Wrekin Stop Tap Chamber Innovation reduces replacement risk
LEADING designer, manufacturer and supplier of specialist products for the civil engineering industry Wrekin Products has launched a brand-new range of Grade B surface boxes – created with ease of specification, installation and building part dependency in mind.
A significant number of surface boxes are made of plastic and are part of a four-piece chamber system involving a tap chamber base, guard tube, sleeve and surface box. However, a brand-new innovation from Wrekin combines the surface box and sleeve into one unit. As these two parts of the system have been identified as the most prone to breaking, the combined alternative serves to remove the need for replacements, saving time in parts sourcing and minimising embodied carbon.
The highly durable ductile iron solution is intended for use in areas that are subject to occasional vehicle access and comes in three clear opening sizes and distinctive frames, with stepped recesses. The result of this design feature means that many common sizes of pipe used on building projects can be accommodated – removing the need to purchase, hold stock and handle specific chamber pipe systems.
Gosia Kwapisz, product manager at Wrekin Products, said: “It’s become clear to us that weak plastic surface boxes are not offering the durability needed in areas exposed to vehicular traffic, which poses a health and safety risk by becoming a trip hazard to pedestrians and, in particular, to those with walking aids.
“By offering a versatile option suitable for a large variety of sites, along with being robust yet lightweight for easier installation and manual handling – specifiers, installers and communities stand to benefit from our new Grade B surface boxes.
“Once installed, the surface boxes are easily accessible with a prising tool and the robust, captive hinge reduces risk of theft and allows easy access for cleaning. What’s more, the increased compatibility with wider water infrastructure means they are ideal for new and existing civil engineering projects throughout the UK and beyond.”
Wrekin’s range of new stop tap boxes enable scheme designers and contractors to satisfy the requirements of new and existing developments, by ensuring compliance with British Standards, with its Grade B status meaning that the boxes are capable of bearing wheel loads of up to five tonnes.
Gosia continued: “Health and safety is of paramount importance for all involved in civil engineering projects, but it’s an additional benefit that we have designed a product that is an aesthetically pleasing and more sustainable alternative to existing plastic boxes.”
