State-of-the-art Asphalt Plant Officially Opens

Taking Auckland into the Future: State-of-the-art Asphalt Plant Officially Opens

This afternoon Hon. Marian Hobbs, Minister for the Environment, officially opened an $8 million asphalt plant which has the ability to supply the entire Auckland region’s asphalt needs with increased environmental benefit.

Located in Mt Wellington, Auckland, the Fulton Hogan asphalt plant is the most state-of-the-art facility of its kind in New Zealand. It can produce 250 tonnes of asphalt an hour and has 600 tonnes of long life storage capacity which is triple the previous capacity as well as recycling asphalt and producing virtually no emissions

Mr Lindsay Crossen, Fulton Hogan Chief Executive New Zealand Contracting, says the construction of the plant is an excellent example of the private sector and government working together.

“With the Government’s significantly increased investment in Auckland’s roading infrastructure, it is important to be able to supply the materials it takes to make the roads in a timely and efficient manner,” says Mr Crossen.

“This plant will be able to meet these needs and more. It is the most advanced plant of its kind in the country and has the ability to supply all of Auckland’s asphalt needs well into the future in an environmentally sustainable way.”

Marian Hobbs said Fulton Hogan is a business that continues to develop as a leader in good environmental practice.

"As an example of this leadership, for the last two years in a row, Fulton Hogan has received a Ministry for the Environment Green Ribbon Award," Marian Hobbs said.

The plant is the most environmentally friendly of its kind in the country. It has the ability to recycle used asphalt which limits the amount of new material required. It also has extremely low emissions, with all emissions travelling through a special filtering system which cleans the air from the production process.

During the official opening, three trees were planted to symbolise the international partnership which made construction of the plant possible. A US sugar maple was planted to represent the US plant manufacturer ASTEC, an Australian flowering gum represents the Australian company which installed the plant, Q-Pave, and a kowhai tree represents New Zealand and Fulton Hogan.

The official opening was also attended by Hon. Mark Gosche and his Worship the Mayor, Mr Dick Hubbard, Mayor of Auckland City.

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