A company that makes machinery to fixes potholes cheaply and quickly has received its biggest ever order.
Velocity, which is part of Newcastle ’s Reece Group, has received a contract to build 16 of its Velocity Patching machines for a UK company.
They will be built alongside an additional three machines for domestic customers, two for export to North America and African distributors, and another three for the company’s own fleet.
The huge order has allowed the firm to create 16 new jobs at its factory.
Velocity’s machines use a pioneering technique, called spray-injection patching, to permanently repair potholes in roads. It can also be used to carry out preventative repairs.
The technique takes just two minutes to carry out and means the road can be ready for traffic immediately.
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Repairs costs as little as £12 each - compared to the average cost of £52 - and each machine has capacity to carry out 200 repairs each day.
Dominic Gardner, managing director of Velocity, said: “This project involved redesigning our machine, broadening our range and opening up new opportunities for machine sales. This has already resulted in a new order for export to Canada.
“We are also investing in our own fleet to meet demand for our road repair services for customers in the UK.
“Last year was a record for the company, repairing over half-a-million potholes and defects throughout the country.
“Demand is forecast to grow further this year. As well as investing in new machines, we have also recruited and trained six new colleagues to operate them.”
Manufacturing of the 16 vehicles is being carried out at Armstrong Works, which is home to Velocity’s parent firm Reece Group.
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One of Velocity’s sister companies, Rapid Manufacturing Services, has collaborated with the firm on the project to make components that were critical to their design.
Supply chain companies in the region have also benefitted from the deal with £400,000 of hydraulics, pneumatics, fabrication and coatings work going to local firms.
John Reece, director of the Reece Group, said: “This project is a great example of Reece Group companies working together to deliver on a major contract and taking advantage of the fantastic facilities and skills that we have here at the unique Armstrong Works.
“Potholes can cause serious problems for drivers and cyclists and we’re proud to see North East innovation and engineering helping to make a difference to people’s lives across the UK and around the world.”
