Case Studies

Rotherham Council

Rotherham Metropolitan Borough Council has taken delivery of a Multihog multi-purpose tractor for highway maintenance duties to keep the region’s road network safe and in good condition. The vehicle was supplied by TransLinc, who are working in partnership with the Council under a 10-year contract, which commenced in 2004. The Multihog is used primarily for patch planing but is also kitted out with a salt spreader and snow plough for snow clearing during winter months.

Previous patch planing operations relied on traditional methods which involved the use of multiple vehicles and manual breaking, and Highways Delivery Manager David Hepworth was keen to find a more streamlined procedure as he explains: “We had looked for a while for a quicker and more effective method for carrying out these types of repairs. Smaller machines were not up to the job and I was of the opinion that there was definitely a gap to be filled in the market. When we saw a demo of the Multihog we realised that this was the niche machine we needed.”

Following a short demo the Multihog was trialled for two days in real time repairs and the combination of the powerful base unit and the 400mm wide planer attachment proved to be a time saving and efficient method which also eradicated the need for manual breaking. This contributes to much better health and safety procedures as any risk of hand arm vibration is avoided. Planing to a depth of 125mm, the attachment saves the cost of infill materials by accurately removing only what is needed. This produces a sound base for reinstatement and reduces transport and recycling costs by creating a re-usable material.

“We anticipated significant increase in structural damage after the winter period and Multihog pulled out all the stops to get the machine to us for early January as required,” says David. “Although the weather has not been as harsh as expected the machine has been in operation on a daily basis ever since.  At the moment it is doing basic patching work but its versatility means that we will be using it within a planned scheme of first time fixing of pot holes and for major maintenance scenarios in future. We have been more than happy with its performance and the drivers love it – they regard it as their extra Christmas present!”

  • Rotherham Council
  • MH

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