Northwest Road Services has purchased a new Intrame Batch Plant for its Moree operations, as part of a joint venture Between Ian Rich Asphalt and Newpave Asphalt. Both partners are focused on providing a reliable solution to Infrastructure needs throughout New South Wales, providing sustainability solutions rarely available in the region.
Only the best will do. That’s the mantra of Northwest Road Services Asphalt, a company well known for its expertise in asphalt manufacturing, construction, testing and much more.
Servicing some of the most remote and harshest areas of New South Wales, the company relies heavily on machinery and equipment that can stand the test of time, in the toughest of spots.
Mark Gilson, Client Relationship Manager – Newpave Asphalt says the team needed a new asphalt plant for its Moree site, in northern New South Wales, leading to a search across the market.
A replacement was needed, and fast. It’s here that Newpave engaged Intrame, an asphalt plant specialist that’s been developing and delivering solutions across the globe for more than five decades.
With the scope of work requiring an optimum performance plant, Intrame was the first choice, with recycling options not available presently in the region.
“Northwest decided to invest with Intrame to support infrastructure delivery partners and the community, to provide ability to recycle products like crumbed rubber and RAP (Recycled Asphalt Pavement).”
The plant will give to the region a reliable, compliant, and lower carbon emission production plant.
An important aspect of the now strong professional partnership between the two companies was strong communication and transparency throughout the entire design and construction process.
This was particularly important when tailoring the plant to suit Northwest Road Services desires, with each of Intrame’s solutions uniquely crafted based on market and geographical requirements, as well as client requests.
Andrés Delgado, Business Development Manager – Intrame says it was imperative that the manufacturer understood the unique needs and standards of both Northwest Road Services and the Australian market overall.
“Newpave’s Moree plant represents a fully tailor-made design,” he says. “The main learning on this project was understanding distinctive characteristics of the Australian market which differ slightly from regions such as Europe.”
“Every market and location have their own demands. For this project we adjusted the plant configuration based on the valuable insights of Newpave, allowing us to design a solution that perfectly meets their expectations and local requirements.”
Developing and designing the new plant was not easy, but both companies worked hand in hand to find an agreeable solution.
Visits to Intrame’s factory in Spain by the joint venture representatives provided valuable insight into the plant’s development, allowing the team to also provide feedback. The final result being a product that meets exact requirements. “It is the best way to showcase quality and engage in in-depth discussions with our technical department, engineers and end users,” says Delgado.
“These visits allow manufacturers to thoroughly detail the production process, highlighting the quality of materials, design, and construction. They also provide a unique opportunity to understand the client’s specific needs and facilitate productive meetings with electrical and design engineers, ensuring that all critical details are addressed from the very beginning,” he says.
The collaboration with Intrame allowed for a custom-designed plant with features that combine the best technology from both continuous and batch plants.
Delgado says maintaining this open dialogue was crucial for addressing challenges and changes throughout the process.
“It was a collaborative journey built on mutual trust between both parties,” he says. “NewPave’s team demonstrated exceptional professionalism and organisation throughout the project, particularly during the plant’s installation. It was a real credit to Geoff Cox, Gerard Digges, Dave Tonks and Josh Gamble from Newpave.
“We wanted to give them a perfect machine with a lifespan of 30, 40 years or more. Making changes to the designs over a six-month period is a small concession when considering the total time that it’ll be in operation.”
The new asphalt plant also represented a joint venture agreement between Newpave Asphalt and Ian Rich Asphalt, with the partnership allowing the companies to combine resources, expertise, and market access to better serve the Moree region.
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Batch benefits
With services across asphalt, spray sealing, stabilisation and transport, Newpave Asphalt caters for a variety of project needs in the Hunter Valley, including works for the likes of Transport for NSW, as well as a number of local councils.
The company’s brand new Intrame plant is set to open the door to even more works. The new Intrame asphalt plant offers a 140 tonne per hour capacity, while also providing greater flexibility when it comes to production methods.
“The Intrame plant is going to allow us to focus on the northwest region of New South Wales and focus on maintaining quality and compliance with our product,” Gilson says.
The Australian owned aspect isn’t lost on Gilson, who says it’s one of the facets of the business that makes him proud to be a part of the company.
“We display the Australian Made logo proudly,” he says. “It’s something that the Group is very proud of, that we are locally based.”
Growth oriented
Newpave is always eyeing future opportunities, with expansion throughout the state and region now front of mind.
“The first plant was the first time that we’d worked with Andrés and the rest of the Intrame team. The feedback is that they’re a great team and easy to work with,” Gilson says.
“The service, product and backup on offer really made it a no-brainer. These plants are specifically designed and with the many years of experience that our directors have in the industry, they knew what they wanted.”
The transportable nature of the Intrame plants allows Newpave to move the equipment if needed, providing more flexibility in their operations. This, paired with the company’s desire to deliver services to previously difficult to access areas, poses a positive future for the local asphalt industry.
“We’ve got a can-do attitude,” Gilson says. “We’re flexible, no job is too hard, and we’ve got a strong network of sites that ensure that no matter the weather or the project at hand, we’ve got the ability to find a solution.
“It’s a very adaptable team that are more than willing to do what’s required to get the job done.”
Gilson believes this continued expansion reflects the company’s strong presence and foresight within the industry, as well as its strong commitment to remaining a local and family-owned business.
“We’re in an exciting spot and we’ll be leveraging partnerships with companies like Intrame to grow even more.
“Northwest Road Services is committed to servicing infrastructure maintenance requirements throughout Northwestern New South Wales. With the support of Ian Rich Asphalt and Newpave we have the experience and backing to get it done. Northwest Road Services is very grateful and appreciative of the support displayed by Intrame.”
Geoff Cox, Newpave Asphalt Director, says the joint venture with Ian Rich Asphalt was an essential cog in the delivery of the new plant.
“The foresight of Mr Ian Rich to invest originally in Moree was why we got involved,” he says. “Full credit to Ian in supporting the region”.
Gerard Digges, Director – Newpave Asphalt says future expansion presents an exciting time for the company.
“The second Intrame plant will shortly leave Spain with the addition of hot asphalt storage bins,” he says. “We have identified locations in regional New South Wales we believe require support for maintenance requirements.
“Our third Intrame plant will be ready early in the new year. The partnership with Intrame is strengthening and we are proud to be associated with them.”
This article was originally published in the December edition of our magazine. To read the magazine, click here.