TrackJet at Cape Verde for Rubber and Paint Marking Removal

ASA, the airport management entity at Cape Verde has planned for S. Pedro, the airport that serves the second largest city of that country, an expansion programme aimed at turning it from a domestic structure into an international one.

Rubber and Paint Marking Removal Equipment Manufacturing

Such intention required a strong investment and extensive works, including the runway markings layout revision. It was necessary to demark the complete existent markings and then repaint again, enlarging the runway length and width.

One of the most recent TrackJet models, TJ-24, went from Lisbon to Cape Verde by sea, exclusively to perform this demanding mission of removing paint without damaging the pavement.

ASA was committed to use the very best technology available to save the relatively new pavement and to assure homogeneous results.

The requirement of minimum manpower and logistics was also quite relevant, as several other jobs were being performed at same time and the Airport did never close.

Another crucial factor was related with the water consumption. Cape Verde is an extremely dry archipelago and all water available is produced on desalinization plants with high costs per litre.

“Even with several difficulties as the water quality, the fuel quality and the high temperaturesduring the day, the mission was performed without one single failure from the equipment and the initial schedule was successfully fulfilled”, said Ruben Figueiredo, the project manager from TradeTarget.

“We’re pleased when the customer is pleased and these works were a great example of cooperation and coordination between all parts involved”, he added.

The “new runway” gives S. Pedro more opportunities as the direct connection of the Island to Europe will certainly support a relevant growth on one of the most important sectors for Cape Verde tourism.