Norwegian milling service provider Asfalt Remix AS opts for W 60 Ri small milling machine and cabin machines from Wirtgen

Headquartered near Oslo, Asfalt Remix AS has been serving customers throughout Norway for more than 20 years. For the 2017 season, the country’s largest milling service provider expanded and updated its fleet of around 20 machines, adding two Wirtgen W 60 Ri small milling machines to the lineup along with three Wirtgen large milling machines of type W 220. The small milling machines more than proved their flexibility and versatility over the season. For Eyvind Brynildsen, Junior Director of Asfalt Remix, “the sophisticated machine concept, together with other invaluable details, delivers the edge that ultimately is the key to economic success.”

On job sites, the W 60 Ri small milling machine hits the mark with numerous easy-to-use added and automated functions. Milling Machine Operator Jon Anders Fjeld, for instance, is thrilled that the height of the machine can be adjusted using the multifunctional armrest. It means he can adjust the height and save the set value with just one hand while remaining comfortably seated. When the milling drum is lowered into the working position on a parallel track, the machine then mills to exactly the same depth as before. In total, four buttons on the W 60 Ri can be customized with a range of functions, allowing each operator to adapt the small milling machine perfectly to their own working style and the requirements of a particular job site. In Norway, where surface courses are mainly milled to a depth of 4 cm, this function saves a lot of time.

What’s more, the display on the multifunctional armrest shows a lot of important information such as job data (e.g. the milled area, and the number of trucks loaded), the filling level of the tank, the current advance rate and the selected milling drum speed. This information enables the operator to organize the work optimally, as well as any stops for refueling and changing cutting tools.

Apart from the actual milling work, maneuvering is a major part of the day-to-day work of a small milling machine operator. This includes travel to and from the transport vehicle and the job site, as well as maneuvering and backing off on site. On many days, Jon Anders Fjeld has to work on four or more job sites. To ensure this tight schedule can be kept to, Wirtgen has, for instance, accelerated the speed at which the rear wheel swivels in: 30 seconds is all it takes. The milling drum has no contact with the ground, so the pavement is not damaged by the maneuvering.

The small milling machine also moves swiftly from the transport vehicle to its position on the job site, traveling at a speed of up to 12 km/h (4-wheel version) or 8 km/h (3-wheel version). Relocating to the start of the next milling track is also speedy, because this small milling machine can reverse with the milling drum activated.

In maneuvers, the offset arrangement of the front wheels allows the machine to drive up against obstacles or edges. Wirtgen has also equipped the machine with particularly large front wheels, which minimizes wear while reducing the surface load on the base.

In all maneuvers, steering can optionally be performed using the joystick on the multifunctional armrest or – if the locking angle is to be particularly great – using the steering wheel. Once the rear wheel is swiveled in, it is automatically steered as well. This ingenious design reduces the turning radius. Since small milling machines often have to turn in the tightest of spaces, this feature additionally speeds up the work while maximizing cost-efficiency.

Accurate leveling is a crucial factor for precise milling. Here too, the Asfalt Remix team is a firm believer in Wirtgen solutions. LEVEL PRO PLUS, Wirtgen's advanced automatic leveling system, can be operated intuitively and supports an extremely high degree of automation. “Ultimately, that further increases the precision of the milling results and leads to high quality,” says Junior Director and Operations Manager Eyvind Brynildsen. After the first season, he is highly satisfied with his new small milling machines:

In the large milling machine segment, too, premium solutions from Wirtgen deliver added value. One example from the Norwegians’ portfolio is the sound-insulated operator's cabin, which is much in demand in Scandinavia. At its heart is the “Operator Comfort System”, or OCS. Since the cabin can be shifted and swiveled hydraulically, the machine operator can quickly get himself into the best position for optimum visibility. Even reversing maneuvers can be carried out conveniently while seated, because the cabin can be turned 110° in either direction from any position. “We have fitted two of our new large milling machines with this cabin. The high-quality interior fittings meet every possible need,” Eyvind Brynildsen explains. Camera transmission, precise joystick control and a powerful automatic climate control system with heating, cooling and fan functions create pleasant working conditions with optimal protection from the weather and first-class all-round visibility, whatever the conditions outside. “This level of convenience also helps the operators to concentrate on their work and deliver quality,” Brynildsen adds, explaining his purchase decision.

When they collected their five new milling machines, Brynildsen, all the milling machine operators and the workshop team traveled to the Wirtgen brand headquarters in Windhagen, where everyone received intensive training on the machines. “We were able to get to know the new developments in detail. The Wirtgen trainers also passed on a lot of tips and tricks to enable us to use the machines even more safely and efficiently.”

One of the highlights alongside the machine training was the tour of the production plant. And, although Eyvind Brynildsen had already been to Windhagen often, he says: “Because Wirtgen is a very innovative and dynamic company, I saw and learned plenty of new things this time as well.”

Comprehensive customer service is a key element of the Wirtgen Group’s philosophy. Asfalt Remix has been using machines from the market leader Wirtgen for its milling jobs since it was founded in 1995 – the very first machine being a type W 500 small milling machine. Since then, the milling service provider has been supported by the Norwegian Wirtgen Group sales and service company located in Sande i Vestfold, 60 km southwest of Oslo. “We are very satisfied with the cooperation – with both the brand headquarters and the subsidiary in Norway,” says Brynildsen.

Maintenance and the spare parts service were also discussed in the course of the visit. Asfalt Remix has a clear opinion on this subject: “The service from Wirtgen is unbeatable. When we need support, there's always someone on hand. Fortunately there aren’t normally any ‘emergencies’, because the machines run extremely reliably,” says the Junior Director contentedly. That means the service almost entirely consists of planned measures such as regular maintenance. “And we’re thoroughly impressed by the scope and quality of the entire package.”