Content supplied by Wirtgen
Kutter offers all services related to road and building construction. The company has its own asphalt plants, provides milling services for demolition, and processes and recycles the resulting materials.
For years, the company has pursued a strategy of treating reclaimed asphalt as a high-quality, fully reusable raw material. The combination of precise separation of the removed road surface, processing, and reuse makes it possible to close the material cycle almost completely.
Simone Eichiner, in charge of asphalt mixing plants at Kutter, emphasises that recycling is also a significant economic factor in this context: “Asphalt can be completely recycled. We consistently take advantage of this opportunity. This allows us to reduce costs and also makes us independent of external suppliers.”
Support from a single source
Wirtgen Group comprising Wirtgen, Vögele, Hamm, Kleemann and Benninghoven, offers Kutter the complete machinery and plant portfolio from a single source. Kutter has come to particularly appreciate the application consulting services provided across the individual brands.
“This interaction optimises the overall process. Consulting involves thinking outside the box. The focus is on the application and not the individual products. This has proven to be an enormous advantage,” says Simone Eichiner. “The technical support, fast spare part deliveries, training for digital tools – everything fits together very well.”
From dismantling to the new product
The new Kleemann plant train, comprising scalping screen MOBISCREEN MSS 502 EVO, impact crusher MOBIREX MR 100 NEO and stacker MOBIBELT MBT 20, now permits the production of homogeneous fractions – this produces aggregates that meet the standard requirements for reuse in bituminous mixtures. The plant train joins the cycle: The interaction during asphalt recycling starts with the selective milling. If the job allows time for it, the top layer, binder courses and base layers are removed separately with Wirtgen milling cutters, which increases the quality of the recycling material. After screening and crushing with the Kleemann plant train, the material is fed into the bituminous mixing plants. Here, the prepared material becomes part of the new bituminous mixture. Machines from Vögele and Hamm close the circle with installation and compaction. This results in a coherent, efficient cycle from extraction and processing to reuse.
The new force in the team: The Kleemann plant train
Kutter operates the new Kleemann plant train in Allgäu, near Memmingen. First, the removed asphalt is loaded onto the scalping screen. Large blocks (> 500 mm) of milled material that have formed during storage are broken up slightly beforehand. The overall process is as follows:
- The scalping screen is loaded with the milled material 0-120 mm (individual blocks of milled material with a length of up to 500 mm.
- The MSS 502 EVO delivers a final product that can be recycled immediately and which contains the highest share of bitumen.
- The second product of the MSS 502 EVO is ‘channelled’ via the middle grain conveyor and the stacker MBT 20 past the MR 100 NEO and mixed with the final product of the MR 100 NEO.
- The third product of the MSS 502 EVO, the oversize grain, is transferred to the MR 100 NEO, which then produces a further final product.
- A further stacker MBT 24 guarantees a higher material stockpile.
This results in homogeneous final products, which are fed into the bituminous mixing plant at maximum feed rate.
Simone Eichiner is very satisfied with the output: “The crusher and screening plant produce material with a reduced content of fines and which meets the requirements of the desired grading curve better. This is important for standard-compliant asphalt mixtures. In addition, low fuel consumption combined with increased hourly output reduces operating costs.” For large companies such as Kutter with different work sites, it is also advantageous that the mobile Kleemann plants can be quickly relocated and adapted to different construction site conditions.
Impressive performance in recycling
The Kleemann plant train processes up to 240 tons an hour. After crushing, the material is separated into two defined final grain sizes: 0–11 mm for top layers and binder courses and 0–22 mm for base layers or binder courses. Both fractions are fed into the bitumen mixing plant and used in the new mix there.
Thomas Guggenmoser, machine operator, is delighted with the ease of use and quick crusher opening thanks to Lock & Turn Quick Access: “The system enables quick and safe opening of the crusher for maintenance and inspection, which really proves its worth in daily use. We have little downtime and save time and nerves. Overall, access to central maintenance points is really very good.”
SPECTIVE CONNECT also proves itself on site. The digital application delivers real-time information on consumption, plant performance, utilisation and possible malfunctions. Precise fault localisation allows interruptions in ongoing operations to be rectified much more quickly. Thomas Guggenmoser sees this as a clear advantage: “The excavator or wheel loader operator can view the plant status at any time, which makes everything more efficient and avoids unnecessary trips and interruptions.”
Committed to recycling in the long term
Material recycling is a central factor for Kutter. On-site processing means fewer transport journeys are needed, which reduces fuel and vehicle costs as well as CO₂ emissions. The use of recycled asphalt significantly reduces the amount of new material required, which leads to lower bitumen costs. Simone Eichiner takes a look into the future: “Recycling will continue to grow in importance, as legal requirements promote the use of recycled materials and economic advantages arise at the same time.”
Benefit from seeing the big picture
Co-operation with Wirtgen Group has proven successful for Kutter: “It’s not just about the performance of individual machines. The key is to look at the big picture, from collecting the RC material to the finished asphalt,” says Simone Eichiner. Kutter has succeeded in doing this today: from optimising material separation and co-ordinating the crushing and screening process to producing the new asphalt and laying it.
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