Roadcare (M) Sdn.Bhd, its parent company, HCM Engineering Sdn Bhd and Kumpulan Ikram Sdn Bhd are currently involved in a joint research with JKR on Cold in Place Recycling (CIPR) of pavements. CIPR is a type of pavement rehabilitation method which is economical, environmentally friendly and sustainable. HCM Engineering and Kumpulan Ikram are wholly-owned subsidiaries of listed Protasco Bhd.

Federal road maintenance concessionaire Roadcare is one of the few companies that specializes in CIPR, and pioneered the technology. The research which began in 2004, involved field and laboratory study. Nine research sections were constructed on roads of varying conditions and type, located in Kelantan, Terengganu, Pahang and Selangor. The study also involves extensive laboratory study, analyzing the properties of materials used in CIPR works

The researchers involved include Ir.Zulakmal Sufian from Public Works Department (JKR) as the principal researcher, Pn. Nafisah Abd Aziz from Roadcare, En.Mat Zin Hussain and En.Yazip Matori from Ikram. Early findings show that CIPR rehabilitated pavement provide better performance over conventional methods. By the end of last year , the research team had presented their findings at international conferences held in Sao Paolo, Brazil, Coimbra, Portugal and at the Malaysian Road Conference.

Three more research papers are planned to be presented at international conferences in 2009. Based on these findings, a manual on CIPR is being developed to provide road authorities, contractors, and consultants the best standard practice. Draft of the manual is scheduled to be completed in 2010, and the study is expected to be fully completed by 2012.