VIDEO| Site organization, a key element for Trace in the completion of Lot 2 of the Ploiesti-Buzău motorway

Three factories represent the most important structures that a builder needs in order to fulfil his contractual tasks within the agreed timeframe. An asphalt plant, a cement plant and a concrete plant. Plus, huge quantities of ballast, rock, and aggregate. And a stone’s throw away from the route of the Ploiesti-Buzău motorway, on lot 2, Mizil – Pietroasele, where the Bulgarian company Trace is working, all these exist.

The Trace project manager in Romania, Georgi Ivanov, was our guide on the site visit.

„We built the asphalt production plant, here is the cement plant and the concrete plant. A little further on are the asphalt aggregates, used in asphalt production,” he showed us the main structures inside, hiding mountains that an unknowing eye simply calls „gravel”. In fact, rocks, ballast, and aggregates of various sizes used in the construction process of the motorway.

So whenever we drive on the highway, beyond the asphalt tongue, there are many layers of drainage and ground stabilization, not just asphalt poured on the ground.

The asphalt production plant is still not operating non-stop. ” Still,” the Bulgarian engineer said. It now produces 2,000 tons of asphalt a day. Next to the asphalt plant is the cement plant. Here, too, daily production is nearly 2,000 tons a day. That’s 180 tons per hour.

The cement station doesn’t stop either. Between 400 and 500 tons of concrete are produced every day. And the concrete mixers are taking it to where it’s needed, currently to the foundations and pivots of bridges, viaducts, and overpasses.

So far 6,400 cubic meters of concrete have been used for large structures, another 1,200 cubic meters to bridges.

Why does the Trace project manager care so much about these factories?

„These structures are the most important for us in helping us to complete the motorway. We don’t need to build anything else,” Ivanov added.

In every Trace project, the builder brings a special machine, „cold in place recycling”.

„Why is it so important? This machine can stabilize the ground really well,” said Georgi Ivanov.

The Bulgarian company Trace has 25 years of experience in building transport infrastructure in the Balkans and internationally. It has been listed on the Sofia Stock Exchange since 2007. Trace has been awarded the contract for Lot 2 of the Ploiesti-Buzău motorway, part of the Moldova Motorway, together with the Romanians from Coni. The contract was signed on 7 June 2022 and the order to start work was issued on 11 August.