Key Benefits of Using Private Gritting Companies
Commonly misunderstood, grit is actually a form of crushed rock salt. Brownish in colour, grit is derived from natural salt beds, which have been dug and extracted from tunnels developed by a team of workers sometimes a mile deep. With hundreds of salt beds in existence, almost always wide and deep, large equipment and vehicles are able to move through the tunnels with ease. In Britain, rock salt is generally mined using two main techniques, ‘continuous’ mining and ‘cut & blast’ mining.
So, What’s Grit?
In short; grit is salt. Commonly used as a preventative measure on roads and pavements when ice and snow are forecasted, grit is vital to the continued operation of many businesses, as well as to ensure the safety of customers and employees alike. Helping to both prevent and melt existing ice and snow, grit is crucial to the use of roads over winter and to keep businesses open and safe.
The Key Types Of Private Gritting Services
Private gritting services are employed in both commercial and domestic settings for a number of different reasons, depending on the requirement. Below we break down the key differences between commercial and domestic gritting services.
Commercial
Hiring private gritting services for your commercial business is imperative in the winter, helping to reduce the risk of slips, trips and falls, whilst also ensuring accessibility is available at all times, reducing the impact on your business and trade. This means your commercial business can remain open in potentially dangerous, icy conditions, without the threat of serious injury occurring. Private gritting companies are typically implemented in the following commercial industries:
● Supermarket Chains
● Hospitals
● Retail & Shopping Centres
● Office and Business Parks
● Property & Facilities Management Companies
● Industrial Parks & Trading Estates
● Logistics & Transport Depots
Domestic
A smaller field, but an equally important one, domestic gritting services are vital in clearing our roads and pavements of ice and snow, preventing issues with transport, or the risk of slips, trips and falls when walking. Generally, gritting companies are hired by the council in extreme circumstances to clear these areas of ice, but is less common and typically only in extreme cases. Below are some of the key areas covered by domestic gritting companies:
● Roads
● Pavements
● Driveways
● Parks and Public Spaces
Car Park Gritting
As an extension of the above, private gritting companies can offer specialist car park gritting services in commercial settings, to ensure your car park is free of ice over the winter and therefore remains safe for your employees. We will also make sure your footpaths and walkways are clear and safe.
Why Hire A Private Gritting Company?
Hiring a professional private gritting company for your winter ground clearance services has many significant benefits. Below, we take a closer look at some of the key advantages of hiring a private gritting company.
Safe Access
For the continuation of your business, it’s crucial that there is access to your commercial building for employees and customers alike; making it absolutely essential that all roads, pathways, car parks and shopfront entrances are gritted and clear of ice. A road or walkway that’s covered in slippery ice or a thick blanket of snow will prevent customers from accessing your business, as well as your employees, impacting your profits and custom. No matter the size of your business, from industrial plants to local greengrocers, the impact of icy weather conditions will be felt, making private gritting services imperative.
Not only will this benefit your business in a commercial sense, but it will also prevent accidents and injuries from occurring on-site, protecting both customers and employees from harm. Maintaining your employee’s welfare is essential as a business or company, so, once winter rolls around, you must ensure your walkways are safe and clear with private gritting services.
Cost & Convenience
In the UK, the weather is famously unpredictable, and with local councils unable to grit every road or walkway in the country, using private gritting companies to clear your business premises of snow and ice can be of major convenience. This means you will have continued access to our gritting/snow and ground clearance services whenever you need them, for an already agreed rate, preventing the risk of unexpected costs to your business
At GMCB Ltd, we can even offer site-specific Met Office forecasting for your site, so if the temperature in the area where your business is situated is expected to drop, we’ll be on hand to grit your site in no time. We also provide emergency gritting services for any business that may require it, should they not have an agreed winter maintenance contract.
Efficiency
Hiring a private gritting company to handle your ground clearance needs over winter removes an awful amount of stress and time spent worrying about your accessibility and how this may impact your business. A private gritting company will grit your roads, car parks and entranceways to ensure that whenever snow and ice are expected, they will quickly melt on the surface.
Expertise
At GMCB Ltd, we provide expert grounds maintenance contracts that provide you with the knowledge, expertise and materials you need to ensure your business is gritted over the winter. Below are the key benefits of working with professional gritting contractors such as us:
● Preventative Gritting
● Reactive Gritting
● Site-specific MET Office Forecasting
● Salt Supply
● Pay Per Treatment – All Costs Agreed In Advance With No Tie-In Or Retainers
● High-quality Gritting Vehicles
● 24/7 Service
Things To Consider
When seeing a professional private gritting company, carrying out as much research as possible is crucial in ensuring you are finding the best quality service at the best possible price. Here, we provide guidance on some key considerations you should make when choosing a private gritting company.
Testimonials & Reviews
When researching a private gritting company for your requirements, one of the earliest and most productive ways of gathering information is by looking into online reviews and testimonials. Gathering this information from recent customers to gain an understanding of the business you may be working in the near future is essential, providing you with the necessary insight into a particular business, clarifying how they operate and the feedback they have received; both positive and negative. An easy way to do this is to ask friends, relatives and colleagues for first-hand recommendations, or through a quick Google search. Generally speaking, most private gritting companies are offering the same service, so it’s important for you to choose a company that you feel most comfortable with and have shown they have the knowledge and experience necessary to complete any and all works.
Qualifications
Positive feedback, reviews and testimonials are all important, sure, but checking your chosen private gritting company for credentials and qualifications is even more so. It’s imperative that any company you choose has the necessary qualifications to carry out the gritting services you require or else face the risk of improper service. Whilst there are no set qualifications for gritting services, local councils will have set specifications and standards for gritting companies that must be adhered to at all times.
Experience
As an extension of this rule; experience is of the highest importance when sourcing a private gritting company. You will want to make sure that the gritting company you have chosen has the experience of handling similar works to your requirements, so, as an example, if you are planning on getting a commercial car park at your place of work, you should consider gritting companies who excel in this particular area.
GMCB Ltd | Commercial and Domestic Gritting Services Across Central Scotland
If you require high-quality commercial gritting services in Central Scotland, look no further than GMCB Ltd. Each and every one of our gritting services are designed and developed with customer satisfaction and safety in mind. Our gritting services include preventative gritting, reactive gritting 24/7, site-specific Met Office forecasting, salt supply, high-quality gritting vehicles and pay per treatment/clearance with all costs agreed in advance.
Whether it’s a large distribution yard or a small car park, we can keep your business free with our preventative commercial gritting service. Our team can tailor a package to suit your individual needs. Want to prepare your business for winter throughout Central Scotland?
Contact us today.
