Sripath Technologies has been a key ambassador and innovator of sustainable alternatives in the paving industry. The company continues to push the envelope in this space. Roads & Infrastructure Magazine finds out how.
Sripath Technologies’ unique approach emphasises that sustainable industry practices are the solution, not the exception. And for years, the company has backed up this belief, through its constant research and development into readily available innovative and sustainable products and solutions.
This is not only limited to the use of the final product, but also the use of environmentally friendly methods during production. This comprises – but is not limited to – the inclusion of sustainable components, methods of transporting the product and final distribution.
Kate Brough, Director of Digital Marketing, Sripath Technologies, says the company endeavours to play a leading role in showcasing the potential of sustainable products.
“[We’re] committed to adopting and promoting sustainable and environmentally friendly practices throughout the entire value chain,” she says.
One example of the company’s innovation is NuMIXER, an environmentally sustainable blend of bio-based oils. It has been tested, proven, and trusted as a bitumen softener around the globe, specifically designed to improve low-temperature performance and flexibility of bitumen.
It enhances polymer and crumb rubber compatibility and dispersion, as well as reduces and manages viscosity, leading to better performance and durability.
Another is Sripath Technologies’ ReLIXER. This product is designed to rapidly penetrate the Reclaimed Asphalt Pavement or Shingle (RAP/RAS) particles, soften the aged bitumen, and restore its functional properties.
Ravi Rajagopalan, General Manager, Sripath Asia-Pac, says both products were developed to deliver roadways with outstanding performance and durability and promote sustainability, while providing a cost-effective solution.
“They’re both bio-oil based, but they operate in slightly different ways. The function of ReLIXER is to very rapidly penetrate into the RAP particles and help restore the functional properties of the aged bitumen,” Rajagopalan says.
“NuMIXER by contrast has a slightly different additive package. It helps soften the bitumen, improving low temperature properties, fatigue resistance and the crack resistance of the bitumen.”
Similarly, the company’s PGXpand, a bitumen-friendly polymeric additive, boosts the high temperature paving grade of the binder, improves the rutting resistance, helps to maintain low temperature performance, improves viscosity, and increases the softening point with a better adhesion and tack.
Rajagopalan says the product helps to deliver roadways and roofs with excellent performance and good durability.
“It improves the workability and compactability of asphalt mixes, helping reduce the energy consumption both during the manufacture of the PMB, and during the use of such PMB-based asphalt mixes,” he says.
Sripath products can help contractors reduce their carbon footprint, lower greenhouse gas emissions and reduce their energy consumption.
But how does a company like Sripath Technologies evaluate how it can further minimise the environmental impact of its global operations?
Related stories:
- Put to the test: Sripath’s PGXpand
- Sripath’s renowned ReLIXER rejuvenator
- Making asphalt better with Sripath
An important process
The company sought to develop Environmental Product Declarations (EPD) for its three key products: ReLIXER, PGPXand, and NuMIXER. These ‘EPDs’ are independently verified documents, aiming to transparently and accurately present relevant environmental related information.
This can include assessments on the use of resources and energy, along with different types of emissions. Each EPD aims to explore the life cycle of any given product.
As Krishna Srinivasan, President of Sripath Technologies explains, the EPD journey helped the company to reflect on its manufacturing methods.
“We started this process a couple of years ago, because we genuinely wanted to understand ‘what is our imprint in terms of the environment?’ It was essentially to understand more about the way we operate,” he says.
“It made us more aware of the various factors around our production, prompting us to dive into the nuts and bolts of the manufacturing process.”
Sripath’s EPDs were developed using the Life Cycle Assessment methodology, adopting the cradle-to-gate scope. The scope effectively measures a product’s footprint from production, until it leaves the company’s facilities. Therefore, excluding aspects such as the products use by the end customer, as well as the products end-of-life (as per Ecochain).
The EPDs were authored by an independent consultant Solid Forest SL of Madrid, who are based in Spain. Each EPD was certified and registered by the Environmental Footprint Institute, an independent non-profit foundation, also based in Spain.
Srinivasan says the process required to achieve the EPD certification helped to validate the work currently being done by the company, while also highlighting potential areas of growth for the company.
“We did a similar process for PGXpand; we went down to the products roots, asking ‘what do these molecules really look like? How is it made? Who makes each ingredient?’ It was a really thorough comprehensive process to better understand our products,” he says.
Sripath Technologies had recently released EPDs for the following products: ReLIXER, PGPXand, and NuMIXER.
Deepak Madan, Chief Marketing and Business and Development Officer for the company, adds that the “invaluable” learnings gained by Sripath Technologies throughout the EPD process will help guide the company’s future developments and research. He reiterates that the EPD’s are just one of many achievements that the company has made in the sustainability space.
“The EPDs provide a systematic way of looking at things. It’s not anything new or different, but it’s important in terms of improving our awareness of the impact our processes have on the environment,” he says.
“We were already doing a lot of this previously, it’s just helped us to better formulate our operations.”
Madan says Sripath will continue to provide sustainable alternatives compatible with a range of bitumen grades from around the globe.
“Our philosophy as a company in the infrastructure industry has always been to look at the issues that are facing the sector, and then try to find solutions for these challenges,” he says.
“We have always been focused on sustainability and have been introducing products that help reduce the carbon foot-print, both during production and when used to improve performance and durability of roadways.”
Allan Khankari, who recently joined the Sripath team as a Marketing Specialist, is passionate about the environment.
“At Sripath, sustainability is part of our DNA, it is an integral part of our strategy and is incorporated into all aspects of our business plan”, he says.
Rajagopalan adds, “The road and infrastructure industry in Australia and New Zealand are committed to adopting sustainable practices and technologies. Sripath products help our customers achieve their own sustainability goals.”
This article was originally published in the November edition of our magazine. To read the magazine, click here.