector.”
The event will be held at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre, with registrations still open for the conference. Businesses also have the chance to sponsor, with the conference presenting a variety of partnership opportunities.
SAMI Bitumen Technologies manufacture a range of standard and specialised bitumen products, which satisfy Australian Standard AS 2008 bitumen grades. The company also supplies all grades of bitumen emulsions and cutback bitumen, as specified in the Australian Standards and the specific State Road Authority grades, along with a range of Austroads grade polymer modified binders and crack sealing binders.
A ccording to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, the use of bituminous surfacing in Australian construction can be traced back to 1890. Since that time, suppliers such as SAMI Bitumen Technologies have helped to modernise and expand what was possible throughout the construction sector, says Sebastien Chatard, SAMI Bitumen Technologies General Manager. As Chatard adds, SAMI Bitumen Technologies’ formation in 1978 sparked a new era for the bituminous binders market. “We have been responsible for the research and development of products with very high performance and durability,” he says. “We are, in many ways, pioneers in bituminous binder manufacturing and supply.”
SAMI BITUMEN TECHNOLOGIES HAS ESTABLISHED ITSELF AS ONE OF THE LEADING INNOVATORS AND MANUFACTURERS OF BITUMINOUS BINDERS NATIONALLY. SEBASTIEN CHATARD, SAMI BITUMEN TECHNOLOGIES GENERAL MANAGER EXPLAINS HOW.
SAMIfalt EME2, an innovative unmodified bitumen designed for use in high modulus asphalt mix with increased stiffness and rut SAMI Bitumen Technologies is now a premier supplier of bituminous binders.
roadsonline.com.au 23 COMPANY PROFILE
BITUMEN’S ‘ONE-STOP SHOP’
SAMI Bitumen Technologies is the only independent bulk bitumen supplier in Australia operating in Brisbane, Perth, Sydney andForMelbourne.SAMIBitumen Technologies, the innovation and improvement of its products is Products“paramount”.such as SAMIfalt I-Brid, a hybrid polymer modified binder with superior characteristics in terms of rutting resistance at high temperatures and longterm resistance to cyclic loads, have been specifically developed for airport and very heavily trafficked pavements.
A VAST INVENTORY
SAMI Bitumen Technologies’ Crumb Rubber Modified Binder, developed for sprayed seal applications, provides significant cost and environmental benefits, by recycling old car and trucks tyres to create binders with consistent quality. The sustainable SAMIseal S45R LV is suitable for cutter free sprayed sealing, without the use of kerosene. Its SAMIseal S45R LH variant is designed for long haulage distances, ensuring that the product doesn’t have any segregation issues. SAMI Bitumen Technologies is able to manufacture rubber modifications in the range of 5 – 25 per cent by weight of crumbed rubber, along with products formulated to adhere to Austroads Grade S45R specifications. As Chatard explains, SAMI Bitumen Technologies’ service also allows for products to be tailored to suit the requirements of any given project. “We control the full supply chain. When we import and manufacture bitumen, we ensure that the bitumen not only meets the AS specification requirement but also the suitability requirement for the manufacture PMBs, emulsions and other bituminous products, as well as our emission requirements,” he says. “We are very rigorous when it comes to quality control. At the end of the day, we want to make sure that our customers are using products which have the highest possible quality.”
SAMI Bitumen Technologies is one of Australia’s largest bituminous product and technology providers.
24 ROADS AUGUST 2022 COMPANY PROFILE resistance properties and SAMIbond 007, a polymer modified non-tracking tack coat emulsion designed for airports, are the direct result of this innovation. As Chatard says, SAMI Bitumen Technologies also has a keen eye on products which can enhance the sustainability ratings of infrastructure projects. One such example is the company’s renowned crumbed rubber products.
The sprayed seal range has been specifically designed to suit the unique conditions of Australian roads. This consists of SAMI’s SAMIseal SBS (Styrene-Butadiene-Styrene) Range, as well as the environmentally conscious SAMIseal Crumb Rubber.
FROM SMALL BEGINNINGS Chatard attributes the success of SAMI Bitumen Technologies’ bituminous binders range to the company’s customer service, which includes technical services of product innovation, application advice, provision of mix-design and testing services for the asphalt industry. He says the company still has a local feel, despite being one of Australia’s largest bituminous product and technology providers.
“We still consider ourselves as a local business. We design locally, we have a strong customer base locally and we are recognised as one of the leading suppliers to the road surfacing industry,” he says. “We are always close by to assist our customers on product technical or application related queries in relation to ourChatardproducts.”says the company’s bituminous binder delivery service is another example of SAMI Bitumen Technologies’ commitment to its“Wecustomers.havethe capability to transport bitumen via road trains or by sea freight to wherever the customer requires the delivery,” he says. “We give them additional value by bringing the product to them, ensuring that they can streamline their deliveries to make their life easier. Our customers can focus on the job at hand, knowing we’re just one call away,” he says.
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BURWOOD BRICKWORKS
One recent project that exemplifies what Rokon does well is Burwood Brickworks, an ambitious master planned community currently under construction in Melbourne’s east. The company was contracted by Frasers Property Australia to construct the civil infrastructure required for the development between September 2018 and November 2021. Works included the construction of multiple public roads, six intersections, a private road, the augmentation of traffic signals and the installation of new signals, the construction of the Village Green landscaped park, multiple land lots, the excavation of an apartment basement, as well as a high-risk 10-metre shotcrete and soil nail retaining wall.
F rom a workforce of just ten employees 23 years ago, Rokon has grown steadily, developing a substantial and varied portfolio of projects across Melbourne along theTheway.scope of Rokon’s work has encompassed everything from minor to major works, including residential and industrial subdivisions, infrastructure and structural works, retirement developments, and wetland developments.
Despite the company’s continued growth, Rokon has ensured sustained success by maintaining close, long-standing relationships with clients, both large and small. This is built on a strong foundation of values comprising Rokon’s commitment to its diverse team, safety and accountability, delivering on promises, and always keeping an eye on avenues for growth and improvement. Now with more than 250 employees and a network of subcontractors under the Rokon banner, these values are as crucial as ever in ensuring the company maintains productive working relationships and delivers on its commitments to the highest possible standard.
BUILT ON VALUES
26 ROADS AUGUST 2022 FROM CONTRACTORS.LEADINGONEHASBEGINNINGS,HUMBLEROKONEVOLVEDINTOOFMELBOURNE’SCIVILWORKSROADS & INFRASTRUCTURE LEARNS THE SECRETS TO THE COMPANY’S SUCCESS. ALWAYS LEARNING, ALWAYS IMPROVING
Stockland has also contracted Rokon for its Grand Central Estate project in Tarneit, a 38-hectare site featuring approximately 490 lots, as well as for its Grandview EstateThe Burwood Bricks master planned community is currently under construction in Melbourne’s east. Rokon’s work on the ambitious BrickworksBurwoodproject.
Rokon’s Senior Project Manager Max Rombiolo and Senior Project Engineer Matt Griffin were tasked with meticulous planning and coordination to ensure the works were delivered to a high standard, and with minimal disruption to the busy surrounding areas. “From its inception, the Rokon team had to approach the entire civil works process differently, coordinating internal and external contractors and bringing in specialists when new challenges arose,” Rombiolo says. Given the existing suburban environment surrounding the development, Rokon was required to work around major infrastructure including a telecommunications tower and cabling, overhead and underground power lines, tram lines, traffic signals, large diameter water and gas mains, as well as asbestos stormwater drainage lines. The project required regular meetings with third-party stakeholders including an adjoining 24-hour RSPCA clinic, the Department of Transport, Yarra Trams and Telstra. Close site coordination was also required to facilitate ongoing construction of the development’s $100 million shopping“Weeklycentre.sitemeetings were held to coordinate activities such as concrete pumping, crane lifts, road pavements, water and electrical works,” Griffin says. “While this was underway, a landscape contractor also required access to construct the urban open area, so their activities had to be coordinated with Rokon and the centre builder too.”
BEYOND BUSINESS AS USUAL Rokon was set a hard deadline for the completion of the civil infrastructure to enable the opening of the shopping centre in time for the 2019 Christmas trading window. “This project was a complex and multifaceted civil project that featured not only a diversity of challenging elements but also the added challenge of a tight and immovable program end date,” says Rombiolo. “This combined with additional scope and client-initiated variations also having to be delivered in line with the original program meant the Rokon team was challenged across multiple fronts.”
One new challenge for the Rokon team included working around Yarra Valley Trams services – something the company had not encountered prior to the project.
“Tight programming, daily coordination and effective communication, as well as disciplined site management ensured the safe and successful delivery of these works,” says Griffin. “The tram service was never altered forTheconstruction.”two-storybasement excavation and 10-metre shotcrete retaining wall were also outside the scope of work Rokon had previously completed. “Due to the high-risk nature of these works, and the influence their completion had on the overall program, we engaged a reputable and experienced contractor,” says Griffin. “We relied on their expertise to ensure a successful outcome was achieved.”
The Burwood Brickworks project also gave Rokon the chance to work with new, sustainable materials. One such material used on the project was ex-situ foam bitumen for subgrade improvement. It was the first time the company had used the experimental material in this way. “We worked closely with the project designers and our suppliers to optimise the pavement and procurement of this unique state-of-the-art product,” Griffin says.
A tight six-week window was negotiated with VicRoads to complete the majority of the pavement construction. “Some areas were completed under a daily cut and cover technique to allow for continuous traffic flow,” says Griffin. “And often under extreme weather conditions.”
“Rokon now has a better understanding of the ex-situ bitumen project, and its uses and workability have been further developed by our use of it.”
IN THE WORKS
roadsonline.com.au 27 COMPANY PROFILE
As Rokon continues to build on its established learnings and relationships, the company is currently engaged in a variety of ongoing projects across the greater Melbourne area for clients old and new Rokon is presently undertaking multiple projects for repeat client Stockland. The companies have worked together on several previous developments, and have built a strong relationship based on Rokon’s ability to deliver projects reliably and effectively. These include constructing the wetlands area of the 260-hectare Melbourne Business Park industrial estate in Truganina. The works involve the excavation of more than 300,000 square metres of material. More than 8000 square metres of shared footpath will also be laid as part of the project.
Rokon is committed to delivering successful projects, as well as achieving further growth and development.
MEASURING SUCCESS Jim Thomas, Rokon Managing Director, says projects like Burwood Brickworks are a great way to measure the growth of the“We’recompany.proud of several aspects of that project,” he says. “In particular, the fact that we were able to deliver such a complex and challenging project under significant time and construction constraints. “As the project was drawing to a close, the team was able to reflect on all that they had achieved: creating new work processes, transferring knowledge and training new talent, as well as knowing we had been part of something unique.”
Rokon’s ongoing track record of productive relationships and successful outcomes is not a matter of coincidence, either. Diverse and challenging projects such as Burwood Brickworks have been successful because the company continues to stick to its established values, as well as maintaining close lines of communication with all stakeholders throughout the process.
