Skip to main content

Cold comfort for Macismo and BituFIX in Mongolia

Macismo International reports that its newest cold asphalt licensee was used extensively in Mongolia last winter, proving its efficiency even at -20C.
November 29, 2019 Read time: 2 mins
BituFIX cold asphalt excels in -20C

Macismo International reports that its newest cold asphalt licensee was used extensively in Mongolia last winter, proving its efficiency even at -20C.

The Mongolian division of Bitumina – a global Dubai-based manufacturer of hi-end pavement binders – has a three-year contract to repair 280km of state-owned mining roads in Mongolia. The first stage of the project started last February during extremely adverse weather conditions.

Despite inclement weather, the performance of Bitumina’s BituFIX cold asphalt mix, was not affected.

“In Mongolia it’s still minus degree at night, but we made the first product of this year successfully and it’s performing pretty well.” said Ganshagai Battulga, chief executive of Bitumina Mongolia. “We started the project on February 13 and the condition was terrible when we first got there. It’s windy and snowing at -20C degrees but BituFIX did not fail us.”

Macisimo said that BituFIX’s performance during the winter attracted much attention at the three-day Mongolian Road Expo 2019 held in the capital Ulaanbaatar in October. During the Expo, Bitumina sealed deals on several substantial orders, said Battulga. “Our product-BituFIX became the hottest product during the Expo. It’s going famous among the people who work in this sector” says Battulga.

Macismo said it remains in discussion with Bitumina about Macisimo products to be used in the manufacture of bitumen emulsion.

Expo Mongolia usually highlights innovation and progress in the mining sector, mainly presenting mining technologies, equipment and devices. But this year it expanded its remit to cover water management issues regarding climate change, a major focus for many transportation authorities throughout the world.

Bituminia signed a five-year licence to sell their Bitufix cold asphalt mix. Only about 20% of the 50,000km of roads in Mongolia are asphalt paved roads. The remainder are dirt or gravel. In 2019, it the goal has been to have paved over 2,000km of roads completed to connect all province centres to Ulaanbaatar.

For more information on companies in this article

Related Content

  • Bitumen technology suppliers seek new ways to save money and work more efficiently
    April 24, 2013
    When World Highways decided to ask some of the industry’s leading suppliers what the future holds for bitumen, we found out - not surprisingly in the current economic climate - that it’s all about saving money. Kristina Smith reports. How quickly the tide turns. Just two years ago, saving carbon and the planet was moving up many countries’ political agendas. Now politicians in Europe and beyond have been forced to park commitments in the face of economic austerity. “The big issue with local government is th
  • Resilient roads: sector cooperation is the key
    March 11, 2021
    Now is the time for national road agencies and the private sector to cooperate on building more climate resilient roads, urges Dr Erik Denneman*.
  • Bitumen technology: from potholes to PMB plants
    November 21, 2014
    This month we look at how warm mix is helping to pave dirt roads, a new way to tackle potholes, and bring news of a new distribution centre for the UK - Kristina Smith reports The creation of a new mix design, incorporating MWV’s warm mix additive Evotherm, is providing cost-effective solutions for dirt roads in the US’s Charleston County. The first stretch to be paved with the new porous paving in April this year, Joseph White Road in the town of Adams Run, resulted in the estimated US$1.1 million construc
  • Warm asphalt is a hot topic
    June 12, 2012
    Lower temperature mixes – a key advance in bitumen technology - Kristina Smith reports Warm and cold mix asphalts were not on the original agenda for this year’s Eurasphalt & Eurobitume Congress, being held in Istanbul in June. But when the organisers took a look through the papers submitted for their sustainability-themed event, they realised that this is one of the industry’s hottest topics. “We hadn’t quite anticipated the high level of research in this area,” says E&E’s technical programme committee c