Post by Downer

How do you extend the life of a runway in one of the wettest, most remote parts of New Zealand, without shutting it down for weeks? At Milford Sound Airport, that was the challenge. After more than 10 years, the runway surface was showing flushing, excess binder rising to the top, creating a smooth and potentially unsafe surface for aircraft. Doing nothing wasn’t an option. Full resurfacing would have been costly and disruptive. So, we took a different approach. Our teams applied Specialised Emulsion Preservation (SEP), a proactive treatment designed to protect what’s already there, before it fails. Here’s what that means in practice: • Rejuvenates aged surfaces by restoring binder • Seals micro-cracks and keeps water out • Extends pavement life by 5–7+ years • Delivers a significantly lower-cost alternative to resurfacing Delivered by Downer’s national specialised team, working alongside our South Island sealing crews, the project came together in a tight weather window, in a rainforest environment where timing is everything. In collaboration with Road Science, we applied a solution that not only restored the runway surface but helped future-proof it. The result? A runway back in operation quickly, performing as it should, without the need for full reconstruction. Check out the video below to hear directly from our client and the people behind SEP. This builds on our recent work at Hawke’s Bay Airport, continuing the conversation around SEP: https://lnkd.in/e-zzpkWR The takeaway: If your pavements are ageing but still structurally sound, you don’t need to wait for failure. SEP gives you a practical, cost-effective way to act early, extend asset life, and reduce long-term costs. Learn more about it here: https://lnkd.in/eXWWCqf2 #Downer #TransportAndInfrastructure #SEP #AssetManagement #RoadScience #MilfordAirport #Enviroshield Trevor Otton, Manvir Singh, Edward Hailes, Rob Mackie, Lyall Hedges Murray Robertson, Kelly Oudt,

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