Football Stadiums Utilise Easy Messaging with Electronic Signage

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It’s been an unusual year for the events industry. One of the biggest hit areas was football stadiums, who have been allowed to open inconsistently throughout the year with various restrictions placed on them, such as limited attendance and of course the expected social distancing, which can be very difficult to enforce and manage in such a public and busy environment.

Our products are proven solutions when it comes to crowd control applications, with our portable Variable Message Signs having been used at some of the biggest events in the UK every year, as well as their increased use during the COVID-19 pandemic in highly popular areas for Local Authorities to communicate important safety messages to lots of people at one time.

For stadiums and arenas, the use of our signs offers a useful option to help get across vital messages to attendees, which will be especially important as things open back up again as people may be unsure of where to go, any changes to facilities or layouts and simply just to remind them to adhere to social distancing, ensuring that the venues are doing everything they can to protect their visitors for future events.

Ideal applications of our signs at stadiums, arenas and other venues tend to include wayfinding, safety messages, as well as audience interaction to manage venue communications without interrupting the game or show for things such as competitions.

In addition to these applications, we have also seen an increase in our signs been used for matters of inclusivity. In recent years, there has been a huge spotlight on football in particular for issues relating to homophobia within the sport, both in terms of on and off the pitch, for fans and players.

In an effort to help combat this, football stadiums are using our signs to help spread the message of inclusivity not only to fans, but to passers-by also, helping to get the message out to the general public and visitors alike. The aim of this is to demonstrate that stadiums taking part at least are proudly welcoming of members of the LGBT community to their grounds.

Innovative applications such as this are a fantastic way to demonstrate the versatility of our signs. Easy to update via web browser or mobile app, our units can even be changed quickly and remotely so they can be responsive to emergency situations.

Available in 3 different sizes depending on the application or space available, our signs offer venues an easy and useful way to get messages across to visitors, whether they be for safety, to help the event run smoother or help change attitudes, MVIS Variable Message Signs have you covered.

If you would like to learn more about our Variable Message Signs for your stadium or area, please contact us via our contact form. Alternatively, you can call us on 01629 580 570 to speak to one of our friendly team, or you can email us via sales@m-vis.co.uk.

MVIS Celebrates Female Team Members on International Women’s Day 2021

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Never forgetting the importance of any of our team members, MVIS and Bartco UK do not shy away from an excuse to celebrate our wonderful team – and International Women’s Day 2021 offers us such an excuse. It’s been a very strange year since the last International Women’s Day, during which our team have achieved so much. To celebrate, we will be shining a spotlight on our team’s achievements by looking at the amazing and professional example that the women who work here set for women everywhere.

Anne Ashman, UK Group Commercial and Operations Director of both MVIS and Bartco UK is the force that keeps things running smoothly. Anne serves a central role in helping to build both companies from very early days and has achieved a great deal in the almost 10 years she has dedicated to the group. Anne prioritises safety and customer service above all else, with a firm belief that training and looking after her staff will get the most out of them. As a result, MVIS and Bartco UK boast one of the most well-trained workforces in the industry and the team largely has Anne to thank for the opportunity, support and encouragement to be in this position. Whilst working full time, Anne also completed a business degree in 2019, demonstrating incredible commitment and hard work. Steering the company through COVID-19, Anne set out a number of safety measures, policies and employee well-being initiatives that helped to safeguard the team during such an unusual time. 

 

 

 

 

Bartco UK’s Purchasing and Stock Control Supervisor, Rebecca Prince, has risen through the ranks at Bartco UK, starting as an apprentice with the group back in 2015, and in a short space of time she has risen to not only supervising her own department, but to also being a mentor and supervisor of staff herself, helping others through their apprenticeships. Along with Anne, Bec is a Mental Health First Aider for both MVIS and Bartco UK, being a friendly and welcoming face to anyone who is struggling with their mental health at the group. Bec has been a key point of call for members of staff required to work from the HQ during COVID-19.

 

 

 

Mizzy Watson’s role with MVIS makes her the ‘face of the company’ to many clients and customers, working as an Operations and Customer Service team member and she remains professional yet friendly at all times. Reliable and excellent at her job, Mizzy is a key member of the team and fully buys into the MVIS way. During COVID, Mizzy has managed to keep up the quality of her job whilst managing  increased childcare, no easy feat for any mother but MVIS commends Mizzy especially for keeping on top of this as well as her job.

 

 

 

 

Having joined MVIS at only 16 years old in 2016, Tillie Woolliscroft started her time here in Operations and Customer Service, working well with our team in the field and customers alike. Being promoted to Marketing Assistant in 2019, Tillie is fully underway with her training in marketing skills. Since moving roles, Tillie has been trained on important aspects of marketing and editing and has found herself excelling in some vital marketing aspects such as graphic design and image editing. During her time here, Tillie has gone on to not only complete her apprenticeship, but to also win Learning Unlimited Intermediate Apprentice of the Year Award in 2018. 

