Benninghoven TBA 4000 mixing plant inaugurated in Belgium

First mixing plant from new factory in Wittlich produces top-quality asphalt.

At a major company event thrown by Belgian construction company Bodarwé, lots of guests celebrated the commissioning of a Benninghoven TBA 4000 mixing plant. The guided tour of the relevant components, e.g. the 20 m high weighing and mixing section, which forms the heart of the plant, was quite spectacular. In all, the mixing tower is 42 m high, and is part of the new plant, which will be run by Boreta S. A., a subsidiary of Bodarwé, from Baugnez near Malmedy, and will produce quality asphalt in a variety of recipes, directly from the quarry.

For its manufacturer Benninghoven, the new TBA 4000 is a very special plant: it is the first asphalt mixing plant to leave the new factory in Wittlich. Here, the Wirtgen Group company builds asphalt mixing plants capable of fulfilling the requirements of customers and users all over the world. The company’s new headquarters, which are close to the German section of the Moselle, not far from the plant’s location, represent the biggest single investment in the history of the Wirtgen Group. This new factory will further strengthen Benninghoven’s global competitiveness. “Shipping out a new plant and seeing the satisfied faces of its new owners is always a great feeling,” reported Jean-Luc Didier, Head of Sales at Benninghoven. “And we can appreciate this only too well since moving to our new factory, as we’re also extremely proud of our new site location.”

This pride on the part of the asphalt-making specialists is not merely a result of the company’s impeccable infrastructure. It also stems from the company's new product philosophy: based on the highest quality and manufacturing standards as well as highly networked production, this has given rise to undreamt-of variety and a wide range of options. As a result, Benninghoven is now perfectly placed to meet future challenges—as is its Belgian customer.

The new product philosophy and the new factory were the key factors that guided Bodarwé’s procurement decision. “Buying the first plant from the new site was a conscious decision on our part. To make it simple: we were won over by the benefits it offered us." And for good reason: for example, the Benninghoven factory is equipped with a range of advanced technologies and sets new standards in production technology. One of the many highlights here is the advanced surface treatment line that produces solvent-free powder coating. The scratch-resistant and impact-resistant surfaces this process produces, together with permanent corrosion protection, are essential for ensuring the durability of the plant. For Bodarwé, all of this is extremely important. After all: “We’ve got big things planned for our TBA 4000,” said Michel Bodarwé.

And now nothing is standing in the way: his construction company can use the new plant to produce and ship out large volumes of up to 320 t/h – thanks to a broad choice of optional technologies, all of which naturally feature the proven Benninghoven quality. Day-to-day reserves are provided by the mixed material loading silo, which has a capacity of 341 t. Some of the asphaltic mixtures produced will be sold on, while others will be used within the company, since Bodarwé also maintains a fleet of construction machinery from the Wirtgen Group. The Bodarwé paving teams process the bituminous mixture with finishers from Vögele and rollers from Hamm.

With their recycling-friendly design and compliance with stringent global emissions regulations, Benninghoven systems are exceptionally efficient and fit for the future. Thanks to two key technologies—a multivariable feed system and a parallel drum—the new Bodarwé plant can achieve recycling rates of up to 70 percent. Benninghoven classifies its recycling technologies into two types: cold feed and hot feed systems. Multivariable input is a cold feed system technology, which feeds up to 40 percent old asphalt directly into the mixer. The hot parallel drum feed system heats this stripped-out and reclaimed asphalt, and passes it into the mixer as hot asphalt. This procedure enables the greatest possible feed rate for the TBA. The technology for the world's highest recycling rate of 90 + x percent also comes from Benninghoven. For good reason: thanks to this recycling technology, the reclaimed asphalt becomes a valuable resource that remains in the cycle, rather than problematic waste that needs to be disposed of at great expense. And if the input rates required by law should increase, the TBA 4000 in Baugnez is still good to go. “Our new Benninghoven plant makes us fit for the future,” explained Mr Bodarwé.

This is all down to the new foam bitumen module, which is also integrated into the TBA 4000. And not by accident: use of this binder receives subsidies from the state in Belgium. This innovative technology can be used to produce low-temperature asphalts at a temperature of 110°C, which is around 40°C lower than the roughly 160 °C required for conventional asphalt. This, in turn, cuts the energy consumption for asphalt production by about 9 kWh/t, which is equivalent to 0.9 l heating oil per tonne of finished asphalt. CO2 and other emissions are also reduced. “While we’ve not yet brought the foam bitumen module online, the flexibility it offers is exactly the reason we opted to include it in our plant,” said Managing Director Michel Bodarwé. “This technology is certain to play a very important role for us in the future.

Alongside technical features and benefits, operating companies are naturally also looking for first-class service provision. “With the Wirtgen Group and the Benninghoven Customer Support team, we have a partner we can absolutely depend on at all times – from major jobs like winter maintenance to the supply of spare parts or answering our day-to-day questions about plant operations. Whatever, whenever: they’re always there when we need them”, said Michel Bodarwé. 

Head of Service, Alain Heukemes: “We are delighted that the inauguration ceremony for our first TBA went so well, and we look forward to the start of production. We’ll obviously remain closely involved with our first TBA 4000 in the future too, through service provision. The kind of customer satisfaction we have with Bodarwé doesn’t happen overnight: it’s always down to the effort of the entire Customer Support Team.” “Our new TBA will be in full-time production from the start. We have a full order book and we’re looking forward to fulfilling those orders with the new plant”, said Bodarwé’s Managing Director Michel Bodarwé. Nor is it all merely about order volumes: the new plant will also improve our product quality.”