All in the mix

摘要

When you say something has been running hot and cold all year it is usually because something is not functioning properly. In the case of the asphalt industry in the UK during 2005 it is more likely to be referring to sporadic demand - as well as the type of mixes used. As president of the Institute of Asphalt Technology, Ian Walsh, points out, local authority demand has not been as it should be with councils choosing a quick fix 30 mm SMA overlay rather than analysing the state of roads and going for selected treatments. "They are storing up problems for the future," he told MQREYB, "and it has meant hot-mix business has been slow. Cold-mix has been a case of aspirations rather than delivery. Here market share has not risen. In fact, it may even have fallen slightly" he said.