Gulf Construction Online - Chemix offers new emulsions range

Roads & Bridges

Official at the company’s stand at the GIF.

Chemix offers new emulsions range

01 February 2010

Bahrain-based Arabian Gulf Associates (AGA) launched a range of bitumen (asphalt) emulsions manufactured by its recently-launched subsidiary Chemix Emulsion, at the Gulf Industry Fair in Bahrain last month.

“We are among a handful of manufacturers in the region that produce these liquefied bitumen products,” says Hanan Al Thawadi, group director for AGA.

Al Thawadi indicates that the company’s products have already received approval from the US’ Bechtel for use on the New Doha International Airport project as well as from Midmac and other Qatari companies. Buoyed by its initial success, the company is looking at expanding its product range this year.

Chemix Emulsion’s products can be used for the construction of roads, bridges, building foundations and waterproofing, among other applications. They include asphalt emulsions, cutback asphalt, polymerised asphalt emulsions, foundation coatings, slurry seal emulsions and micro-surfacing emulsions.

Describing the features of the range, Al Thawadi says: “These products are characterised by the high quality standards maintained during manufacture and processing. Top-of-the-line machinery and the state-of-the-art technology are used to manufacture and process these emulsions to ensure that they are of high quality.

“All our products are manufactured according to ASTM (American Society for Testing and Materials) and BSI (British Standards Institution) standards. Hence, they are approved by major government and private authorities in the GCC including Qatar, the UAE, and Bahrain as well as in Uganda, Tanzania.”

“The products, which can be used in a variety of applications, can withstand extremely high temperatures, have very high elasticity and offer corrosion resistance, while being long-lasting,” she continues. “They can withstand harsh environmental conditions such as dust, rain and humidity. The ease of their application is also a further unique trait these products have. All these properties make them highly suitable for use in the Arabian Gulf region.”

The products which are currently identified by codes, are in the final stages of branding. “Our only brand name at the moment is Feltec, which is a waterproofing and corrosion treatment product,” she adds.

Explaining their applications in the roads and bridges sector, she says: “All the products under the cut-back asphalt range are recommended for road projects while for bridges, the industrial cut-back product line is highly suitable.”

Asphalt emulsions consist of microscopic particles of asphalt cement coated with an emulsifier to form homogenous water-based asphalt. Either anionic (negatively charged) or cationic (positively charged) and classified into slow, medium and rapid setting, these emulsions are used for many applications – from fog seals, chip seals, pavement repair to construction applications. These products are code referenced as CRS1-H, CMS1-H, CHRS2-H and SS1-H.

Cutback asphalt is a mixture of asphalt cement and solvents, the most common being the rapid and medium-cure types. Essentially liquid asphalts, some of them are thin enough to be used as prime oil or tack, while others must be heated for use. Their uses include dust control, pavement maintenance, construction (chip seal) and patching (cold mix). The products available are MC 20, MC250, MC3000, RC3000, MC 70, MC800, RC70 and RC250.

Polymerised asphalt emulsions are emulsions modified with latex polymer or rubber polymer with resins, oils and additives. “The polymer is blended into asphalt during the manufacturing process, giving the asphalt an increased temperature range performance,” she explains. “These emulsions can withstand greater temperature changes throughout the year, and they are more flexible in cold weather and not as soft in the summer.”

Polymerised asphalt emulsions offered by Chemix include Feltec, CRS2-P, SS1-P, CRS1-P, CMS1-P and RSI-P.
Chemix Emulsion also offers foundation coatings, which are primarily rapid-cure cutback asphalts – either conventional or industrial. They are used for building foundations and subsurface applications such as bridge pilings. Asphalt emulsions can also be used for foundation coatings provided the necessary modifications are performed by the user, she says.

The company’s slurry seal emulsions – CRS1-65-P – is specifically designed to be used in a slurry system for a specific job in a specific area, using certain raw materials. They allow for adequate mix time with the other materials before being placed on the pavement and curing to a new wearing surface (slurry seal).

Micro surfacing emulsions – ARC1-65-P – are commonly slow-setting asphalt emulsions modified with a latex polymer. Their latex composition allows for tougher, stronger cured asphalt. Systems applied using these emulsions outlast conventional systems and may be opened to traffic in as little as 15 minutes, Al Thawadi says.

Chemix Emulsion began operations in 2007 and is one of the latest ventures under the AGA portfolio under the Osama Al Thawadi Group of Companies. The various companies under the AGA umbrella include Gulf Shade, a leading fabric architecture and structural engineering company in the Middle East; Bahrain Plumbing, which specialises in plumbing, drainage, and electromechanical works as well as being the main agent for Banninger pipes; Arabian Gulf Associates, a roofing applicator specialising in waterproofing; and United Hydroclean, which offers airport rubber removal, runway cleaning and other related services.

According to Al Thawadi, AGA intends to expand and double the choice of products it offers, focusing on expanding its tensile structure and emulsions businesses.

“From a product standpoint, our range will diversify, increase and expand in line with our group slogan motto ‘the sky is the limit’,” says Al Thawadi.

Meanwhile, a number of developments have been taking place within the group. Gulf Shade is moving into larger premises in the new Salman Industrial Area in Hidd with the aim of increasing its production capacity. AGA has relocated both its offices and showrooms to join the rest of the group of companies in Riffa. This apart, the entire group now operates in the UAE and in Doha, Qatar,

Commenting on its strategy to ensure its success in the region, she says: “To maintain a competitive edge in the market, the company focuses on being customer-orientated, have a global perspective, while aggressively applying creativity in both product and service development within our various divisions.”

To promote its products in the region, the group relies on interaction with government and other regional authorities in addition to participating in exhibitions.

“We have a local and regional marketing plan which includes participating in exhibitions in various GCC countries, promoting ourselves to the authorities such as government and project consultants and meeting the clients to create awareness of the capabilities of our company,” she concludes.