Four Robbins 6.5 m-diameter EPBs with mixed-ground cutterheads have been successfully launched and brought up to speed on two lines of the Nanjing metro in Jiangsu province of China. Shallow cover, sensitive environment and strict settlement control limit the thrust force employed, and continuous monitoring is required. Nevertheless, the machines are achieving a steady 40 mm/min, using foam additive to reduce the torque requirement. Read the full press release and visit www.robbinstbm.com. 19/12.