5 November 2024:

The second of Fulton Hogan’s four new Marini 2500 batch asphalt plants has been commissioned, a further step in advancing New Zealand’s asphalt capability and the sustainability of its production.

Producing up to 200 tonnes per hour, the new plant in Drury increases capacity for the Auckland region and complements Fulton Hogan’s existing plants in Silverdale and Mount Wellington. A further Marini 2500 plant has been consented for Tauranga (a joint venture between Fulton Hogan and Downer) and another is planned for Wellington (Fulton Hogan).

Environmental gains were a major factor in the Board’s decision to invest in this technology. Although the figures can only be confirmed once production is underway and Fulton Hogan does not rely on projections, the manufacturer – Italy’s Marini – says the performance of other Marini 2500 plants suggest 30 percent less energy will be required per tonne of asphalt produced compared with a traditional plant.

Divisional Manager Industries, Jonathan Garton, says the investment is part of a company-wide drive to ‘engineer out’ and drive down carbon emissions by investing in modern plant and equipment. Advances in asphalt making technology enables REA® (Fulton Hogan’s reduced energy asphalt) to be made at between 95⁰C and 140⁰C, compared with 170⁰C for traditional asphalt production.

Jonathan says the batch process provides greater control over the quality of the final product through more accurate weighing and measuring of inputs. This, in turn, provides more consistent product performance – a key element in sustainability.

National Environmental Manager, Dale Eastham, says the ability to product asphalt at lower temperatures and more accurately is particularly important given the energy that process (industrial) heating requires.

“Process heat consumes around a third of New Zealand’s energy, and asphalt and bitumen activities contribute around 20% of Fulton Hogan’s New Zealand carbon footprint. This makes lower temperature production critically important.”

The new plant’s sustainability credentials include the ability to produce mixes with 40% recycled asphalt.

With 210 tonnes of hot storage and a 12-tonne direct discharge chute for small production runs, the plant also increases opportunities to market to the retail trade, meeting the needs of a wider market and capitalising on the plant’s capacity.