 

 

 

 

Pip Wood works alongside Bec for Bartco UK as Purchasing and Stock Control Apprentice, whilst studying towards her Business Administration qualification. Finishing her ITOPS in March 2021, she will be starting a new college course soon. Joining the company in 2019, Pip has taken to her role with vigour and enthusiasm we see her confidence and capability grow each day. Since a workspace restructure, the main office has got to see much more of Pip in recent months and the working environment is much better off for it; so much so that she received multiple nominations for her award of Employee of the Month in February 2020.

 

 

 

 

Last but certainly not least, Juliette Wright is our newest team member, joining us in early January 2021. Juliette has joined the company as our Sales & Customer Relations Administrator at perhaps one of the most unusual times, hot on the heels of COVID-19. Having fitted in tremendously, Juliette serves an important role at MVIS, being a fundamental point of support for the sales department and  has very quickly become ‘part of the team’, with a fantastic approach to work and a real team player attitude. This is made all the more impressive since Juliette has hit the ground running so well with her work, she is gaining a quick understanding of what the business is about without having even met some of the team yet due to the work from home restrictions in place. 

 

It’s safe to say that both MVIS and Bartco UK have every reason to celebrate the women that make a fundamental part of our team.

Happy International Women’s Day 2021!

MVIS and Bartco UK Team continue to up skill

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As COVID continues to bring changes to every aspect of our lives, we are finding more ways of dealing with it, individually, as a society and as an economy. With this comes a huge amount of responsibility to employers and employees alike to make sure they are conducting business and working in a responsible and safe way.

MVIS and Bartco UK have a great track record when it comes to training, especially in the area of Health & Safety, in which we actually hold an ISO accreditation, (45001:2018), along with accreditations in quality (9001:2015) and environmental management (14001:2015).

The group management team places training high on the agenda for the whole team, making sure that everyone understands the importance of Health and Safety for the best interests of themselves and the wider public due to the nature of the work we do, but this importance has never been more apparent then it is now.

One of the main aspects that raises concern is maintaining a safe and healthy workforce in these times, which encompasses mental health / well-being, COVID infection control and site safety. As a result, these aspects are being tackled internally to allow us to maintain the safety of our team, so that we can continue to bring safety solutions for the benefit of the general public.

In a previous post, we explore the implementation of Peninsula’s Employee Assistance Program (EAP). However, we haven’t stopped there – in recent weeks, we have mandated our whole team to sit the COVID-19 Site Safety Plus course accredited by CITB, a course that has an expiration of 5 years from completion that attests to the quality of information and learning received for participants.

The course itself was in-depth and thorough, bringing with it a new and deeper level of appreciation for COVID for our whole team, not just those who are required to work on site but even for those working from home. The more everyone understands the severity of keeping workplaces and sites controlled and as close to COVID safe as possible, the better for our team as individuals, for the group as a whole and for wider society in general.

Portable VMS A & C provides the complete Portable VMS solution

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Specialists in Portable VMS hire, MVIS is a staple of the UK’s road network.

With a product range developed to meet all challenges and environments nationwide, the company and its VMS units excel in both high-speed and urban environments.

Here, we take an in-depth look at both the MVIS VMS A & C, their key features, and how they make our network a more efficient and safer place.

VMS-A

The MVIS VMS-A is the ideal solution for urban and inner-city environments. One of MVIS’ most popular units for traffic management applications, the unit’s smaller footprint provides a nimble option in limited space environments.

First put to the test in the baptism of fire that was the London 2012 Olympics, the unit has stood the test of time since that challenging inception, which says all you need to know about the success and popularity of the VMS unit itself.

Undeniably built to last, some of the current MVIS fleet were in fact a part of that first roll out, meaning almost 10 years later the units are still going strong.

With over 180 VMS-A units now on the MVIS fleet, it’s extremely safe to say the product has become an incredibly reliable ‘go to’ option for a diverse range of clientele over the last 9 years.

 

VMS-C

For the high-speed network, MVIS provides the VMS-C, the perfect solution for roads with a speed limit higher than
50mph.

Efficiency and reliability is the name of the game with the VMS-C, not to mention industry leading innovation and technology.

When travelling the UK’s highways, the VMS-C is a regular sight, and there’s no wonder, with over 228 on the MVIS fleet.

 

Key features

Both units are equipped with some unique, industry leading features. Here we bring you just a taste:

5 Colour Display

LED screens enable a low power, maximum brightness element to both VMS-A and VMS-C displays, ensuring visibility is absolutely paramount whilst simultaneously managing power output.

Available in 5 colours, the display allows for red, green, blue and white as well as the highways standard – amber.

