NFM Technologies, part of the Wirth group, has been given an order for six slurry TBMs for tunnels in China.
The contract is worth over US$89.7M and includes the design, manufacture and commissioning of six machines between 11.93m and 11.12m diameter. All of the machines are configured for NFM’s “Benton’air” proprietary slurry pressure mucking.
Two of the TBMs are destined to be used on the rail link between central and west Beijing railway stations that has to be in place before the 2008 Beijing Olympics. The scheme involves 9.4km of track between the stations, of which 7.2km is in tunnel. The TBMs used on this project will be 11.93m diameter.
The other four machines are all 11.12m diameter and will be used for the Shiziyang tunnel on the express line between Guangzhou and Shenzhen. The project comprises two tubes of 4,540m and 4,500m. A TBM will be used to excavate a heading from each end of the two tunnels.
Delivery of the TBMs is planned for summer next year. To meet the delivery schedule, NFM is acting as prime contractor, with its local partner Shenyang Heavy Machinery Group in China manufacturing some components and assembling the machines.
Wirth claims that it has now taken the lead for supply of large diameter TBMs in the ever growing Chinese market, with over 30 references to date for similar work.
