In spring 2012 work started on an extraordinary and interesting asphalt plant. Benninghoven was contracted by the company Kostmann to build an asphalt mixing plant TBA – 3000 - U including a stone tower silo system.

The site at Weitendorf offers good access to the motorway and its proximity to both the capital of Styria as well as the national border of Austria / Slovenia. Thus, this site constitutes an excellent position for the region

The close proximity of agricultural land and private residential areas had imposed strict requirements with respect to emissions of any kind.

As the project preparation developed, the scope of the requirements grew several times. The final version of the project was a complete tailor-made system that perfectly conformed to the requirement of the high standards of the customer’s vision.

The company Kostmann recognised the signs of the times very well and decided to invest in a long term position within this region with the proviso to use modern technology to produce in an efficient and environmentally friendly way.

This means that Kostmann has placed in Weitendorf one of the most modern plants in Europe.
in the following weeks, the system was installed and put into operation by the supervisors and installation team.

After completion of the preparation of the new company premises and the concrete foundations, the first plant components were delivered from Mülheim at the Mosel. In the following weeks, the system was installed and put into operation by the supervisors and installation team.

The lack of space made it difficult to assemble and it was a tremendous challenge for both man and machine. 

Despite all of the obstacles, it was the high level of commitment by all stakeholders, including the company Kostmann that made it possible to produce saleable asphalt within the confirmed deadline.

Our partner company Kostmann has set a character and an accent on confidence in the domestic economy and the future of road construction with the establishment of this new facility.

Supply logistics on site is remarkable. The bulk material is not delivered via loaders and belt feeders as it is usual in many other systems.

The delivering trucks tip the material into a complex insulated bunker.
From this starting point the material is conveyed to the top of the silo through powerful control logic, advanced material handling technology by the company FAF Falkensee and elevators with more than 40 KW power. From there the material is supplied to individual silos according to the aggregate size.

Overall, the high silo stores 2400 m³ of material and is providing a solid basis for the demands of asphalt production for both current and future perspective.

Due to the dry storage of the aggregates, fuel costs can be drastically reduced and the CO2 emissions greatly minimised. This contribution to the environment is rarely realised in Europe, but also demonstrates again the pioneering investment that has been undertaken here. 

Hopper for receiving whole tipper truck loads.

Aggregate storage silos assembly before installation of eco-friendly sheeted housing.

With up to 800 mm wide conveyor belts, the material is fed to the dryer drum, which in combination with environmentally friendly natural gas-powered combustion technology and the highest environmental standards with the appropriate Benninghoven filter technology.

The six-screening with absolutely precise aggregate dosage ensures perfect mixing operation.

The hot mineral silos are filled via the built in rotary chute and preserve the material for subsequent dosing into the mineral weigh hopper of the plant. Highest material quality is produced in the double shaft paddle mixer. All kinds of special asphalts can be manufactured by the modern plant.

The Benninghoven control station BLS 3000 is proof that extreme performance and high operating comfort are not mutually exclusive, but can be a harmonic concept.

Benninghoven demonstrated with the preparation of this project (which was converted into a considerable assembly time of 7 weeks) that they are the leading manufacturer of asphalt mixing plants.

Other highlights of the additional plant equipment:

- As part of the preservation of our most important resources, is the system equipped with a multi-variable recycling (asphalt), it allows admission of up to 40% of the fresh asphalt mix.

- This system is a complete new development. Only 5 asphalt plants in Europe are equipped with this system.  Until now, these systems were limited to a level of addition of only 25% recycled material.

- High efficiency bitumen storage tanks based on the latest technology with potential for enormous electrical energy savings. Furthermore, no heat transfer oils are used which could be harmful to the environment.

- All drives from 15 kW are fitted with soft starters to provide an efficient electrical operation of the plant; in addition the larger motors were equipped with a frequency converter. This will effectively save energy because only the required amount is consumed.

- In order to get a perfect production plan and transparent cost structure of the plant, it is equipped with an advanced control system. This meets the needs of clients for investment management, planning and construction assignments and further fulfills the highest requirements regarding the control WBK (Factory operational control) and BDE (data collection) tailor-made for our customer.