COVER STORY
TAU PELE CONSTRUCTION has just taken delivery of an innovative cold recycling train from WIRTGEN GROUP. The deployment of this train is a culmination of a collaborative effort between the OEM, Wirtgen South Africa, the contractor (Tau Pele), the client (Trans African Concessions) and the engineer (KBK Engineers).
back down,” Kukard explains. “You then finish it with a thin wearing course. It’s an incredibly effective way of rehabilitating roads while minimising waste.” Wirtgen Group’s strength in this area lies in the breadth of its offering. “We don’t believe in a one-size-fits- all approach,” Kukard says. “We offer in-place recycling as well as plant-based recycling options, depending on the severity of the road condition and the project requirements. That flexibility is one of the reasons Wirtgen is regarded as a global leader in cold recycling technology.” A first for Africa: the W380 CR recy- cling train The recent introduction of the W380 CR cold recycling train marks a major milestone - not only for Wirtgen SA, but for the African road construction industry as a whole. “This is the first recycling train of its kind on the African continent,” Kukard says. “It represents the next evolution of cold recycling technology.” What sets the W380 CR apart is its multifunctional capability. The machine can operate both as a conventional milling machine and as a cold recycler, depending on its direction of travel. “When moving in one direction, it functions like a standard milling machine,”
The paver places the material precisely, and compaction, done by 2x Hamm HD+120 tandem rollers and 2x Hamm HP280/24 Ton pneumatic rollers, follows immediately.
Kukard explains. “When working in the opposite direction, it becomes a cold recycler, with the ability to add water, bitumen emulsion, or foamed bitumen directly into the mixing chamber.” The machine’s 3.8-metre working width is another key differentiator. “Most cold recyclers work at around 2.4 metres, which means two passes are needed to complete a single lane,” says Kukard. “With the W380 CR, you can rehabilitate an entire lane in one pass.” Perhaps most significantly, the recycled material is discharged directly into a Vögele S1900-5 X paver, which lays it back down to the correct width, depth, and crossfall in a single operation. “This eliminates the need for a separate grader,” Kukard notes. “The paver places the material precisely, and compaction, done by 2x Hamm HD+120 tandem rollers and 2x Hamm HP280/24 Ton pneumatic
rollers, follows immediately.”
Speed, safety, and productivity gains The implications of this approach are substantial. Roads rehabilitated using the W380 CR train can be reopened to traffic almost immediately when bitumen- stabilised material is used. “With conventional methods, lanes often have to remain closed for days while the bitumen breaks,” Kukard explains. “With this system, the road can be reopened to traffic straight away, which significantly reduces safety risks associated with long closures.” From a productivity perspective, the figures are equally compelling. “We’re talking about production rates of up to 800 tonnes per hour,” says Kukard. “It’s essentially a manufacturing plant on tracks.” Under optimal conditions, the system can
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CAPITAL EQUIPMENT NEWS FEBRUARY 2026
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