Helping the Community Reopen After November Flooding

It’s not like MVIS to shy away from a chance to help the community, so when a local crisis occurs, it seems only natural that we would get in touch to see if we can help. One such crisis took place in early November that saw large areas within Derbyshire and South Yorkshire drastically flooded, causing thousands of pounds worth of damage to businesses all over the area.

Amongst the worst hit were some businesses close to MVIS and Bartco UK, such as The Tipsy Toad in Matlock and some, such as Toy Stories in Matlock simply stole our hearts with a tale of such unfortunate luck we felt it was only right to do what we could to help.

Earlier in the week, we published a post that covered our recent initiative to help Freya King and her store, Toy Stories.

However, we didn’t stop there. Indeed, in a response to the floods, MVIS have jumped to the aid of a number of businesses that need to inform local customers, road users and passers-by when they will be reopening. Putting our products to good use, MVIS donated signs to these businesses to offer an effective way of broadcasting their reopening to ensure that the local community are kept fully up to date so the businesses can resume trade as soon as possible.

The Hurt Arms in Belper put a donated VMS-A to fantastic use on the corner of their car park, in full view of the road so road users can see what date they are reopening.

Likewise, just outside their establishment, The Tipsy Toad deployed one of our HD Compact units featuring a countdown that is updated daily to the exciting day that they reopen.

Being positioned on such a main road, every road user who passes this sign are kept informed of when The Tipsy Toad will reopen, bringing hype and excitement to the community who eagerly await the reopening of one of their best loved bars.

In times of crisis, MVIS are happy to muck in with the community, doing what we can to help these businesses get back on their feet. The benefits of our products make these ideal signs to use in such a crisis, offering a bright, low power consuming LED display that is reliable under all conditions.

Of course, the giving this season doesn’t end with this – MVIS and Bartco UK still have a few things on the go this Christmas, so make sure you check back on our website to keep up to date with all the latest news.


MVIS Maximises Giving with Donation

At the time of year that is most known for generosity and giving, MVIS and Bartco UK are not ones to miss such an opportunity, and in true keeping with our general ethos, we aren’t ones to do half a job either. This is why, during the Christmas build up in 2019, team members from MVIS and Bartco UK embarked on a ‘giving mission’ that would seek to maximise the impact a simple community donation could make.

The idea, put forward by the company’s ‘moral compass’, Jon Larkins, was to ensure that our impact was felt across the community with a single donation, bringing happiness to more people than if we had just taken part in a traditional donation.

But why is this important?

Late in 2019, Matlock and surrounding areas in Derbyshire and South Yorkshire were hit by drastic flooding, taking some businesses local to MVIS and Bartco UK out of action – a tragedy at the best of times, but being so close to Christmas made this all the more worse.

This local crisis was felt by some more than others, but few felt the devastation more than Freya King, a young entrepreneur whose business is based in Matlock. Freya had prepared for months to open a children’s book shop, Toy Stories, only for opening day to coincide with the very same day that the River Derwent decided to burst its banks. Flooding the area her shop was located in and doing thousands of pounds worth of damage, a lot of stock and her brand-new shop was covered in 4 inches of water.

Freya had no idea when she would reopen, casting the immediate future of her shop in worrying jeopardy. However, in a move of incredible hard work and dedication, she managed to open only a few days later bringing the community of Matlock the children’s book shop it needed just in time for Christmas.

Initially, our plan idea was to simply respond to a traditional Christmas Present Appeal, which take place across countless charities around the world in order to deliver presents to children at Christmas who may otherwise not get any. However, in this move of altruistic genius, Jon’s idea was to not only deliver on the Present Appeal, but to do so with items purchased from Freya’s shop due to her extremely unfortunate luck, giving her business a helping hand whilst also helping the chosen Present Appeal.

Members of the team rushed to take on the duty of ‘Santa’, which fell as 2 separate tasks – purchasing the items from Matlock town centre and then delivering them. Responsible for the purchasing task and keeping true to their job titles, Bec, Bartco UK’s Purchasing & Stock Supervisor and Pip, Purchasing Assistant, were granted the task of the shopping spree.

Upon arriving at Toy Stories, the reasons for us being there were explained to Freya. Despite the hardship she has seen recently, she offered us a discount on the basis that the items were for charity in an incredible show of generosity and warmth, allowing us to get a few extra books and toys to max out our budget and help make a few extra children’s Christmas special.

But this was only half the task at hand. With Freya’s donation by way of discount, this made the job of delivering these gifts even more important as it was no longer just our donation – we needed the right person to do the job of delivering and who else would have been better than our very own Santa Claus himself – Mr Jon Larkins.