COMPANY PROFILE development in Truganina. Stage 11 of Grand Central Estate has reached council PC, while stages 12, 13, 14 and a wetlands area are currently under construction. At the Grandview Estate site, stages 4a, 9, 18 and 20 have been recently titled while stages 3b, 3c, 12, 13 and 16 are underRokonconstruction.isalsoworking with developer Dexus Property Group on Stage 3 of Horizon 3023, an urban industrial development, following Rokon’s successful completion of stages 1 and Similar2. coordination has been necessary on multiple stages of the Amber Estate development for developer ID Land, where Rokon has had to work around the requirements of the local council and authorities to minimise disruptions, while ensuring safety and productivity. Stages 1-11 of this project have been completed, with the final stage, Stage 12, currently in progress.
Learn More At Sripath.com/roads +61 1800-191-799 ravi@sripathapc.com ReLIXER® • PGXpand® • NuMIXER®• ReNUBIT® • SriCote® fatigueandPGXpandAPGXpand®UniqueInnovativePolymerenhanceshightemperaturepropertiesdeliversoutstandingruttingresistance,properties&durability.Easytouse. TrustedProven.Tested. by users worldwide. Pioneering Sustainable Roadways
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30 ROADS AUGUST 2022 ROADS REVIEW
Firstly, lack of measurement of quantities. A bill of quantities, prepared by a Certified Quantity Surveyor engaged by the asset owner, acts as a quality check on the design and avoids the time and cost of contractors and subcontractors measuring their own quantities. Secondly, with no standard approach to work-breakdown structures, it is difficult to benchmark costs and confirm value for money. Thirdly, cost of bidding. A more efficient bidding process between the asset owner and the contractor should be standardised to minimise cost pressures and risk. Lastly, industry should design to a cost, not cost a design.
THIS MONTH, WE ASKED THE INDUSTRY DECISION-MAKERS, ‘WHAT ARE THE BIGGEST CHALLENGES FACING THE PRODUCTIVITY OF THE ROADS AND INFRASTRUCTURE INDUSTRY?’
GRANTperformance.WARNER, CEO, AUSTRALIAN INSTITUTE OF QUANTITY SURVEYORS (AIQS)
Reform recommendations like those in the Australian Infrastructure Plan must be implemented to significantly improve industry productivity. The Federal Government, as the bank roller of major projects, is positioned to coordinate and incentivise reform but it needs a mechanism to do this. The Future Australian Infrastructure Rating (FAIR) proposed by the Australian Constructors Association provides that mechanism. Building on the success of existing ratings schemes, FAIR proposes to rate government funded projects on how well they performed against key reform areas including improved productivity. If implemented, $15 billion in productivity gains could be achieved every year and the fundamental issues threatening the sustainability of the industry can be finally addressed.
A key challenge facing the roads and infrastructure industry is the declining quality of bitumen from around the world. Increasingly, refineries attempt to utilise the most economical crude slates, maximize production of higher-value fractions, and comply with stringent sulphur regulations. This results in high variability and inconsistency and declining quality of bitumen, a by-product of the refining process. From a productivity perspective, this manifests as a need to actively monitor and manage the grade, viscosity, penetration and polymer compatibility in bitumen. Sripath offers a range of easy-to-use, innovative products that help restore the functional properties of bitumen and promote recycling of waste streams, resulting in improved quality, consistency and
If you or someone at your organisation is an industry leader and would like to be a part of this monthly column in 2022, please get in touch with Editor, Mike Wheeler: mike.wheeler@primecreative.com.au
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HELPING INCREASE THE USE OF RECYCLED ASPHALT PAVEMENT IN ROADWAYS AROUND W Africa, Brazil and China, Sripath Technologies is renowned as a global innovator of bitumen and asphalt mixWorkingadditives.with experts from academia, road agencies and the industry, Sripath Technologies has been a keen supporter of using high levels of RAP (Reclaimed Asphalt Pavement), a commonly used and sustainable alternative to virgin materials. Throughout the past 30 years, the use of RAP has increased significantly. Shortages of high-quality bitumen globally, mixed with a growing demand for road construction, have resulted in many contractors opting to use higher levels of RAP, intending to reduce the need for virgin bitumen and fresh aggregate. The global paving industry is estimated to generate 750 million tonnes of RAP annually.
32 ROADS AUGUST 2022 DRIVEN BY DATA AND INTERNATIONAL EXPERIENCE, SRIPATH’S RELIXER REJUVENATOR IS
ReLIXER offers benefits in terms of sustainability and performance for Reclaimed Asphalt Pavement roadways.
For high-RAP mixes, greater than 25 per cent, the use of an asphalt recycling agent or rejuvenator has now become common place. As Ravi Rajagopalan, General Manager of Sripath Asia-Pac explains. “It’s only recently that high quality recycling agents have been commercially offered in Australia. Now, many contractors have a serious option to increase the use of RAP in their asphalt mixes for both base course and wear layer. And that has been facilitated with the availability of ReLIXER, a leading rejuvenator technology,” Rajagopalan says. Dr. Filippo Giustozzi, Associate Professor, Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology, says ReLIXER is very effective in restoring the functional properties of aged bitumen in mixes using RAP material. “It is highly dosage efficient and provides long-term rejuvenation for sustainable infrastructure projects,” he says. Without the use of a rejuvenator, RAP particles lack an active binder and act as a ‘black rock’ in the asphalt mix. An effective recycling agent rejuvenates the aged bitumen, restoring its functional properties, aids workability and compactability of the asphalt mix, and delivers the required roadway performance and durability. Therefore, reducing the need for a virgin binder within the bitumen mix.
SIGNIFICANT SAVINGS Sripath’s ReLIXER Rejuvenator is a bio-based oil recycling agent that has been used in roadways globally since 2015. In addition to rejuvenating RAP, ReLIXER can also be used to create pothole repair mixes and rejuvenating emulsions for a range of applications, including slurry seal, scrub seal, microsurfacing, chip seal, fog seal, cold-in-
THE RENOWNED RELIXER REJUVENATOR
“You’re able to recycle, you’re able to reuse, you’re able to reclaim old material and put it into new roadways, or new applications on the road,” he says. “There’s less of a drain on natural resources, which greatly benefits the environment and also satisfies the concept of a circular economy. “It’s getting harder and harder to get quality bitumen and by using existing roadways as mines for the future, we can achieve much better environmental outcomes. This is worldwide, you could look at Asia, North America, South America and Australia. And the trend, we think, is only going to increase.”
roadsonline.com.au 33 TECHNOLOGYEQUIPMENT& place reclamation, full-depth reclamation, or cold central plant recycling. Since 2015, ReLIXER has provided cost savings of between five to fifteen per cent for contractors globally, depending on material and operational costs. This is driven primarily by a reduction in required virgin bitumen, as well as the rejuvenator’s efficiency at low dosage levels. As an added benefit, these cost savings are not to the detriment of performance. “We’re not reducing the properties, instead we’re delivering equal if not better properties on your roadway, while also helping reduce overall cost,” Rajagopalan says.ReLIXER can also be added into an existing asphalt production plant, whether it be hot or cold mixes, meaning operators will likely not need to purchase brand new machinery. “You can use it across any plant, it could be a drum mix plant, batch mix plant, or an operator can add it to the bitumen tank, inject it in line with the bitumen feed line, or even spray it on the RAP,” Rajagopalan says. He says ReLIXER also offers substantial benefits in terms of environmental impact.
BACKED BY RESEARCH ReLIXER has been designed, tested and proven to rapidly penetrate RAP particles to restore the functional balance to the aged bitumen in RAP.
ADOPTING RELIXER TECHNOLOGY Sripath Asia-Pac established an office in Melbourne in 2021 to market Sripath products in Australia, New Zealand and the Asia-Pacific region. “Sripath Technologies and Sripath Asia-Pac became members of the AfPA soon after they setup an office in Melbourne. Sripath has already become an integral part of our paving community in Australia,” says Anna D’Angelo, Executive Director Technology & Leadership at Australian Flexible Pavement Association (AfPA). Recent trials in Queensland have shown the potential for ReLIXER domestically, with the City of Gold Coast and Brisbane City Council both benefitting as part of successful trials that implemented 40 per cent RAP and ReLIXER in roadways. “As part of the initiative to reduce carbon footprint and create a more sustainable future, AfPA, in coordination with Fulton Hogan, recently organized a national HighRAP Rejuvenation trial which consisted of paving one control mix and three trial mixes, each with a different rejuvenator, on a stretch of Hymix Road in Gaven, City of Gold Coast,” says D’Angelo.
“OUR CUSTOMERS HAVE TOLD US THAT RELIXER DEMONSTRATES VIRTUES AND BENEFITS WITH A RANGE OF MATERIALS. OUR JOB IS TO DELIVER A HIGH-QUALITY REJUVENATOR, WITH THE AIM THAT ROAD CONSTRUCTORS AND ROAD AUTHORITIES CAN GO TO SLEEP AT NIGHT, SATISFIED THAT THEY HAVE PUT DOWN A HIGH-QUALITY ROAD.” Operators using highRAP mix, containing ReLIXER on the Gold Coast, in Queensland.
Chris Lange, Technical Manager at Fulton
Krishna Srinivasan, President of Sripath Technologies, says the ReLIXER is backed by more than a decade of research and testing. “This is a product backed by a substantial effort into research and development. At Sripath, we allocate an outsized amount of revenue to research and development. We were looking at rejuvenators when it wasn’t fashionable to do so,” he says. “Our customers have told us that ReLIXER demonstrates virtues and benefits with a range of materials. Our job is to deliver a high-quality rejuvenator, with the aim that road constructors and road authorities can go to sleep at night, satisfied that they have put down a high-quality road. They don’t want to come back and fix the road tomorrow or the day after. We test our materials extensively around the world with prestigious institutions, with knowledgeable professors and consultants who vet our materials. This allows us to provide a comprehensive service.”
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Complete Electrical & Automation Solutions Head Office: 46 Melverton Drive, Hallam, VIC, 3803 Telephone: +61 3 9703 2477 Email: Internet:sales@gordynpalmer.com.auwww.gordynpalmer.com.au Hogan, was heavily involved in both trials. “We have been very interested in green technologies, such as incorporating higher RAP content into mixes. We believe that this trial has provided us with a viable pathRajagopalanforward”. says operators in both trials said they couldn’t distinguish between the high-RAP mixes with ReLIXER and the standard mixes with no rejuvenator. “Many rejuvenators appear to work great when you first put down the roadway. But, for some products, the performance really starts to deteriorate within a couple of years. That’s not the case with ReLIXER. We have an outstanding product that delivers excellent ageing performance onTheroadways.”high-RAP mixes with ReLIXER that were paved as part of the trials in Queensland will be monitored over time to demonstrate the durability of the product. “We have overwhelming evidence that with a properly designed mix and the right dosage, ReLIXER can be effective in any location globally. That’s one area where we really set ourselves apart”, added Rajagopalan. “ReLIXER is being routinely used to pave high-RAP mixes on roadways in North America and Asia. We have trials pending in Europe, South America and“AboutAfrica.”ayear ago, we made a commitment to serve the market in Australia and New Zealand by establishing offices in Melbourne. Our product and technology portfolio have been introduced to and evaluated by customers, RMIT and transport agencies. We are proud to now offer ReLIXER and other Sripath products and technologies to the region.” ReLIXER has already been used in a variety of road projects internationally, including this roadway in India.
