Pioneer North Queensland’s operation is focused on innovation and reliability, which is why the company’s asphalt division has entrusted Astec machinery to deliver high-quality results.
Pioneer North Queensland (PNQ) has established long-term relationships throughout Far North Queensland’s construction sector.
As a producer of concrete, aggregate, asphalt and sand products, PNQ’s material range has been tailored and tested for Australian conditions.
As Sunny Ng, PNQ Operations Manager Production says, the Cairns-based material producer has now established itself as one of the leading building and construction material suppliers in the region.
“We’ve been in operation for more than 28 years, servicing a region which is the same size as Victoria,” Ng says. “We supply materials right up into the Cape and islands in the Torres Strait, so we cover the majority of the Cape York Peninsula region with our surfacing products.”
According to Rod Sheppard, PNQ Business Development Manager Asphalt and Bitumen, the company’s asphalt and bitumen division makes up around 30 per cent of the business’ production.
As such, he says reliability – to minimise downtime and maximise output – is the key criteria that his team demands from every new machine. Last year, his team conducted a vetting process in the hope of replacing an out-dated asphalt paver.
With the company’s asphalt fleet already consisting of four Astec machines, Sheppard says he was well aware of the distributor’s high-quality offerings.
“Our professional relationship with Astec can be traced back to the mid 1990s,” Sheppard says. “At the time, we cast our net pretty wide to find an alternate paver that would meet our needs for works on the Edmonton and Gordonvale Project, as part of Stage Three of the Cairns Southern Access Corridor.
“We needed a paver which would satisfy our requirements to deliver that project. So, we were generally looking for a 10-foot paver, which would give us the reliability and the throughput that we were after.”
As a result, PNQ added a new Astec RP190ex paver to their equipment line up.
Highway paving technology
The RP190ex is a wheeled highway-class asphalt paver, featuring a heavy-duty frame and solid one-piece front axle for durability. It also uses a low noise, hydraulically driven cooling fan system, which is complemented by a two-fan “Clearview” fume extraction system.
This ensures operators can avoid the fumes and heat emitted by the asphalt mix. In addition, the seats and controls on the RP190ex hydraulically swing out beyond the sides of the machine for increased line of sight down the sides and back to the augers.
This feature gives the operator virtually unlimited choice of position at the flick of a switch, while always maintaining exceptional visibility when controlling the machine.
Garry van den Beld, Astec National Account Manager – Mobile Asphalt, says the 21-tonne paver and screed combination is suited for larger infrastructure works, due to its “tough” design.
“The RP190ex has an extremely strong and robust steel frame, completely fabricated and welded in-house by Astec. This gives us total control over the design and quality of the build. We also use durable hydraulics from leading industry brands because we understand how important reliability is when working on projects in remote areas,” he says.
As van den Beld adds, the RP190ex also features Astec’s “signature” Cummins engine range.
“The Cummins engine is a six-cylinder design, instead of the traditional four cylinders. This provides higher torque, while also being very fuel efficient,” he says. “We run Cummins engines throughout all our products.”
Sheppard says his team at PNQ have been impressed with the performance of the Cummins engine during works on the Edmonton and Gordonvale Project.
“Due to its power, we use the RP190ex for 90 per cent of our larger runs,” he says. “The client has also commented on the ride finish that our guys have been producing with the RP190ex paver. It’s supporting our goal of providing a quality outcome.”
The RP190ex’s front hopper has a 13.8 tonne capacity which is designed to help prevent spillages and cold spots, thus reducing the risk of material segregation, and therefore improving the overall flow of material to the screed.
The RP190ex can also support a range of screed options, however the crew’s ‘best in class’ screed choice is the Astec/Carlson EZIV-10 which is widely used throughout Australia.
Astec’s support
One big factor which has impressed Ng is Astec’s constant support. He says the initial integration for his team with the paver was seamless thanks to Astec’s trainee program.
The usual three-day program is provided free of charge with any new machine purchase and has been developed to inform operators of all experience levels. Included in the training are the daily and routine maintenance requirements to keep the machine in a factory condition to maximise the paver’s uptime.
“We provide this service regardless of the experience,” Garry van den Beld, Astec National Account Manager says.
“If they require more training, we’ll provide that as well. We don’t want to give someone a machine that they’re unfamiliar with. We want them to optimise their experience with the machine, while also reducing the chances of accidents.”
PNQ have also been supported by Astec’s spare parts service, which Ng says is essential for a company that utilises its own in-house mechanics.
“Astec have parts which are readily available in Australia. They have the ability to ship parts overnight, which is really impressive,” he says.
“They provide the technical knowledge and are very supportive. We couldn’t recommend them more highly.”
This article was originally published in the September edition of our magazine. To read the magazine, click here.
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