training Archives

WELCOME ALVARO!!

New Head of Logistics at Bitafal

Completing the process of consolidating our new governance structure, in recent weeks we have incorporated Alvaro Brugman as Head of Logistics. Excellent news, since he is a young but highly experienced professional, who will surely contribute all his knowledge to reinforce a key area of our company's management.

Alvaro comes from the agricultural industry, where in recent years he specialized in the logistics area, focusing on the management of transportation fleets. And as he tells us, since joining BITAFAL he found “a company rich in values, with a very strong spirit and a clear vision.”

With a strong emphasis on customer satisfaction, BITAFAL's Logistics area has the permanent challenge of meeting the delivery of its products in a timely manner, in coordination with construction companies, often at long distances from our plant. “The logistics task is a key piece to being an efficient organization and meeting our clients,” Alvaro tells us, adding that “I am involved in managing an area that has solid foundations, we have a team made up of people who have been part of the team for a long time and are clear about both their role and the challenges of logistics itself.”

From all areas of BITAFAL we warmly welcome Álvaro and wish him much success in his management, which will undoubtedly benefit our organization and also the companies that have trusted us for many years.

PAVING EXPO 2025

Uruguay was present at the traditional paving fair in Brazil with a presentation on the development of warm mixtures and the control of IRI in paving works.

This year the event was held in the Anhembi District of San Pablo with the participation of more than 31,000 people who visited the fair and a Paving Conference that registered more than 4,000 attendees during the three days it lasted.

We were invited by the company Ingevity to present on the advances in the use of warm asphalt mixtures in our country and Eng. Max Iglesias from Interagrovial and Nicolás Olivera from Serviam were invited to present on the control of the IRI in paving works, showing the case of the construction of the double lane of Route 3 (San José).

From BITAFAL we made a summary of the pilot sections executed to date as well as the lessons learned that allowed a rich exchange with attendees regarding best practices in the incorporation of technology.

In the case of Serviam, they presented the IRI control strategy in the Circuit 7 PPP Contract, where the main objective was to minimize the IRI at the end of the work and keep it below 2 m/km throughout the service period, optimizing conservation costs. Optimized laying and compaction methods were implemented, using two finishers and combined compaction equipment (tandem and pneumatic rollers). Improvements in the methodology allowed the IRI to be reduced by 15% to 25% in the black base layers.

In turn, the incorporation of the Transfer VÖGELE MT3000-2 in the low-thickness tread layer (4 cm) also allowed the final IRI to be improved by 40%, obtaining values of the order of 0.7 m/km, considered the lowest recorded in Uruguay, along with a significant reduction in granulometric and thermal segregations. This guaranteed the continuity of the laying, giving more regular, durable surfaces and meeting the comfort and quality standards required in long-term contracts.

The fair had attendees from 25 countries in South America (53.5%), North America (19.7%) and Asia (15.7%) who toured the immense pavilion where more than 300 brands presented their latest innovations.

PROTAGONISTS IN THE 14TH ROAD CONGRESS

Stand and technical presentation at the main Uruguayan road event.

Between September 17 and 19, the 14th Uruguayan Road Congress was held, the event that brings together all members of the sector to analyze the reality of the national road industry, convened by the Uruguayan Road Association.

Construction companies, suppliers of materials and equipment, state organizations and the most prominent technicians in the field met at LATU for three days to learn first-hand about the new techniques, trends and also perspectives of this important construction sector for the coming years.

The inauguration of the event was attended by the Undersecretary of the Ministry of Transportation and Public Works, Architect Claudia Peris, and the National Director of Roads, Engineer Federico Magnone, who led an important representation of national and departmental authorities present at the plenary session of the congress.

As is usual in these instances, BITAFAL had a leading participation with the presentation of the students of the CAS Bitafal-UM Chair as well as a presentation on the first year of the CAS and on the technology of warm mixtures by our General Director Santiago Kröger. Likewise, the company was present with a stand where professionals, clients and colleagues could learn, through our technical/commercial representatives, the innovative proposal of products and services that BITAFAL offers to the market, such as the AC30 MAX, AM2 MAX, AM3 MAX and HiMAX.

2nd INTERNATIONAL MEETING OF THE CAS TOGETHER WITH PADECASA-UAX

Prominent international exponents analyzed the incorporation of RAP into asphalt mixtures.