Solar charging system

Specifically designed for the UK environment, both VMS-A and VMS-C are fitted with solar power units – completely
eradicating the need for external power.

This greener, more sustainable feature showcases the MVIS commitment when it comes to going greener in accordance with the company’s ISO 14001 accreditation.

Tilting Solar Panels

Designed to make the most of the available light, which in the UK we are all too aware can be far from plentiful at times, both portable VMS units can be adjusted when it comes to facing the light to become exposed to solar energy.

The solar charging system is optimised on a technical level also for the UK sun by using the most suitable solar
panels and solar regulators.

Each unit is built with one solar charger per solar panel – not per unit – so optimal charging capacity is present at all times.

This advanced nuance means maximum efficiency for the battery life for the units, keeping the low output LED displays on.

This ultimately means a pair of dependable units to keep Britain moving.

Radar Integration & Journey Time Information

The integration of radar allows for both units to display vital messages, speed alerts and responsive information in relation to driver behaviour, using tried and tested traffic control solutions to then positively influence driver behaviour.

The units discreetly house the data collection radar that can collect information on speed, time and date.

This, in addition to journey time information via the NTIS DATEX II Portable Journey Time Variable Message Sign Solution (PJTVMS) means that both VMS A & C units are delivering key real-time messages to our road users.

Combining data collection and VMS in one unit offers a multi-functional solution that can help collect valuable data at the same time as communicating messages.

Read More About The PJTVMS Here

So, there you have it. Safe, sustainable, innovative and efficient. Packed with precision and industry leading technology, these two portable VMS units leave no stone unturned.

Keep your eyes peeled for the next product focus from MVIS as it continues to keep Britain moving.

MVIS assists the local community with #ChallengeDerbyshire

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As part of our commitment to our community, MVIS are always seeking ways we can assist local charities and causes, which has never been more important than it is now, having been dealing with the impact of COVID for a year now.

So vast is the impact, virtually no charities have been immune from the effects of the pandemic, with physical fundraising activities taking a huge knock, many charities have had to shelve a lot of fundraising activities and adapt with other plans, or delay activities to when things return to a degree of normalcy.

Three charities who have of course been impacted by this are Ashgate Hospicecare, Blythe House Hospicecare and Helen’s Trust, who are not only continuing to do their great work in supporting patients and their families needing end of life care, but are also playing a vital role in our community’s fight out of the current pandemic,  despite the limitations placed on their activities.

#ChallengeDerbyshire is an initiative founded by Markovitz in 2015 to raise money for these three amazing local end of life charities. Bringing local businesses together, #ChallengeDerbyshire is a well established organisation committed to ensuring they continue and thrive, which at this current time is a vital and much needed force in the local area.

Currently to date with the community’s support, #ChallengeDerbyshire have raised over £1.1million through the various campaigns held throughout the year, however, as a result of COVID, many of these have been delayed, including their fun filled annual Charity Ball, which is not only an enjoyable evening where we can all come together and celebrate, but also helps to raise further much-needed funds.

Due to this, Business Memberships have never been more important for #ChallengeDerbyshire and the 3 charities they focus on. MVIS are proud to support this initiative with continued membership through out 2021, as well as going towards helping our latest company charity, Ashgate Hospicecare, in line with our commitment to them, our local community and our corporate social responsibility.

Donate to #ChallengeDerbyshire. 

National Apprenticeship Week 2021

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Here at MVIS, alongside sister company Bartco UK, we take every opportunity to be able to celebrate our incredibly talented workforce.  National Apprentice Week 2021 brings us the chance to boast about our younger team members. 

Our retention of apprentices is impeccable, and we are lucky enough to say that we have continuously had at least one apprentice in our team since 2013!  Dom Bridge, our first apprentice, who joined at 18 years old, has been developing his skills constantly during his employment with MVIS, qualifying last year as an Operations Manager.

From training new staff to ensuring that our customers’ needs are met, Dom is one of the longest serving staff members here at MVIS.  After being trained up by our Commercial and Operations Director, Anne Ashman over the last 8 years, Dom has been able to pass on his knowledge to our other apprentices, all of which have remained at MVIS/Bartco UK after passing their qualifications.

After speaking with Dom about the importance of apprenticeships he commented, “I think apprentices are very important to us, they bring fresh new ideas to the table and an eagerness to learn. It is great that MVIS/Bartco buys into the apprenticeship program, giving young people an opportunity to develop an amazing career.”

 

It is thanks to our innovative ideas and eagerness to improve that allow us to maintain the high quality and award-winning customer service that we proudly shout about. This would not be possible without the outstanding team of apprentices that have joined us over the years.

