News

GKL Undertake first UK installation of new Easi-Base manhole chamber.

01 August 2008

The GKL Group working in conjunction with one of our major supply chain partners FP McCann Ltd were proud to be chosen to undertake the first UK trial installation of their new manhole chamber base section the ‘Easi-Base'.

The trial was carried out on one of our current main frame infrastructure projects at Hampton in Peterborough and was undertaken to enable Anglian Water Services and the WRc to assess the Easi-Base product with a view to its approval for use on future adoptable works and for inclusion within sewers for adoption.

The Easi-Base is effectively a traditional concrete manhole chamber incorporating an integral heavy duty polypropylene liner which forms the internal base of the manhole. By having an integral unit the Easi-Base allows speedy and efficient construction by replacing the necessity for a ground worker to form an insitu base where conditions do not always lend themselves to best practice.

James Brackenbury, GKL Group Construction Director added;

‘We were pleased to be able to assist one of our key supply chain partners in what was a very successful demonstration of the new Easi-Base product. The fact that we were chosen to undertake the first UK based trial of this product is great testament to our reputation within the industry and is a credit to the quality of our site based supervisors and operatives.

It is good to see this technology eventually being introduced into the UK as these bases have been used extensively throughout Europe for some time now. The introduction of the new ‘Easi-Base' system will increase productivity and efficiency within manhole construction and should virtually eliminate the major weak point for water ingress and egress at the joint between ring and base.

This also has tangible benefits towards health and safety as the new system should eliminate the need for operatives to be required to access live sewers to seal leaking joints. Finally the installation of a pre-fabricated unit addresses the industry wide issue of the future skills shortage of operatives trained and competent to construct manholes to the required industry standard.'