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Jorge Boil, Astec Industries Business Line Manager ‑ Infrastructure, says the company’s original vision, to be a “state of t he a rt equipment provider” for traditionally low tech industries, laid the foundation for its success in the modern era .
B orn from an idea at a kitchen table in 1972, Astec Industries has grown into one of the world’s largest manufacturers of asphalt, aggregate and concrete production e quipment. In 2022, the company is celebrating its 50th anniversary and reflecting on its humble beginnings from Chattanooga, Tennessee to the global stage.
Since its inception in 1972, Astec Industries has become one of the leading manufacturers of asphalt construction equipment.
“The company was founded by Don Brock, along with Norm Smith, Al Guth, Gail Mize and Mike Uchytil,” Boil says. “The Astec brand has now grown to more than 19 subsidiaries globally.”
ASTEC INDUSTRIES IS COMMEMORATING ITS 50TH YEAR OF OPERATION IN 2022.
CELEBRATING SUSTAINED INNOVATION
JORGE BOIL, BUSINESS LINE MANAGER ‑ INFRASTRUCTURE, EXPLAINS WHAT THE MILESTONE MEANS FOR THE COMPANY.
One key innovation for Astec Industries’ early success was the development of the Asphalt Double Barrell Drum Mixer.
Astec Industries hit its first major milestone in 1986, listing on the NASDAQ Stock Exchange. The company accumulated $12 million during its initial public offering. Shortly after, Astec Industries acquired Barber G reene, a renowned business within the asphalt industry. As Boil says, this acquisition opened the door for more asphalt, aggregate and concrete products, and services for Astec Industries’ clientele. He says additional acquisitions later paved the way for further innovation. “Each of our brands have a rich history,” he says. “In the construction, paving, quarry and mining areas, we’re always looking for opportunities to add new equipment, designs and companies to expand our footprint globally.”
INNOVATING FOR INDUSTRY As Boil puts it, Astec Industries has introduced a vast range of innovations and equipment during the past 50 years, many of which are now regarded and used as “standard” across the asphalt and concrete production industries. He says the basic concept for items such as the Shuttle Buggy, Crumb Rubber Blending System, Modular Aggregate Plants and the FastPack Portable Crushing and Screening Plant can all be traced back to Astec Industries.
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Astec Industries’ innovation has led to improvements to its asphalt plant technology, since the equipment was first introduced. Astec Industries Founder Don Brock.
“The Double Drum makes asphalt plants a lot more compact,” Boil says. “It gives the operator freedom, as it mixes the mobility of a portable plant with the productivity and operational capacity of a stationary plant.” Through its own in-house engineering and development, Astec Industries has increased its range to satisfy the market for rock crushing and screening plants, hot mix asphalt facilities, concrete plants, milling machines, asphalt pavers, and material transfer vehicles. Boil says he is proud of Astec Industries’ commitment to innovation and continued investment in product development, which has resulted in more than two hundred patented products. “It is a testament to the fact that we have been in operation for 50 years. From starting out as a very small company and manufacturing on a small scale, to manufacturing globally, we are very proud of where we started, where we have been and where we are now,” he says. A SIGNIFICANT RESTRUCTURE
“WE PRIDE OURSELVES ON THE SUPPORT AND BACK-UP THAT WE GIVE OUR CUSTOMERS. AND THAT IS WHY THEY KEEP COMING BACK TO US.”
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Astec Industries has recently undergone a restructure, uniting entities including JCI, KPI, AMS, BTI, Telesmith, Roadtec, Carlson, Osborn, Heatec, Astec Inc., Powerflame, Peterson and Rexcon, Con-E-Co and BMH Systems, under the oneThisbrand.unification created OneASTEC –the company’s first official rebranding since its inception in 1972. Under OneASTEC, the company aims to align its operations to be identical across every region globally. And working under a common operating system allows for quicker information transfers between de partments. The new structure also caters for the needs of local markets around the world, with hubs to be established at the centre of each region. As part of this restructure, Astec Industries Australia has also taken command of its national dealership network, with plans to expand the product range into new market sectors. Boil says the move aligns with the company’s business model, which includes a “simplify, focus and grow”“Beforestrategy.OneASTEC, each of our businesses were running their own race by doing their own marketing and their own purchasing,” he says. “Centralising our design and engineering, with the same equipment across all companies, makes us much more efficient and effective. Especially when integrating common sharing components such as new engines, hydraulic pumps, and motors to our machines.” Boil says the transformation to the OneASTEC brand bodes well for the company’s long-term success and he looks forward to one day celebrating the company’s centenary year of operation. “We pride ourselves on the support and back-up that we give our customers. And that is why they keep coming back to us. Our customers trust us, and that is why many of our clients have been with us for a very long time,” he says. “We’re not just selling equipment; we build relationships with our customers. That is our philosophy and it’s what we do.”
THE ELECTRIC ADVANTAGE Mills says the Caterpillar electric-overhydraulic approach on its skid steer loaders enables a whole range of productivity, safety, and quality of life enhancements that would not easily be achievable with traditional mechanical or pilot controls. The brain of any Cat vehicle is its Electronic Control Module (ECM). Caterpillar recently introduced its range of Smart attachments – including grader blades, dozer blades and backhoes – which are now fitted with their own ECM’s and communicate directly with the machine onceMillsattached.saysthat matching Cat skid steers with its electric-over-hydraulic control together with genuine Cat attachments enables an extra level of functionality and performance that would be difficult to replicate when using thirdparty“Whenattachments.youconnect one of our Cat Smart attachments to your Cat skid steer, your machine will recognise what the attachment is and automatically open up extra menus on the Advanced Display monitor” he says.
The 246D3 skid steer loader paired with the PC305 cold planer has become a popular combination.
CAT SKID STEERS AND ATTACHMENTS ARE DESIGNED TO WORK TOGETHER TO MAXIMISE PRODUCTIVITY AND PERFORMANCE. ROHAN MILLS OF CATERPILLAR BREAKS DOWN SOME OF THEIR SMART FEATURES AND TECHNOLOGIES. TOGETHER
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W ith applications across innumerable industries, the range of Cat® compact track loaders, skid steer loaders, and attachments are designed to offer versatility, customisability, and productivity.
Rohan Mills, Caterpillar® Product Application Specialist for Building and Construction Products, says the company’s machines and attachments are tuned to work together to deliver exceptional results and operator experience. “Our in-house engineers design these machines and attachments to interact seamlessly,” Mills says. “All the hydraulics and controls are optimised to work together for performance and productivity. “By combining Cat products, you’re getting the complete package, a one-stop shop.”
BETTER
The D3 series skid steer loaders feature a unique dual direction self-level, allowing attachments such as pallet forks to remain level while raising, as well asMillslowering.saysanother popular option is the speed-sensitive ride control, which the operator can set to activate at a specified speed. “This acts like a shock-absorber for the loader arms,” he says. “If you’re travelling around with a load in the bucket, it will help improve your material retention. That can enable higher travel speed on the job site, where otherwise safe to do so.”
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The Cat PC305 cold planer features a range of handy features, including a self-levelling design for consistent depth control, hydraulic side-shift for planning close to curbs, easily replaceable skid shoes that remain parallel to the ground to help achieve optimum stability, and the ability to put the machine into float mode to enable it to follow the contour of the surface. Cat cold planers can also make use of Creep Control, which allows the operator to adjust maximum travel speed on the go. Mills likens the feature to cruise control inThiscars.is used in conjunction with the cold planer’s Max Pro Pressure Gauge, which informs operators of the hydraulic load on the drum.
WORKING SMARTER Mills says the Cat 246D3 high-flow skid steer loader paired with the Cat PC305 cold planer has become a popular combination, and is a great example of how Caterpillar’s products pair together to help maximise productivity and ease of use. “When you pair a Cat skid steer with a Cat cold planer – that’s where you’ll find some features that really make the whole system start singing,” he says.
The new Smart Creep feature, due to roll out later in the year, takes Creep Control to the next level. Smart Creep uses a sensor that taps into the cold planer hydraulics, much like the Max Pro Pressure Gauge, and uses that information to automatically adjust travel.
“But where things really get smart is with the stall reversal function,” he says. “If the planer does stall out, the machine will reverse slightly, get out of the stall, and then proceed forward for a seamless cut.
“Then the operator can adjust the travel speed via Creep Control to maximise performance and productivity.”
Cat Smart attachments are automatically recognised by the Advanced Display monitor. The PC305’s Max Pro Gauge informs operators of the hydraulic load on the drum.
The company’s electric-over-hydraulic system also allows for the cab’s modular design. Its ventilation system is all integrated, meaning the only external connection is a wiring harness. Mills says this ensures the cab is extremely well sealed, which protects operators from dust and hazardous fine“Notparticles.onlydoes this keep the cab clean, cool and comfortable, but it’s also very quiet for the operator,” he says.
THE ROAD TO PRODUCTIVITY
“Road maintenance is one application where Caterpillar’s smart features are really useful,” says Mills. Via the ECM, the maximum forward and reverse travel speeds can be set individually. Mills says this can be very useful for congested work sites. “Visibility is also really important, especially for paving customers,” he says. “The optional integrated back-up camera can be set to either always on, or switched on automatically when in reverse.”
“The gauge gives the operator a visual indicator of that sweet spot,” he says.
roadsonline.com.au 39 “This includes work tool mode, which changes the functions of your joysticks to optimise the controllability of thatWithattachment.”thissmart connection, operators can also access diagnostic data, such as how many hours of operation a particular attachment has accumulated. “The real beauty of this system is the level of configurability it offers,” Mills says. “You can tailor the controls to the operator’s preference, as well as to suit the particular application.” This allows different operators to dial in their preferred control scheme quickly andTheeasily.latest D3 skid steer line also introduces an updated cab, featuring increased leg room and a wider opening door for easier entry.
“All the operator does is just keep pushing that joystick forward – it’s all done automatically. You’ll only get that when you pair a Cat machine with a Cat coldSmartplaner.”Creep, once released, will be compatible with all D3 series skid steer loaders and compact track loaders.
“WHEN YOU CONNECT ONE OF OUR CAT SMART ATTACHMENTS TO YOUR CAT SKID STEER, YOUR MACHINE WILL RECOGNISE WHAT THE ATTACHMENT IS AND AUTOMATICALLY OPEN UP EXTRA MENUS ON THE ADVANCED DISPLAY MONITOR.”
George Boloutis, Gordyn & Palmer Director, says the Genius Batch Weighing System, first designed in the late 1970s, is renowned in the industry as reliable and trusted software.
The Genius system helps to increase the productivity and profits of asphalt production plants, by providing accurate and real-time feedback.
GORDYN & BOLOUTISDIRECTORPLANTSOLUTIONPROVIDINGTECHNOLOGYPALMER’SISA“GENIUS”FORASPHALTAUTOMATION.GEORGEEXPLAINS.