 

Back in 2015 Bartco UK saw Rebecca Prince join the team, quickly finding her calling in Stock and Purchasing.  Becca who is now Bartco UK’s purchasing and stock supervisor, ensures that everything is running smoothly within the stock control side of the business. Not only this, but Rebecca has an Apprentice of her own to pass skills on to. Pip Wood began at Bartco UK in 2018 alongside Bec as we saw the company begin to grow. Pip has since completed her apprenticeship and has moved onto other courses such as her ITOPS which she is currently undertaking and has just signed up for her NVQ level 3 in customer service.  All our staff not only improve their knowledge on company-based skills, but also expand their portfolio and better themselves as employees.

 

 

In 2016 Tillie Woolliscroft joined the MVIS team as an Operations Apprentice. Tillie began her journey at MVIS, aged 16, under the wing of Dom and made important relationships with customers and colleagues which allowed her to build confidence in her role. Tillie then began helping with social media which ultimately lead to moving Marketing in-house and creating our very own Marketing team, where Tillie was promoted to Marketing Assistant.

Since moving roles, working with Marketing Manager Sean Brown, Tillie has been trained on important aspects of marketing and editing and has found herself excelling in some vital marketing aspects such as graphic design and image editing.

Tillie spoke of her time at MVIS “Joining MVIS after leaving school was the best decision I could have made for my future; I have completed two college courses and have now moved into Marketing.  Marketing never even crossed my mind, but Anne spotted potential in my artistic skills, which led to my new job role and I couldn’t be happier.”

 

For the company’s being part of the apprenticeship scheme has made it clear that in order to strive for improvement as a company, Apprentices are the way forward. Bringing new ideas to the table and growing into their roll, we are proud of every single apprentice that we have welcomed through the door.

Anne Ashman, Commercial & Operations Director commented “As a young person myself who started work as an apprentice, albeit it in a very different industry, it has always made me realise the skills you pick up working in a workplace rather than attending college or university are priceless. These skills are life skills and build your confidence, also making you part of a team, teaching you the way to conduct yourself within a workplace environment.  I am a strong believer in education and am very proud to have been able to give so many young people the opportunity to not only get on the job ladder but be able to offer them a high level of qualifications so that they have a bright future.  I enjoy nothing more than spending time with  our apprentices passing on my own skills and helping them learn “the tricks of the trade”.

Over the years MVIS/Bartco have been able to build incredible teams, a lot of this is down to the 8 staff who began as Apprentices.  We would like to thank not only these members of staff but each and every one of our incredibly talented work force who have been on hand to pass on their knowledge.  Our Culture here at MVIS/Bartco UK is that we are only as good as each member of our team.

 

 

Taking some of the pressure off the NHS

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There’s no denying that during the COVID-19 pandemic, the NHS especially have been under a strain that no one could have anticipated.

Forcing many NHS sites to reallocate resources, change departments and even section off areas due to COVID, it is a time of major upheaval for the whole organisation. With upheaval in a service-based sector such as healthcare, there often comes the need for clear and concise messaging, demanding resources be stretched across the new requirements as well as informing patients and visitors of the new way of doing things.

 At a time when such resources are already stretched as well as when the COVID guidelines are subject to change so frequently, it is more important than ever that the NHS is properly supported with the tools needed to communicate these changes.

This is where MVIS can assist.

We offer a range of variable message signs that are ideal for this purpose, bringing a range of benefits to users that allow them to communicate the most important information to people in a clear and unmissable way.

As a result, our signs, traditionally used for road works, construction, large events and other applications, have seen a demand during the COVID pandemic that has been felt across many new businesses, stores, GP surgeries and hospitals.

One hospital we were happy to help was Whitworth Hospital, located in the town of our business HQ, Matlock. Being local to our offices, many of our team live in Matlock and have, in the past, required the use of Whitworth Hospital for treatment themselves.

After using the sign for a number of weeks, Susan White, Manager and Senior Emergency Nurse Practitioner commented, “The [sign] is clearly displayed to folks who are accessing the Whitworth via the front entrance. This gives people the information needed to make an informed choice about whether to access medical assessment via the 111 service or to self-present to UTC.”

Susan adds, “It also helps to reinforce to the public that A&E (Emergency Departments) is usually NOT the most appropriate place to attend with a minor injury or minor illness.”

The sign served an important function for Whitworth Hospital, bringing the advantage of clear messaging to their site at a time they needed it most, helping them control infection rates and reduce demand on their team. The benefit this brought will be felt not only to them, but also by the wider community.

Anne Ashman, Commercial and Operations Director at MVIS notes, “We always appreciate helping out our local community. MVIS have always tried to help out the local area at times of need, and during a pandemic is certainly a time of need. It’s brilliant that our HD Compact has brought benefit to Whitworth Hospital and we look forward to the opportunity of working with them again.”

For more information about how our signs can help other NHS sites, please contact us via our contact form.

Alternatively, you can call us on 01629 580 570 to speak to one of our friendly team, or you can email us via sales@m-vis.co.uk.

