Talking Point

Why was ‘Investing in our greatest asset: Roads’ chosen as the theme for the congress?

AÖ: We wanted to draw attention to the maintenance of our main asset – roads. When governments open new roads, they often don’t consider the future maintenance they require. The longer maintenance is left, the more it will cost – this must be dealt with in a more economical way.

What can those attending look forward to at the event?

SM: The congress will open with a series of keynote speeches that will highlight the challenges in our business environment and provide insights from various stakeholders. This year, a professional moderator will help to tell the story and ensure that important key messages are clearly stated and reinforced. Attendees can expect high quality technical sessions that cover key issues of development and innovation.

What do you expect will be achieved by the congress?

SM: I hope participants will understand the story and the role they can play. We aim to communicate a clear message about the need to invest and how to get the most from that investment. If we manage to recruit new or create stronger asphalt advocates with shared knowledge and common objectives, that would be a great achievement and, for the industry, the congress will have been a great success.

What does the future hold for the bitumen and asphalt industries?

AÖ: A lot of exciting developments are taking place in the automotive industry. We also need to become greener. Another important item will be to better understand the rejuvenation of bitumen in reclaimed asphalt.

Read the full article in Performance Magazine Issue 1/2016