Every year, all across the UK, gritting providers get to work preparing the country for winter conditions.

Roughly 2 million tonnes of grit are spread onto the UK’s roads each year, not to mention the countless large facilities, industrial estates, car parks, and driveways that also need gritting.

Amongst it all, managers and owners of large facilities face unique challenges in sourcing custom gritting services for their land, often requiring providers to grit around large properties with complex and varied infrastructure.

Despite the challenge of finding the right provider, getting these large facilities gritting correctly, effectively, and promptly is crucial for their owners and managers.

Keeping these areas gritted is vital during the winter, whether to keep operations running smoothly, ensure consistent access to the facilities, or simply avoid accidents and insurance claims.

This is where custom gritting services come into play.

Here is everything you need to know about these providers’ core benefits, why they’re essential, and how to choose the right custom gritting service provider.

Understanding Custom Gritting Services

Custom gritting service providers are more than simple gritters – they specialise in tackling challenging and complex facilities and servicing the unique needs of each facility they grit.

One of the core differences between custom gritting services and standard gritting is timing. Where standard gritting providers will often work set schedules and methods, custom providers are happy to offer flexible service times and adaptive methods to match your facility.

For any large and complex facility, this service is essential.

Different surface materials, foot and vehicle traffic, and safety requirements within one facility will require a varied and careful gritting approach to protect against ice and snow in the winter. 

A professional, reliable custom gritting provider will consider every variable to provide seamless, flexible gritting of your site, no matter what.

Key Benefits of Custom Gritting Solutions

Custom gritting provides more than it seems on the surface.

Of course, one main advantage is improving site safety and preventing accidents during winter months. 

While a standard gritting service would provide this, custom gritting is less likely to damage your property and more likely to reduce accidents with more thorough gritting.

Even better, custom solutions are typically more efficient and cost-effective in the long run, allowing for more effective resource management and responsible use of the facilities management budget. 

This has a positive knock-on effect on the environment, as fewer resources are required to achieve the same results, meaning less waste and environmental impact—not to mention that many cutting-edge custom gritting providers use more environmentally friendly de-icing solutions.

Through the same approach that minimises environmental impact, these providers also enhance facility maintenance by taking care of sensitive surfaces and more cautiously avoiding damage to your facility as they grit.

Types of Custom Gritting Solutions

There are many different types of custom gritting solutions, and the best providers often offer several options to allow for more flexibility in how you grit your large facilities.

One of the most common types is a seasonal offering, which provides a more in-depth approach to winter gritting that considers historical weather conditions, facility usage patterns, and more careful consideration of high-risk areas.

Meanwhile, on-demand gritting services give you more flexibility when you need less regular gritting. 

This option is perfect for tackling unpredictable and irregular weather events. You can often stay in touch with trusted providers who will use real-time weather monitoring to quickly deploy and grit your facilities before they get snowed under or frozen out.

Lastly, automated gritting systems use sensors combined with weather data to automatically apply grit or de-icing materials whenever the necessary conditions arise. 

Often more expensive, this solution provides constant protection against adverse winter weather without constant human monitoring.

Of course, for many large facility managers the best type is a combination of these options, taking the best of each approach to provide a tailored solution for their facility.

Choosing the Right Gritting Service Provider

With a thorough checklist, choosing the right gritting service provider for your facility can be easy. 

To start with, you should assess any potential provider’s reputation (through reviews and testimonials) and relevant experience (through case studies). Within this, you’ll want to identify completed past work similar in scope and complexity to your large facility and ensure their equipment is up-to-date.

When you reach out, any custom gritting provider worth their salt should offer a tailored assessment and gritting plan for your facility. 

If you are approaching multiple providers, consider directly comparing these reports based on their depth, detail, and accuracy in identifying project scope, gritting materials needed, safety considerations, and other relevant information.

Make sure to ask questions before you start to learn about a provider’s approach to customisation, average response time, and any other concerns you may have.

Case Studies of Successful Custom Gritting Implementations

What should a successful custom gritting service look like?

Because it’s “custom,” this will depend on what kind of facility is being gritted. Here are a few examples:

A Large Commercial Facility

Typically filled with office buildings and car parks, these types of facilities are often best suited to a varied approach of seasonal planning to combat severe weather, along with automated gritting systems to ensure consistent protection year-round.

An Industrial Complex

Often with 24/7 operations and multiple types of surfaces, industrial complexes are best served by on-demand custom services that apply specialised gritting materials for areas containing sensitive equipment or surfaces.

This approach both improves safety and reduces damage to the facility.

A Public Institution

For a site such as a hospital or school, urgency is often key. This means an ideal custom gritting solution should prioritise accurate 24/7 weather monitoring and rapid response teams to quickly clear key access routes and walkways whenever needed.

Conclusion

More complex than roads or driveways, almost all large facilities require custom gritting services during winter.

Now that you know what you’re looking for, you’re ready to find the right provider, depending on your specific needs. This is where AccuGrit comes in.

Gritting locations across the country, AccuGrit is the UK’s leading gritting provider providing custom solutions for large facilities. Contact us today to see how we can help keep your facility up and running during winter.