The Volvo CE pavers worked productively, helping the contractor achieve a tight construction schedule
Volvo tracked pavers are helping China meet its ambitious programme of building 10,000km of roads annually
China’s ambitious road building programme is seeing over 10,000km of new highway being completed every year. Productivity, reliability and good uptime of equipment are key to this programme being achieved. And to the north of Xi’an, four7659 Volvo Construction Equipment (Volvo CE) ABG8820 tracked pavers recently worked 14 hours/day paving the final layer of asphalt on a new highway. This 96km route opened to traffic during November 2014 in Shaanxi Province and will improve transport connections in the area.
The rural roads around the construction site indicated why the new highway was needed, with the carriageways frequently blocked by small three-wheeled trucks. But the new Xian-Xun Highway is relieving a lot of the pressure on local roads, and the Shaanxi Road and Bridge Group, which won the ¥5.7 billion (US$928 million) contract to build the new toll road, believes the inclusion of Volvo machines in its bid played a part in being awarded the tender.
New Chinese road building standards require a surface to last 15 years, although few roads actually meet those requirements. But the Volvo CE machines with their ABG double tamping technology are helping to deliver a durable road surface, according to the contractor.
Meanwhile the comfortable working area with its effective canopy is helping the machine operators carry out the work in the often hot summer working conditions.
The expressway is part of a new six-highway network designed to boost urbanisation in this region and to capitalise on the tourists who come to Xi’an to visit the historically important Terracotta Warriors. It is vital infrastructure for the fast-developing Guanzhong-Tianshui Economic Zone intended to stimulate the inland economy that has lagged behind China’s booming coastal areas.
The new road will more than halve the travel time for shipments from the coal mines in Xunyi County at the northern end of the highway to the industries they supply around Xi’an. The expressway will make the journey just over one hour, instead of the two-and-a-half hours currently taken and that will make a huge difference.
Volvo CE is well established in Shaanxi province and in addition to the main dealership in Xi’an, each of the province’s 10 secondary cities has a Volvo approved service workshop so customers know they will get help promptly when they need it.
Volvo CE already has a strong presence in tracked pavers in China even though the machines cost twice as much as some local Chinese brands. The Xi’an Volvo dealership, Tongguan Construction Machinery Co, is convinced that the higher road construction standards will work in their favour in the future.
And it is an active market. The number of cars on China’s roads has increased from 23 million in 2003 to 140 million today – and that is not counting commercial vehicles. By 2015, the Chinese government’s goal is to complete more than 120,000km of highway nationwide.
China’s ambitious road building programme is seeing over 10,000km of new highway being completed every year. Productivity, reliability and good uptime of equipment are key to this programme being achieved. And to the north of Xi’an, four
The rural roads around the construction site indicated why the new highway was needed, with the carriageways frequently blocked by small three-wheeled trucks. But the new Xian-Xun Highway is relieving a lot of the pressure on local roads, and the Shaanxi Road and Bridge Group, which won the ¥5.7 billion (US$928 million) contract to build the new toll road, believes the inclusion of Volvo machines in its bid played a part in being awarded the tender.
New Chinese road building standards require a surface to last 15 years, although few roads actually meet those requirements. But the Volvo CE machines with their ABG double tamping technology are helping to deliver a durable road surface, according to the contractor.
Meanwhile the comfortable working area with its effective canopy is helping the machine operators carry out the work in the often hot summer working conditions.
The expressway is part of a new six-highway network designed to boost urbanisation in this region and to capitalise on the tourists who come to Xi’an to visit the historically important Terracotta Warriors. It is vital infrastructure for the fast-developing Guanzhong-Tianshui Economic Zone intended to stimulate the inland economy that has lagged behind China’s booming coastal areas.
The new road will more than halve the travel time for shipments from the coal mines in Xunyi County at the northern end of the highway to the industries they supply around Xi’an. The expressway will make the journey just over one hour, instead of the two-and-a-half hours currently taken and that will make a huge difference.
Volvo CE is well established in Shaanxi province and in addition to the main dealership in Xi’an, each of the province’s 10 secondary cities has a Volvo approved service workshop so customers know they will get help promptly when they need it.
Volvo CE already has a strong presence in tracked pavers in China even though the machines cost twice as much as some local Chinese brands. The Xi’an Volvo dealership, Tongguan Construction Machinery Co, is convinced that the higher road construction standards will work in their favour in the future.
And it is an active market. The number of cars on China’s roads has increased from 23 million in 2003 to 140 million today – and that is not counting commercial vehicles. By 2015, the Chinese government’s goal is to complete more than 120,000km of highway nationwide.
