Zigma® Ground Solutions once again supported this year’s Chris Evans ‘Drive and Dine Magnificent Seven Ferrari’s’ charity event for Children in Need.

 The event, now in its third year, saw a unique line-up of seven magnificent Ferrari’s. In addition, Chris Evans, driving a special Ferrari, took part in the last stage of this year’s ‘Drive and Dine Magnificent Seven’ event.  The event raised in excess of half a million pounds for BBC’s Children in Need appeal where listeners bid live on air during Chris Evans radio show to win a place at the event.

Zigma®, as in previous years, provided the event with their EuroMat® allowing the Ferrari’s to be moved into position via a temporary roadway and on to a display area on the hotel’s delicate croquet lawn.  The EuroMat® ensured the croquet lawn was protected against damage, as well as making an ideal display area for the Ferrari’s. 

The simple connection system of EuroMat® made it quick and easy to install and the unique chevron surface design™, which is also pedestrian friendly, provided a non-slip surface for both cars and guests. 

Iain Brown, Managing Director of Zigma®, said “We are delighted to support this wonderful charity for the third year running.  Children in Need raise a huge amount of money for a highly deserving cause.  The ‘Drive and Dine Magnificent Seven Ferrari’ event is fantastic and ends at The Chewton Glen Resort, a stunning venue with Chris Evans and BBC Radio 2 providing great support. Congratulations to all involved in Children in Need and Zigma®looks forward to supporting this great cause again next year.”

Summary

• Alton Towers, part of Merlin Entertainments Group
• The UK’s leading short break resort and family fun park
• 1,000 EuroMat® (installed by one of Zigma’s ® distributors, Beaver 84)
• Laid to provide an over flow car park and vehicle access route

Problem

Outside of their well known theme park, Alton Towers host a number of events throughout the year and needed to convert an adjacent field into a temporary car park for visitors to use. The site was grassed and boggy in part and needed to be transformed into an area where cars could be parked without causing long term damage to the ground. The client was familiar with the heavier, aluminium track way alternatives as they had been used on previous occasions. However they needed to feel confident that EuroMat® was fit for purpose, wouldn’t sink, would protect the ground from damage and provide a cost effective, economical solution.

Solution

In collaboration with Beaver 84, a trial demonstration area consisting of 50 EuroMat® were laid on the boggiest part of the site and Land Rovers were used to traverse and park on the mats. The trial was, as anticipated, well received, resulting in 1,000 EuroMat® being laid across the site and used during the event.

Zigma’s®  EuroMat® makes an ideal temporary car parking solution as it features the unique ‘chevron traction’ ™, which provides effective and safe non slip grip for both vehicles and pedestrians, and can support weights up to 80 tonnes. The 2.4 metre x 1.2 metre EuroMat® features grab handles along each side, and at the ends, to facilitate the unloading and movement of the mats around site, weigh just 36 kilograms each and are fast and simple to deploy.

Verdict 

Alton Towers had used similar portable access solutions previously, but as a result of a successful trial of EuroMat®, were convinced to use Zigma’s compression moulded and innovative alternative access mat. This resulted in 1,000 EuroMat® being installed at Alton Towers to provide a temporary over flow car park which was safe for vehicles and pedestrians, fast to deploy and cost effective to hire.

Summary

• B&Q – UK’s largest DIY/small builder retail chain
• GeoGrid™ on sale throughout a selection of their 321 nationwide stores
• Private and industrial car parks and driveways, storage depots, emergency access routes, areas with specific ground conditions (e.g.  Sites of Special Scientific Interest) including peat bogs, delicate grassland or areas where drainage and water runoff is a problem.

Problem

B&Q wanted to supply its retail and business customers a sustainable, robust and eco friendly cellular paving system which would allow their customers to overcome onsite challenges such as excessive flooding, rainwater runoff, as well as protecting delicate grass or areas of high vehicular and pedestrian traffic.

As importantly, the product was required to be sufficiently robust and price competitive to perform as well as alternative solutions for example tarmac, concrete and flagstaff paving. In addition the product had to be aesthetic for landscaping requirements – allowing the use of grass or decorative stones as infill – and be simple to install by B&Q’s customers.

