fuhao@heavstymarking.com
Leave Your Message
- E-MAIL
-
WHATSAPP -
Engineered specifically for high-speed runway clearing, taxiway re-alignment, and rubber buildup elimination.
Understanding the critical demands of aviation pavement safety and marking management.
Airport runways and taxiways represent some of the most heavily stressed concrete and asphalt surfaces in the world. Unlike standard highways, where vehicular traffic is continuous but relatively lightweight, airport runways must endure the immense impact, friction, and weight of landing aircraft weighing up to hundreds of tons. Over time, these operations lead to two critical maintenance issues: the accumulation of aircraft tire rubber deposits and the degradation or misalignment of essential visual navigation markings.
When an aircraft lands, its tires accelerate from zero to matching the landing speed (often exceeding 250 km/h) in a fraction of a second. This high-speed friction creates extreme temperatures that melt the tire rubber, depositing a thin layer of carbon black and polymerized rubber onto the runway surface. As these layers build up, they fill the macrotexture of the pavement, severely reducing the wet friction coefficient of the runway. In wet weather conditions, this lack of texture can cause aircraft to hydroplane, posing an extreme safety hazard.
Simultaneously, airport markings—such as runway centerlines, touchdown zone markings, and taxiway guidance lines—must be kept perfectly visible. Standard practice involves repainting these markings regularly. However, after multiple paint layers accumulate, the paint itself begins to flake, lose adhesion, and obscure the underlying pavement texture. Thick paint layers can also become slippery when wet. Therefore, periodic complete removal of old markings is mandatory to maintain the structural integrity and safety standards of the runway pavement.
Standard road marking removal equipment designed for municipal streets is simply inadequate for airport environments. Airports require rapid, high-capacity machinery that can clear thousands of square meters within tight night-time maintenance windows (often only 4 to 6 hours). Any damage to the runway pavement—such as micro-cracking, aggregate dislodgement, or grooving destruction—can lead to Foreign Object Debris (FOD), which poses a catastrophic risk to jet engines. This demands the deployment of advanced Road Marking Removal Machines for Airport Runways and Taxiways that offer precise depth control, high operating speeds, and integrated waste recovery systems.
Our parent factory LXD was founded in 2003, accumulating over 20 years of industry experience. The Heavsty factory, established in 2020, operates as an intelligent workshop equipped with advanced lathes and a highly professional R&D team. In the field of road marking and maintenance machinery, we stand as the largest manufacturer in China. With a dedicated service and R&D team of 40 people and a factory footprint exceeding 20,000+ square meters, we provide comprehensive, one-stop solutions from initial research and design to production, inspection, and global shipment.
Heavsty has quickly gained a firm foothold in the field of road and traffic safety, becoming a highly influential global solution provider by virtue of its keen market sense and excellent strategic layout. Our machines are built to meet the rigorous safety and efficiency standards demanded by modern international airports.
Analyzing the leading methodologies for marking and rubber removal in modern airports.
To ensure runway safety, airport authorities must carefully choose the removal method that balances speed, cost, and pavement preservation. The three main methods currently utilized in the industry are mechanical grinding, chemical removal, and ultra-high-pressure (UHP) water jetting.
Utilizes rotary cutters to physically scrape the paint or rubber off. While highly cost-effective and simple to operate, it can cause micro-grooves and aggregate damage if not controlled precisely.
Operates at pressures between 2,500 to 3,000 bar. The water jets blast away the paint and rubber from the microscopic pores of the pavement without damaging the structural binder or aggregates.
Simultaneously vacuums up the wastewater, paint chips, and rubber debris. This prevents runway contamination, eliminates FOD risks, and allows the runway to be reopened immediately.
UHP water jetting is widely recognized by civil aviation authorities worldwide (including the FAA and ICAO) as the safest and most efficient method for runway rubber and marking removal. The process works by directing extremely fine streams of water at supersonic speeds onto the runway surface. The kinetic energy of the water breaks the bond between the marking paint (or rubber) and the pavement, effectively washing it away.
Because water is flexible, it penetrates the deep macrotexture of the asphalt or concrete, removing paint from the microscopic valleys that mechanical milling heads cannot reach. This ensures a 100% clean surface, restoring the original pavement texture and friction rating. Furthermore, because there is no mechanical impact or heat generation, the underlying aggregate remains completely intact, preventing premature runway deterioration.
Modern airport operations place a heavy emphasis on environmental sustainability. When removing markings or rubber, the resulting debris contains heavy metals, microplastics, and hydrocarbons from tire compounds. Allowing this wastewater to run off into the surrounding soil or drainage systems is a severe environmental violation in most jurisdictions.
Advanced removal vehicles, such as the HW-Recycling High Pressure Water Jetting Removal Machine, feature integrated vacuum recovery and filtration systems. As the UHP nozzles blast the surface, a powerful suction shroud captures all water and suspended solids. The waste is pumped into onboard separation tanks, where the solid debris is filtered out into a dry cake for safe disposal, and the water is cleaned. This closed-loop design minimizes water consumption and ensures compliance with strict environmental protection laws.