Gordyn & Palmer has always considered itself as being at the forefront of asphalt batching technology.
The Genius Batch Weighing System provides feedback on traceability, batch data, cloudandreportingmore.
AN AUTOMATED GENIUS
Batch data, full traceability, Cloud reporting, downtime summaries and plant monitoring can all be viewed via a mobile or tablet interface. The system is designed with standard PC hardware, enabling it to be implemented seamlessly into existing plants. “Every batch is fully traceable. So, you have comprehensive reporting of materials that go into the system, and also the finished product,” Boloutis says. The Genius system also has a seamless interface, meaning it’s compatible with
Based on more than 40-years’ experience in the weighing industry, Gordyn & Palmer developed the Genius Batch Weighing System, a computerised and automated technology, capable of providing accurate plant operation and monitoring.
“We do turnkey projects, right from the initial concept and design to the electrical engineering, switchboards, control cabinets, all the automation software, site installation and commissioning,” Boloutis says. “The Genius software has been developed in-house so it’s been upgraded and updated to keep up with the latest technologies.”
THE GENIUS PROCESS
The system is compatible with standard PC hardware.
Boloutis says the feedback from Colas Australia has been “overwhelmingly positive”. He attributes the Genius’ success to Gordyn & Palmer’s “wealth of knowledge” in control systems and industry knowledge. “It’s a proven system in the industry. We have a lot of in-house knowledge on asphalt plants, how they work and what their requirements are,” he says. “One of the biggest benefits of our system is that we’re a local manufacturer, based in Victoria. We can service and support our customers with local parts and repairs, and they can always get hold of us.”
“It offers comprehensive reporting and it’s flexible, so it can talk to external systems. Whether it needs to be used just for batching or blending, it’s capable of taking care of the whole plant,” he says. “Diagnostic features are also built into the system. So, if something goes wrong, the Genius identifies it and takes the necessary measures.”
Before installing the Genius system for a prospective customer, Gordyn & Palmer follows a thorough scoping process to identify the client’s needs well before equipment is erected on-site. Boloutis says this initial planning helps to ensure that the customers’ needs are“We’llrealised.have a look and discuss the options with the customer to get a feel of what their needs are, and try to address their requirements. After that, we’ll form a changeover plan,” he says. “The changeover is paramount. We want to make sure that production is not affected in any way. We set a realistic changeover time frame to make sure it works with the customer.”
roadsonline.com.au 41 Enterprise Resource Planning and other software packages. Boloutis says that the Genius system is also S88 compliant (ANSI/ISA-88 standard addressing batch process control).
After the system has been installed, the support and service doesn’t end there. Gordyn & Palmer offers assistance for operators with minimal experience. “Once they are up and running, we’re there to train them and support them until they’re familiar with a system, but the Genius is very easy to use,” Boloutis says.
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“IT OFFERS COMPREHENSIVE REPORTING AND IT’S FLEXIBLE, SO IT CAN TALK TO EXTERNAL SYSTEMS. WHETHER IT NEEDS TO BE USED JUST FOR BATCHING OR BLENDING, IT’S CAPABLE OF TAKING CARE OF THE WHOLE PLANT.”
DEPLOYING THE GENIUS Sunstate Road Services, which forms part of Colas Australia, had previously used an older control system from overseas, at its Maryborough plant in Queensland. When that system was no longer easily supported in Australia and became a business risk, Sunstate looked to Gordyn & Palmer for an upgrade based on modern and off the shelf hardware. As Boloutis explains, upgrading to the Genius software averted any potential “catastrophic failures” caused by the previous control system. “They had a system on site which wasn’t locally supported. So, they had a huge risk of downtime would have resulted in significant financial losses,” he says. “We had a window of opportunity when the plant was down to install the upgraded Genius system, allowing Colas Australia to go back into full production seamlessly, to satisfy their orders and demands.”
Joel Cowen, Colas Australia Group Asphalt Industry Asset Manager, says he was impressed with Gordyn & Palmer’s “end-to-end service”. “They provided the full scope of works, which included electrical engineering, wiring schematics, control system for the total plant, site installation and commissioning,” he says. “Their service effectively removed the driving our sustainability ambitions.”
ELBOURNE PLANT HIRE’S ADAM ELBOURNE EXPLAINS HOW JOHN DEERE PRODUCTS HAVE EARNED AND MAINTAINED HIS TRUST OVER THE YEARS. E lbourne Plant Hire has been operating in the Hunter Valley region of New South Wales for over 25 years. Over that time, the family-run business has developed a productive working relationship with John Deere’s products. After around a decade working as a sole trader, Phillip Elbourne started the business in 1996 as a small jack-of-all-trades operation, covering everything from logging to power pole maintenance to general works and road maintenance for local councils. Since then, it has grown into a large regional plant hire operation, supplying machinery and operators to a range of local industries and councils, while still offering a versatile range of contract services.
The 850L crawler dozer boasts a range of upgrades over its predecessor.
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TURNING HEADS Elbourne Plant Hire has recently purchased its second John Deere 850L Crawler Dozer
WHAT’S IN A NAME? Adam Elbourne, Managing Director and son of Phillip, says Elbourne Plant Hire’s EQUIPPED WITH CONFIDENCE confidence in John Deere machinery started with his father in the early days of the“Whenbusiness.weentered power line maintenance, we were doing a lot of work on some really tough terrain,” Elbourne says. “Under the power lines you get all sorts of hills, gullies, creeks and dips, and our John Deere tractor was the only one that could hold“Thatup.experience gave John Deere a really good name within our company,” he says. “Then we bought a 670B, one of John Deere’s first graders, which I learned to operate in. And it just built from there. “Now we’ve got more equipment with the John Deere name on it than we ever have.”
According to Elbourne, John Deere’s dozer products have historically not had much of a presence in Australia – but he doesn’t think that will be the case for much longer. “People are seeing the quality of the machines,” he says. “Now, it seems like they can’t get them into the country fastWhenenough.”RDO Equipment expanded into Australia in 2019, the support network for John Deere construction machinery grewElbournesubstantially.saysthat while he has never had any major issues with his John Deere machines, seeing RDO Equipment grow its local presence has been good for business. “We used to travel into Sydney for parts,” he says. “So, it’s much easier having them local. They’ve really established themselves in the area, which is good for them, and it’s good for businesses like us.”
roadsonline.com.au 43 TECHNOLOGYEQUIPMENT& from its local dealer RDO Equipment, as well as a 772G Motor Grader.
The 850L features a range of improvements over the previous 850K iteration, including boosts to power, reduced emissions, and greater operator comfort. It features an upgrade from a 6.8-litre to a 9-litre engine, yielding 10 per cent more engine power and 23 per cent more peak torque. The machine can also be switched into Eco Mode, enabling fuel savings of up to 20 per cent. The 13 per cent larger hydrostatic pumps also mean boosts to productivity, durability, andElbournecontrol.says the machines have been popular with his staff too. “I’m always interested to talk to the operators about them,” he says. “We had an experienced operator start a few months ago who had never used a John Deere machine before, and was keen to give it a “He’sgo. a real bulldozer fanatic, and he couldn’t believe how good the 850L felt to operate. It just really ticked all the boxes for him.”
Even having the local RDO sales team around has been a bonus. Elbourne says his RDO Equipment representative is often checking in to offer support. “They’ve been really helpful – beyond just selling the equipment,” he says. “They’re always more than willing to assist if there’s an issue – they always make themselves available to us.”
Elbourne Plant Hire bought a second 850L crawler dozer following the popularity of its first model. Adam dozer(right)ElbournewithoperatorMickMate.
Elbourne Plant Hire is more than capable of handling the service and maintenance of its John Deere machines internally, but Elbourne says RDO Equipment’s presence nearby has meant the company can count on them when things get busy. “I think it really says something for the quality of the John Deere machines that we’d previously never had a local dealer, and it was never a problem,” he says. “That’s how confident we’ve been with John Deere in the past, and it’s never gotten in the way of us using their products.”
The business purchased its first 850L in mid-2020 for the wet hire side of the business, and following high demand, purchased another soon after. Elbourne says all his customers have been very impressed with the power, reliability and efficiency the machines offer. “There’d been a lot of interest to start with – especially because they are very different looking machines,” he says. “People had a lot of questions, and then customers started calling up really wanting to try them out.”
SUPPORTING THE LOCALS
“HE’S A REAL BULLDOZER FANATIC, AND HE COULDN’T BELIEVE HOW GOOD THE 850L FELT TO OPERATE. IT JUST REALLY TICKED ALL THE BOXES FOR HIM.”
Developed in late 2016, Recochem’s Recosol 185 oleo fluid made an immediate impact on the bitumen and asphalt production market. With diesel presenting potential safety hazards including being a suspected carcinogen, having a lower flash point and a strong odour, Recosol 185 is a readily biodegradable substitute. As Daniel Dalling, Recochem Business Development Manager- Hygiene, Household and Industrial Fluids says, there’s more than meets the eye with Recosol 185. “A lot of testing was done in 2016, specifically with cold mix asphalt, and in other projects, to see if we could create a replacement for diesel, which could
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Dalling says the company’s long-term presence has enabled products to be tailored to Australian industries. He says that now more than ever, companies are looking at ways to diminish their environmental impact. “The health, safety and environmental aspects of asphalt and bitumen are of paramount importance,” he says. “As most businesses move to find safer and more environmentally friendly products to help meet their sustainability goals, Recosol 185 offers an easy alternative to provide performance improvement and reduce impact on the environment.”
THE RECOCHEM DIFFERENCE
Recosol 185 is backed by Recochem’s extensive experience in developing household and industrial fluids, as well as automotive fluids. Over the past 72 years, Recochem has established itself as one of the global leaders in formulating, producing, contract packaging and wholesale distribution of household and transportation fluids. The company has also grown significantly across Australia, with manufacturing plants in Brisbane and Perth, and offices and warehouses in all mainland capital cities. Its Brisbane plant alone handles 30 million kilograms of material annually.
Recosol 185 has a flashpoint of 165°C, more than doubling the flashpoint of diesel (65°C).
“BY USING RECOSOL 185, OPERATORS ARE DRASTICALLY REDUCING THE POTENTIAL OF FIRE HAZARDS OCCURRING. THE SAFETY ASPECT ALONE IS A VERY GOOD REASON TO MAKE THE SWITCH.”
Recochem can cater for bulk deliveries of Recosol 185.
RECOCHEM’S RECOSOL 185 OLEO FLUID IS MUCH MORE THAN JUST A VIABLE ALTERNATIVE TO DIESEL FOR COLD MIX ASPHALT FORMATIONS. DANIEL DALLING, BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT MANAGER - HYGIENE, HOUSEHOLD AND INDUSTRIAL FLUIDS, EXPLAINS.
A FORMULATED ALTERNATIVE RECOSOL 185 perform on the same level, if not better,” he“Recosolsays.