Information delivery continues to be vital

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Throughout 2020, and even pre-dating the unforeseen COVID-19 pandemic, leading Intelligent Transport Systems provider MVIS was working diligently on bringing new solutions to long standing challenges.

As MVIS broached new markets, little did the company realise how truly vital its solutions would be in a year that we all could not quite believe what we were experiencing at times. With several clients in the retail sector turning to MVIS for portable VMS solutions in 2020, the early parts of the year were very much deployments for some rather ‘regular’ reasons.

Whether it be delivering information to shopping centre visitors about overflow car parks or directing delivery drivers to the correct unit on an industrial park, the VMS deployed by MVIS were serving the purpose they always anticipated their solutions would serve.

From late March however, MVIS found itself deploying units for scenarios that it – like us all – never quite imagined.

Messages like ‘Stay Home, Save Lives’ and ‘Protect the NHS’ had never before been seen, or needed to be seen across the UK’s highways in addition to our towns and cities.

The MVIS deployment of such messages, and indeed the units that display them, follows the same crowd control model more regularly seen by the company when providing portable VMS for events. The adaptable nature of both company and product alike provided a smooth transition into this realm of public notice, wayfinding and assistance for retailers.

One example of application comes in the form of queue management systems both in, and out of vehicles, which have both been implemented for public safety and delivery of customer information, as it has become of more paramount importance than ever.

VMS signs displaying reminders about wearing a mask and social distancing have become common parts of our lives, and the time between the UK’s first lockdown in March 2020, as well as the current one that we are all experiencing sees ever changing guidelines dependent on geographical region – as well as sector of industry.

The COVID-19 pandemic has displayed the adaptability of these VMS solutions, and certainly increased the demand for them, as MVIS has added 70 new VMS units to its hire fleet, as well as 30 new Solar IP units over the last 12 months.

With the ability to control all units nationwide from its control room, MVIS has been able to respond to regional areas moving up or down the nation’s COVID-19 tier system with ease, carrying out the required notices in any particular area of the UK.

As we remain indoors, MVIS’ solutions continue to deliver vital information daily, and as we take hope from the news of vaccination from COVID-19, the company is now prepared to once more respond to regional requirements, as well as assist the retail sector as it hopefully gets back on its feet after another national lockdown.

Anne Ashman, MVIS’ UK Group Commercial and Operations Director told us:

“The situation we all find ourselves in is less than ideal to say the very least, but as a business we have actively put our minds to responding strongly, making the correct adaptations and serving our clients the only way we know how – with full energy and care.

“This has been in accordance with additional safety measures for our own team, ensuring we take every preventative measure we can think of, mitigating any workplace safety concerns to protect both the physical and mental wellbeing of our workforce.

“As we enter 2021 with hope due to the vaccine we are here, as ever, ready to deliver for our clients regardless of their need. Whether it be further COVID-19 safety bulletins or operational assistance, MVIS will be ready.”

Keeping Staff Welfare a Top Priority

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2020 was a difficult year for everyone. With significant changes to the way we live and work, there are several ways that this has affected businesses and individuals.

MVIS and Bartco UK have always prioritised the mental health of their team. However, during the pandemic, we have gone above and beyond in helping our team make it through such an unusual year by offering a support in a variety of ways.

Earlier in 2020 we covered how MVIS and Bartco UK’s Commercial & Operations Director, Anne Ashman, ensured that staff were supplied with Work from Home Care Packages, along with the wide range of policies and procedures she has put in place this year to help keep our staff safe and to help our organisation better adjust to the new working conditions.

However, as this situation continues, our measures for support must adapt to the long-term conditions we find ourselves in. At this point, we understand that short term measures are not enough, and we must look at ways we can support our team over the long term.

One of the long terms aspects to have suffered especially as a result of working from home is the ability for our team to chat as a group freely about concerns or troubles they may be having whilst on breaks or in an office conversation.  

This level of conversation plays a vital part in our employee’s mental and social wellbeing and whilst we do have daily briefings with the whole team, the briefings have a large work focus, which, is obvious to note, not the most appropriate environment to be discussing personal matters.

Even our departmental conversations, which are usually a smaller audience and potentially a chance to discuss worries can be limiting as well, with staff only receiving one or two perspectives on a problem, whereas in the office they would have the benefit of our whole team’s life experience to help them with their issue.

Leaving such an eventful and traumatic year behind us, it is more important than ever that our team feel supported. As a result, we have identified this potential for long term social isolation amongst our staff and have put in place a solid solution to help combat this.

By employing Peninsula’s services, we have a well-rounded approach to our team’s wellbeing. However, an additional service we have sought out at the end of 2020 is the Employee Assistance Program (EAP).

Peninsula’s EAP services help our team overcome their toughest life challenges and deliver their best every day. It includes 24/7 telephone advice, face-to-face counselling and a suite of online and mobile tools to help staff stay happy and healthy.

