#FlashbackFriday Bomag Innovation Days 2024 + Aftermovie

When we think of rollers many of us in the industry instantly think Bomag, the name has become synonymous with compaction equipment over the years, much in the same way we relate to any kind of vacuum cleaning devices as a Hoover, and backhoe loaders of any make get called a JCB.

My earliest memory of working with Bomag equipment was around 1977, when straight out of school my father secured me a job with Wimpey Construction, as a “chain boy” essentially as an engineer’s assistant on a project within Southampton docks. When I wasn’t required in that role, I was often tasked with operating a Bomag BW90 double drum vibratory roller compacting material in preparation for concreting bays.

I still recall the daily morning task of inserting a starter pellet into the head of the old Hatz diesel engine and the herculean effort required to turn over the engine by hand with a starting handle to get it to fire up, there was a real knack to it, as I learned to master over the coming months.

With this in mind, it was great to finally pay a visit to Bomag back in 2024, at their spiritual home of Boppard, in Germany to attend their Innovation Days event.

It was in this area that Bomag was founded in 1957 by Karl Heinz Schwamborn and it was in that same year that he developed a completely new design in compaction technology with the introduction of the BW 60 double drive drum vibratory roller, a fully restored example of which was proudly on display in the presentation room.

This was followed by another first in 1962 with the introduction of the BW-200 the first ride-on double drum vibratory roller.

Fast forward to 2004 and Bomag was acquired by family-owned French business the Fayat Group. This multi-faceted construction and engineering business was first established by French entrepreneur Clément Fayat, also in 1957. Today the business is managed by his two sons Jean-Claude and Laurent Fayat, offering gainful employment to 2,500 employees worldwide, and with a turnover in the region of 5.6 billion euros.

In 2005 the Bomag brand officially became Bomag Fayat Group and with big investment has continued to expand its range of products, not only in the compaction sector, but also road surfacing equipment, planers, soil stabilisation and waste compactors to name a few.

The Boppard facility is massive and on its own employs 1,700 of the total global workforce. A tour of the various factory elements was something of an eye opener, this is true manufacturing from start to finish, as sheet steel goes in from one end and fully assembled machinery rolls out of the other end.

Of particular interest was the state-of-the-art drum factory which was opened in 2013, following a massive €21.5 million investment by the company, the largest single investment in Bomag’s history. We witnessed steel sheets being formed into the drums on the specialist bending equipment.

Bomag’s Innovation Days format first took place in 2019 attracting visitors, customers and dealers from all over the world. This year was the sixth edition as the company showcased some of its latest machines and technology in an action-packed extravaganza, which also featured a stunt motor bike rider and professional freestyle football performances.

Following on from a procession of single drum rollers of various sizes, fitted with different speciality drums, Bomag revealed a world premiere at the event with the introduction of the new BW 177 BVO-5 PL single drum roller.

This machine features three adjustable compaction modes, all being effortlessly selected via a simple rotary switch in the cab, consisting of, oscillation, low amplitude and high amplitude, making it extremely versatile across a wide range of construction compaction tasks.

As one might expect the high mode setting offers impressive deep compaction of layers up to 50cm on gravel and sand and up to 40cm across mixed soil types. While the oscillation mode ensures a gentler but effective compaction technique, which is especially useful when working in sensitive areas for instance above pipelines or other underground services.

Power comes from an ultra-fuel efficient, Stage V EU emissions compliant Kubota V3307 diesel engine producing a power output rating of 55.4kw (75.0hp) @2,400rpm. Fuel saving is further enhanced with the incorporation of Bomag’s ECOMODE technology which includes smart speed control which the manufacturer suggests can reduce fuel consumption by up to 30%.

From my many years on construction sites, I would have to say the most famous double drum roller from Bomag would have to be the BW120 model and it was interesting to see the latest electric version of this iconic roller presented in the form of the BW120 AD e.

With an operating weight of 2,600kg and a working width of 1.200mm the machine is powered by lithium-ion batteries which offer a capacity of 25 kWh and an operating voltage of 48v.

