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Mainmark Ground Engineering UK is helping to drive productivity in the automotive sector with its efficient resin injection technology.
Noticing large cracks and unstable concrete slabs lining an external service road near its facility, Honda Motor Europe Logistics NV (in Swindon) called on the subsidence specialist for assistance.
Maximising Operational Efficiency for Logistics
Honda Motor Europe Logistics is responsible for the distribution of parts, motorcycles and power products in the UK. More than 500 vehicles carrying critical parts leave its Swindon facility every month and it is a key contributor to the UK automotive industry, which is valued at £22 billion for UK economy. For Honda, maximising operational efficiency across all facilities is essential to sustain productivity and drive growth.
Subsidence in warehouses, where the ground beneath a building sinks and damages surrounding structures, has increasingly hindered operational efficiency in recent years.
Sam Cox, Facilities at Honda Motor Europe Logistics, said:
“Logistically, the external service road plays an important part of our daily operations. As the main exit route from our Honda facility, the road is critical for lorries distributing high-demand engine and product parts, motorcycles, power products and industrial motors across the UK and Europe.
“19 of the concrete slabs lining the road (approximately 80m in distance along the main exit route) were suffering from ground movement, and they were rocking and cracking further when they were being driven over.
“While our main building wasn’t affected, the road had become unsuitable for our forklift vehicles. Both drains and curbs along the service road were sinking, it became clear to us that if a solution was not obtained to fix this movement quickly then we would risk long-term damage to the site and the safety of our drivers and stock, and a disruptive and costly process to resolve the situation.”
Honda has a Prominent Industrial History in Swindon
Having originally been established in 1985 to manufacture automobiles, Honda now operates a logistics hub feeding the European markets with high-demand (and often, time-critical) parts and accessories. It needed Mainmark to stabilise the concrete slabs quickly, with minimal disruption to the business and avoiding supply chain delays.
David Hedley, Infrastructure & Commercial Lead at Mainmark UK, said:
“Honda came to us needing a quick fix. Its only other option would have been to completely reconstruct the concrete slabs, requiring the service road to be closed for a prolonged period while a contractor completed the job.
“Short-term, this would’ve been a viable solution. However, it might not have fully rectified the subsidence in the foundations beneath the road, which may have ‘resurfaced’ at a later stage. Furthermore, reconstructing the slabs would have required a large upfront cost for labour and materials, coupled with the costs associated with business disruption.
“There are many different causes of subsidence like this. Extreme weather conditions can cause reactive clay to contract and expand, heavy loads where excess weight and movement loosen sandy or fine particle soil, and nearby excavations that cause excessive vibrations in the ground. In Swindon, which holds a significant portion of the UK’s manufacturing and logistics, it wasn’t surprising to have seen this level of ground movement.”
Stabilising the Road and Fixing Concrete Issue
David and his team were able to find a lasting solution to the subsidence, which stabilised the road and closed the cracks in the concrete. Using Teretek® resin injection, drilled through 16mm holes, Mainmark filled the void beneath the facility, improving the sub-base.
David continued: “Our approach re-levels structures quickly and accurately, allowing for precise adjustments in a controlled manner. For Honda, who needed a solution which increased bearing capacity on the road and mitigated any water pooling, the approach was the best course of action. From start to finish, the process took just three days to complete.”
Mainmark Ground Engineering (UK) Ltd is a subsidiary of the Mainmark group of companies established in 2016. The company, headquartered in Milton Keynes, has over three decades’ experience and has established itself as a pioneering force in the industry, leading the way in developing and delivering cutting-edge solutions. In 2021, the company inaugurated a new operational hub in Hampshire and, then in 2022, opened another depot in Greater Manchester to better serve areas of Northern England, Scotland and Ireland.
