Context

Barker's StronGuard™ RCS crash-tested palisade fencing was installed to create a highly-secure perimeter around an RAF base in Suffolk.

Challenge

Situated alongside a busy 50mph road, the base faced a critical need for an upgraded, high-security perimeter around a sensitive area of their site. Given the importance of this location, ensuring the highest levels of protection against potential threats was a top priority.

The challenge was twofold. Being next to a busy road increases the risk of road vehicle incursions, making the need for a secure perimeter imperative. This also introduced the need for the project to be complete within time constraints.

Alongside this, unforeseen circumstances arose during the installation process. The fence-line’s ground was discovered to be holding unexpected services, leading to the need for on-the-spot adjustments to the design of the fence. The challenge could have led to significant delays, threatening the projects timeline, and the site's security.

Solution

To address these challenges, the site turned to Barkers for the instalment of its StronGuard RCS high-security palisade fencing, after already having a successful installation of the product previously.

StronGuard RCS is renowned for being the only standalone fence accredited to PAS 68, capable of stopping a 7.5tonne vehicle travelling at 30mph. This made it the ideal choice for the base’s high security requirements again, providing peace of mind that the perimeter would effectively thwart potential vehicle threats.

When the unexpected ground services necessitated a change in the fence-line direction, quick and effective communication was needed. Barkers responded promptly to the situation; upon being informed of the required adjustments, the design team immediately got to work, engineering a change in direction bracket, tailored to the new fence-line's needs. Demonstrating its commitment to both quality and efficiency, Barkers had brackets designed, manufactured, galvanised and delivered to the site within just three days. This swift response allowed the installation team to overcome the obstacle with minimal disruption, ensuring that the project remained on schedule.

The collaboration and communication between the client, installers and Barkers, not only addressed the sudden challenge but also reinforced the importance of a reliable and responsive partnership when dealing with high-security installations.

Result

The final result was a seamlessly-integrated, high-security perimeter that matched the existing infrastructure, while providing enhanced protection against potential threats.

Additionally, all parties involved in the project were extremely pleased with the teamwork and alliance formed, to deliver the requirements to the highest of standards.