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Enthusiasm for
the Jetpatcher cold lay road repair and maintenance process is building
throughout the United Kingdom, according to the early results of a major
customer survey. Over 55 local authority users of the process have recently been
polled and –
with one third of questionnaires returned – average performance rating is
running at over 80%.
“The message we’re getting back is a hugely encouraging one,” says Jetpatcher UK
Managing Director Richard Jackson. “Our level of service is generally approved
of and the effectiveness of our process is greatly appreciated, but we can’t
rest on our laurels.” Final results of the survey will be used in Jetpatcher’s
drive for continuous improvement, including knowledge development of key
material components.
The Jetpatcher system is based on the technology of ‘velocity patching’ (see
Modern Asphalts issue 13 or
www.modernasphalts.com) for both
preventative and reactive road surface maintenance. Each self contained
Jetpatcher lorry is equipped with a large hose and a hand operated nozzle.
This delivers a jet of air to clean the area to be repaired, then to coat the
defect with bitumen emulsion (the process is a cold mix/cold lay one), and then
to deliver a hightech asphaltic mix to make the repair. Highway authorities can
either contract the Jetpatcher company to look after their roads or purchase the
machines and do the work themselves.
One among the latter number is Northern Ireland’s Road Service Direct, the
contracting arm of Road Service, Northern Ireland’s sole road authority.
Confidence in the Jetpatcher process has grown within Road Service Direct to the
extent that the organisation has recently increased its fleet of five Jetpatcher
machines to 13 – the eight new ones representing the largest
single consignment ever ordered from the Sunderland based company.
Head of Road Service Direct Ken Hutton states that the Jetpatchers “are helping
us provide a much better service to the public.
Velocity patching is the way forward as far as we are concerned and the
Jetpatcher system in particular is technically very
acceptable.” He adds that the process is quick, durable and cost effective.
Not that matters cannot be improved, according to Jetpatcher. Jackson believes
there are aspects of the Jetpatcher process that must be worked on in order to
optimise performance. “For instance, an absolutely vital component for us is the
bitumen emulsion that we use and we need to keep up as binder technology
advances.”
To ensure that it does, Jetpatcher has turned to consultant Babtie for help in
devising an emulsion specification based on the latest knowledge. Babtie is
using a combination of recently published literature and draft Euro standards,
its own materials
analysis and laboratory testing capability to compile the new specification.
“There are three key performance indicators,” says Babtie Technical Director Ian
Walsh. “These are the adhesion of binder to the aggregate, the cohesion of the
binder itself, and the binder’s viscosity.
We have had to develop the correct criteria for each of these three areas plus
the testing regimes to ensure overall performance that is both consistent and
appropriate.”
The document is now out to a number of proposed suppliers for consultation.
“We’re determined to maintain the excellence of our products, and the lead we
have over our competitors,” says Jackson.
Meanwhile, having seen its process taken up rapidly in the UK, Jetpatcher is
setting out to conquer the Continent. “I believe the time is right for us to
move into France, the home of much hightech roads thinking and engineering,”
Jackson says.
To this end, Jetpatcher is seeking dynamic French companies to be regional
business partners and assist in getting its technology accepted and exploited in
France. In particular, companies with a background in roads maintenance and
knowledge of the construction sector and its clients are being sought. And to
get the ball rolling, Jetpatcher trials are now being conducted over the
Channel.
Not that such an initiative is anything very new to Jetpatcher. The process
originated in New Zealand and has spread from there over the last 15 years to 23
countries around the world.
“The name of the game is making customers happy and keeping them that way,”
Jackson says. “Our customer surveys here in the UK are relatively detailed and
we’re very grateful to those sending back their questionnaires.”
Customers are asked to score 21 areas of Jetpatcher activity in terms of their
satisfaction. The areas range from sales service and support to the conduct of
Jetpatcher crews, the cleanliness of operations and invoicing – as well as the
more obvious ones about degree of satisfaction with the effectiveness of
Jetpatcher pro and reactive maintenance.
“Those unhappy with us get a very good opportunity to let us know. Fortunately,
the vast majority polled are very satisfied with what we have done for them.” |
