New Bitumen Pressure Distributor Order from Bangladesh Fuels Ashitech's Export Business Ambitions

Gujarat based asphalt batch mix plants and allied equipment manufacturer, Ashitech Equipments, is bullish of the company’s export business gathering steam with the recent order for 21 units of truck mounted bitumen pressure distributors awarded by the Roads & Highway Department of Bangladesh. Ashitech was awarded the tender under the 2 billion USD Indian Line-of-Credit provided to the Bangladesh government by EXIM Bank of India. The Bitumen Pressure Distributors will be supplied in fully built-up condition with trucks outsourced from Ashok Leyland.

The company is looking to expand its export business to SAARC countries, the Middle East, and African markets. Informs Vatsal Patel, Director, Ashitech Equipments, “We have been exporting close to 50 units of bitumen pressure distributors every year to Bangladesh, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Indonesia, Nigeria and Saudi Arabia. The recent order reinforces our brand value in these markets; but it comes with challenges such as time-bound delivery and compliance with BSIII emission regulations of the Bangladesh market. Getting BS III engines was tough for us since truck manufacturers in India have discontinued their production. However, we placed a special request with Ashok Leyland. We did the necessary integration with our bitumen pressure distributor units at our Mehsana unit in the GIDC industrial area of Ahmedabad in preparedness of a timely delivery.”

Ashitech is committed to deliver the 21 units of AE 6000 model of its bitumen pressure distributors by October-end. Each bitumen pressure distributor mounted on a truck chassis has a 6000-litre storage tank, a 25 hp Kirloskar slave engine, Ingersoll-Rand compressor, and a Spray-bar, which is extendable from both sides to adjust spraying widths. All units have undergone third party inspection by SGS. “The order has given us the confidence to widen our footprint in emerging export markets and to promote our bitumen pressure distributor units. The 21 units of AE 6000 bitumen pressure distributors will be serviced and supported by Ashitech’s channel partner in Bangladesh,” he adds.

Patel informs that the bitumen pressure distributors underwent value engineering in order to integrate them with the truck chassis by setting the appropriate brackets, redesigning the bitumen flow line, and connecting it to the spray bars. Certain flexibilities were made in the spray bar width for expanding it to 4.25 meters (up from 2.5 meters) based on the requirement of the client for bitumen surfacing on wider roads. “We design the storage tanks and other supporting systems such that they can be mounted on any kind of chassis. We have also done some modifications in the design of our asphalt batch mix plants of 80 to 240 tph, so that they can be run through plastic additives, crushed metal, sand, and other additives more effectively. Since, we make our own burners, we can ensure the right level of heat transfer in our plants, which makes the operations very efficient.”

Ashitech has been manufacturing Road Construction Machinery in India for 35 years. Products include Asphalt Batch-Mix Plant, Asphalt-Drum Mix Plant, Bitumen Pressure Distributor, Pothole Patching Machine, and other complementary products. It is now considering ramping up its production and expanding its brand presence in other countries as well.