InfraStructures - October 2007

A Capital Idea!

Rob Holden

Recently when the City of Ottawa wanted to tender their road maintenance contracts, they realized that technology had in the interim years proven itself in the availability of equipment for almost any task. Not least of which was the engineering efforts put into crack sealing and preparation.

What the city had come to acknowledge was that as material technology had developed, better and more reliable ways of applying that material had to be mandated. Contractors had proven themselves unwilling to invest in new or established methodologies. This left the municipality with a dilemma on how to get the most out of their road maintenance dollar. Fortunately for them Pavetech Maintenance, Heat Design Equipment and Cimline Incorporated had the solution.

Pavetech, a well-established and popular contractor located in Ottawa, discussed the various processes and equipment available to perform the work that the city was interested in. Crack sealing was the primary item of interest and is a speciality of Pavetech. Although the city realized the cost effectiveness of crack sealing, they had concerns about traffic flow, production and reliability of the material. Essentially, traditional methods used by contractors could not reliably maintain material temperatures in accordance with the material manufacturers' requirements. This has often led to disputes between municipalities, contractors and material suppliers. Pavetech and others knew that in order for the Ontario marketplace to weed out the less reliable contractors and to begin to reflect crack sealing practices of other provinces and jurisdictions, a big change would need to be mandated by the contracting authority. The chance factor had to be eliminated if municipalities were to reap the benefits of crack sealing in achieving the design longevity of their roadways.

Heat Design Equipment of Kitchener had developed a reputation for being pavement maintenance specialists. This stemmed from their origins as a local contractor and later as the developer of state-of-the-art infrared pavement heaters. After a chance roadside encounter Pavetech and Heat Design began discussions on what equipment may suit the city's requirements. After reviewing the various brands, capabilities, design, production rates and after sales support, Pavetech chose the Cimline Magma series melter applicator. They then went back to the City of Ottawa with a recommendation as to how to best prepare a fair and equitable tender in order to fulfil their requirements within a reasonable budgetary figure. The city, after discussions with other contractors and internal deliberations released a tender specification requiring the use of a pumper style melter applicator.

With the tender released and bid submissions received, the city found that only one contractor complied with all of the technical requirements of the specification, including the use of a pumper style machine. That contractor was then awarded a multiyear city maintenance contract - they were Pavetech. No other bidder sought to comply with the city's mandated use of modern crack sealing equipment and as such were rejected for non-compliance.

A contract in hand and the research complete, Pavetech completed the purchase of a Cimline 410 DHRDC with integral Heat Lance. This unit represents the premium production melter/applicator available to contractors today. A true 1550 l capacity with the lowest available loading height (1372 mm) available, improving safety and reducing fatigue. The under hood Sullivan Pallatek compressor and hose reel make for a compact and powerful package to cold lance dirt and debris. Coupled with the on board propane tank and hose reel, a self-contained Heat Lance can be independently operated without a secondary support vehicle. Also, the high capacity diesel fired burner (400 000 BTU), unique angled design requires 40% less heat transfer oil and reduces recovery times through efficient placement of major components.

Also unique to the Cimline Magma is the Dual Wand capability, the only manufacturer to offer this feature. Two heated hoses can be operated simultaneously increasing the area of application and increasing the production. Further, by utilizing a pivoting shoe tip the additional squeegee applicator is eliminated. Easy to use thermostatically controlled components integrated into a clearview operating station makes training and operations enjoyable and easy. A dual wand, trigger flow, integral heat lance and an estimated 800 kg/h production capability not only improve quality but safety, time and effort.

Ottawa may be known as a place of leadership, but now it is for a very different reason...Capital!