Impact Recovery System’s SlowStop moves into the fast lane

For around three years Texas-based Impact Recovery Systems had been distributing the modular made-in-Belgium SlowStop Bollard, previously called SoftStop, in the United States. But since November, the company bought the world rights for the system from its inventor, Gerard Wolters.
April 5, 2016 Read time: 2 mins
Greg Hannah of Impact Recovery Systems with the SlowStop Bollard

For around three years Texas-based 543 Impact Recovery Systems had been distributing the modular made-in-Belgium SlowStop Bollard, previously called SoftStop, in the United States. But since November, the company bought the world rights for the system from its inventor, Gerard Wolters.

The basic sprung unit is a cast iron riser housing a large natural rubber ring – elastomer – into which a hollow steel bollard tube is inserted. Installation starts with the base’s being screwed onto a concrete surface. No special securing tools are needed, nor core drilling.

The beauty of this construction, said Impact Recovery president Greg Hannah, is that various preventative barrier formations can easily be configured.

The posts are able to bend 20 degrees from vertical as it progressively absorbs energy to soften the impact of the vehicle. This makes the product also ideal for distribution centres and any areas where slow moving vehicles may come into contact with objects, such as warehouses and distribution centres.

The company’s “bread and butter” product is its mechanical steel spring sign posts that are favoured by municipal and regional government’s since 1991, said Hannah, who has been with the company since it started. Many are used as street furniture for directional road signs. But there is also a large market in Europe and the United States for use along bicycle paths, he said.

For more information on companies in this article

Related Content

  • Gewi’s software aids Austrian winter road reporting
    February 14, 2013
    Austria’s Federal State of Niederösterreich has been successfully using Gewi’s TIC software solution to create and distribute information on winter road conditions and work zones for the state’s14,000 kilometre road network. During the winter season, each of the fifty-eight road maintenance departments reports current road conditions in their district to the TIC system, which creates an overview report on which districts have snowfall, road conditions, the highest/lowest temperature, snow chain requirements
    Read More
  • Video analytics enhances urban rail safety
    December 16, 2016
    David Crawford explores some promising innovations for North American commuters. North America is experiencing a surge in commuter rail and metro development. The US now has 75 light rail and metro networks in operation; and California, in particular, is actively exploring ways of developing the state’s existing passenger rail operations into a fully integrated system.
    Read More
  • Dart Charge goes live on 30 November
    November 14, 2014
    With the launch of Dart Charge set for 30 November, work to remove the toll booths will begin on Friday 28 November - the same weekend the new payment arrangements go live. Dart Charge means that drivers will no longer stop at a barrier to pay the charge. Instead, they will pay online, by phone, by post or in one of thousands of payzone retail outlets. The new payment arrangements will signal the start of major construction work to improve the road layout at the crossing, with 27 lanes of traffic reduced
    Read More
  • Civil engineers find fuel savings where the rubber meets the road
    May 23, 2012
    A new study by civil engineers at MIT shows that using stiffer pavements on America’s roads could reduce vehicle fuel consumption by as much as three per cent, that could add up to 273 million barrels of crude oil per year, or US$15.6 billion at today’s oil prices. This would result in an accompanying annual decrease in CO2 emissions of 46.5 million metric tons.
    Read More

Highlighted Content