Unseasonal summer rains have provided the perfect opportunity for Bland Shire Council in the Riverina region of New South Wales to utilise its new Broons Combination Roller.
The region received five times the average January rainfall and road crews are seizing a rare opportunity to maintenance grade their district during the normally hot dry summer months.
“It sure has given us a head start this year; the boys are getting a fair bit done”, said council’s Plant Workshop Manager, Paul Glennon.
Having rented a Broons Combination Roller over previous years, council finally took the plunge and ordered its own machine, taking delivery of the unit during the latter part of 2014 and, as it seems, just in time to make good use of the summer rain.
As the largest cereal crop area in NSW, the shire’s roads have taken a pounding during harvest; however, with adequate moisture now in the pavement, council is benefitting from the compaction capability of its new Broons Combination Roller to repair the damaged roads.
With the machine weighing close to nine tonnes, council has the option to add further ballast, if required, to ensure a perfect compacted surface every time.
“Our well proven Combination Roller provides the owner with the option to customise their machine to suit their own specific requirements. It could be roll drum thickness, solid filled tyres, brakes or even additional ballast,” said Broons’ Director, Stuart Bowes.
“When you buy a Broons machine you have the luxury to order exactly what you want and with the exceptional build quality our clients have come to expect.”
Bland Shire also uses a Kirpy rock crusher bought from Broons to produce road base materials. Once crushed and spread, the Broons Combination Roller is then used on the steel roll drum or smooth tread compactor tyres to finish off the surface.
Changing between modes is done hydraulically “on the run” from the operator’s cabin. Daily maintenance has virtually been eliminated to ensure maximum time is spent rolling and not repairing.
Well built gravel roads can last many years and with the Broons Combination Roller at its disposal, council is positive about staying ahead of its maintenance program.
For more than 30 years, Broons and Bland Shire Council have partnered to find solutions for maintaining council’s gravel roads. Broons’ Product Support staff is always on the road receiving feedback from clients and offering advice on improving equipment utilisation and reducing maintenance downtime.
For further information on the Combination Roller or to download a brochure, go to http://www.broons.com/combination