It must be both embarrassing and galling for Aggregate Industries to watch competitor Tarmac crow about the "record-breaking asphalt surface" it laid at the Silverstone motor racing circuit.
How different it could have been for the so-called "racing circuit experts" from Aggregate Industries. If only it had gone right. If only riders hadn’t been injured when they aquaplaned off the company’s new asphalt at 150mph. If only races hadn’t had to be cancelled. If only the company hadn’t gagged a motorsport journalist. If only it hadn’t been such a PR nightmare. If only all this hadn't happened.
Tarmac, it will be remembered, stepped in last year to save the world-famous motorsport venue, removing and relaying the asphalt surface that had been put down by Aggregate Industries and that had caused so many problems.
This weekend sees a crowdless Formula 1 British Grand Prix at Silverstone. Tarmac has been making the most of its Silverstone rescue mission, this week calling for people to Sign up for the Tarmac ‘Surfacing Silverstone’ webinar.
Have you signed up for our 'Resurfacing Silverstone' webinar? Join us as @SilverstoneUK MD Stuart Pringle & our technical manager talk about the complexities of the project and how the approach taken can influence future major road projects. Register here: https://t.co/D3VQXcQOxH pic.twitter.com/iC8DtkfRH0— Tarmac (@TarmacLtd) July 23, 2020
‘Surfacing Silverstone – Key learnings and reflections one year on’ will provide the inside track on the installation of the iconic Northamptonshire racing circuit’s latest record-breaking asphalt surface.
Tarmac’s technical manager, Tim Smith, will be joined by special guest Stuart Pringle, Silverstone managing director, to explain how the project team worked round the clock to lay a bespoke and highly durable asphalt solution at the world-famous venue.
The session will discuss how Tarmac were able to meet the project’s exacting specification requirements, as well as the cutting-edge technology and processes used to complete the project on time.
This included a UK-first roll out of 3D GPS-guided planing – used to remove the previous track surface and adjust gradients with millimetre precision – running three paving machines in echelon to eliminate joints across the width of the track, and digital paving technology to guarantee quality during the laying and compaction of the asphalt.
Talk about rubbing salt into poor Aggregate Industries’ wounds. But its problems go further.
Tarmac intends to leverage its success with Silverstone beyond the world of motor sport:
The team will also reflect on key learnings from the project and how the techniques used could offer practical solutions and improvements in the way that major road projects are carried out in future.
Perhaps they hope that others will now be crying out for Tarmac's expertise, wanting road surfaces as good as the one laid at Silverstone.
What future now for Aggregate Industries in the motor racing world? Last year, the company was relegated to 20 tonnes of track repairs at Goodwood.
We laid the @SilverstoneUK track to an accuracy of 0.25mm. Alex @Rins42 won the @MotoGP British Grand Prix by just 0.013 seconds. Precision counts! 📏 ⏱️ pic.twitter.com/XrPMtznTWa— Tarmac (@TarmacLtd) August 27, 2019
