The metal or stone bollard is one of the most common protection elements in today’s cities. Although there are many advantages, it also has significant drawbacks, especially for pedestrian safety, due to its rigidity. For this reason, in this post we want to present the characteristics and benefits offered by the polyurethane bollard, one of the best alternatives to traditional bollards for both people and vehicles . Let’s get started!
Summary
Main functions of bollards
Each year, more cities choose to implement bollards to delimit and section off all types of public roads. These elements are especially useful for preventing traffic from entering areas of the city reserved for pedestrians. They also delimit spaces where car traffic is not suitable, such as bike lanes, for example.
Most of them are built from granite, metal or wood. However, due to the lack of flexibility of these materials, they can become very dangerous in the event of an accidental fall or impact. In addition, they also offer a much shorter useful life, which is why they represent a more recurring expense for municipal or private coffers.
Therefore, it is important to start modifying the type of bollards used in cities. The polyurethane is one of the materials that is gaining more prominence as a manufacturing material for the new bollards, especially due to its resistance and flexibility. Let’s see what differential attributes they have and what their benefits are.
Flexible bollard: main features and advantages
The polyurethane bollards differ from the traditional ones because, as we said, they are completely flexible. Although it may seem that this characteristic makes them fragile, the truth is that they are suitable for very extreme conditions, ranging from 60ºC to -40ºC. In this way, even if we install them in a very hot or cold place, these bollards will be able to fulfill their function perfectly. Additionally, they can withstand impacts, fully recovering their shape. This translates into 35% more useful life than a traditional metal bollard.
Its operation is simple: the moment an impact occurs, the bollard yields and, once the vehicle leaves, it returns to its usual position, recovering 100% of the verticality. This does not mean that it does not impede the passage of cars. The flexible bollards are designed to cause damage to the lower part of common utility vehicles, so they continue to be an effective security element. However, they allow the passage of ambulances, fire trucks and other emergency vehicles, as they are higher.
In addition, the flexible bollards are also inclusive for new forms of mobility. Its design is designed so that an impact by a bicycle, scooter or even a pedestrian user is not fatal, as a blow with a traditional bollard can be.
Finally, its installation process is another of the main advantages that must be taken into account. It is really simple, since only four expansion screws will be necessary. The holes in each of the bollards are already made at the factory, so you will not have to take measurements to install them.
Visibility, another of the great benefits of the flexible bollard
Another benefit of the polyurethane bollards is that they are very visible.
Approximately, they have a height of between 80 and 120 centimeters and are manufactured in a wide variety of colors and with reflective bands, which makes them stand out from other elements in the urban environment and allows them to be seen both day and night.
They can be installed on concrete or asphalt roads, although they are very versatile and also fulfill their function indoors. If we wish, it is possible to put them in community garages or open to the public. They are very useful for signaling a private road or where works are being done.
The best options in FCI Urban
At FCI Urban we have more than 50 years of experience in the manufacture, exclusively of bollards and security bollards. Our products, made with flexible polyurethane, include a own chemical compound resulting from an R&D process, which guarantees maximum resistance, flexibility and safety, and is also 100% recyclable.
There are already several European cities that have trusted us. For example, in Poznan (Poland), we rehabilitated the city center replacing steel bollards with polyurethane ones. On the other hand, in Anglet (France), we also demarcated the bike lane, reducing the severity of users’ falls.
In Lugano (Switzerland), the polyurethane bollards were of great help due to the cold temperatures in winter. We were able to delimit the urban space dedicated to cars, from the one dedicated to pedestrians. We also carried out the same project in Turin (Italy) to make it easier for pedestrians and motor cars to share the same road without any problem. And, in Ontario (Canada), we incorporated our bollards to prevent vehicles from accessing the commercial area.
Our team has also carried out meticulous work on the design of our products, which allows us to offer a wide catalog to our customers. In this sense, depending on the objective and the part of the city where the polyurethane bollard is going to be installed, we select different color tones to make them more striking, or , adapt them to urban design. For this reason, we work on each project in a personalized way to ensure that we detect and respond to the specific needs and problems that each one presents.
When choosing a security element such as a bollard, you should always have a specialist. At FCI Urban, we can help you find the ideal solution for your project. Contact us today and we will advise you on polyurethane bollards.
