When you take on an industrial paving project, you know you’re in for quite the undertaking. Besides budgeting, scheduling, coordinating downtime, accounting for productivity loss, and more, there are additional challenges that busy industrial facilities may have to tackle as they embark on a new paving project. Here are the top ten hurdles of industrial paving at busy facilities and how you can plan for and mitigate them.
1. Chilly Temperatures
High-quality asphalt paving takes skill and expertise. Beyond that, it also requires the timing to be just right. Because asphalt can be a fickle—though durable—material to work with, the right conditions must exist for the asphalt paving job to be done optimally.
Hot-mix asphalt must remain hot throughout the duration of the paving process. So if temperatures are too chilly—especially if they’re below freezing—this can drastically affect the outcome of the project. If ground temperatures are too cold, hot-mix asphalt won’t be able to set or cure properly. And even chilly outdoor air temperatures can cool the asphalt during transport to your facility. Temperatures for a hot-mix asphalt job must be above 55 degrees Fahrenheit.
Fortunately, knowledgeable asphalt paving companies like Cassidy Paving utilize specialized tools, like a hot air lance, to heat asphalt during the paving process. And using cold-mix asphalt is another option, especially in cases of crack sealing or filling in potholes. But since cold-mix asphalt is not ideal for full paving jobs, those larger, more comprehensive projects may need to wait until the weather warms up.
2. Hot Temperatures
On the flip side, when the outdoor air is too hot, especially above 90 degrees, it may also affect the curing and setting processes which could result in a less-than-satisfactory paving job. You could see phenomena like melting, sloughing, or bruising of the asphalt. You’ll want to ensure you work with an asphalt paving company that knows your facility’s climate fluctuations, and also schedule projects well in advance to plan for optimal temperatures.
Keep in mind that it’s not just air temperature and ground temperature that these companies will be looking for. It’s also the ambient temperature, which includes elemental factors like wind and sun, that can impact the optimal conditions for your asphalt paving job.
3. Downtime
In a busy industrial facility, downtime can have a big impact. When asphalt is unusable due to a paving or repair project, it won’t just affect your staff parking lot, but also how and when your shipments are delivered, what parts of the property your equipment can access, and more.
This is why planning your asphalt paving projects well in advance will serve you best. You’ll be able to account for the downtime required and, if possible, find ways to schedule around your operations. For instance, completing asphalt paving over holiday breaks or other times your facility is closed can help to mitigate the risks associated with downtime. Pre-planning can also help you communicate to your staff well in advance if changes will be needed in regard to their facility access or the ways they complete their tasks
4. Loss of Productivity and Profitability
What comes with downtime, besides the inconvenience of limited access to your paved areas – potentially negative impacts to your bottom line. Decreased productivity can result in loss of profitability. To alleviate this, see how you can find ways to work around your busiest seasons and complete your asphalt repair and new paving jobs in quieter times. Or, for more in-depth projects that may take weeks or months, consider seeking out alternatives like manufacturing your products or completing your work in other facilities.
5. Delays
Often, project delays are inevitable. After all, you can’t plan for every challenge that may come your way. You may start your asphalt paving process with all your resources in place and a defined schedule only to receive days or weeks of precipitation that causes delays.
Delays call for flexibility on the part of project managers. You may need to revamp your project schedule or allocate different resources during these times. Try to stay flexible and have backup plans in place for factors like inclement weather and other issues that may delay your project.
6. Scope of Work
Sometimes, during the paving process, the project scope can change. This is because there is only so much that can be seen with the naked eye. Even the best asphalt experts can’t possibly predict everything going on underneath the surface of your asphalt until they dive into the project.
For instance, you may be planning on a pretty straightforward overlay or resurfacing job, but once your team of asphalt technicians dive in, they realize that there are more severe structural issues in your asphalt that require a full-depth reclamation project instead. Additionally, damaged water, drainage, or electrical systems will need to be repaired before the job can continue.
Overlooking these issues and forging ahead with your paving project could spell much more trouble for you in the future, so keep in mind that delays are bound to happen from time to time and are all part of the process of restoring your pavement and facility assets to their optimal conditions. Having additional budget on hand to complete any work outside the original scope is always a good idea.
7. Asphalt Issues
What are the disadvantages of using asphalt? A few common ones are lifespan and maintenance. Asphalt is an incredibly durable material, but it doesn’t last as long as concrete. Even if you think you only need to complete an asphalt paving job every decade or two, you may wind up realizing that the traffic at your busy industrial facility actually warrants asphalt repair much more frequently.
While regular maintenance can certainly help extend the life of your paving projects, there will be times that you need to fully repave some surfaces. And these times aren’t always predictable, so keeping room in your budget for asphalt emergencies can help you feel more equipped to tackle them.
More:
What Happens to Your Industrial Paving as the Weather Warms Back Up
8. Damage
Damage to your asphalt is always a cause for concern, but you may not realize how many risks there are. What can damage pavement? Everything from heavy machinery to precipitation to snow removal services. It’s crucial to keep an eye on the state of your asphalt on an ongoing basis to determine whether it’s in good shape. And this is especially important after cold, icy winters that may leave fresh cracks and potholes. If you fail to repair these smaller instances of damage sooner rather than later, you could see larger and more costly structural issues down the line.
More:
Common Asphalt Issues to Inspect After Winter
9. Inadequate Staffing
Having the right resources in place for your asphalt paving or repair job is vital. Since industrial facilities often require a pretty comprehensive scope of work in their pavement projects, you’ll want to make sure you’re working with the right team—and that it has enough members.
An expert paving service like Cassidy Paving will be able to fully and adequately staff your project to minimize delays and ensure that the best subject matter experts are on the ground performing the work. And if staffing ever becomes an issue, these reputable companies will have contingency plans in place so that your project isn’t left short-staffed, resulting in more of a headache for you.
10. Wrong Equipment
Not all asphalt paving companies are created equal. Since asphalt paving machinery is so expensive, some smaller or less-renowned asphalt companies may try to cut corners or simply may not have the best equipment to complete the job at hand.
Worse, companies with minimal knowledge of the issues that asphalt can present may use the wrong techniques to try to complete your particular paving job. That’s why it’s best to work with a paving company that uses top-of-the-line equipment and the latest tools and technology to meet any of your paving needs.
Partner with Cassidy Paving for Your Industrial Facility’s Next Project
When it comes to expertise, resources, techniques, quality of work, and customer service, Cassidy Paving has your industrial facility covered. We serve clients in Massachusetts and throughout New England, so we are knowledgeable about the challenges of asphalt paving in the Northeast. We schedule paving projects accordingly and will never advise you to complete a job when conditions aren’t optimal. If you’re in need of asphalt repair and the temperatures aren’t cooperating, we’ll do everything we can to find workarounds so that your facility’s occupants and vehicles are as safe as possible until you can complete a more extensive asphalt paving project.
Our family-owned and operated asphalt paving company is headquartered in Haverhill, MA, and we’re composed of a vast team of subject matter experts who use the latest tools, technology, and techniques to complete each job to your satisfaction. Our full-time crew has over 100 years of combined experience and is bonded with full liability and full workers’ compensation insurance. We’re so confident in our ability to deliver results you’ll be happy with that we offer a satisfaction guarantee on all new paving services. Contact us today to get the ball rolling on your industrial paving project.
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