Manufacturer of hot and cold asphalt Actop Asphalt regards the Conference on Asphalt Pavements for Southern Africa (Capsa) –of which the company is a sponsor – as an opportunity to show its capabilities as a high-quality asphalt producer.

“Considering that Capsa only happens once every four years, it is a great opportunity to engage with a network of people, owing to the asphalt industry being quite small in South Africa, with very few role-players,” says Actop Asphalt MD Francois Kemp.

With companies scaling down because of the economic downturn, he mentions that the company hopes that government will provide more opportunities, especially through the South African National Roads Agency Limited (Sanral), to ensure expansion.

Kemp says the company relies on tenders that are issued by local government, municipalities and Sanral to stay afloat.

As a manufacturer and supplier of asphalt, Actop Asphalt can offer its services to companies that have won such tenders.

Meanwhile, Kemp mentions that companies in the asphalt industry are facing the challenge of not having enough funding allocated by government for projects.

“It’s scary because the construction industry feeds a variety of other industries as it is the biggest industry in South Africa – if there is no work being done, many industries will suffer as a result.”

Actop Asphalt prides itself in being a leading company in the asphalt industry and hopes that Capsa 2019 will open new possibilities for the company nationally and internationally, notes Kemp.

Previously held in 2015, Capsa 2019 will feature keynote speakers such as oil industry company Royal Dutch Shell bitumen Europe and Africa GM Audny van Helden, Forum of European National Highway Research Laboratories secretary general Dr Thierry Goger and Glen Barton Chair of Flexible Pavement Technology in the Civil and Environmental Engineering Department at the University of Missouri Professor Bill Buttlar.

Globally recognised in the industry, Van Helden will expand on the objective of providing innovative and cleaner bitumen and cleaner bitumen solutions to contribute to a better society. Goger will update Capsa on the Forever Open Road concept, following his Capsa 2015 presentation titled ‘Towards the 5th Generation of Roads’.

Buttlar will discuss the latest developments in smart pavement infrastructure and innovation. In addition, the speakers will interact and share their professional knowledge with delegates who are present at the conference.

Visitors can also look forward to a lively exhibition area with stimulating and engaging exhibitors.

Capsa 2019 will be held at Sun City, in North West, from October 13 to 16.