OCTOBER | SECTOR FOCUS
trackway solution for the Ed
Sheeran Divide Tour (pictured
above) at Chantry Park, Ipswich.
“The product had to not only be
suitable for HGV’S and heavy
plant movements, but also be
suitable for the 160,000 visitors
expected at the event,” he says.
“It was decided that the
obvious solution was the
I-Trac system. I-Trac can be
deployed quickly, is suitable
for all roadgoing vehicles, can
be installed on undulating
ground, has an anti-slip surface
and once installed there are no
trip hazards on the contiguous
46
surfaces.
“Over 7,000m2 I-Trac
was installed in front of the
stage, and proved incredibly
successful. It was heavily used
by hundreds of production
vehicles and plant when building
the stage and grandstands.
Time was also of the essence.
The I-Trac needed to be deployed
within two days and removed
within the same timeframe for
breakdown. A large crew and
four project managers were on
hand to achieve this, working
to detailed plans drawn up
between the client and the
Cap Trac operations team. In
addition to the I-Trac, a further
8,000m2 of pedestrian flooring
was also installed around the
event site. The whole event
proved a great success and
the client was delighted by the
product and service provided by
Cap Trac.”
Portable Floormaker are
also buzzing from a sizzling
summer. “We have a research
&and design team looking
at new products for existing
markets and new markets
for new products such as the
security markets both UK
and worldwide,” says general
manager Eric Swithenbank,
who is also eyeing the situation
politically.
“There’s no direct impact from
Brexit yet, but we do not sell
much into the EU at present but
some of our materials come out
of or through the EU. Our UK
based suppliers have however
put contingency plans into
place.”
Looking ahead, the picture
could be mixed. Gilles says: “It
has been a tough year, some of
the events that we were due to
supply and had worked with for
multiple year’s sadly folded due
to lack of ticket sales. I believe
Brexit is creating uncertainty
and people are being more
cautious about expenditure,
however I think we will continue
to see new; niche events launch.”
Innovation is more
important than ever, then,
says Swithenbank. Portable
Floormaker has introduced
a series of new fencing and
HVM security products to the
security markets such as ARX
Portable security Fencing. “This
product is aimed at high value
permanent, semi-permanent
and temporary installations
where a portable, temporary
high security fence solution is
required to be used to shield
permanent fence breaks during
repair or for extension works
where temporary security
fencing is required.
“It is also a valuable high
security perimeter protection
solution for outdoor festivals,
gatherings, concerts in order to
minimise un-allowed ingress
into secure areas. This product
is soon to be tested to LPS1172
attack ratings by BRE and is
expected to achieve at least an
A1 rating but hopefully 6, a C5
rating’
Meanwhile, its ARX Stopper
is a portable temporary HVM
product designed to withstand
hostile vehicle ingress into
secure areas with pedestrian
traffic. “Showing an aggressive
deterrent will put doubt into
an attackers mind and should
deter such attacks but if not
the product when arranged
correctly will defeat an attack.
This product will soon be tested
as a HVM deterrent product.”
Its ARX Crowd Barrier, a
new range of crowd/stage/
pit barriers is designed to
help with crowd control
both indoors and outdoors at
concerts, festivals and shows.
With a 1.2m width (which is
larger than the competitions
1m width) fewer barriers are
required to complete the same
run. “Lightweight and finished
with a warm to touch powder
coated covering, the ARX Crowd
Barrier will be a hit. Currently
undergoing load testing
expected to achieve at least a
5kn rating.”