The Ural Plant of Deicing Materials (UZPM), a leading Russian manufacturer of modern anti-ice products under the Bionord brand, took part in the VII Scientific and Practical Conference Roads of Eurasia. The event took place in Kazan, bringing together over 400 road industry specialists from Russia and neighbouring countries. Advanced solutions for the winter maintenance of urban and intercity infrastructure have been presented and discussed at the conference.
UZPM’s specialized exhibition stand showcased the complete line of Bionord deicing materials developed for highways, engineering structures, and pedestrian zones. The products are designed using sodium and calcium salts and contain a corrosion inhibitor along with complex additives that mitigate the impact on urban environment elements. The compounds are developed with account of specific regional climate characteristics and data analysis, and can be tailored to meet a customer’s specific needs while strictly complying with GOST standards.
As part of the business programme of the conference, Artem Dovzhenko, Leading Manager for Federal and Regional Roads and Bridges Division at the UZPM Trading House, presented a report, discussing modern approaches to winter maintenance and highlighting the key challenges facing road services. These challenges include unstable weather conditions involving frequent freeze-thaw cycles, rising safety standards for the road environment, and the ongoing necessity for budget optimization.
According to the UZPM representative, the use of Bionord materials allows for a comprehensive approach to solving these challenges. The products are characterized by high ice-melting speed and cost-effective consumption rate, which is up to seven times lower compared to rock salt and sand-salt mixtures. The materials remain effective at temperatures down to minus 30°C, dissolve completely, and do not damage vulnerable surfaces such as road markings, paving stones, concrete, and metal crash barriers.
Several types of Bionord products have been used in Kazan for over a decade, including solid, two-phase, and combined compounds for pedestrian zones, city roads, and highways. Recently (for a second season now), Bionord has also been introduced on the M-12 federal highway in Tatarstan.
Application experience demonstrates high efficiency of these materials in the region’s volatile weather conditions, characterized by frequent thaws, sharp temperature drops, fog, and hoarfrost formation. Under such conditions, traditional sand-salt mixes perform inconsistently: their effectiveness drops in case of severe cold and when the temperatures cross the 0°C, they fail to prevent re-icing. Bionord materials, manufactured using the ‘Single Granule’ technology, provide a long-lasting effect, ensure uniform ice melting across the treated surface, and retain their performance properties during temperature fluctuations.
Statistics confirm the effectiveness of transitioning to modern agents: according to the Kazan State Traffic Safety Inspectorate, a significant reduction in road accidents by nearly 40% has been recorded in Tatarstan over the past decade.
Today, Bionord deicing materials are in high demand across more than 50 Russian regions. Owing to an extensive federal network of distribution centres, UZPM ensures prompt product supply to any subject of the Russian Federation. The high quality of the agents is attested by a complete package of regulatory and permit documentation, as well as extensive positive feedback from road authorities.