Bitumen 60/70 Supplier and manufacturer in Dubai, UAE

Bitumen 60/70 is a medium-hard penetration grade with a needle penetration of 60 to 70 dmm at 25 °C, tested to ASTM D5. It is the most widely exported paving grade in the world, and in warm and tropical climates it is the default binder for hot mix asphalt. ZUMRUT INT Co. supplies it in jumbo bags, bitubags, steel drums and bulk, with a batch certificate of analysis issued before every shipment.

What is Bitumen 60/70?

Penetration grade measures hardness: a standard needle is dropped into a bitumen sample at 25 °C under a 100 g load for five seconds, and the depth it reaches in tenths of a millimetre is the penetration value. The lower the number, the harder the binder. Bitumen 60/70 sits in the middle of the commercial range.

It is produced by vacuum distillation of crude oil residue. Its softening point of 49–56 °C, combined with high ductility and strong adhesion to mineral aggregate, is what makes it the dominant choice for hot mix asphalt in warm climates — stiff enough to resist rutting under heavy axle loads, flexible enough to resist fatigue cracking under repeated traffic cycles.

Compare the full range on our penetration grade bitumen page, or cross-reference grading systems on the grade equivalence chart.

Where Bitumen 60/70 is used

Road construction and highway paving

In flexible pavement design, Bitumen 60/70 is the binder in both the binder course and the wearing course. It is the standard grade specified for highways, expressways, urban arterials, airport taxiways and runways, and port access roads — anywhere high traffic volume and heavy loading are expected.

Climate suitability. Bitumen 60/70 performs best where the annual average pavement temperature exceeds 20 °C. That covers Sub-Saharan and East Africa, Southeast Asia, South Asia and the Middle East. In those climates its softening point keeps the surface from deforming during peak summer temperatures. Below an annual average of about 10 °C, a softer grade such as 80/100 holds flexibility better and resists brittle fracture.

Waterproofing and industrial use

Beyond paving, Bitumen 60/70 is a primary raw material in the waterproofing industry. Consistent viscosity, a high flash point and strong adhesion to mineral substrates make it the standard base for:

• Bituminous primers

  Applied to concrete, masonry and metal before membrane installation to penetrate porous substrates and improve adhesion.

• Cold-applied coatings

  Dissolved or emulsified for brush and spray application on foundations, retaining walls and underground structures.

• Hot-applied coatings

  Used directly at elevated temperature for pipeline corrosion protection and below-grade waterproofing.

• Modified membranes

  The base bitumen in SBS and APP modified sheets for roofing, tunnels and bridge decks.

• Bridge decks

  Waterproofing and protection layers beneath the wearing course.

• Industrial

  Hardstanding and industrial flooring, sound dampening underlays, anti-corrosion wrapping for buried pipelines.

Waterproofing manufacturers generally select 60/70 over softer grades because its rheology allows tighter formulation control and more stable coating performance across a wider range of application conditions.

Bitumen 60/70 compared with 40/50 and 80/100

Grade selection comes down to three things: climate, traffic load and application type.

Bitumen 40/50 is specified where heat and slow heavy loading combine — port aprons, bus stops, loaded intersections. Bitumen 80/100 gives better crack resistance in cooler regions. Bitumen 60/70 is the all-purpose export grade and covers the majority of global road project requirements.

Density of Bitumen 60/70

Density at 25 °C is 1.01–1.06 g/cm³, typically about 1.03 g/cm³, measured to ASTM D70. The same property is often written as specific gravity, expressed relative to water at the same temperature.

It matters in four practical places. Volume-to-weight conversion: at 1.03 g/cm³, one metric ton occupies roughly 971 litres at 25 °C — the figure you need when buying or shipping by volume. Tank planning: maximum fill volumes and heating energy per ton. Mix design: used with aggregate bulk density in Marshall and Superpave methods to calculate air voids, VMA and optimum binder content. Plant metering: density falls as temperature rises, so metering by volume at elevated temperature needs correction or the mix is over- or under-dosed.

Values at elevated temperature are indicative, based on standard thermal expansion coefficients for penetration grade bitumen. Exact figures vary slightly with crude source and refinery process.

Packing and container loading

Packing choice drives both delivered cost and what you need at destination. The figures below are exact loading quantities for freight booking and project planning.

Choosing between them. The caged jumbo bag is the usual format for large road projects — the cage lets bags stack safely and handle on a standard forklift. Without the cage, stacking in a 20′ box is not safe, so uncaged bags ship in 40′ containers only, at lower unit cost but requiring crane or heavy forklift at destination. The 300 kg bitubag is optimised for 20′ loading and reaches 24 MT in a single box, which makes it the choice where port access or freight routing favours 20′ containers.

Drums remain the most widely used export format worldwide. They allow on-site storage, controlled individual melting, and work with the drum melters available in most markets. The 150 kg drum is preferred where handling is manual — remote sites, smaller contractors, or anywhere without mechanical lifting.

Our minimum order is 100 MT, roughly four to six containers depending on packing. Mixed grades within one shipment are accepted provided each grade reaches a full container. For quantities above 1,000 MT, shipment by dedicated bitumen tanker vessel is available from Jebel Ali, Mersin or Iskenderun.

Storage and handling

Store drums and bags in a dry, shaded area away from direct sunlight, moisture and open flame. Drums stay upright and fully sealed. Jumbo bags are not stacked more than two high unless caged. Maximum recommended shelf life is 12 months from production date under correct conditions — the shelf life and storage guide covers retest thresholds and what goes wrong when drums are stored on their side.

Technical specification

Typical values are indicative. A batch certificate of analysis with the actual test results is issued before every shipment. Viscosity varies slightly with refinery source and crude origin.

Payment, inspection and documentation

Our standard terms are 50% by TT in advance, balance against a copy of the Bill of Lading. The advance secures production and loading; the balance falls due once the cargo is demonstrably on the water and documented. We do not work on letters of credit — bank charges and discrepancy risk end up in the per-tonne figure, and saying so plainly saves a week of negotiation.

Every shipment travels with a commercial invoice, packing list, bill of lading, certificate of origin, MSDS and the batch certificate of analysis. SGS, Bureau Veritas, Intertek or the surveyor named in your contract can attend loading for quality and quantity. Shipping documents are issued within three days of vessel departure. The export documentation guide sets out what each document does and where presentations usually fail.

Frequently asked questions about Bitumen 60/70

Related grades and products

• Other penetration grades

  40/50 for extreme heat and slow heavy loading, 80/100 for temperate and cold regions.

• Oxidized bitumen

  Blown grades such as 85/25 and 115/15 for roofing, membranes and pipe coating.

• Emulsion and cutback

  Emulsions for tack coats and slurry seals, cutbacks for prime coats and surface dressing.

• Modified binder

  PMB where one unmodified grade cannot cover both the high and low temperature ends.