Solution

After extensive research and testing of competing products, GeoGrid™ was selected due to its superior performance and competitive pricing. This decision reflected not only GeoGrid’s™ commercial benefits but its unique product features:

• Unique patented cellular design allowing the industry’s highest weight/tyre load rating of 30 tonnes
• Unique connecting system allowing maximum expansion and contraction in very high temperatures
• Supplied in pre connected square metre sections for easy and fast installation
• Designed and manufactured in the UK
• Manufactured from 100 % recycled and recyclable high density polyethylene providing strength and environmental benefits
• Chemically inert preventing pollution to underlying soil
• Unaffected by acids, alkalis, oil and petrol
• Industry’s optimum unit weight to strength ratio.

Verdict

In 2011 B&Q committed to continuing to market GeoGrid™ throughout a selection of its UK stores, making this the third consecutive year of the successful business relationship.

Summary

• LEGOLAND, Windsor, Berkshire.
• Family theme park forming part of Merlin Entertainments Group
• Installation of 7,000 square metres of GeoGrid™  to provide a suburban drainage system for the hotel car park

Problem

Legoland Berkshire were expanding the existing theme park to incorporate a new 180 bedroom waterside hotel complex. As part of the construction programme, a sustainable, robust and eco friendly ground reinforcement system was required to provide car parking facilities opposite the hotel. The product needed to be sufficiently robust and price competitive to perform as well as alternative legacy solutions for example tarmac and concrete. Additionally the solution needed to be capable of supporting light vehicles such as cars as well as heavier tour buses and sufficiently durable to avoid causing damage to the ground.

Solution

After extensive research GeoGrid™ was selected due to its superior performance and competitive pricing. Installation of the 7,000 square metres of GeoGrid™ was uncomplicated and the grids were easily shaped to fit around lamp posts and tree beds. Once installed it was filled with gravel to provide a stable car park base and d-marks were used to indicate the individual parking bays. The hotel was preparing the surrounding area for suburban drainage system (SUDs) and effective rainwater runoff, and GeoGrid’s ™ cellular open design was the perfect solution for dispersing the water.

The decision to use GeoGrid™ reflected not only the products commercial benefits but its unique product features;

• Unique patented cellular design allowing the industry’s highest weight/point load rating of 30 tonnes
• Unique connecting system allowing maximum expansion and contraction in very high temperatures
• Supplied in pre connected square metre sections to facilitate easy and fast installation
• Designed and manufactured in the UK
• Manufactured from 100% recycled and recyclable high density polyethylene providing strength and environmental benefits
• Chemically inert preventing pollution to underlying soil
• Unaffected by acids, alkalis, oil and petrol
• Industry’s optimum unit weight to strength ratio

Verdict

GeoGrid™ was installed and successfully provided a suitable car parking base which was sustainable, robust, eco friendly and cost competitive.

Summary

• Film location of Britain’s popular television period drama

• Provide a safe, sturdy hard standing for vehicles up to 100 tonnes

• Ground conditions – soft arable pasture land featuring inclines

Problem

The film crew of the popular ITV drama needed to provide a safe and sturdy temporary road way and hard standing platform for very heavy vehicles including a 100 tonne crane, and multiple passes for 30 tonne delivery lorries. The ground conditions were soft arable pasture land featuring the added challenge of inclines.

Solution

Over 100 TuffTrak®, each measuring 3 metres x 2.5 metres, were installed on site. These heavy duty road mats featuring the unique ‘chevron traction™’ were the ideal solution, reducing vehicle slippage even in the wettest weather conditions and on severe slopes, and capable of supporting loads of up to 150 tonnes. The TuffTrak®, manufactured from 100% recycled high density polyethylene, were quickly and easily manoeuvred into position using forklift trucks.

Verdict

The installation company reported very positive feedback, ‘The installation couldn’t have been any easier. I’ve been in the temporary roadway business for the past 22 years and in my opinion TuffTrak® is the future of temporary road ways.’

• National Grid – responsible for delivering energy across the UK

• Product trial with their primary sub contractor as part of a project to upgrade gas pipeline

• To assist the safe movement of a broad range of plant, equipment and personal

• To effectively minimise environmental damage caused by the passage of heavy plant

• To assist the client to meet their sustainability standards

Problem

J Murphy were familiar with using aluminium and wooden ‘bog’ mats and, on the recommendation of the National Grid, wanted to explore the opportunity to use alternative temporary access and ground protection products that were environmentally friendly and would be capable of supporting heavy loads. The product would also need to eliminate damage to the ground and minimise reinstatement costs. Plant used on site included dumpers, transits, and side booms with weights of up to 85 tonnes and multiple passes on a daily basis.

