Late Cold Snap Leads Councils To Take Stock

The 2004/2005 winter season was an interesting one and is best summarised as being slightly contradictory and anything but typical. Although it was actually milder than normal with a mean temperature 1.5C above average , there were a few bitterly cold periods that caught many people out. November and December were fairly dry and mild although the temperature dropped dramatically around the third week in November and parts of the west and north saw a white Christmas. January and early February were generally quiet with the odd cold snap but the second half of February saw the most prolonged wintry spell since 1986 with weather watchers in London noting eleven consecutive days of snow, an unusual situation for the capital. This continued on into March and in Boughton-under-Blean in Kent a minimum temperature of -11.5C was recorded, the lowest in southern England in March since 1970.

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Local Authorities Stuck On New Thawrox+

In the last issue of Gripping Stuff we introduced Thawrox 6mm rock salt with Safecote, a 6mm rock salt premixed with 3% of an Agricultural By Product (ABP) from the sugar industry. Many local authorities began trials in the 2003/2004 winter season and continued and extended those trials during the 2004/2005 season. In May and June 2005, The De-icing Business invited all those who conducted trials to attend feedback seminars. The response has been overwhelmingly positive with over 60 local authorities attending.

Lower corrosion, greater dust control and elimination of blocking are just some of the benefits that have been noted. The De-icing Business, also announced that the product is to be rebranded as Thawrox+.

The ABP additive binds in the fines which reduces bounce off, wind borne loss and brings greater residual salt levels for longer term protection.

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DryStore On Top

Following its launch last year DryStore is proving to be a popular choice for local authorities looking for an effective covering for salt but without the capital outlay or space considerations of a dome. Made from woven reinforced polythene, DryStore’s patented air vent and weighting system means it is able to resist the strongest winds. A specialised fitting system means that stocks can be easily covered in less than 4 hours with no gaps and no holes.

Commenting on the product Gary Neiles, from The De-icing Business said, “Drystore helps prevent leaching and ensures that salt stocks remain dry and in the best condition for spreading. It is completely different to conventional sheeting and we’ve found that local authorities also appreciate how quick it is to fit.”

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Exactrak Leads The Way

We have previously written about the launch of Exactrak, the municipal vehicle tracking and monitoring created by The De-icing Business and we’re pleased to report a big increase in the level of interest in the system and the number of local authorities signing up. Recent new contracts include Bradford MBC and Alfred McAlpine (in Redcar & Cleveland) and these new customers bring the number of local authorities on board to 40. Exactrak has been designed for all local authority vehicles including refuse trucks, lighting towers and gully cleansing vehicles.

Commenting on Exactrak, Charles Robertson, National Sales Manager said, “We’re seeing a big increase in the number of local authorities trialling and signing up to the system and the main reason for Exactrak’s success seems to be the fact that it has been designed specifically for local authority vehicles. Our starting point was to create a bespoke package rather than try to emulate an off the shelf GPS tracking box. Local authorities need specific information and a straightforward black box just can’t provide that.”

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