After taking a company vote, it was decided that the Salvation Army Present Appeal was best for us to donate to, with strong community links all over the area, we knew that any gifts donated would certainly go to a good cause. Once decided, Jon took off in his sleigh to deliver the gifts to an officer of the local Salvation Army who warmly accepted us into her home to make the drop off.

But the giving doesn’t stop there from MVIS and Bartco UK. All throughout December we have a variety of community and charity initiatives that are all aimed at giving back during this time of festive cheer. So keep checking back on our website for more details on what we’ve been up to.

Anyone wishing to donate to the Salvation Army can find more information on their website.


Christmas Jumper Day 2019

Continuing the festivities, on the 13th December, MVIS and Bartco UK took part in Christmas Jumper Day!

Raising money for the homeless, members of the team donated between £1 and £3 for the cause, helping to bring a  little bit of happiness to vulnerable people this Christmas whilst bringing festive cheer to the office.

Everyone took part in this fun excuse to wear those warm, comfortable jumpers that only come out this time of year, even Levi the French Bulldog! But between me and you, some of the team got into the spirit early and have been practising Christmas Jumper Day for a number of days in the lead up to today, ensuring that they looked their best and made a real effort to impress.

The ‘winner’ of Christmas Jumper Day here was almost certainly one of our new starters, Liam, who donned an elf costume and a Santa hat in a hilarious show of this fun side of himself. Liam wins even more points for his outfit considering he is one of Bartco UK’s Workshop Technicians, really bringing the costume to life.

Whilst Christmas Jumper Day is a bit of light-hearted fun for us here at MVIS and Bartco UK, it must be remembered that we are doing this for a very real and serious reason. Homelessness is no joke, especially during a time that is supposed to be about family and feature a little bit of ‘overindulgence’ – a luxury the homeless don’t tend to have. So, at a time of the year that is universally known as the ‘time of giving’, it is appropriate for us to give back to the community and do what we can for this worthy cause.

This isn’t the only community initiative that we have on the go this Christmas however. As a socially responsible organisation, we have numerous projects taking place this year that will help several sections of society. Stay tuned for more information on these, as they come to fruition throughout the remainder of December.


Edit: For Christmas Jumper Day 2019, the MVIS and Bartco UK team raised £37.50. A big thanks to everyone who took part – every penny donated to Centrepoint Homeless Charity counts! 


MVIS runs into Christmas with the Jingle Bell Jog

With all the markets and events taking place up and down the country at Christmas, we are entering a very busy time for MVIS. However, we are never too busy to make sure we are doing our bit. For a number of years, MVIS have donated VMS-As in aid of Buxton’s 5K Jingle Bell Jog, and this year was no exception. In addition to this, 2 of our MVIS office team, Mizzy and Tom all took time out of their weekend to participate in the event, taking us into the Christmas period as we intend to continue; with generosity, hard work and of course lots of laughs. 

The arduous task of completing this 5k run on such a cold Sunday morning was made all the more impressive knowing that our team raised money individually for Blythe House Hospice Care,  a charity that offers free, individualised, holistic care and support for anyone in the High Peak living with cancer or other serious, life-limiting illness. The run itself involved participants running, walking, dancing, prancing, jogging or jingling their way around Buxton’s Pavilion Gardens to raise the funds for Blythe House Hospice Care. 

A fantastic day was had by everyone, with all those taking part going at their own pace. The important thing in these events is not where you finish, but taking part. It’s an old cliche but one that rarely has as much meaning as in this case. The very act of signing up for a physical challenge like this is easier for some than for others, but actually taking part is another accolade in itself, one that our team and everyone involved should be very proud of themselves for. 

Blythe House Hospice Care are already promoting next year’s event. If you want to find out how you can do your bit, or for any more information about the 2020 Buxton Jingle Jog, visit their website and be sure to make the most out of the early bird sign up discount! 


Christmas Begins at MVIS!

Christmas is a busy time for us, with many Christmas markets and events taking place all over the country requiring our VMS to inform road users and visitors of information that helps keep everyone safe and moving efficiently. 

During this time of year, we don’t just work hard, but we also ensure that we enjoy the festivities, giving Christmas the celebration it deserves! 

This year we have many exciting and new things happening, from our daily online advent calendar to some exciting staff announcements coming up, we have a lot to celebrate as both MVIS and Bartco UK enter an exciting new era. 

We started Christmas with the amazing Lighthouse Christmas Lunch, taking place at the Derbyshire County Cricket Club on 29th November, setting Christmas off to a great start. At this amazing charity fundraiser, we were entertained by singers, a comedian and of course the hilarious ‘fines’ that charged attendees for dress code infractions.  The meal that was served was delicious, with crackers, Christmas jokes, party hats and funny prizes on offer, it made Christmas dinner in late November a sure winner. 

