Opened in early 2019, the state-of-the-art PolyBitumens facility produces PMB and bitumen emulsions for high performance surface treatments. The products made at PolyBitumens are used on various road improvement schemes across southern England and the UK more widely, limiting dependency on plants in north-western England, and drastically reducing annual vehicle miles.

The PMB storage tank and the raw bitumen storage tank, with 100t and 94t capacities respectively, were expertly designed in France by Thermaflu and brought across the Channel by lorry. In a week that saw snow, strong arctic winds and sub-zero temperatures hit eastern England, the tanks and their access platforms were carefully lifted into place by two cranes working in tandem: the main crane, with a lifting capacity of 160t, carried most of the weight, whilst the tailing crane provided stability when lifting the tanks off each lorry from a horizontal to a vertical position.

Paul Kimber, Divisional Manager – PolyBitumens, said: “Given the snow we had earlier in the week, we were worried that the installation might be delayed. It is testament to the planning and great work of our team, plus the professionalism of the crane operators that everything went as smoothly as it did. The tanks are an important investment in the future development of our business; the enhanced storage capacity will ensure we are ready to support the renewed focus on investment in infrastructure as we come out of this pandemic.” 

Paul Goosey, Managing Director – Eurovia Production, said: “The installation of new storage tanks greatly expands our production capabilities, ensuring that we continue to provide innovative products that support the delivery of excellent highway services across the region. Congratulations to everyone involved in the robust planning and implementation that made the tank installation a success, in spite of the challenging cold and windy weather.”