The infrastructure and construction sector especially road sector has witnessed rapid growth during the past few years primarily government both at state and centre realising the importance of building a strong road network thereby boosting economy. Every year, we have witnessed government focus to lay 20 km/day to 40 km/day and with rising investments in infrastructure in India are boosting the growth of the asphalt mix demand. 

Furthermore, economic growth is driving governments to focus on improving public infrastructure, which is a major end-user segment of the asphalt mixing plants market. Moreover, rising sale of commercial and passenger vehicles is an indirect indicator of the positive outlook for the global asphalt mix demand. This is because more vehicles mean more sustainable roads would be needed, and since road construction is more on flexible pavements where asphalt mix is predominantly main ingredient. All this demand has given boots to petroleum refinery, which is source of raw material for asphalt mix. 

Other major impetus has been given to connectivity of major district roads, resurfacing of roads, strengthening of existing roads and road expansion of various projects from two lanes to four lanes to six lanes and so on. All these projects are driving current demand for asphalt mix.

Demand trend

The growing economy, urbanisation, government spending on public infrastructure, rising sale of commercial and passenger vehicles, improved logistics and raising scale of status of roads – state, highways, super expressways, and village roads are key growth drivers for asphalt mix plants.

Further road renewal, strengthening, extension depending on the traffic density (MAL) induces the type, capacity and processes, which primarily is used, derive the longevity of roads and highways, which is only accomplished by asphalt plants. The size of project with JMF (recipe) helps in zero in the type of asphalt mixing plants – batch mix, continuous and cold mix. It is evident that several key trends are to the fore in the asphalt plant sector offering solutions that meet the demands of projects, as well as customer needs. These asphalt plants can meet varied job demand required for projects may be featured with RAP (hot or cold), foam bitumen, liquid additives, SMA, plastic additions and so on. 

The need for asphalt plant mobility, ease of transport and faster commissioning has also increased demand for compact plants – fit in standard shipping containers and can be trucked to site. These generally come ready fitted with electrics to be installed without much difficulty.

With Government focus on green roads and highways creating a great demand for emission-free asphalt plants suitable for construction, road maintenance, etc.

Latest technology

Ammann AAG, Switzerland with 150 years of its incorporation having core competence in mixing plants has revolutionised the globe with its innovations and offering latest advancement in technology, emissions and processes.

Ammann plants are equipped with latest technology features aimed at offering total flexibility to customers. Just to highlight one key difference in Ammann that puts its plants ahead of most other competitors, the complete control systems in Ammann plants are equipped with microprocessor control, which is 1,000 times faster than PLC control systems offered by most of our competitors. For example, Amamnn’s computerised control burner ensures very fast response thereby enhances fuel economy. Besides, each sub-assembly are designed to outperform offering increased reliability.

Thanks to AS1, a proprietary control system with software from Ammann provides fully automated mix production, plus the flexibility to work in safe manual mode. The system offers a host of other benefits including the use of unlimited recipes, automatic burner control, dynamic in-flight correction abilities and full integration of electrically heated bitumen storage tanks.

Asphalt batch plants have been more prevalent because of the apparent flexibility that they offer in terms of the required variations in the mix and quality of each batch of output, and the regulations in India. However, over the last couple of decades, continuous technology has evolved in asphalt plants, with many countries adopting this technology in view of the inherent benefits with respect to initial and operating costs, and portability.

Ajay Tripathi, Managing Director, Nilang Asphalt Equipments, explains “Asphalt batch-mix plant is the widespread type of asphalt plant in the world, which guarantees the highest level of flexibility in production and quality of the finished product. However, a continuous asphalt drum mix/hot mix plant provides an uninterrupted production cycle as the rhythm of production is not broken into batches. The mixing of the material takes place inside the dryer drum, which is elongated, as it dries and mixes the material at the same time.”

He adds, “Batch mix plant is the most widespread type of asphalt plant in the world, which guarantees the highest level of flexibility in production and quality of the finished product. The batches depend on the type of production: In every 40-50 seconds, a complete batch is produced, after all the individual components have been weighed and metered separately.”

Batch-mix and continuous drum mix are the two major types in the hot-mix asphalt plants. In India, the trend is slowly changing from batch-mix plant to continuous plant. TIL, under strategic alliance with Astec Inc, USA, offers a range of hot mix asphalt plants in India. Astec’s superior understanding of the requirements in this segment enables it to provide its customers with some excellent asphalt plants. Apart from being energy efficient, they can utilise up to 50 per cent recycled asphalt pavement (RAP). Faster set-up, by virtue of their modular design, ensures higher uptime and availability of the plants. These plants can be towed away and installed at ease.

The Astec-TIL range of asphalt plants are equipped with a host of important features that improve efficiency, enhance productivity, help in conserving the environment and also provide a significant advantage on total cost of ownership. TIL offers state-of-the-art six-pack double barrel asphalt plant, available in three variants - 200 tph, 300 tph and 400 tph, which brings with it phenomenal savings, in terms of transportation, dismantling and installation costs, and enhances customer profitability manifold. 

The standard set-up comes with the double barrel drum mixer, cold feed, scalping screen with inclined conveyor, baghouse, surge bin, drag conveyor and control house. The baghouse load also holds the inertial dust collector. One load handles the SEB and drag conveyor. All ships complete with duct-work, dust screws, electrical switchgear, cables, and plant controls. The company also supplies RAP bins, fuel tanks, lime mixers and AC tanks.

Adds Tripathi, “In continuous asphalt drum mix/hot mix plant, there is no interruption in the production cycle as the rhythm of production is not broken into batches. The mixing of the material takes place inside the dryer drum which is elongated, as it dries and mixes the material at the same time. Since there are no mixing towers or elevators, the system is therefore considerably simplified, with a consequent reduction in the cost of maintenance. The absence of the screen however makes it necessary to have precise controls at the beginning of the production cycle, before the aggregates are fed into the dryer and before they are consequently discharged from the dryer as asphalt mix.”

In asphalt batch mix plants, the mixer with double arms and paddles means the mixing quality is undoubtedly better when compared with continuous plants because it is forced mixed. This feature is particularly important when dealing with ‘special products’ (porous asphalt, split mastic, high RAP content, etc.), which require a high level of quality control. In addition, with 'forced mixing' methods, the mixing time can be lengthened or shortened and thereby the mixing quality can be varied, depending on the type of material being produced.

Atlas industries, Benninghoven, Kaushik Engineering Works, Quality Products (India), Linhoff India, Akona Engineering, HP Tiles Machinery, Solmec Earthmovers, 4B Construction Corporation, and Arky Construction and Supply are some of the prominent names in the global asphalt mixing plants market. Benninghoven is innovating its product mix and launching mobile asphalt mixing plants to ensure greater efficiency in terms of operation as well as mobility.

Road ahead

With the Indian government heavily investing in infrastructure development, including roads, highways, and urban transit systems, the demand for asphalt is expected to rise. Major projects like the Bharatmala Pariyojana and Sagarmala project will boost the need for asphalt plants. Overall, the road ahead for asphalt plants in India is shaped by growth in infrastructure projects, technological advancements, regulatory changes, and economic conditions. As the sector evolves, plants that adapt to these trends and embrace innovation will likely thrive.

QUICK BYTES:

• The India bitumen market was valued at $2.8 billion in 2018, and is projected to reach $3.6 billion by 2026, growing at a CAGR of 2.8 per cent from 2019 to 2026.
• Construction of various national highways, expressways, and airport runways boosts the demand for bitumen across the country. Bitumen is processed into asphalt for road construction.