Velocity invests in capacity to meet increasing demand for UK pothole repairs
Road repair specialists Velocity have invested in new machines to meet the increasing demand for their services from local authorities and term-maintenance contractors throughout the UK.
Two new machines have joined the fleet, each with the capability to repair up to 200 potholes and other defects per day.
Velocity pioneered spray-injection patching to carry out permanent repairs at a fraction of the cost of ‘excavate and fill’ repairs.
Cold applied, emulsion coated aggregate is sprayed into defects at high velocity, compacting from the bottom-up and creating a perfect seal with the existing surface.
Each repair takes just two minutes, is ready for traffic immediately and costs as little as £12 per repair compared to a national average of £52.
Designed and manufactured by Velocity in Sunderland, the two new machines join a fleet of twenty operating throughout the UK.
Dominic Gardner, managing director of Velocity, said: “2017 was a record year for Velocity. The demand for our services has continued to grow with over 300,000 repairs already delivered in 2018.
“The increased demand has been driven partly by the cold weather conditions in the winter, but more so by confidence in the durability and effectiveness of the product.
“Customers now use Velocity Patching as an integrated part of their asset management strategy, for clearing the backlog of repairs and as a preventative approach.
“That approach works, with one local authority reporting that inspectors are finding that 50% fewer defects are developing on roads that have been treated with preventative repairs by Velocity.”
This year, the company has added five machines to their fleet and trained new operators with an NVQ in Velocity Patching to carry out repairs throughout the UK.
The first of the new machines left Sunderland for West Yorkshire for a programme of repairs in Bradford.
Dave Mazurke, Group Manager Highways Maintenance at Bradford Metropolitan Borough Council said: “For us, Velocity Patching is an absolute winner. The machine is an innovative piece of kit, and the speed of repairs means the productivity is phenomenal. As a contractor, the operators are very good. They’re always available, helpful and ready for feedback.
“Where it’s especially good is on shallow depth defects. We’ve put it to the test and found that 10-20mm deep repairs stick where traditional repairs would eventually fail.
“In Bradford, we’ve reduced the number of potholes by 25% over the past few years. Velocity have contributed to that, and we get a lot of positive feedback from elected members and the public.”
Part of the Reece Group, Velocity also design and manufacture their machines for export, with machines operating in North America, South America, the Middle East and Asia.
Twenty years ago, Velocity pioneered a unique approach to tackling potholes and road defects using Velocity Patching.
By working in partnership with customers and collaborating with suppliers, Velocity Patching has become an established technique used by local authorities and maintenance contractors throughout the country.
Velocity design and build the most advanced road repair machine at their manufacturing plant in Sunderland. The company operate a fleet of machines in the UK and internationally, exporting equipment and know-how throughout the Middle East, Africa, North and South America.
Over the past 20 years Velocity have repaired millions of highway defects, delivering safer and smoother journeys for road users, saving tens of millions for tax-payers and protecting the environment with a 90% reduction in CO² emissions compared to traditional techniques.
Velocity is part of the Reece Group, a group of innovative engineering companies based across the globe.
