A West Midlands local authority has taken the decision to invest in the use of high-spec manhole covers and ironwork installation system from Wrekin Products to help keep the need for maintenance and replacement to a minimum.
Dudley Metropolitan Borough Council (DMBC) is responsible for maintaining and improving Dudley’s roads and highways, which consists of a network of some 1,000 kilometres of both major and minor roads.
In the Council’s Transport Asset Management Plan October 2015 – March 2020, it has identified lifecycle and investment planning, and developing a long-term approach, as significant steps in achieving its overall aim of managing its transport infrastructure assets along well-disciplined principles to deliver high quality services.
During a meeting with DMBC Section Engineer Simon Hunt, Wrekin’s Regional Sales Manager Dave Sanders was told the authority was regularly experiencing problems with competitor manhole cover foundation breakages.
A discussion about Wrekin’s Unipak mortar followed which led to an order for the product being placed by Dudley’s contractor. The Unipak specification suggested has subsequently proved to perform significantly better.
An invitation to all parties concerned from Wrekin Products to learn more about the Unite range of manhole covers has subsequently resulted in selection of a package which includes an agreed warranty.
Dudley’s road network is now benefiting from installation of the best D400 access cover range available in the market.
Commenting on the decision, Simon Hunt says: “Dudley Council like many authorities, invests heavily in maintaining our highway network. Over recent years we have seen an increase in the failure of both manhole covers and the variety of bedding and packing systems used.
“When investing many millions of pounds in surfacing the highway network it would be foolish not seek out and use the best products we can find to prolong the life of this highway.
“In the Wrekin Unite manhole and the Unipak bedding and packing system we have found a product that our contractor can easily adapt to and offers the results we desire for our investment.”
Wrekin Products is a UK leader in the design, manufacture and design of ductile iron access covers and gully grates and of a full range of steel access covers. The Lichfield-based company is also one of the UK’s premier suppliers of geosynthetics for civil engineering, offering a range of solutions for ground reinforcement, erosion control, drainage, environmental protection, grass protection and weed suppression.