National Grid and J Murphy stipulated that the product had to be in keeping with their sustainability ethos and with a low risk of theft.

Solution

A trial area of TuffTrak®, Zigma®’s premium heavy duty temporary road mat, were used on site for a period of six months. TuffTrak® delivered key features and performance important to the client – its highly effective and unique ‘chevron traction™’ delivering maximum ‘grip’, load bearing capacity of over 150 tonnes, its sustainability (100% recycled and recyclable) and, being chemically inert, avoiding any leaching of polluting substances. TuffTrak® ability to protect the ground from physical and environmental damage substantially avoided the possible need for costly reinstatement works.

Verdict

Feedback from J Murphy and National Grid was very positive and TuffTrak® exceeded their expectations. It was stated that TuffTrak® was deemed to have outperformed all other temporary access and ground access products they had trialled, and discussions are now under way to supply TuffTrak® in substantial numbers as part of National Grid’s overall temporary access requirements.

• The world’s largest developer and portfolio of retail and leisure centres

• Company behind Westfield Stratford City, Gateway to Olympics 2012

• Required an access solution to cover an area of up to 10,000m² for up to 18 months

• Protect the granite walkway in the shopping mall and provide heavy duty access for weights up to 80 tonne to the associated Olympic construction site

Problem

The Westfield Group, developers of the Olympic Gateway, were well on track to completion and in the second-fix stage. They required a heavy duty access and flooring/ground protection product that would protect not only the granite walkways around the shopping centre, but also provide a durable access route for site construction vehicles. Their stringent health and safety and product criteria stipulated that the solution needed to be capable of supporting weights up to 80 tonnes, suitable for a variety of construction and servicing plant and equipment, and sufficiently light weight to be manoeuvred by hand. Further the product had to meet current health and safety regulations, be non slip, sustainable, environmentally friendly and cost effective – a big ‘wish list’ to fulfil!

Solution

EuroMat®, Zigma®’s premium heavy duty man handable access mat was proposed as the solution and Zigma®, in conjunction with one of its partners, supplied and deployed an initial 3500 EuroMat® to the Westfield Group’s contractors. With further phases due, the number of EuroMat® installed will comprise an area totalling more than 10,000m² by the end of the project.

Verdict

The ease of installing the EuroMat®, coupled with the EuroMat® unique ’chevron traction™’, ensured that there were no problems, accidents or delays to the work programme and Westfield were delighted with the overall capabilities and performance of the EuroMat®.

The TESA awards aim to recognise those at the forefront in driving the event industry forward and the winners were announced at a lunch on 31 March in London.

Kris Heard, UK and European Sales Director for Zigma said “We are very proud and pleased to be shortlisted in the category, new product to industry in the last 12 months, especially on the company’s first venture in to the world of awards. Coming third is a great achievement for us and gives us a platform to build on.”

New South Equipment provides unique access and matting solutions to a wide spectrum of customers across the US and supports projects in energy exploration, pipeline construction, high voltage / line transmission, heavy construction, environmental remediation and ancillary industries.
New South Equipment will be introducing the TuffTrak® and EuroMat® to the marketplace from late October, and Zigma can now compete directly with the long established US temporary access companies.

CEO Drew St John II commented: “We are pleased to be entering into a long term partnership with Zigma Ground Solutions, their products and services are tailored to the modern needs of our clients for temporary access.  Today our clients demand the most cost efficient, environmentally sensitive products on the market, which we are now able to offer under the Earthsafe brand”.

The location of Zigma’s new premises is ideally situated next to Stansted Airport and the M11/M25, making it very easy for UK and international customers to visit the company and to attend product training courses and demonstration days.

The move underlines the rapid growth of Zigma since the merger with TrakMats Europe and allows the company to both present an enhanced professional image and to provide higher levels of service to its valuable customers, both here and abroad – and all under one roof!

For further information about Zigma Ground Solutions and Trakmats Europe please contact us on 08456 435388 or email sales@zigmauk.co.uk.