Boral
Boral launches Forward Moving Aggregate Spreader truck in Australia. Credit: Boral.

Australian construction materials group Boral has introduced a road surfacing truck that makes the spray seal road construction work safer for personnel.

Known as the Boral Forward Moving Aggregate Spreader (FMAS), the solution helps boost product quality and slash infrastructure expenses to road agencies.

The Boral FMAS spreads aggregate from the front of the truck though a conveyor belt and spreader box in a bid to improve safety and maximise visibility.

The traditional process involved road crews working with reversing trucks that applied aggregate through an elevated tipper body.

According to Boral, the technique will help crews complete works more quickly and avoid potential infrastructure and overhead damage such as contact with power lines, trees and bridges.

“Surfacing roads has remained one of the most potentially challenging tasks faced by construction crews because of the nature of the material being used and the way that material is applied.”

Boral national asset manager asphalt Stuart Partridge said the company designed and developed the FMAS following a plea to the industry from the Victorian roads authority after a serious incident involving a VicRoads worker some years ago.

Partridge said: “Surfacing roads has remained one of the most potentially challenging tasks faced by construction crews because of the nature of the material being used and the way that material is applied.

“Rollover accidents, blind sports and high reversing tippers that can be at risk of interfering with power lines or overhanging trees, are just some of the problems associated with the current range of spreaders.”

Furthermore, the new technology will help modify locally produced and approved trucks into forward moving aggregate spreaders.

VicRoads has decided that Boral FMAS will be used on all its projects by 2022.