Daily Archives27/06/2025 - Bitafal

Within the framework of activities 2025 of the Chair of Sustainable Asphalt Bitafal - UM an important technical day on flexible pavement evaluation was held. It was attended by several construction companies, from the MTOP, of the UMARE Engineering Faculty and UM students and was structured in two presentations, one in charge of CDS Engineers and another by the PHD Martín Scavone.

The representatives of CDS Engineers, Nelson Pintos and Gonzalo Cánepa, analyzed the structural evaluation of pavements through the discontinuous measurement deflectometry technique with the possibility of load settings (LWD, FWD and HWD) and use cases in Uruguay.

For his part, the expert PhD Martín Scavone performed an integral analysis of the evaluation of pavements especially in the deflectometry measurement technique at transit speed (TDS) and its complementation with other analysis methodologies such as IRI, surface texture and visual defect analysis.

Both presentations concluded that a correct evaluation of pavements is necessary and convenient, both from the operational and economic point of view, reducing maintenance costs and improving the usability of the different traffic pathways.

The BitaFal - UM Cas will continue to carry out this type of activities in the coming months, forming students and technicians in the latest world trends aimed at achieving a better road.

The research works carried out by the Chair of Sustainable Asphalt Bitafal - Um begin to bear fruit. The project, carried out by the Faculty of Engineering of the University of Montevideo together with Bitafal, aims to train future engineers in the concepts of sustainability applied to the road construction of our country.

Within that framework, days ago the first three research works developed by students were presented during 2024. Before a classroom full of authorities and students of the FIUM, the students presented the projects, which address the theme from different perspectives: the reduction of the application temperatures of the asphalt mixtures known as warm mixtures; The incorporation of ground glass into the production of conventional asphalt mixtures (Glassphalt) and the advantages of using aqueous emulsions compared to the use of diluted based on oil -derived solvents.

The general director of Bitafal Santiago Kröger highlighted the work of the CAS throughout 2024, which brings together the academy with the road industry in the search for innovative solutions for this industry, indicating that “these first works, with excellent academic level and much dedication by students and teachers, mark us that we are on the right path”. In that sense, the manager announced that the three projects will be presented at the next Latin American Ibero Congress of the Asphalt (CILA), which will be held this year in Paraguay.

The event was conducive to launching the inscriptions for the 2025 season of the Chair, the presence of students of the fique who already joined the initiative in this school year being very important. CAS David Fontans stressed that there are several projects in execution for this year, highlighting those for the use of biomass ashes in construction materials, use of recovered asphalt materials (rap) in new pavements, analysis of other typologies of asphalt mixtures with glass addition, and the development of an application for collection of material testing information. All of them, like the members of generation 2024, will be able to develop their initiatives with the possibility of experiencing them in practice, together with the Bitafal team and other companies in the road construction industry.

The chair of sustainable asphalt Bitafal - UM emerged from a company joint initiative and the University of Montevideo aimed at training the new generations of engineering professionals, which contribute to thinking about the roads of the future, minimizing the environmental impact of its production process, reducing costs and benefiting the entire community.

For the second consecutive year BitaFal said present at the Uruguay Sustainable Expo, organized by the Ministry of Environment at the Antel Arena. The Sustainable Asphalt Production Company and asphalt mixtures convened authorities of the road sector, businessmen, colleagues and representatives of the Academy to share a forum on the new trends in sustainable road construction.

An excellent technical level panel, composed of Ing. Martín Goyeneche of the Ministry of Transportation and Public Works, Ing. Silvana Martínez of the Ministry of Environment, Ing. Juan Echeverz of the construction company Colier, and the general director of BitaFal Santiago Kröger analyzed the current state of the application of the new techniques and products that aim to incorporate the sustainability to the construction in the Uruguayan road network.

In that sense, the specialists referred to the regulations analyzing the MTOP to incorporate in the coming years these concepts in the calls to tender for the maintenance of the road infrastructure, either as requirements or as recommendations for the asphalt provinations and also for the construction companies.

The general director of BitaFal Santiago Kröger valued the advanced in recent years, with the incorporation of pavement recycled, the use of warm asphalt mixtures and aqueous emulsions that replace those diluted based on fossil fuels.

The regulation that is under study of the MTOP authorities would first in a bonus for sustainable production, which represents an innovation and a great incentive for the road construction industry to adopt these new techniques that are quickly imposing internationally.

The meeting, held before a public room, was an excellent opportunity for the exchange between the different actors in the sector, enriching the analysis of a theme that will surely be decisive for the industry in the not too distant future.

June 19 are a very special day in Bitafal. On that day we celebrate our anniversary, the moment when Claudio and Diego Kröger founded the company in 1984.

This year we decided to celebrate it with a great encounter of all who worked in the three towns of Bitafal. The cold but sunny day allowed us to meet outdoors to share some delicious churros with hot chocolate and fundamentally to review the most important moments of our history and know firsthand the projects we have for the future.

In addition, our Head of Human Resources Marinella Fernández presented an initiative that as of this year was established for the entire Bitafal team: the recognition of the trajectory of those who meet 5, 10, 15, 20 or 25 years in the company. A moment of great shared joy, which celebrates the permanence and commitment of those who work in our company for a longer time.

The recognition of this year were the following: Carlos Vilariño with 20 years and 10 years for Antonella Lasso, Rodolfo Valentín and Gustavo Olazabal.

With all that energy we begin to travel a new year of life in Bitafal, sure to be contributing to the development of a new road infrastructure in our country. Because as we say in our presentation "we transform road, we develop future."