185 is biodegradable and presents major safety and health benefits. It’s also low odour, has strong solvency and has a much higher boiling range, making it a much safer product to use. We’ve seen numerous examples where there’s been explosions and fires due to companies housing flammable products on site.” Because of its strong safety credentials, Recosol 185 has also been certified as nonhazardous by Safe Work Australia. “By using Recosol 185, operators are drastically reducing the potential of fire hazards occurring. The safety aspect alone is a very good reason to make the switch,” Dalling says.
JCB BACKHOES THE WORLD’S NUMBER ONE BACKHOE LOADER MANUFACTURER • BEST IN CLASS ROAD SPEEDS • LOW EMISSION HIGH POWERED STAGE V ECOMAX ENGINES • IMPRESSIVE FUEL SAVINGS WITH AUTO ENGINE SHUT DOWN • ERGONOMICALLY DESIGNED CONTROLS WITH EXCLUSIVE IN SEAT CONTROLS • ADVANCED TECHNOLOGY 7” LCD TOUCH SCREEN • EFFICIENT DESIGN PHILOSOPHY • AUTOMATED FUNCTIONS WITH SELF LEVELLING INTRODUCINGSTABILISERSTHENEW STAGE V JCB SITEMASTER
Dalling says the combined versatility of Recosol 185 has resulted in the fluid being popular among large-scale operators. “The main use has been replacing diesel for cold mix asphalt, but it has been used successfully as a cleaning and flushing fluid,” Dalling says. “More than 20 plants are currently using Recosol 185, including some of the largest cold mix asphalt manufacturers nationally. It has similar application rates to diesel, generally ranging between 1.0 and 1.8 per cent.”
Recosol 185 has also been designed to provide optimal results in a range of applications. Low volatility ensures the fluid has minimal evaporation losses, while its low freeze point means it can be used in coolerRecosolconditions.185isavailable in 1000-litre intermediate bulk containers, with Recochem able to cater for bulk deliveries. For those companies who may be sitting on the fence, Dalling says the benefits are“Theclear.bitumen industry is looking to introduce recyclable materials into the product in any way possible. By using a product such as Recosol 185, operators can demonstrate to their customers, whether it be a government contract, or local councils, that they’re being environmentally responsible by using an oleo base product instead of diesel,” he says. “By using Recosol 185, these companies are actually making a difference.” Recosol 185 offers safety and health benefits when used with cold mix asphalt.
A large part of JCB’s success is that we’ve listened to what our customers want, and we’re always striving to produce the most productive, reliable and efficient machines on the market. In tough market conditions, we take the time to understand what’s important to customers and how we can make a difference to your success through features that ensure versatility, offer positive residuals, fuel efficiency and low cost of ownership. For more information on the range of JCB backhoe loaders please contact your local dealer www.jcbcea.com.au or call 1300 522 232.
TECHNOLOGYEQUIPMENT&
JCB’s iconic backhoe loader is as fresh and innovative today as when it was first conceived over 60 years ago. Since the invention of the backhoe by JCB in 1953 it has undergone continual innovations, pushing the boundaries and providing real solutions to meet customer needs.
It also has strong solvency, allowing the product to be used as an equipment cleaner, by soaking or using a highpressure sprayer. It can also be mixed with emulsifiers to wash off with water. Recosol 185 has also been used as a slip agent to release asphalt from conveyors on site, as well as from trays of trucks.
STABILITY,MAINTAININGTHE DOWNERWAY
The process consists of reviewing the initial client design, sampling, laboratory testing and then an infield trial section completed with the specified stabilisation treatment.
Testing on the trial section of works ensures the stabilisation treatment has met the design performance criteria and the stabilisation treatment is ratified based on this evaluation.
W ith 44,000 people across 300 sites, mainly in Australia and New Zealand, Downer’s commitment to the infrastructure sector has resulted in the development of efficient and high-quality projects. The company’s history dates back more than 150 years. Since that time, Downer has cemented its place as one of the leading infrastructure construction companies across Australia and New Zealand. But how do you build trust and deliver promises consistently to clients, for more than a century? Matt Billings, Downer’s National Operations Manager Stabilisation, says innovation is key. Not only in relation to new materials equipment and machinery, but also sustainability and safety. “Downer is the first Australian infrastructure company to register a binding, science-based, net-zero emissions target with the United Nations,” he says. “We’re at the forefront of reducing emissions and deployment of recycling alternatives to supplant virgin material extraction with similar or better product performance characteristics.
Downer’s works on the Inland Rail project are expected to be completed in September this year.
DOWNER’S
MACHINERY.WIRTGENASSETS,LARGESTSOMEQUALITYUNITREHABILITATIONSTABILISATIONPAVEMENTANDBUSINESSHASPROVIDEDHIGH-OUTCOMESONOFTHENATION’SINFRASTRUCTUREWHILEUSINGGROUP
SUSTAINABLE STABILISATION
In construction, the lime or cement-based binders are then spread at a specified rate by the spreader truck, before a stabiliser mixes the binder into the pavement while also injecting water directly into the mixing chamber achieving a homogeneously mixed layer of pavement. The stabilised pavement construction is then completed through the final stages: compaction, grading and further conditioning through the addition of water by a water cart help achieve a tight bound pavement that is suitable for the next layer of pavement. As Billings explains, this process reduces the need for virgin materials to be imported, as well as excavation for the disposal of materials on-site.“Since the recycling of existing pavements using in situ stabilisation is quick, involves no Downer’s WR 250 Wirtgen Stabiliser, working on the $5 billion Inland Rail project.
Downer’s pavement stabilisation and rehabilitation service enables existing pavements to be recycled, and when compared to conventional rehabilitation techniques, can provide cost and environmental benefits.
Downer’s stabilisation business is just one example where this commitment to drive sustainability can be seen in action.”
Jekki“Wirtgensays. have been there to support, train and develop our people to get the absolute best out of these machines.”
STABILISATION IN PRACTICE
“The difference with the WR 250 is that it’s close to 200 more horsepower. It’s also got a different milling drum unit, with roughly 30 per cent more teeth on it. We’re achieving effectively 30 per cent more mixing in each pass,” he says. And when Downer required support, Wirtgen Group were there every step of the“It’way.saprofessional relationship, which is making us more productive, especially when you combine the expertise and skills of our operators in conjunction with the reliability of the machines we purchased from Wirtgen,”
Downer’s progress on the Inland Rail project is on-going, with expectations that the works will be successfully completed in September this year.
TECHNOLOGYEQUIPMENT&
roadsonline.com.au 47 excavation and requires either no or minimal removal of materials off site, the environmental benefits of using these techniques in comparison to using other rehabilitation techniques are quite substantial,” he says. “The purpose of stabilisation is to recycle or rehabilitate the existing material in situ, thereby upgrading the engineering and economic values of the existing pavement or ground conditions.”
“THE PURPOSE OF STABILISATION IS TO RECYCLE OR REHABILITATE THE EXISTING MATERIAL IN SITU, THEREBY UPGRADING THE ENGINEERING AND ECONOMIC VALUES OF THE EXISTING PAVEMENT AND ASSET.”
By using pavement stabilisation, Downer is able to re-engineer unsuitable material into a product with improved performance properties.Reducing the required trucking to deliver virgin materials not only decreases greenhouse gas emissions, but also provides construction materials for sites in regional areas, where a local quarry may not be available. Communities can also benefit from reduced traffic on local roads.“Insitu stabilisation is usually much quicker than other rehabilitation methods, with effectively no excavation and minimal materials both taken away from site and consequently brought onto site,” Billings says. “With the materials being recycled on-site, there’s far less exposure to the risks of poor weather causing extended delays as well.” Lime, fly-ash and slag are all binders that can be used within each of these mixes, with each presenting their own benefits. A slag-lime mix is able to reduce the potential for future cracking, decreasing maintenance costs over time.
Downer has deployed a portion of its pavement stabilisation team on the Inland Rail project. The $5 billion Inland Rail endeavour will see the construction of a 1700-kilometre rail line, connecting Melbourne and Brisbane via regional Victoria, New South Wales and Queensland.MarkJekki, New South Wales Operations Manager, says Downer are undertaking the stabilisation of cut and fill materials in two 400mm layers in the rail corridor, culvert crossings and sidings as part of the project. He says the aim of the works will be to raise the rail line and minimise the impact of flooding. “We collaborated extensively prior to tender, to identify the best equipment available to support the delivery of the project,” he says. Banking on a professional relationship – lasting more than 20 years – Downer engaged Wirtgen Group to learn more about the company’s machinery and equipment offerings.Billingssays this also presented an opportunity for Downer to participate in what is still an Australian first. “It was a very proud moment. The Inland Rail project gave us the opportunity to purchase two WR250 Stabilisers, the first two in Australia to be commissioned for stabilisation. We strongly believe that these are the some of the world’s best stabilisers in terms of design and productivity,” he says. “We recognised an opportunity to provide the project with a unique solution and this was supported by our partners Wirtgen and our client who were excited to bring world class technology and performance to such an iconicDowner’sproject.”Inland Rail project team was able to utilise its experience with the WR250’s little brother, the WR240. Jekki says that upgrading to the WR250 has enabled his team to increase their productivity daily.
ry earth farmer Kurt Mayne and specialist machinery operator Brendan King have joined resources to specify a combination rig of bulldozerdeep ripper- fertilizer and seeder to economically prepare and treat land in one comparatively swift pass. The bold venture, with an investment of more than $1.5 million in machinery alone, has prepared more than 10,000 hectares in two years and is now being used in a fight against a grass die-back disease which has afflicted theirMayneregion.and King have worked closely with agronomists and soil scientists to repatriate pastures, which had been grazed out of nutrients and to restore fallow farming land toTheirproductivity.CQ(Central Queensland) Agriculture Earthworks business operates out of Emerald and works mainly in the Rolleston region, south of the town, where Mayne runs his third-generation family property BrokenMaynePlains.hasused the bulldozer to restore 3000 hectares of farmland, previously used for finishing cattle and planted it with mung beans, chickpeas, wheat, and barley. He is working on restoring an even greater area of pasture for more efficient preparation of his herd. The success of the venture has meant more than half of all work for CQ Earthworks’ rig is now coming from neighbouring properties, keen to emulate their operation, and the partners are considering a second unit. Mayne, 34, and King, 35, challenged earth moving specialist Komatsu to equip a 337 kW D275 AX-5 bulldozer to meet the requirements of their ambitious plan to outstrip the performance of the most efficient broadacre tractor. “It had to be able to operate faultlessly at 6kmh in second gear at 85 percent engine load in ambient temperatures above 40°C, while ripping to a depth of 450mm across unprepared ground,” Mayne says.
FORCES
The D275 is fitted with auto steer and GPS guidance which enables King to make calculations to maximise operational efficiency, in his case the ripper depth and optimising the seed drop, usually to an accuracy of just 20 grams. Non-stop operation is an important component of the hire proposition, providing substantial benefits over tractor options.
D
Brendan King is the machinery operator of the partnership and spends up to 10 hours each day on the D275 monitoring the refinements made by Komatsu. “They placed high-capacity oil coolers behind the radiator working on the transmission and hydraulics, making space by moving the air conditioning condenser to the back of the cabin,” King says.
