Ammann Install Cutting-edge Asphalt Mixing Plant in Germany

14 January, 2022

First published in the January 2022 issue of Quarry Management as Ready for the Future

One of Europe’s most cutting-edge asphalt mixing plants commences operation

Makadamwerk Schwaben GmbH & Co. KG pursued very particular objectives when renovating one of their asphalt plants. For their main site in south-western Germany, the asphalt producer decided on a plant that would combine maximum performance and high quality with advanced ecological features. The Ammann ABP 320 HRT asphalt mixing plant, one of the most modern facilities in Europe, has recently gone into operation.

Makadamwerk Schwaben own five asphalt mixing plants across the greater Stuttgart area, the Hohenlohe district, and Aalen, in Germany. All locations are equipped with Ammann compact solutions for the delivery of high-quality asphalt to the region’s many road construction projects. In 2019, when the company began to look at options for upgrading its site in Sindelfingen, it was clear that the close co-operation between Ammann and Makadamwerk would again lead to the best result.

For managing director Volker Schneider and his team, the main focus this time was on sustainability. Reduced emissions and increased use of recycled materials were at the top of the priority list for the new plant, and the solution was found in the technically advanced Ammann ABP 320 HRT plant. HRT stands for ‘High Recycling Technology’ and represents the latest developments in environmental protection without sacrificing production output or the quality of the asphalt mixture.

Plants of this particular design can process up to 100% recycled asphalt. Using a hot gas generator, the temperature of the recycled material is carefully raised inside the RAH100 counterflow recycling dryer, whilst a generously dimensioned steam disposal system offers the possibility of combining hot and cold recycling.

A unique feature of the ABP HRT recycling system is its vertical design, placed directly above the mixer. Only gravity is used to move the material, thus saving on costs and maintenance-intensive conveying technology. Using gravity reduces the energy input, minimizes wear, and optimizes the conveying of the hot recycling material.

Moreover, dust and noise emissions are significantly reduced compared with regular mixing plants. When producing low-temperature asphalt, the plant has been equipped with an innovative bitumen foam additive system. Even special mixes, such as mastic asphalt, can be produced without any special requirements. The two-row mixing tower facilitates the highly flexible mixing process by using a variety of different aggregates.

‘Right from the early planning stage, we made sure to link the entire plant with the existing infrastructure,’ explained Volker Behrens, sales manager at Ammann Asphalt GmbH. This careful preparation in advance meant that the subsequent installation process went seamlessly and without delay.

Just seven months after dismantling of the old plant began, the new Ammann ABP 320 HRT mixing plant commenced production at a grand opening ceremony on 25 September 2021. Since then, the plant’s production capacity has reached 320 tonnes/h. By applying the well-engineered Ammann HRT concept, Makadamwerk Schwaben say they have secured a flexible and economical solution with a high level of technology and innovation, as well as the most state-of-the-art plant in terms of exhaust gas, dust, and noise reduction currently available on the market.

For more information, visit: www.ammann.com