Cherry adds portable asphalt recycling capability

Houston, Texas, based Cherry has added portable asphalt fractionating equipment to its fleet that allows it to process and recycle asphalt roadway material on site. Once in place, the equipment allows old road surfaces to be turned into Reclaimed Asphalt Pavement (RAP) for use in hot mix asphalt. The equipment can produce between 800 and 1,000 tonnes of RAP per day on job sites throughout Texas and Louisiana.

Fractionating on site allows contractors to save time and transportation costs - the equipment fractionates asphalt material to a guaranteed size (0.5 inch and smaller) that can be immediately used in asphalt mixes for new roadways. Up to 25% of hot mix asphalt can consist of RAP, reducing the need for virgin materials and oils needed for the finished product, and resulting in a lower finished product price.

According to division manager for portable equipment Wesley Guidry: "Crews that recycle by using fractionated RAP also are helping to preserve the environment by reducing the amount of asphalt materials that is dumped in landfill."