For the second consecutive year, the BITAFAL–UM Sustainable Asphalt Chair organized its International Meeting in conjunction with its sister Chair in Spain, Padecasa-UAX. The event was attended by specialists and researchers from Spain, Italy, Brazil, Argentina and Uruguay.

On this occasion, the program focused on the use of RAP, presenting experiences and success stories collected in different countries, including one of the leading countries in the use of this technique, the United States.

The panel was made up of experts Javier Loma and Angel Sampedro (Spain), Luca Baccellieri (Italy), Mario Jair and Alejandro Bisio (Argentina), Rafael Zuchetto and Ivan Reginatto (Brazil) and the Uruguayan researcher based in the United States, the MSc. Faustina Keuliyan. The moderation was carried out by the director of the CAS David Fontans.

The event, held in hybrid mode with rooms in Spain and Uruguay as well as streaming, was attended by more than a hundred technicians, researchers and students representing the industry. The large gathering showed that this meeting is destined to be one of the obligatory references of the international road industry in the use of asphalt mixtures and the incorporation of sustainability concepts to the production of roads around the world.

MIXTURES AT LOWER TEMPERATURES ARE POSSIBLE

Successful experiences in the use of sustainable asphalts of the new MAX line in conjunction with Traxpalco on Route 9 and Serviam on Route 45.

With very good success, we have been advancing in the application of warm asphalt mixtures in the construction of the new double lane of Route 9. In recent weeks, the access to Pan de Azúcar was resurfaced with an F10 type mixture with AM3 MAX, an exclusive product from BITAFAL for the next revolution in the road industry of our country.

By reducing production and laying temperatures by approximately 35°C, emissions were reduced, the well-being of all involved was significantly improved, and around 20% of fuel per ton produced was saved.

Likewise, on Route 45 in Ciudad Rodriguez in the Department of San José, a dense mixture was applied with AC30 MAX, another product of the New MAX Line developed by BITAFAL. In this case, the temperature reduction was 20°C, making a significant difference in smoke emissions throughout the process and the densities achieved in the field were maintained.

Thanks to the joint work carried out with the companies Traxpalco and Serviam, and under the supervision of the technical team of the Ministry of Transportation and Public Works. In this way, the three companies and the State representatives demonstrate their commitment to sustainability applied to road construction, one of the great guidelines that BITAFAL has promoted for more than 30 years.

Sustainability in construction

We share our experience with the entire Construction Chamber

The Uruguay Construction Chamber organized a meeting called “Sustainability in Road Construction: real trends and application cases” to analyze the advance of the culture of sustainability in our sector. The event held on August 7, was attended by the United Nations Global Pact.

BitaFal was invited together with the Constructora Traxpalco company to present its experience in the application of the concepts of sustainable production to the production of asphalt and asphalt emulsions.

Before a room full of technicians and representatives of construction companies of different items, our commercial head Victoria García presented in detail the process that BitaFal transits in the development of sustainable asphalt, aqueous emulsions that reduce the use of hydrocarbons, the reconversion of the energy matrix of our production plants and the research and innovation work that is carried out from the chair of sustainable asphalts Bitafal - Um.

For his part, our head of quality, safety and environment Ana Laura Hernández, recalled the process that led us to prepare the first sustainability report of the company in 2024 and highlighted the importance of systematizing the information of all the dimensions involved in sustainable production, especially on indicators such as carbon footprint and water footprint. In that sense, he encouraged the representatives of the different companies to begin touring the way to prepare their own sustainability reports. "We have a lot to do, but we are on the right path," he concluded.

The panel was also composed of the human management manager of Traxpalco, Andrea Caraballo, who stressed the importance of joint work between companies in the sector to reduce the environmental impact of road construction, especially thinking about communities and ecosystems that can be affected in the construction process. The event was present at the Executive Director of the Global Pact Felipe Filomeno and had the moderation of the head of the Department of Economic Studies of the CCU Florence I will be.

An excellent experience of exchange between representatives of companies that share concern for a more sustainable production, which takes care of the social and environmental aspects in the road construction of our country.

Welcome finger a bitafal

We visit our facilities for students of the Udelar Faculty of Engineering

Within the framework of our academic activities, in August we received a group of students from the postgraduate course of “Asphalt mixtures: dosage and control design” dictated by the University of the Republic in conjunction with the University of La Plata, to provide them with an introduction in the new methodologies that we develop in the production of sustainable asphalt.

Our general director Santiago Kröger was in charge of sharing a brief history and present of the company that included all the technological innovations with the environment that Bitafal offers to the road industry and that point to a public work of quality, durable and sustainable.