JOINING
The target speed was up to 50 percent greater than that averaged by conventional tractors and bulldozer competitors, according to Mayne, enabling fuel savings of more than 20Apercent.purpose-built hydraulic system from the bulldozer would drive the air seeder towed behind the bulldozer and ripper rig, capable of spreading eight tonnes of seed and fertiliser at any desired rate per hectare.
“I watch the gauges carefully and even in ambient temperatures above 40°C ,they operate comfortably in the 86-94°C range.”
48 ROADS AUGUST 2022 TWO CENTRAL QUEENSLAND BUSINESS PARTNERS ARE SUCCESSFULLY REPLACING OUT-DATED MACHINERY WITH A KOMATSU BULLDOZER, IMPROVING PRODUCTIVITY AND RESTORING PRECIOUS PASTURES TO FULL STRENGTH.
Recognising the long-hours he’d spend in operation; King specified a breathesafe pressurised cabin and a scrub canopy to provide additional weather and environmental protection.
“Fuel costs, paid for by the hirer, have been balanced by the high prices for cattle and crops, but as the cost of fuel rises, our economy will become an important consideration, even with off-road fuel subsidies,” King says. Kurt Mayne and Brendan King are quick to point out the service they provide – both in hire and on Mayne’s property – is based on more than their ability to provide efficiency in machine operation.
“Honestly, money is so cheap at the moment, we had to give it a go,” Mayne explains. The partner’s D275, serviced on-site by Komatsu from its Emerald branch to minimise downtime, is approaching 3000 hours of operation and the partners say it will easily exceed 10,000 hours within its purchase period. “We’re pretty much booked out for the next twelve months and we recently had to refuse a big job,” King says. “We set out to keep things simple, but we may have to consider a second machine.”
TECHNOLOGYEQUIPMENT&
“With a blade up front we can push through country that a tractor couldn’t handle and that keeps our average speed up,” King says. A major contributing factor is the D275’s lock-up torque converter, which reduces operator stress especially when ploughing in harsh“Peopleconditions.havecommented on how nimble it looks for a big machine - it feels like I’m driving a big skid steer loader,” he says. According to Komtrax, Komatsu’s complimentary on-board GPS-based monitoring telemetry, the CQ Ag Earthworks bulldozer is returning 57litres/hour operational efficiency, including idle time while Brendan King checks blades and replenishes seed and fertiliser.
The recent outbreak of grass die-back, a phenomenon which has agronomists puzzled, has meant farmers are looking to efficiently plant legume crops to restore soil integrity. “Our big opportunity is to restore grazing land,” Mayne says. “Cattle are eating the goodness out of the land and like farmland after cropping, it’s important to rejuvenate grazing land too. “When we started, people down south thought it strange that we were tilling and fertilising so deep, but now they’re not only understanding but starting to follow us.”
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Mayne and King met on the football field –their sons play junior rugby league together – and their initial interest was spurred by Mayne’s desire to find a better way to plant and seed, and King’s desire to become a selfsufficient machinery operator. They began their venture with seed money of just $60,000 each, funding the rest through Komatsu Finance which saw value in their proposition and extended a repayment program over five years.
The Komatsu D275 AX-5 bulldozer features a purpose -built behindtowMaynesystem,hydraulicenablingandKingtotheirairseedertheripperrig.
“I’m a numbers man and I rely heavily on the advice of the soil scientists to tell me exactly how each paddock should be treated and what nutrients and crops we should be planting”, Mayne said.
“WITH A BLADE UP FRONT WE CAN PUSH THROUGH COUNTRY THAT A TRACTOR COULDN’T HANDLE AND THAT KEEPS OUR AVERAGE SPEED UP.” Kurt Mayne and Brendan King. The D275’s lock-up torque convertor reduces operator stress when ploughing in conditions.harsh
The added pressure of supply chain issues and labour shortages caused by the pandemic has increased the lead time in acquiring materials and resulted in surging prices. Having a streamlined, productive job site has never been more important for business success. As a project manager, embracing AI-powered technology and telematics can help improve the functioning of projects from start to finish, easing the burden of overseeing the day-to-day activities and freeing project managers to focus on strategic initiatives. Here’s how adopting smart solutions can improve job site productivity, giving a company the best chance for longterm success.
T he infrastructure sector in Australia is one of the few with declining productivity. A lack of project coordination and low rates of technology and digital adoption are contributing factors. The result? Less profitability and growing insolvency; the industry recorded 28 per cent of total insolvencies at the end of 2021.
COMPLETE VISIBILITY TO MANAGE PRODUCTIVITY REMOTELY
AS JAMES FRENCH, CONSTRUCTION SOLUTION SPECIALIST AT TELETRAC NAVMAN WRITES, ADOPTING AI-POWERED TELEMATICS CAN IMPROVE THE CHANCE OF SUSTAINED SUCCESS IN THE INFRASTRUCTURE SECTOR.
While visibility is essential to ensure a project is operating productively, project managers can’t always be on site. Working in the office or attending meetings is a big part of a project manager’s day-to-day, and personnel can’t be in two places at once. Thankfully, intelligent site and equipment management solutions like Teletrac Navman’s TN360 or Site360 provide a broad overview of a project site, allowing management remotely and in real-time.
AI-POWERED TELEMATICS IMPROVING JOB SITE PRODUCTIVITY
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REAL-TIME DATA FROM MULTIPLE SOURCES TO INFORM DECISIONS
Equipment with telematics installed generates large amounts of real-time data. There are many benefits with this, including complete job site visibility and insights into productivity. Project managers can have access to data such as: which machines are on-site? Are they in use? And where are they located? This information frees project managers and other staff to complete dayto-day tasks with the ability to monitor the projectReal-timeremotely.datacoupled with historical data provides an accurate picture of how the job is progressing. It highlights what, if any, changes need to be made to improve outcomes and meet timelines.
At the same time, managers can give clients accurate, real-time progress updates — and showcasing this valuable service offering can help companies to win future tenders. All this information means operators can better predict projects and be as competitive as possible. This information can also play a big part in future contracts; with a single source of truth and the ability to compare data from previous projects, bidding on future work is easier and the data more reliable. Based in the cloud, the data can be quickly accessed, and specific information related to individual components of a job is more readily available.
THE FUTURE OF PROJECT MANAGEMENT
Accurate data sharing between engineers, supervisors and traffic managers can also improve the traffic flow and safety of work sites.
TECHNOLOGYEQUIPMENT&
Telematics systems collect incredible volumes of data. There is no requirement to sift through the data to find what you need; business intelligence metrics improve searches by simply querying the data through the smart AI engine. This ensures that only relevant data is provided.
With intelligent technology, project managers have the insights available to help make better decisions to improve productivity and reduce costs, setting companies up for a successful project while giving them a leg-up to win future tenders. It’s the helping hand that operators need to build a productive, resilient, and lucrative construction business — one that’s here for the long haul.
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Intelligent site solutions can cater for the remote management of project sites.
When it comes to informed productive decision-making, real-time data is everything. Telematics can collect live data from multiple sources to give project managers an accurate overview of the entire project at all times of the day. Traffic management can be automated, reducing the work burden on engineers, supervisors and traffic managers. When sites are becoming congested, alerts can help manage incoming and outgoing vehicles. Data from weigh bridges, onboard mass systems, and other sources can be integrated to provide valuable insights into how trucks are being loaded. Payload systems on wheel loaders and excavators help ensure that the trucks are not overloaded; this data is usually verified as a truck crosses a weighbridge before leaving site. If, however, trucks are overweight at the weighbridge, this can indicate a problem at the loading dock. Real-time and integrated data help identify these issues, which can quickly be addressed, helping to improve productivity and traffic movement on site.
ACCESS THE DATA THAT’S IMPORTANT TO YOU
“MECON is short for Mechanical and Construction and as an insurance business, we have been operating in the plant and equipment space for 18 years. We have been a competitor of UAA’s, although both businesses are under the Steadfast Group umbrella,” Ross says. “Generally speaking, MECON has been operating in the SME spectrum of the plant and equipment industry and the reason we maintained the two business models and brands for plant and equipment, was to provide our client base with an alternative insurer to UAA. Each business evolved at different rates and for different reasons. More recently it became very practical for us to merge the businesses. “The merger is also the result of market pressures, Steadfast Group’s business strategy and our own business philosophies. We agreed that the alignment and timing was right and so we brought the two groups together. Obviously, we’ve been working on this development for some time, and I am pleased to say the fit feels right and we are all comfortable with everything that is happening.”
ONE FAMILY, BRANDSTWO
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think UAA is the best underwriter of plant and equipment. The power of bringing the two together is insurmountable.
Ross goes on to discuss how the various markets serviced by UAA and MECON are going to benefit from the merger in terms of improved service and capabilities. “The first major benefit to the market will be around pricing. In insurance terms, volume brings its rewards. Then there is the benefit of economies of scale in terms of the combined client base and also the combined, and “line-focussed”, personnel resources we now have at our disposal,” he“Thesays.opportunities are exponentially greater with the merger. As we move down the path of integration, we are increasingly seeing the efficiencies the businesses are bringing to each other. This will be very positive to our businesses and also to ourMichaelclients.”Murphy discusses the benefits that clients of UAA and MECON will see following the merger. “Although insurance can be a very complex business, the team at UAA likes to keep things nice and simple for our clients. In terms of the merger, we intend to maintain this ‘Keep it Simple’ approach. If you require plant and equipment insurance, you can come to UAA, if you want construction/contracts works insurance you can go to the best player in this market and that is MECON,” Murphy says. “Our philosophy behind the merger is ‘Two Brands One Family’. Why would we look at a merger? Well, imagine the amount of plant and equipment operating on construction sites on any given day across the country. There is plenty. MECON is by far the best contract works specialist underwriter in Australia and we like to
The Claims teams within both UAA and MECON have been recognised for ‘excellence’ during the recent flooding disasters, says Murphy.
UNDERWRITING AGENCIES OF AUSTRALIA (UAA) AND
“The message to our clients, the insurance brokers and also to our end users, is “Two Brands One Family”. Clients can now come to one “Family” for the best two products and receive the unparalleled service we are now capable of offering. In our opinion, the delivery mechanism is compelling.”
MECON INSURANCE HAVE ANNOUNCED THAT THE TWO BUSINESSES HAVE AGREED TO MERGE. ROADS & INFRASTRUCTURE LEARNS HOW THE MERGER WILL BENEFIT THE INSURANCE INDUSTRY.
I n what is a major development for the insurance sector - two of the largest providers - and former competitors
Underwriting Agencies of Australia and MECON Insurance will soon join forces. Glenn Ross, CEO MECON Insurance, provides some background to the merger.