Tailored operational strategies for planning, construction, and long-term maintenance of runways.
Airport layout planning and runway design solutions aim to optimize taxiway traffic flow, improve safety margins during landing and takeoff, and ensure compliance with international aviation codes. Through data-driven scientific analysis, we design visual markings that integrate seamlessly with automated landing systems and airport lighting configurations.
Aviation pavement solutions focus on reducing resource consumption and environmental pollution. Through material innovation (such as low-VOC paint and MMA resins) and UHP water recycling technologies, we achieve a green lifecycle for runway maintenance, minimizing chemical runoff and carbon emissions.
Ensuring project quality and structural longevity is paramount. Combining different runway asphalt grades and concrete concrete requirements, we provide diversified high-performance materials like MMA (Methyl Methacrylate) adhesives and cold-spray paints alongside heavy-duty application machinery.
Runways in extreme climates—such as high-altitude airports, tropical regions with heavy rainfall, or sub-zero environments—require specialized marking and removal solutions. Our adaptive machinery operates efficiently in extreme temperatures, ensuring consistent water pressure and paint adhesion.
Adhering to the principle of "prevention first, combination of prevention and control," our maintenance solutions extend the service life of airport pavements. Regular friction coefficient testing combined with timely rubber and marking removal ensures maximum runway safety and avoids costly pavement resurfacing.
Discover how Heavsty machinery performs in high-pressure, real-world airport environments.
In September 2025, our UHP water jetting system was deployed to remove accumulated rubber and old thermoplastic markings. The machine achieved zero damage to the runway concrete, allowing the runway to reopen 30 minutes ahead of schedule.
Read Case Study
Deploying our high-capacity hot melt kettles and marking removal systems, contractors successfully re-aligned key taxiway lanes. Precision temperature control ensured uniform paint melting and clean removal of old lines.
Read Case Study
Large vehicle-mounted marking and removal machines were utilized during the airfield expansion. The equipment withstood extreme desert temperatures (exceeding 48°C) while maintaining continuous, high-efficiency operations.
Read Case StudyWith machines operating in over 60 countries, Heavsty maintains a reputation for unmatched reliability. We regularly host international airport authority delegates and contractors at our state-of-the-art manufacturing facility in China. Our transparent manufacturing process allows clients to witness rigorous quality control testing firsthand, ensuring every machine leaves our factory ready for the intense demands of airfield maintenance.
Meeting the strict requirements of international civil aviation regulatory bodies.
Airport operations are governed by some of the strictest safety regulations of any industry. Organizations such as the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) in the United States and the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) globally dictate precise standards for runway surface texture, friction levels, and marking visibility. Failure to comply with these standards can result in immediate runway closures, heavy fines, and severe liability risks in the event of an incident.
The FAA outlines the requirements for maintaining runway skid resistance in its Advisory Circular AC 150/5320-12C. This document specifies that airport operators must conduct regular friction surveys using Continuous Friction Measuring Equipment (CFME). When the friction coefficient falls below the minimum planning level, immediate corrective action—typically rubber removal—must be scheduled. Heavsty's UHP water jetting removal vehicles are designed to quickly restore the pavement's macrotexture, bringing friction ratings back to safe operational levels in accordance with FAA guidelines.
ICAO Annex 14 defines the color, dimensions, and reflectivity requirements for all airfield markings. Over time, paint weathering, dirt accumulation, and tire rubber tracking degrade the retroreflectivity of these markings. When repainting, simply layering new paint over failing paint is no longer acceptable under modern standards, as the thick paint buildup can flake off and create FOD. Heavsty's removal machines allow for the clean, complete stripping of old paint, providing a pristine substrate for the application of new, highly reflective markings that comply with ICAO Annex 14.
The future of airport maintenance lies in automation and smart technology. Modern airports are increasingly demanding removal machines equipped with computerized control systems. These systems allow operators to program precise parameters—such as water pressure, nozzle rotation speed, and vehicle travel speed—tailored to the specific age and type of the pavement. By automating these variables, operators eliminate human error, prevent accidental pavement scarring, and ensure uniform removal quality across the entire runway surface.
ISO 9001/14001/45001 Certified. TÜV & SGS Approved. CE Compliant.
Stay updated with Heavsty's global operations, product launches, and upcoming trade shows.
Heavsty successfully dispatched a batch order of high-performance cold spray marking machines equipped with power-assisted vehicles to our Canadian partners, expanding our presence in North American airfield maintenance.
Explore our full range of professional equipment, from hand-push sprayers to heavy-duty water jetting vehicles.
Our engineering team can customize water pressure, vacuum capacity, and vehicle configurations to meet your specific airport runway and taxiway requirements.
Inquiry Now