According to the Peninsula website, an EAP can “reduce mental health related absence levels by as much as 45% and improve productivity by as much as 8%.” But more importantly, “it helps protect your staff.”

Already we have had reports of our team finding this helpful.

One member of staff commented, “Having just bought and moved to my first home a few weeks ago, I have a lot of things on my mind. The EAP has been a big support, especially recently through a highly stressful period. They have given me sound, professional legal advice that has helped me make important decisions in a way that best suits me and my future, as I take this very big first step towards my independence.”

She continues, “Over the years, my colleagues at MVIS and Bartco UK have been one of my key points of support in life. However, this year, it has been harder to discuss personal matters, as the distance between us limits such conversation that would have been straightforward if we weren’t working form home. Video calling with a non-work problem is very different to a casual conversation in the office, and whilst the EAP is no replacement for the camaraderie we built in the office, it ensures that we are getting the very best advice at all times, which may even make it better in some ways!”

A very MVIS Christmas and a Bartco UK New Year

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The holidays are officially here and the MVIS / Bartco UK team have been getting ready throughout December for the long-awaited festive break of 2020.

Part of our preparations for the holidays this year already has been our Christmas Jumper Day, where we raised funds for Ashgate Hospicecare. This week, we also took part in our traditional food bank drive, where we encouraged our team to bring items for our local food bank.

Obviously, with some of our team working from home, the usual method of bringing items into the office was not possible, however, we didn’t let this get in the way.

Members of the team were encouraged to donated to their local food bank or send money to one of our managers to make a donation on their behalf. As a result, we managed to gather a very respectable amount of food and required items to donate between us.

This year, with soaring unemployment and the world in crisis with COVID-19, our help is needed more than ever. Food banks are an important part of our community that puts food on the tables of those who need it most. It is for this reason that we shouldn’t let COVID-19 get in the way of our responsibilities as a business in our community.

But of course, Christmas is also about having fun too, which is why we thought it highly important to make the most of the annual Christmas party, which is always a guaranteed blast. However, as with everything this year, COVID put up limitations on what we could do, forcing us to conduct a virtual party. Despite these limitations, the party this year was a resounding success, potentially even one of the best yet, complete with bingo, quizzes, Secret Santa, ‘Guess the Baby’ and a delicious meal ordered right to our own doors as well. 

As the team wind down for the holidays, we tip our hats to our staff who remain on call over Christmas and New Year. MVIS operates a 24/7, 365 days a year emergency support line, which, given the circumstances this year, is especially crucial to the safety of the nation should any of our clients, such as Local Authorities or hospitals require assistance over the break.

Our office opening times over the holidays are:

24th – 25th Dec – Closed

29th – 31st Dec – 08:00 – 16:00

1st Jan – Closed

4th Jan – 08:00 – 17:30

Our emergency line is available 24/7 – 01629 580570

The MVIS and Bartco UK team want to take this opportunity to wish everyone a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year for 2021!

 

Not exactly your average year in review…

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So…2020. Where do we even start with this one? If we said it has been a rather peculiar year, it just does not seem to do it justice, does it?

To say we’ve all faced some trials and tribulations in 2020 is perhaps the understatement of the year, but when MVIS & Bartco UK looks back at their own 2020, with the obvious set aside for just a moment, 2020 hasn’t necessarily been all that bad.

The company has seen growth across several fronts, as new products and people have joined the companies. Additionally, a year of major projects and promotions has also seen valuable lessons learned about the company’s adaptability, flexibility and ability to react to unforeseen circumstances.

Protocols:

Living with lockdown – March

A new way of life, and working was ‘introduced’ in March. Using the word ‘introduced’ rather lightly – ‘enforced’ may be more apt – requiring rapid adaptation to the ongoing Covid-19 crisis.

MVIS acted quickly to keep Britain moving by making a virtually immediate jump to home working for all office staff as soon as it was advised to do so by the government.

Staff meetings were moved to virtual hangouts via Microsoft Teams, and the delivery team were forced to adapt to new protocols to keep themselves, and their clients safe whilst out on site.

The ability to do this quickly has left the company in no doubt that they have the right team in place, as the Covid-19 rollercoaster continues into 2021.

Living with lockdown – July

Late June into July saw the national lockdown lifted and returning to office work was permitted again.

With no relinquishing of a ‘safety first’ mindset, MVIS welcomed back staff on a rota basis. Believing mental health is as important as physical health, office staff had the choice of where to work within restrictions.

At HQ, some strict measures were implemented which put increased demands on the team on top of already demanding roles.