“Recently, the Insurance Business Awards for Australia nominated the Claims Team at UAA for an award as the Best Claims Team and Jackie McCarthy of UAA has been nominated for Best Business Development Manager. In the same awards, MECON has
George Grasso UAA Group Chief Claims and Services Officer explains there are a number of synergies within the two“Asorganisations.GlennandMurphy have already highlighted, the key messages to the industry are that UAA will continue to be a specialist in mobile plant and machinery. The mobile plant and machinery book of business which exists within MECON will transfer across to UAA during the renewal process. MECON will retain its brand and integrity in terms of its expertise in contract works,” he Construction/contractsays. works has been an area of the industry UAA has considered targeting in the past. “We always felt this sector would be a nice fit for UAA. It would provide clients operating as a principal contractor the opportunity to work with ‘One Family’ and two specialised products. Now with the merger, this has become a reality,” says“TheGrasso.merger will certainly improve efficiencies for our clients and with the brands working with an Australian security in QBE Insurance (and, for MECON, AIG also), each business will have far greater capacities. This is a huge plus for our brokers and for our direct clients as“Theywell. now know our policies will continue to be managed in-house here in Australia. We don’t have to seek approval from securities outside of Australia. With “CLIENTS CAN NOW COME TO ONE “FAMILY” FOR THE BEST TWO PRODUCTS AND RECEIVE THE UNPARALLELED SERVICE WE ARE NOW CAPABLE OF OFFERING.”
Glenn Ross, Chief Executive Officer MECON Insurance and Michael Murphy, UAA Group Chief Executive Officer.
roadsonline.com.au 53 INSURANCE been nominated for Best Agency,” he says. “Each year, for the past 6 years, MECON has also won the Best Construction Agency and the Best Annual Construction Policy Wording in the Insurance Business Awards, voted for by insurance brokers. “So, at the front end, there are compelling reasons to come to the “One Family” and at the back end we have the two best Claims Teams in the industry delivering for our clients. feedback from insurance brokers who have learned of the merger through industry sources has been overwhelmingly positive.”
“MOREOVER, ABOUT THE QUALITY OF THE CLAIMS; BRINGING TWO GROUPS TOGETHER WHO ARE AT THE TOP OF THEIR INDIVIDUAL GAMES, YOU END UP WITH THE BEST OF THE BEST AND THAT’S WHERE OUR CLIENTS WILL RECEIVE THE MOST BENEFIT.”
The merger is set to provide an improved service for existing and prospective customers.
54 ROADS AUGUST 2022 the merger, the economy of scale has broadly increased with UAA and MECON combined generating revenue in excess of $400 million globally. We are now able to leverage this scale and we will be able to pass on benefits to our clients in terms of the quality of the products we offer, the combined capacity we now have, and the continued quality of service we pride ourselves on.”
The merger means UAA and MECON will have a large market share in the construction insurance space at large. The combination of UAA’s strength in plant and machinery combined with MECON’s strength in construction means there is a high chance UAA will be managing the insurance for machinery and plant and MECON the insurance of the contract works facility. “If we have two separate securities, that won’t be a problem,” Murphy says, “but if we can make things more fluid for the broker by working together without disenfranchising them, that is going to be ourThisgoal.”isa situation MECON has been dealing with for quite some time, says Ross. “In this business, when you hear on the news that a crane has gone over, you sit on the edge of your chair and ask, ‘is it one of my clients?’. And from a MECON perspective, the rest of the question is “has it damaged the buildings on a construction site?” Not uncommonly, this has been the case,” he says. “We had a recent incident where numerous buildings were impacted by an overturned crane. They were occupied and/or under construction when the crane went over. The merger of the businesses will provide us with the ability to deal with an incident like this holistically, but with a dual“Moreover,focus.” about the quality of the claims; bringing two groups together who are at the top of their individual games, you end up with the best of the best and that’s where our clients will receive the most benefit. The experience within the two groups of claims operatives is extensive, and don’t forget that it is relatively unique for any agency to be entrusted with handling their own claims. Not only have we been entrusted with managing our own claims for a very long time, we are bringing together arguably the two most experienced teams in the market with the ability to handle all of theirUAAclaims.”conducts a “Net Promoter Score” survey through the network of insurance brokers it works with, and the most recent results have come back at plus 56. MECON also enjoys a high NPS, gauged through annual surveys with brokers. “Most insurance and finance companies are happy to register a positive result. UAA’s results increased by 12 points compared to the previous survey. This is as a result of how the Claims Team performed during the recent flooding disasters. We challenged our team to be superstars during what was an extremely challenging period and they delivered,” Murphy says.
INSURANCE
AUSTRALIAN FLEXIBLE PAVEMENT ASSOCIATION 2022 Industry Awards Registrations Open https://www.afpa.asn.au/events Proud Dinner Sponsors Limited Award and Dinner Sponsorship opportunities are still available https://bit.ly/3sdDS8x
THE AUSTRALIAN FLEXIBLE PAVEMENT ASSOCIATION (AFPA) HOSTED THE AFPA
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PANEL SESSION – EME2 and knowledge about the use of EME2 to encourage a greater uptake of this sustainable solution in NSW including: TfNSW specifications, comparison to Queensland materials and field experience with EME2, structure design comparisons and opportunities for EME2. This panel consisted of Sean Dorahy (Transport for NSW) Pavement Manager (Asphalt Technology), Paul Morassut (Fulton Hogan) Technical and Innovation Manager, Dr Erik Denneman (Puma Bitumen) Global Technical Manager and Trevor Distin, (Colas) Technical & Marketing Manager. Almost 110 people attended the event, demonstrating a strong support for this technology. This event was sponsored by Puma Bitumen, SAMI and Fulton Hogan. For more information, visit: www.afpa.asn.au A panel shared their experience and knowledge about the use of EME2 .
INDUSTRY EXPERTS PANEL SESSION – EME2 ON 6 MAY 2022. T he event was designed to increase the awareness and share the knowledge about EME2 technology with pavement industry experts to support its use as a more cost-effective technology to using dense graded asphalt.
EME2 (Enrobe a Module Eleve class 2) was originally developed in France and is widely used across the world. It is a high modulus asphalt base with high stiffness and increased durability. AfPA has developed a model specification following the French standards for EME2 and a work tip in collaboration with Austroads which provides advice on the production and paving of EME2. The model specification intended as a guide for asset owners, has been used by State Road Authorities to create technical specification for the supply of EME2 asphalt mixes. EME2 mix is performance based and has no requirements for grading or binderEME2content.provides a host of sustainable benefits, such as reduced material use, a longer life than conventional asphalt and reduced construction and paving time. Since 2017, approximately 1.5 million tonnes of EME2 have been used in Queensland alone. The AfPA event featured an interactive discussion with leading experts in EME2 technology from across industry around materials and construction best practices, pavement design and case studies, Transport for NSW specifications and a Q&A session for attendees. A panel, moderated by AfPA Executive Director Technology and Leadership Anna D’Angelo, shared their experience
AFPA INDUSTRY EXPERTS
WHAT IS THE BEST THING ABOUT YOUR CURRENT ROLE? The best thing, from my point of view, is being able to work hard for our clients in order to support their projects and businesses and get some great outcomes for both them and the candidates that we place. WHAT IS YOUR BIGGEST ACHIEVEMENT IN THE INDUSTRY? My biggest achievement and what I most enjoy and am proud of is being able to AIDAN MURPHY, MANAGING DIRECTOR OF UNITE RESOURCING, SHARES SOME INSIGHTS FROM HIS EXPERIENCE IN THE PAVEMENT INDUSTRY WITH INFRASTRUCTURE.
WHAT IS A RECENT CHANGE YOU HAVE SEEN IN THE INDUSTRY AND HOW ARE YOU/THE COMPANY PREPARED FOR THAT?
WHAT ARE YOUR GOALS FOR THE FUTURE? To continue to grow as a company in order to support a growing industry. Our aim is to stay true to our core belief of providing quality and consistency across all our business sectors. “IT HAS BEEN INTERESTING FOLLOWING THE PROGRESSION OF USAGE OF MORE RECYCLED AND RENEWABLE MATERIALS AND ALTERNATE METHODS OF PRODUCTION AS WELL AS ADOPTING MORE SUSTAINABLE PRACTICES.” Aidan Murphy
WHAT IS YOUR CURRENT ROLE AND WHAT DOES IT INVOLVE? I am the Managing Director of Unite Resourcing, and it involves assisting clients, many of whom are AFPA members with practical and consistent solutions to finding and retaining staff in what are very challenging times for businesses in Australia.
HOW HAS BEING A MEMBER OF AFPA BENEFITTED YOU IN THE INDUSTRY? Being able to network with likeminded businesses and expand our client base via referrals from customers who will attest to our service.
A f PA MEMBER PROFILE
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HOW LONG HAVE YOU/YOUR COMPANY BEEN AN AFPA MEMBER AND WHY DID YOU DECIDE TO BECOME ONE? Unite Resourcing have been a member for the past year and a half. We decided to apply for membership as we have a large number of clients in the industry and thought it was both essential and beneficial to become a member in order to stay up to date with latest news, but also to demonstrate our commitment to the industry and supporting AFPA.
HOW DID YOU START YOUR CAREER IN THE ROAD CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY? When I arrived from Ireland in 2010, I immediately started working in a role that involved helping road construction and surfacing companies with their labour and staffing requirements.
The last few years have been hard on the industry – with many restrictions from Covid having a snowball effect on the economy and labour force availability. We’ve had to adapt some of our strategies to cope with this and one of major implementations have been securing a Labour Hire Agreement with the Australian Government allowing us to source and employ skilled professionals from overseas on behalf of our clients. Also, having a focus on entry level positions where we can place people into positions that provide training and career developments is very important to us at Unite Resourcing. WHAT DO YOU THINK IS MOST INTERESTING ABOUT THE ROAD CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY? Historically the road construction industry has been one of the highest producers of greenhouse gas and it has been interesting following the progression of usage of more recycled and renewable materials and alternate methods of production as well as adopting more sustainable practices.
match quality candidates with quality clients. We have successfully placed hundreds of people in permanent and temporary roles. Knowing that we are able to do this consistently is very rewarding.
According to Bachmann, being plugged in to industry networks - enabled by, for example
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LEADING THE WAY AS A MASTER PRECASTER Based at Rutherford in the Hunter Region, Waeger Constructions specialises in manufacturing precast and civil construction. As a National Precast Master Precaster, the company has been audited to the highest standards in quality, safety and environmental compliance. According to National Precast CEO Sarah Bachmann, Master Precasters have passed the Association’s minimum requirements, not just in the QSE space, but also ensuring they are active industry players with good Corporate Social Responsibility, and importantly, with the appropriate expertise and facilities that are needed to manufacture for clients like government authorities. “Selecting a precaster should not all be about price,” says Bachmann. “Using a Master Precaster mitigates risk, ensuring that the risks of unsatisfactory quality, delays, safety breaches and the like, are minimised.”
Master Precasters like Waeger Precast are demonstrably setting the bar and are known for high profile and very often, awardwinning projects. In Waeger’s case, its most notable project is the Newcastle Memorial Walk. The Walk is an impressive, elevated walkway that connects Strzelecki Lookout to Sheppard’s Hill Reservoir at Bar Beach, NSW, which recognises the 11,000 local men and women who contributed to the World War 1 war effort and commemorates 100 years of steel making in Newcastle, established to provide steel rail to the war effort. For that project Waeger manufactured and constructed seven “Y” shaped sandblasted precast pylons that are up to 8.8m high and 3.4m wide, which hold the bridge span above the cliffs.
