In the early 1990’s, a contractor had been observing large milling machines and wondered if a similar capability could be had in an attachment that would help him open utility trenches faster and easier. After several tries, the early Asphalt Zipper® machine was born in 1994. Thereafter, contractors started realizing significant cost and time savings with asphalt removal tasks that used to take an entire day being completed in 30 minutes. Contractors were also finding that by eliminating saw-cutting, chunking, hauling and disposal, their cost savings were easily in excess of 70%.
A few years later experimentation began with pothole and street repairs. Early tests showed that crews that had been completing 1-2 patches per day with traditional repair methods were instantly doing 8-9 patches per day with what would later prove to be even greater durability. It wasn’t long before full roads of up to a half-mile or more were being completed per day.
Over the years a dedicated team of factory engineers responding to the input and needs of customers have produced significant improvements in design and power. Now Asphalt Zipper machines dot the landscape with contractors, municipalities, counties and DOT’s. What began as a small contractor’s hope has blossomed into the most cost effective and simple way to repair roads and open utility trenches.