These measures include:

  • Disinfection of all collected units
  • Limited vehicle sharing with mandatory masks if sharing
  • Mandatory disinfection of all surfaces & shared facilities
  • Hand sanitising stations located throughout the buildings
  • Perspex screens dividing workstations
  • Daily temperature readings
  • A complete layout change to the building
  • VMS deployed in strategic locations for safety information
  • All external doors & windows left open when people are in the building
  • Withdrawal of shared utensils and pots
  • Table and canopy built outside to allow for socially distanced meetings
  • The workshop floor was marked out with ‘bays’ stationed 2m apart
  • Second workshop set up
  • New ‘snap cabin’ recreational area further segregating the use of shared facilities
  • Daily Microsoft Teams meetings updates
  • Visitor entry restrictions marked by VMS
  • Placement of workplace safety signage to remind employees to wash and sanitise hands

Territorial ‘pods’ were also created separating departments and ensuring that the staff who are required to work from head office do not come into contact with others. Furthermore, staff must wear a mask when moving from workstations.

Projects

One thing that hasn’t changed in 2020, is MVIS’ delivery on major projects across the UK.

East to west from the M20 in Kent across the country and indeed the border to Mountain Ash, Wales, as well as a North-South coverage from East Lothian, Scotland all the way down to Folkestone. A truly national operation.

Products

HD Compact v2.0

Back in June, MVIS and Bartco UK were proud to announce the latest version of their revolutionary HD Compact VMS.

V.1 of the HD Compact was the first of its kind, and V.2 offers added developments. One of the biggest developments is the use of solar power, providing highly extended maintenance free run-time and sustainability commitments.

READ MORE ABOUT THE HD COMPACT 2.0

HD Compact V2.0

IVD Radar

The IVD Radar is a portable traffic flow monitoring solution, providing traffic data on single and multi-lane highways and roads.

With remotely downloadable data from a unit that can detect from 2-100m away, no one is required on site to collect the data, which is especially important in COVID conditions.

READ MORE ABOUT THE IVD

Promotions

In October, MVIS announced that several of its leadership team had earned promotions.

Anne Ashman, formerly General Manager became Group Commercial and Operations Director. Anne’s promotion was coupled with another Directorship as Graeme Lee, long time Sales Manager took on the role of Sales Director.

Finally, Dom Bridge earned a promotion to Operations Manager after 7 years with the company.

 

People

Chris Steel

MVIS welcomed Chris Steel to the team in July 2020 as Accounts Officer.

Ed Faulkner

Ed Faulkner is the most recent addition to the MVIS team, joining the business as Sales Manager in October.

READ MORE ABOUT ED FAULKNER HERE

Anne Ashman, Commercial and Operations Director at MVIS told us:

“We take recruitment very seriously and don’t let just anyone into our business. After a rather unconventional recruitment process due to COVID-19, Chris and Ed both stepped up to the plate.”

Moving forward…

Certainly, 2020 has been somewhat of a roller coaster, but this is a company who has created diamonds under the pressure, stimulated diversification and overall growth and has a happy, healthy workforce striving for even bigger things in 2021.

Source: https://www.highwaysindustry.com/

Airport & Port Traffic Management System

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Traffic flow around ports and airports are often a difficult issue for everyone, as millions of people flow every year through our UK ports, often causing problems relating to congestion, security and of course, safety. With the future to think about, the UK faces major issues dealing with Brexit delays at ports, calling for a robust Port Traffic Management System.

Having worked with major UK ports such as Heathrow Airport, MVIS boasts a solid reputation in airport and port traffic management, providing secure, cost effective and versatile ITS solutions that are trusted by some of the most important ports and airports in the country.

VMS

Offering a reliable solution for traffic communications, our range of solar powered portable VMS (variable message signs) have a secure footprint and are ideal for communicating information to drivers, helping to calm traffic and congestion around ports. Requiring no civils, external power or communications source, our VMS can be reconfigured quickly and easily to respond to operational changes as required.

Ideal in a number of port-based applications, our VMS-A units are designed for roads with speed zones up to 50mph and can be used stand-alone or in conjunction with radar. Featuring industry- leading technology that boasts a range of functions that are not available with any other mobile VMS, these units are versatile and suitable for many requirements a port may have.

Our signs are ideal to assist with –

  • Traffic management
  • Car park management
  • Speed zone enforcement
  • Site safety / COVID messaging
  • Brexit management / port delays
  • Passenger information

External traffic management, for example, is a serious consideration for a port, especially a major port in the UK, post Brexit, that sees high footfall and traffic levels.

At periods of expected congestion, such as when flight times change or something unpredictable happens, having a mobile VMS-A on the way to the airport informing drivers of the potential issues can be an incredibly helpful tool in the management of traffic in this situation.

Likewise for on-site applications, the benefits of VMS are felt throughout a port’s area of responsibility, especially for car parks and speed zone enforcement applications. Our mobile VMS can be used for many requirements related to car parks, such as way finding or to signify closed or off-limit areas.