MASTER PRECASTER WAEGER CONSTRUCTIONS DISCUSSES THE BENEFITS WHICH PRECAST ELEMENTS PROVIDED FOR THE WATERFALL STATION UPGRADE.
COST SAVINGS, SPEED AND DURABILITY ALL KEY According to Michael Waeger, Managing Director of National Precast Master Precaster Waeger Constructions, precast had been specified for the project, to deliver cost savings and importantly, cut the works programme to minimise commuter disruption. Precast’s customisation, long life and durability were also high on the client’s“Mostagenda.oftheworks were undertaken during rail track possessions, so time was of the essence. Precast offered the fast and efficient construction method that was needed to suit the limited time frames on site. The extensively detailed planning and prefabrication were key for the project’s success,” he says. Waeger’s company has been involved in the project from the outset, supplying columns, headstocks and stairs for the pedestrian overbridge and also fabricating culverts, L-walls and slabs for the upcoming platform upgrade. In total, when complete, approximately 240 precast items will have been installed.
Works progressing on the Waterfall Station Upgrade in New South Wales.
F orty kilometres south of the Sydney CBD, the Sutherland Shire’s Waterfall railway station is where the South Coast line joins the Illawarra line, entering the Sydney rail network. It is undergoing an upgrade and precast concrete is key to theTheproject.Waterfall works are part of the NSW Government’s More Trains, More Services Program, a $600 million package to modernise infrastructure on the rail network and cater for new and more frequent suburban and intercity trains. Waterfall is the only station on the line which comprises an island platform instead of two side platforms. It has sidings on both sides of the main line just north of the station, for stabling trains and a loop track for passing trains on either side of the platforms. With new, longer and faster trains on the way and planned efficiency improvements in sight, widening the rail corridor for a new rail loop, extensions to platforms and a new stabling yard were required.
WALKING THE WALK
FASTER TRAINS CALL FOR FAST SOLUTIONS
INNOVATING CHANGE
membership of National Precast – means that member precasters become aware early on of new or innovative products and technologies that are available from suppliers who are also involved. “Our national conferences are often where members hear about new products, which transfers across to client benefits. Everyone wins in instances like these. Local communities are supported, sites become safer, construction is hastened, and structures have unsurpassed durability” Bachmann says. In this case, Waeger is leading innovation by engaging with Industry Supplier member Peikko to deliver efficiency improvements.
PRECAST FROM A MASTER PRECASTER MEANS WINS ALL ROUND
By using precast elements, Waeger Constructions has satisfied the durability and time frame constraints required by Transport for New South Wales.
Waeger says that in the Waterfall Station project, Peikko column shoes have been integrated into the precast columns. Column shoes are commonly used in Europe, with their use also on the rise here in Australia. They provide a fast and safe connection between precast columns and foundations, or between two precast columns. The shoes are cast into the column and unlike alternative connections, columns require no temporary bracing duringWithoutinstallation.connections of this type, the required fast and efficient construction required on the project could not be achieved. In this project a total of 108 connections were used and all installed to the required tolerances to allow seamless installation on site.
The works form part of a $600 million package from the New South Wales Governemnt.
“BEING MANUFACTURED OFFSITE BY A MASTER PRECASTER GENERALLY MEANS RELIABLE AND ON-TIME DELIVERY OF HIGH-QUALITY, WELL-DESIGNED PRODUCTS.”
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According to Bachmann, precast elements are frequently used for rail and other infrastructure projects as they have been long recognised as offering a myriad of benefits for the client, contractor and end user. “Being manufactured offsite by a master precaster generally means reliable and on-
time delivery of high-quality, well-designed products” Bachmann says. “In Waterfall Station’s case, the use of Master Precaster Waeger has not only done this, but it’s innovated as well. It’s a win-win for both the client and commuters.”
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CONEXPO: WORTH EVERY KILOMETRE
CONEXPO-CON/AGG is, at the end of the day, a place to make connections: connections between people, connections between industries, connections between ideas. For someone who has never been, it can be an overwhelming experience. When we say there are more than 250,000 square metres, or 25 hectares, of exhibits, that is a big number. But that number doesn’t tell a new attendee enough about what it takes to see the whole show. It runs five days for a Registrationreason. opens August 2. Not only is that the best time to get registered since prices will be lowest, but it is also the best time to buy some new, really comfortable shoes, so they’ll have time to get broken in before you get there. To view tips for new attendees, visit CONEXPOCONAGG.com.
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brought in the International Fluid Power Exposition (IFPE) to co-locate starting with the 2002 show and made the event what it is today. The reason CONEXPO-CON/AGG is different from any other construction industry show in the U.S. is because it’s the only show put on by the industry for the industry. On CONEXPO-CON/AGG’s management committee alone, more than twenty exhibitors are represented, guiding the operation and vision of theUltimately,show. it comes down to the ability to bring every facet of the construction and aggregates industries together. That way, nothing gets left out, and people are able to create their own ideas. For example, a transportation contractor can see a new machine that normally would only be shown at a mining show, and realise it could work for them, too.
“CONEXPO-CON/AGG IS, AT THE END OF THE DAY, A PLACE TO MAKE CONNECTIONS: CONNECTIONS BETWEEN PEOPLE, CONNECTIONS BETWEEN INDUSTRIES, CONNECTIONS BETWEEN IDEAS.”
CONEXPO is the largest construction trade show in the Western Hemisphere.
providing full engineering and design for the track duplication and grade separation infrastructure, including designing the new station buildings and precincts at Marshall and South Geelong and providing integrated landscape architecture and urban design. Downer said the project would generate revenue of approximately $270 million. Major construction will commence later this year, with a target completion date of late-2024.
The Federal and New South Wales governments have announced that the Ferrovial Gamuda Joint Venture will design and construct the new $2.2 billion Coffs Harbour Bypass. The project will upgrade around 14 kilometres of the Pacific Highway at Coffs Harbour, starting from south of the Englands Road roundabout and finishing at the southern end of the Sapphire to Woolgoolga project. The upgrade will deliver four lanes of divided motorway bypassing the Coffs Harbour CBD. Three tunnels will also be built at Roberts Hill, Shephards Lane and Gatelys Road. The Coffs Harbour bypass will divert 12,000 vehicles away from the CBD, saving motorists around 12 minutes off their trip. Around 600 direct jobs will be on offer during construction, which is set to being early next year. The $2.2 billion Coffs Harbour Bypass project is jointly funded by the Federal and NSW governments on an 80:20 basis. The bypass is expected to be open to traffic from late 2026.
PROVIDES AN UPDATE ON SOME OF THE CONTRACTS AND TENDERS RECENTLY AWARDED OR PUT TO MARKET ACROSS THE AUSTRALIAN INFRASTRUCTURE SECTOR of Queensland’s most remote communities. The Archer River Crossing project includes: a new 230 metre long (11 x 21 metre spans), 10.4-metre-wide deck bridge over Archer River, vertical alignment modification to improve resilience to flooding, bitumen surfacing, earthworks and drainage, as well as guardrails, signs, and pavement marking. The new bridge at Archer River will be located around 20 metres downstream of the existing crossing, with abutments and piers supported by three 1200-millimetre diameter columns. Works on the Archer River Crossing project are expected to be completed by 2024.
NORTHERN TERRITORY $73 million to seal 150 kilometres of the Tanami Road A $73 million tender has been awarded to seal 150 kilometres of the Tanami Road in Central Australia, from chainage 271.81 kilometres to 421 kilometres. The contract, jointly funded by the Federal and Northern Territory governments, has been awarded to Northern Territory business Exact Contracting for the construction of the first stage of the works, as well as planning for the second stage. A vital interregional link connecting Alice Springs to Western Australia, the Tanami Road is a key freight route for the mining and pastoral industries. It also services several Indigenous communities and is an important access road for tourists. Works on the first 60-kilometre section are expected to commence in July 2022 and completed by September 2023. Construction on the second stage is projected for October 2023.
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McConnell Dowell has been selected by the Queensland’s Department of Transport and Main Roads to deliver the Archer River Crossing project. The project is part of the $237.5 million Cape York Region Package stage two project, which aims to improve the safety and reliability of the road connection providing access to some
INCONTRACTSBRIEF
WESTERN AUSTRALIA
The Victorian Government has finalised new 10-year contracts worth $2.3 billion for Victoria’s entire regional bus network. 177 bus contracts with 58 operators come into effect from 1 July across the state. Under the modernised contracts, four major bus companies operating in Geelong, Ballarat, Bendigo, and the Latrobe Valley will for the first time be subject to new performance measures and service standards consistent with bus services in Metropolitan Melbourne. Seven hybrid buses and 56 new low-floor, step-free diesel buses will be introduced across 74 smaller regional routes by the end of next year, replacing more than half the fleet on these services with new buses. The new diesel buses will also have the latest European emissions technology that either meets or exceeds Australian emissions standards. Provision has also been made in the contracts for the introduction of zero emissions buses as part of Victoria’s Bus Plan, which will see all new public buses be zero emissions from 2025. The contracts were awarded following a three-stage evaluation process by the Department of Transport over the past year.
Albany Ring Road contract awarded to Decmil Main Roads Western Australia has awarded a contract to deliver the second stage of the Albany Ring Road Project to Decmil. The Albany Ring Road is a proposed heavy haulage route around the City of Albany that will allow large freight trucks to bypass local traffic to and from the Port of Albany. The Albany Ring Road will link the existing major arterial main roads and highways radiating from Albany and provide improved access to the Mirambeena Industrial Estate. The $98 million contract will see Decmil construct a 11.5-kilometre freight route which will extend south from the Menang Drive and Albany Highway intersection, running parallel to Link Road and connecting to Princess Royal Drive. The first stage of the project, which is nearing completion, will connect Albany Highway to Lancaster Road. The project will improve freight productivity and access to freight gateways, improve connectivity between major freight infrastructure including airports and commercial and industrial areas and improve road safety.
Djilang Alliance awarded VIC rail contract
NEW SOUTH WALES
Ferrovial Gamuda JV wins contract for $2.2 billion Coffs Harbour Bypass
ROADS & INFRASTRUCTURE
The Djilang Alliance (a joint venture between Downer, McConnell Dowell, Arup and WSP) has been awarded a contract by Rail Projects Victoria to deliver the South Geelong to Waurn Ponds Duplication project. Under the contract, Djilang Alliance will duplicate approximately eight kilometres of track, build elevated rail bridges to replace level crossings at Fyans Street and the Surf Coast Highway, and undertake signalling upgrades. The project also includes new station buildings at Marshall and South Geelong with landscaped forecourts, second platforms and accessible pedestrian overpasses. When the work concludes, five trains will run every hour at peak times and the new elevated rail bridges will improve travel times and safety, and ease congestion for motorists. Arup and WSP are jointly
NewVICTORIA$2.3billion deal for VIC bus network
McConnellQUEENSLANDDowell awarded Archer River Crossing contract
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