Bomag state that the SYNCHRONMOTOR driven machine is more than capable of working for a full shift on one overnight charge. The installed batteries can be charged with either 230 or 400v which offers flexibility to end users, who are either using a household socket, wall box or CEE plug for charging.

Producing very little noise when operating, these would be a great option for contractors working on road repair works overnight in urban areas, such as cities and towns.

From the light equipment section Bomag demonstrated the latest versions of the ever-popular reversible plate compactors such as the heavyweight 570kg BPR 70/70 D and the lighter BPR 60/65 D Stoneguard, which tips the scales at 487kg, with both models being powered by Stage V diesel engines of 9.3kw and 6.7kw respectively.

There was also a rollout, and quite literally a rollover, for the new BMP 8500 trench compactor. This machine which has an operating weight of 1.595kg, made its UK debut at Hillhead earlier this year and is powered by a Stage V emissions compliant Kohler KDW 1003 diesel engine with a rated power output of 12.8kw. This machine also features Bomag’s (BOSS) operator safety system, which means if the operator enters the machines safety zone, it cuts out the drive automatically. It also alerts the operator if the trench compactor is at risk of tipping over, which was demonstrated to full effect during a planned rollover during the demonstration. 

The big boy’s toys were introduced as Bomag revealed their latest generation of soil stabilizers the RS 600-2 and RS 650-2 which were seen for the first time in live action for the assembled guests.

The only difference between the two models is the engine, with the RS 600-2 sporting a Tier 3 emissions power pack, whereas the RS 650-2 aimed at regulated territories, features the EU emissions compliant Stage V Deutz TCD 16.0 V8, 8-cylinder diesel engine which produces a rated power output of 480.0kw (653.0hp) @1.900rpm.

This powerhouse of a machine is, according to Bomag, capable of pushing a 40-tonne bitumen emulsion tanker during the mixing process, whilst also towing a water bowser of up to 30-tonnes, and ultimately speeding up the job in hand.

The operator can operate the machine both forwards and backwards and a state-of-the-art camera system offers him an all round 360^o view of the working area.

Two rotor variants are available, with the standard fitting having a width of 2,400mm, a wider 2,600mm is offered as an option for increased surface area coverage.

Various tractor-towed stabilizers and binder spreader units were also displayed further showing the depth of the companies 250 strong product portfolio.

A wide range of new technology was also on show, including Bomag’s emergency brake assistance system for pivot steer tandem rollers.

This highly advanced and clever system had already won an Innovation Gold Award at Intermat in Paris earlier this year and is now fully available for customers worldwide.

Designed for use on the AP-5 generation of tandem rollers the system prevents collisions with road workers and other vehicles whilst preventing and any damage to the hot asphalt by uncontrolled rapid stops which could leave creases in the surface.

It achieves this by using multi-level 3D-Lidar technology to assess the machines surroundings and to project its travel path based on speed and steering angle. In the event of a potential collision the emergency brake assistant intervenes according to the situation. If a person is detected but is already moving away from the potential danger zone, then the roller’s working speed is only reduced, very similar to some systems deployed in motor cars today.

Such advanced safety systems can only be a good thing for the industry as a whole.

Other technology showcased included Bomap, an app for continuous compaction control, monitoring optimum compaction levels and helping to reduce unnecessary passes which can potentially make savings of up to 40%.

As part of a connected jobsite approach Bomag also showed the Asphalt Pro app, designed to offer real time process management, and aimed at cutting down waiting times of trucks, offering increased efficiency.

As is so often the case at these events, Bomag saved the best till last, as a mighty top of the range BC 1173 waste compactor trundled into the demo zone and proceeded to crush three motor cars that had been placed in its path. As a fitting finale to this stunning demonstration the members of the demo team climbed aboard the beast and let off fireworks, much to the delight of the assembled audience.

By my own admission, compaction equipment doesn’t normally float my boat, but I came away from this event with a totally different perspective not only of the equipment on show, but of Bomag in general, its an impressive business and I’m confident I will be visiting again in the future.

Checkout the Aftermovie video below from Bomag.