The new training centre at Wirtgen India is equipped with a high-end multimedia system, two generously dimensioned training rooms, each one large enough to carry out training directly on a Wirtgen surface miner or a large V?gele asphalt paver, says P Ramesh, Managing Director and CEO, Wirtgen India. Excerpts from the interview.

Could you brief us on the fuel-efficient technology used in the Dash 3 pavers?
The eco-friendliness of the new Dash 3 generation exceeds the values specified in the exhaust emissions standards by far. The innovative EcoPlus package achieves fuel savings of more than 20 per cent and significantly lowers noise emissions. This results in a tremendous financial advantage due to lower operating costs, a fact confirmed by GrupoSorigu?, the company responsible for the project. All this is achieved by a splitter gearbox with the ability to automatically disengage hydraulic pumps for traction, conveyors and augers as well as compacting systems when the paver is stationary. This is accompanied by an energy-optimised tamper drive, a controlled hydraulic oil temperature circuit for reaching the optimum operating temperature quickly and a variable-speed fan.

Which are the major innovations with regard to fuel and energy efficiency as offered by Wirtgen?
Precise and economically efficient removal of pavement layers in road rehabilitation is one of Wirtgen's core technologies. Our customers benefit from over 40 years of knowhow and expertise. Cold milling machines are capable of removing nearly any type of material in layers and at precisely the specified depth, granulating the material at the same time. The milled material produced by the cold milling operation is a valuable raw material that is used for the production of new asphalt mixes in hot or cold mixing plants. Cold milling machines therefore, play a key role in the economically efficient recycling of road construction materials.

Have you taken any steps to train the operators and technicians?
The new training centre at Wirtgen India is equipped with high-end multimedia system, two generously dimensioned training rooms, each one large enough to carry out training directly on a Wirtgen surface miner or a large V?gele asphalt paver. The training centre is well equipped with audio- visual systems and has a capacity to train 75 persons at any given time. The facility has two training rooms, one of which is big enough to house a surface miner or a big milling machine for training on the machine. A tie-up with the local training institutes will ensure continuous supply of technicians who can be trained as operators. These operators after successful training would be transferred to our customers who would employ them as machine operators.