How Roadwork Equipment Can Benefit Airports

Airports represent one of the world's most vital methods of long-distance transportation. As more and more people choose to take to the skies, airports everywhere are expanding their properties and finding new ways to welcome people into their space.

When developing these solutions, too many companies miss the chance to incorporate roadwork equipment into their expansion projects. However, Cat® equipment has long proved useful in an airport construction setting. Below, we'll discuss a few of the ways that rental equipment like you'll find at The Cat Rental Store has helped airports like yours build new operations and expand existing ones for incredible increases in traffic and profits.

1. Maintaining Safe Runways

One of the top ways roadwork equipment is valuable to the air travel industry involves maintaining airport runways. As airports grow, their needs expand — and this is often true for the size of their airplanes as well. Naturally, larger airplanes need larger runways to take off and land. Some of the best equipment for maintaining airport grounds and improving the safety of these runways include:

• Road wideners: Road wideners have the strength to lift and distribute paths of stone, dirt and asphalt. As you drive the machine over a road, it deposits material off to the sides, making the overall road larger and allowing new paths to take form.
• Asphalt pavers: After you use a road widener to make the path the size of your preference, an asphalt paver can smooth and level everything out. As the paver rolls over the space, it compacts the asphalt and coats over it with some form of cement.

2. Advanced Monitoring Techniques

Robotic equipment is now being viewed as the future of the construction industry. Caterpillar is leaning into this development by creating new software and improving existing programs that allow construction teams to work more efficiently while staying safe.

Past airport construction operations using Cat equipment have brought remote drone monitoring onto the premises. These “eyes in the sky” keep a watch on projects 24/7, monitoring their progress and reporting data back to management. This constant backup monitoring is helpful for improving:

• Safety: If your equipment or team members are not working as expected, they can become a liability quickly. Advanced monitoring picks up on these malfunctions faster and helps keep your team on schedule and out of harm's way.
• Time management: Advanced technology can make sure your equipment works as efficiently as possible, minimizing time spent on each project. When staffing shortages are common, having equipment that can streamline its own performance is vital to keeping your project moving.

3. Creating Effective Layouts

That same equipment you use for maintaining airport runways is effective in creating new, more efficient layouts. Combined with advanced monitoring software from Caterpillar, you can map out your paths and set them up before you begin, allowing for a smooth transition between operations. 

Creating a Unique Equipment Plan

Once you've decided on incorporating roadwork equipment into your operations for maintaining airport runways, The Cat Rental Store can help you get started right away. Before you begin ordering equipment, it helps to develop a plan so you can dive into the project immediately once everything arrives. Start by:

• Defining your goals: The first part of your plan should be understanding what you want from your end result. Are you more focused on improving safety or efficiency? When do you need to complete your project? How will you incorporate the existing framework into your plan? 
• Understanding your unique needs: Every airport is different in size, construction and types of transportation, so your setup needs to be a bit different too. Accepting your unique situation gives you the perfect opportunity to exert some creative control and use your equipment in new ways to discover what works best and where you can make improvements.
• Being open to modification and accommodation: Since you're likely using this equipment in ways you've never used it before, be open to adjusting your plans as you progress. Certain equipment may not produce the results you expect, but it may pave the way for you to develop a new solution that works even better.

Shop The Cat® Rental Store for Airport Maintenance Assistance

Whatever ideas you have for building or expanding your airport, consider if Cat equipment can help make it happen. The rental equipment available through Cat dealers has assisted in countless expansion operations worldwide. Contact your local team today to discuss your plans and get expert help choosing the best solutions for your site.