However, for speed zone enforcement applications, our VMS comes into its own, featuring a built-in radar that can trigger speed reactive messages such as ‘TOO FAST’ to drivers who are not keeping within the speed limit. This aspect is incredibly important for safety, especially for roads that see high pedestrian footfall.

Being solar powered equips our VMS-A with a fully autonomous solar charging system that delivers a high quality, bright and low power consuming LED display, costing nothing to run in energy and making it an environmentally friendly solution. This is particularly important for ports, where high levels of pollution are often a considerable concern. In this sense the VMS-A offers a solution that will not directly contribute to a port’s carbon footprint.

However, for needs where space may be limited, such as in more pedestrianised areas, MVIS also offer an HD VMS that is much smaller than even the VMS-A. Whilst not natively solar powered, the HD Compact VMS delivers an HD red and white dual colour display with radar and weighs below 10kg, allowing installation on existing fixtures, furniture or on its own battery box and post, making it incredibly flexible. What’s more is that its power supply can be drawn from battery, solar or mains, making it ideal for fixed, permanent applications as well as temporary ones.

Whilst our innovative products offer ideal solutions, MVIS as a company are unparalleled in our hire services, offering industry leading care along with our solutions. For particularly lengthy deployments such as for construction work or congestion causing issues that span over a longer period of time, our dedicated team (who closely monitor all of our units via a range of methods) take care in ensuring that batteries are charged and all VMS are operational, going out on site to perform battery changes or check on our unit if something goes wrong.

As one of our leading product ranges, you can be sure that our VMS solutions are a safe and stable solution for your requirements. From communicating information to directing traffic and footfall, if you, like many others, think that a temporary VMS from MVIS could help your port traffic management needs, do not hesitate to get in touch.

Solar Intelligent Platform (Solar IP)

Our Solar IP is available for hire along with a wide range of our products, offering a flexible and responsive approach to port traffic management and communication requirements. As a simple and cost-effective power solution, the Solar IP offers an integrated intelligent transport system that meets specific needs for any combination of our ANPR, CCTV or radar. Including a 12V, 24V or 48V battery, our Solar IP boasts the latest solar charging system and is not dependant on an external energy supply, making it environmentally friendly.

One of our most innovative and ground-breaking products, the Solar IP is an ideal power source for temporary ITS solutions that have proven their value to countless numbers of happy clients.

Portable CCTV

Our trailer mounted portable CCTV units come complete with our Solar IP, making this product environmentally friendly as well as portable and versatile. Ideal for port applications, this product excels where monitoring and safety are of critical importance.

Portable CCTV is perfect for any location within the grounds of a port, providing users with the ability to respond quickly to changes, a very important aspect when port security is such a high priority.

This solar powered CCTV solution features Pan Tilt Zoom (PTZ) and incorporates the latest video technology that delivers excellent frame rates, even in poor signal areas. With a flat, toughened glass window, our easy to operate portable CCTV is protected to IP67, making it reliable under all conditions.

ANPR with Solar IP

ANPRData is a vital tool for anywhere that has to deal with a high traffic level. Keeping abreast with changes in traffic behaviour or form can help analysts better manage future traffic requirements.

Possibly more critical however, is the data needed for parking applications. Parking is a huge industry within ports, with customers often leaving their vehicles in high demand parking spaces for lengthy periods of time, so the ability to monitor and enforce parking restrictions is an incredibly important aspect of port car park management.

Our solar powered ANPR solution offers industry leading ANPR technology, facilitating the flexible combination of ANPR and overview cameras and enables any pairing of monochrome, colour or day-night cameras. Operating automatically, this highly portable solution can auto-detect vehicles as they pass through the field of view, or it can be linked to an external trigger for weigh in motion capture or other applications where only specific vehicles are required to be detected.

From a data collection perspective, these portable ANPR cameras could also be used for the purposes of research and data collection, taking the opportunity to collect vehicle data about those who drive to and park at your port, offering you more insight into how you can better manage traffic. Allowing you to collect data such as vehicle quantities or arrival times gives operations coordinators the opportunity to learn about visitors in a way that can help preparation and planning.

Aside from the data collection aspect, this solution can also help to prevent unauthorised parking in forbidden areas, keeping necessary parking spaces clear which can be important for safety and security.

For more information about how MVIS can help with your port traffic management needs, please call us on 01629 580 570 to speak to one of our friendly team, or you can email us via sales@m-vis.co.uk.

Mobile Visual Information Systems

01629 580 570

MVIS, Units 6-8, Brookfield Way, Brookfield Industrial Estate, Tansley, Matlock, Derbyshire. DE4 5ND

© 2022. Company registered in England No. 8130402 - Registered Office: Units 6-8, Brookfield Way, Brookfield Industrial Estate, Tansley, Matlock, Derbyshire. DE4 5ND