The Versatile CAT® AP-600 Successfully Paves Its Way Across Europe

• 
• 23rd January 2007
• Materials Handling
 

Since its debut earlier last year, the new Cat® AP-600 Wheel-Type Asphalt Paver has been paving its way across Europe. Today, top-notch paving crews are finding that the versatile AP-600 is the perfect paver addition to their fleets.

Competing in the over 16,000 kg class size, with an operating weight of 17,800 kg, the Cat AP-600 is the logical replacement for the popular Bitelli model BB 760. It was designed to round out the complete package of Caterpillar roadbuilding machines, and to bring further commonality to the full paving line. To those who follow the paving industry, the AP-600's early success is not surprising - as it was strategically engineered to combine proven Bitelli innovation with industry-leading Cat component, technology and serviceability.

Paving crews from Robert McCarroll Ltd. out of Glasgow, Scotland in the United Kingdom, felt that a new Cat AP-600 Paver was the "logical next step" when looking to add a machine to their fleet of small to large-size Bitelli pavers - 18 in all, before the AP-600 was added. "A lot of the modifications we normally require [on our pavers] weren't necessary with this machine, as they had already been thought of, and incorporated," says Bobby McCarroll, McCarroll's owner.

The contractor's new AP-600 was configured in the standard specification, including a hydraulic canopy for increased operator comfort, and an AS-3251 Electrically-heated Screed. One modification the McCarroll team required was the addition of a dealer-developed (Finnpave) screed fume extraction kit, which is retrofitted to all of McCarroll's machines. "This modification has proved to be very popular with machine crews, and is one we're pleased to provide," says Giles White, Strategic Account manager for Finnpave. "Helping to keep paving crews happy is a critically-important role dealers play," he adds.

The McCarroll crew put the AP-600 through its paces and encountered no major problems, while replacing a worn out secondary road just outside of Glasgow. "The [AP-600] is an easy machine to operate, and laid a good mat without having to do any major adjustments," remarked McCarroll operator, Willie Watson.

With the help of Italian dealer CGT, Contractor F.lli De Prà S.p.A. demoed a Cat AP-600, with 5 m width AS-4251 Electrically-heated Screed - putting it into action in the famous Alps resort area of Cortina D'Ampezzo, and the mountain village of Dosoledo.

F.lli De Prà has been in the Italian paving business since 1927, including the production of aggregates, asphalt and bituminous mixes. Among the contractor's 80-machine fleet are nine Caterpillar and five Bitelli machines.

During two days of the recent demo, F.lli De Prà crews laid 7,500 square meters of asphalt, rehabilitating a regional mountainous road, with "excellent results... that not withstanding the remarkable distance from the production plant (60 km)," commented one crewmember. Another three days were spent demonstrating the paver's full range of capabilities, laying down a square and paving an extremely narrow village street.

Raucci Francesco, 20-year paving industry veteran and paver operator for F.lli De Prà says that the AP-600 offered "optimum maneuverability in difficult work conditions." He continued on, citing the paver's "fast heating the screed, great traction drive, excellent surface finishing, high-production, and maximum paving width." And, as a veteran operator, Francesco took note of the AP-600's optimized visibility and more comfortable operator's seat.

Another prominent Italian road construction contractor, Sardappalti Srl., recently acquired a Cat AP-600 Paver as well, and immediately put it to work successfully paving an 8,000 square meter parking lot in the famous port and resort city of Olbia (on the Mediterranean resort island of Sardinia). Already relying heavily upon Cat earthmoving equipment and rollers, and Cat dealer Maia, Sardappalti Srl. decided to buy the new AP-600 to replace a "well-worn" Bitelli paver.... another logical decision based on their prior experience with Cat.

Like Sardappalti Srl., Middle Eastern road construction contractor Izbeton A.Ş. (located in Izmir, Turkey) has had extensive experience with Caterpillar over the years, but they've owned and operated a variety of competitive roadbuilding equipment as well - including pavers from Bomag, Wirtgen and Vögele. In fact, they maintain a roadbuilding fleet that spans nearly sixty machines in total. Despite knowing the competition well, Izbeton had no problem making the decision to purchase a Cat AP-600, with an AS-3251 Electrically-heated Screed.

Izbeton cited operator comfort and the expert service provided by regional Cat dealer Borusan Makina A.S. as the basis for their purchasing decision. "The main reason [this paver] was chosen was the importance Caterpillar gives to operator comfort [in its designs]. It's a comfortable and easy machine [to operate], and its performance is impressive. You can find Cat quality all around," says Izbeton Machine Maintenance and Management manager, Tufan Eker. "The AP-600 is one of the most silent pavers I have ever seen. It's proof of an excellent working environment," he explains. Paver operator Halil Çelik agrees, and reports that what impressed him most about this new Cat paver was "comfort, easy maintenance and power."

Eker explains that customer support and the delivery speed of spare parts has been critical to the contractor's success. Like many road construction contractors, Izbeton works around the weather. "[Completing our jobs on time] is too critical for us. Asphalt paving is seasonal and we have little time to spare... we have no room for breakdowns," he says. Therefore, the relationship they've forged with Cat dealer Borusan played a critical role in the new acquisition.

Izbeton paves approximately 210.000 cubic meters of asphalt each season, and "in any moment, and in every situation, Borusan has had to give support when we need it," says Eker. "We are satisfied with all the service we get from Borusan - especially parts availability and maintenance support. We reply on Cat."

Eker concludes his comments with a powerful statement on the versatility of the Cat AP-600, "Whatever the job description, however hard the job, you can do it with this Cat [Paver]." Paving crews across Europe agree, the AP-600 fits a wide variety of demanding jobsite conditions.

For additional information on the Caterpillar AP-600 Wheel-Type Asphalt Paver contact Francesco Grasso, Sales Development Consultant, Caterpillar S.A.R.L., Geneva, Switzerland, ++41 22 849 4895, or at grasso_francesco@cat.com.