The classroom of our Citevi laboratory was filled with postgraduate students who could know firsthand the developments carried out in terms of warm asphalt mixtures, modified asphalt, water -based emulsions and rap. They also analyzed the difficult disposal of other industries that are incorporated into the asphalt production process, which makes this technique a great ally of other production sectors, without becoming a landfill.

One of the elements that most caught the students' attention was the possibility of developing the Glasphalt, through the incorporation of glass into the production of asphalt mixtures. While this product is in the stage of research in a race end of the Cas BitaFal-MUM, its great potentiality is observed since in Uruguay 40,000 tons of glass are available a year, that is why they are recycled with this technique.

The day was conducive to encourage students to deepen their research projects, with a view to keeping Uruguay at a level of excellence in road construction. From BitaFal we are very grateful for the visit and we are already committed to reiterating it in the very close future.

Asphalt emulsion workshop in the CAS

We carry out a workshop to deepen the foundations and applications of asphalt emulsions

On July 16, a asphalt emulsion workshop was held in the halls of the University of Montevideo by our General Director Santiago Kröger and our Work Manager, Liber Sánchez.

More than 50 people from the MTOP, of construction companies and students accompanied us to deepen the foundations of asphalt emulsions, manufacturing forms, best manipulation and application practices. The workshop seeks to approach with practical examples with a lot of interaction with those present about the advantages of the use of asphalt emulsions and mitigate the prejudices that exist on its use.

At the end of it, a practical part with two laboratory tables was carried out to see dosages of bituminous treatments, primary emulsion penetration tests, cold microaglomerate dosage as well as collectable cold mixtures.

This training is framed in the schedule of the Chair of Sustainable Asphalt Cas BitaFal-MUM and it is planned to be carried out annually. We encourage them to follow the novelties for future training.

I INTERNATIONAL MEETING CAS

On November 7, the Bitafal – UM Sustainable Asphalt Chair invites you to a special day dedicated to warm mixtures

This event represents a valuable opportunity to learn, share knowledge and establish connections with leaders in the Ibero-American sector who are specialists in the field.

Speakers & Temario:

Semi-hot asphalt mixes
Ángel Sampedro, Spain
Technical, environmental and financial advances with Warm Asphalt Mixtures
Juliano rifle, Ingevity, Brasil
Global situation (USA/EU) and Argentina: trends and future
Mario Jair, Argentina
Presentation of the new line of MAX asphalts
Ignacio and Santiago Kroger, UruguayDo not miss this unique opportunity to be aware of the latest trends in our industry! We hope to have your participation. Register in the following link!

WE ADVANCE IN ACADEMIC WORK

Next to the University of Montevideo

Since the creation of the BITAFAL – UM Sustainable Asphalt Chair, the synergy with that study house has been increasing day by day. A new instance in this sense was the Training in Asphalt Emulsions that our technical team provided for advanced Engineering students and professionals in the road sector. There Ignacio and Santiago Kröger spoke, providing an introduction to asphalt emulsions, their different applications and also about best practices in the road industry. The day was a success, allowing students and professionals to learn first-hand the advantages of using asphalt emulsions, through the experience of those who apply them in a large number of projects.

Visit to the BITAFAL plant

One of the objectives of the CAS is to allow students to come into contact with the reality of the industry. For this reason, together with the management team of the Faculty of Engineering (FIUM) we organized a group visit to our production plant. In it, the students were able to learn first-hand about the production process of asphalt and asphalt emulsions and visited our research and development laboratory, where these products are constantly analyzed and improved. For BITAFAL it was a great joy to welcome future professionals, with whom they will surely continue to interact throughout their professional career.

Job fair

Like every year, the FIUM organized its traditional Employment Fair, a day aimed at bringing companies closer to the faculty so that students can get in touch with the world of work in their specific areas. BITAFAL was present with a stand whose proposal was both informative and playful and which also featured the presentation of the company's 100% electric truck. Throughout the day, dozens of students came to learn more about the structure of our company and the professional development possibilities it offers.

Open Session BITAFAL – IEEM

We held the Bitafal IEEM Open Session, where participants had the opportunity to explore the Case Method, a valuable tool to address dilemmas in the road industry and strengthen decision-making skills. This methodology helps us: – Clearly identify the problems you face. – Define the desired future and the decisions you must make. – Explore action plans that resolve these dilemmas. – Imagine the consequences of your decisions before acting. We continue to promote knowledge!

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