Avoiding prolonged road shutdowns is critical in utility construction, but how can contractors boost their efficiency and ensure that projects are delivered on time?
Time is always of the essence when it comes to road closures. Whether you are shutting down a council road through the middle of town or a major motorway linking two cities, road restrictions from construction are expected to be as minimal as possible.
This expectation can lead asset owners to implement penalties if timing is not met and roads have to stay shut longer than anticipated.
Efficiency on all levels is key to tackling delays, and this is especially true for asphalt works. For one Queensland contractor, All Whiting Profiling, choosing the right equipment is the key to maximising efficiency.
From his time in the industry, All Whiting Profiling’s Owner, Darrel White, is all too familiar with the effects of project delays.
“Ten minutes can be like an hour to asphalt experts, if there is any way for you to make your works quicker and in turn better prepare the job for its next stage, that is worth its weight in gold,” Mr While said.
When searching for a new asphalt planer, Mr White was given a few good recommendations for the SIMEX Planers and decided to view one in action, on site.
“I managed to see the planers working on various sites with a couple of other companies and the practicality of them was really second to none. I knew that if I was going to buy a planer it would be the SIMEX,” Mr White said.
The SIMEX Planers, distributed through supplier Queensland Rock Breakers, are a two in one machine that can perform both milling and stabilising applications for the complete rehabilitation of roads and streets.
With a maximum width of 1200mm and a milling depth of 350mm (depending on model), the SIMEX Planers are well suited to small and medium works and are especially suitable in tight areas and around potholes or kerbs.
“We do asphalt patches up to 200mm and we can do asphalt key-ins with the planer. We can cut up to and against kerbs and in and around traffic islands. A key feature of the machine is that you can adjust the side plates to go up against objects, which is a huge benefit for asphalt contractors,” Mr White said.
Queensland Rock Breakers Sales Area Manager, Craig Einam, said the ability to get closer to manholes and kerbs is one of the big advantages of the planers.
“With the SIMEX Planer you can get a lot closer to these objects and that removes some of the manpower and other equipment like jackhammers that might be required. All the people that use these planers love the fact that the machine can do a lot of the work for them,” Mr Einam said.
The SIMEX Planers are also self-levelling, which helps the operator to ensure consistent milling depth regardless of any surface discrepancies.
Another feature that impressed Mr White is the left and right independent depth control capability, which allows asphalt contractors to create sloped surfaces. When paired with the self-levelling feature and the traverse tilt system, this ensures there are no height differences in the final product even if a project begins with uneven ground.
“We’re also able to get into tighter situations behind traffic islands. Being compact means you are not restricted by a big unit. I was shocked at how smooth and efficient the machine is and the accuracy of the final cut we get,” Mr White said.
SIMEX Planers are also designed with a built-in water tank and pump, which reduce any dust produced during milling operations.
“Profiling has seen large growth in the last few years, with our operating and safety benefits we see the SIMEX planner as being really favourable in the industry,” Mr Einam said.
“Time really does cost money and many of the features on the SIMEX Planer work to make applications more efficient on site, helping to keep projects on time and budget.”
SIMEX Planners are available across the Australia throughout the Simex dealership network, which includes: Walkers Hammers (Vic, SA and Tas), Groundtec (NSW), Queensland Rock Breakers (Qld and NT), and Total Rockbreaking Solutions (WA). For contact details, visit attachmentspecialists.com.au/simex
Featured image: SIMEX
