Skip to main content

Road recycling with Ammann in China

A Chinese road builder is planning to add recycling capabilities to its existing asphalt-mixing plants to meet new environmental guidelines. Another benefit of this approach is that the firm will also be able to substantially reduce its costs CSCEC Road & Bridge is a highly successful business in China and utilises Ammann Uniglobe Asphalt-Mixing Plants for its operations. The firm says that the results have been impressive and during one key road expansion project, one of its Uniglobe plants produced 700
February 27, 2019 Read time: 3 mins
Ammann plants have been upgraded with the addition of RAP circuits for a client in China
A Chinese road builder is planning to add recycling capabilities to its existing asphalt-mixing plants to meet new environmental guidelines. Another benefit of this approach is that the firm will also be able to substantially reduce its costs


CSCEC Road & Bridge is a highly successful business in China and utilises 6791 Ammann Uniglobe Asphalt-Mixing Plants for its operations. The firm says that the results have been impressive and during one key road expansion project, one of its Uniglobe plants produced 7000tonnes in a single day. The plant also managed to deliver an average of 5000tonnes/day for the duration of the project. Both numbers are thought to be all-time production highs for China.

However, production output is not the only key factor for asphalt plants in China. New regulations are requiring an increasing use of ARP in asphalt mixes, so as to improve the environmental profile of construction operations.

“In recent years, as more and more public-private partnerships are coming out, we also are paying more attention to recycling technology,” said Zhou Shixin, chairman of a CSCEC Road & Bridge branch in Shijiazhuang City.

The company has owned four productive Ammann Uniglobe plants for some time but these machines are still well within their effective operating life and have many years of productive use ahead of them before requiring replacement. As a result CSCEC Road & Bridge opted to add recycling capabilities to its existing Ammann plants

Ammann has considerable expertise in upgrading its plants. The upgrade for the four plants has included the addition of an RAH drum that heats the RAP before depositing it in the mixer. When using RAP in a mix it is necessary to have the separate RAH drum because the material has to be gently preheated.. This is because the valuable bitumen in the RAP can be damaged when overheated. After preheating, the RAP is deposited in the mixer, where it is then blended with the hot virgin aggregate. The result is a quality mix with a high percentage of recyclables.

Ammann has a great deal of experience in making the plant upgrades, and was able to complete the work in the off-season, so as not to affect the firm’s production during its busy period.

Adding the RAP capability has proven effective for the customer as this method is considerably less expensive than purchasing a new plant with recycling ability. According to Zhou, this has provided a highly cost-effective solution.

The company appreciates the green approach and the costs savings. “We can mill our own material for public-private partnerships and reduce costs by 20-30%,” Zhou said.

For more information on companies in this article

Related Content

  • Ammann introduces versatile asphalt plant to China
    January 6, 2017
    Ammann is showing its versatile UniBatch asphalt mixing plant at bauma China 2014. The equipment has been developed in response to market demand and a key feature is its high mobility. The firm says that this helps reduce overall emissions as well as operating and transport costs, when compared with conventional systems. The highly sophisticated asphalt mixing plant is able to meet targets for reduced emissions, as well as being a highly versatile and adaptable unit. The firm says that the machine has been
  • Wirtgen KMA 220 passes with flying colours at Cologne/Bonn Airport
    July 25, 2018
    A Wirtgen KMA 220 produces hydraulically bound base using a mix-in-plant process for recycling at Cologne/Bonn Airport. With the mobile KMA 220 mobile cold recycling mixing plant from Wirtgen, road construction materials can be recycled or upgraded in just about any location. This avoids countless transport trips and is also sustainable and environmentally friendly. Finally, it is extremely economical, according to Wirtgen. This became clear from a job at Cologne/Bonn airport at the end of 2017. The plan
  • How bitumen technology solutions are solving paving problems around the world
    March 2, 2017
    This month we hear how additives can bring RAP back from the dead and fight the ravages of salt damage, how pellets reach parts that PMB can’t and how Shell and WeedsWest are expanding their respective businesses - Kristina Smith writes
  • Advanced asphalt plants being developed
    April 7, 2017
    The Fayat Group is developing its asphalt plant range with its Marini-Ermont product offerings - Mike Woof writes The Fayat Group is a major player in the global asphalt plant sector with its Marini and Ermont brands and is further developing both product ranges. The latest machines have been designed to cater to a wide array of customer needs, from large, fixed high-production plants to its compact super portable units, as well as from high sophistication down to more basic technology for developing mar