Bangkok-based company Sraloong Construction Co is using an Ammann ABM 90 EasyBatch asphalt plant for the expansion of Highway 115 in Thailand. This section is being widened from two to four lanes, located between Kamphaeng Phet and Phichit.

“This project is to extend the connecting road between the northern and central parts of Thailand,” explained Theerapat Theeratrakool, plant manager at Sraloong. The company turned to the Ammann ABM 90 EasyBatch to produce asphalt mix for the road expansion. The plant is capable of 65 t/hr on the Highway 115 project. While it has a higher capacity, that is all the production required for this particular job.

The work was quite complicated. “It had to be constructed within a limited time and under Covid-19 circumstances,” said Mr Theeratrakool. “There was also a need to connect to other roads, which were being built by other contractors who were also widening from two to four lanes.” Plus, the specifications called for precise material quantities and sieve sizes.

The ABM EasyBatch is designed for quick transfer and a rapid return to production. “We set up close to the jobsite to increase the daily production and reduce the costs of the pavement,” revealed Mr Theeratrakool. “It is a super-mobile plant in terms of disassembly and assembly. Only two semi-trailers are needed for transport, which is an improvement over competitive brands.”

As the work progresses, the plant can be relocated to reduce the length and costs of hauls and keep pace with the paving team. Such flexibility is also expected to pay off when the Highway 115 is completed and the plant has to be moved to a new jobsite in another part of the country.  

Another advantage of the ABM EasyBatch plant is its as1 control system. “The as1 can give the exact statistics and store the old information for more than a year,” said Mr Theeratrakool. “Inspectors for the Department of Highways can retrieve all the information, from the first batch produced until the last.”