MVIS was proud to not only attend this event, but also to sponsor it.

Keep an eye out on our website and social media for all the latest news this Christmas! 


MVIS 2019 Christmas Calendar

Check back every day throughout December to see a new update on the MVIS and Bartco UK 2019 Christmas Calendar!


Day 25 – What Christmas Means to Mavis!

“I’ll be spending my first Christmas with Mizzy and her family! I’m looking forward to getting my own special Christmas dinner watching them open their presents with excitement!” 


Day 24 – What Christmas Means to Pat

“Christmas Day means I get to relax, put my feet up and not have to worry about our team being out on a busy site.” 


Day 23 – What Christmas Means to Anne

“The Christmas period to me is a time to make sure that we get a fun Christmas marketing campaign out, all units out on site are serviced prior to the holiday and to make sure all the staff have a great December. I love the Christmas period and try to make this rub off on the whole team, inclusive of Christmas jumper day, the company Christmas party, which I start planning in August and lots of Christmas tunes! I also ensure everything is in place to come back in January and have both companies hit the ground running for another busy year.

This means I can go home on the last working day happy and not stressing about the company ready to enjoy what’s important to me, not just at Christmas, but all year round, time with my ever growing FAMILY, the people that keep me sane!! Having lots of fun times with them, from playing the after eight challenge to getting out in the Derbyshire hills walking the dog, partying with friends and then relaxing in front of the fire with a good white wine, recharging the batteries to start again in the New Year back at work and keep growing the companies with the MVIS & Bartco teams.” 


Day 22 – What Christmas Means to Darren

“For me, Christmas is all about family. Spending time with my wife and getting to spoil my precious daughters means the world to me.” 


Day 21 – What Christmas Means to Graeme

“Christmas means to me a time for reflection and rest so I can recharge and take a break from travelling.” 


Day 20 – What Christmas Means to Bec

“Christmas means to me family, laughter, fun, games, food and feeling fat!” 


Day 19 – What Christmas Means to Jacob

“It’s the presents that I look forward to most!” 


Day 17 – What Christmas Means to Tom B

“Christmas means friends, family, lots of drink and of course that cheeky yearly cigar on Christmas Eve!”


Day 16 – What Christmas Means to Matt

“The past few years I’ve spent Christmas looking forward to our cinema trip to go and see the new Star Wars!”


Day 15 – What Christmas Means to Jay

“Spending time with family and friends.”


Day 13 – What Christmas Means to Tillie & Levi the dog

“This is Levi’s first Christmas, and I can’t wait to plate him up a little Christmas dinner of his own.”


Day 12 – What Christmas Means to Mark

“Being with my boys when they open their Christmas presents.”


Day 11 – What Christmas Means to Pip

“Spending time with my little boy  and seeing his face when he opens his  presents from Santa.”


Day 10 – What Christmas Means to Liam

“Getting up at daft O’ Clock to open Santa’s presents  and drinking beer at 7:30am.”


Day 9 – What Christmas Means to Cain

“Christmas to me means spending time with friends and family that I don’t get chance to see through the year.”


Day 8 – What Christmas Means to Tom H

“At Christmas I love to watch all those Christmas DVDs, spend time with my family and over indulge on delicious food!”


Day 7 – What Christmas Means to Jon

“Christmas means waiting up on Christmas Eve with a mince pie and a brandy for Santa!”


Day 5 – What Christmas Means to George

“Christmas is a great chance for me to relax and energise for the year ahead!”


Day 4 – What Christmas Means to Mizzy

“As much as I enjoy the family time, Christmas for me is a time to reflect, refresh and reboot.
I reflect on the true meaning of Christmas.
I refresh by going to the spa which has also become our little family tradition.
I reboot by reviewing my personal/family goals for the upcoming months/year.”


Day 3 – What Christmas Means to Tim

“Spending time with family, eating and drinking  – that’s what Christmas means to me!”


Day 2 – What Christmas Means to Sean

“For me, Christmas has always been about family and fun. I take the opportunity to do things that I don’t usually get time to do with those I care about, such as playing awesome board games or working on fun projects that seem to build up over the year.”


Day 1 – What Christmas Means to Dom

“I like to relax at Christmas and spend time with family. Food, drink and lots of laughs is what Christmas means to me.”


MVIS doubles down on vehicle safety for Road Safety Week

Road Safety Week takes place this year from 18th – 24th November and is organised by road safety charity, Brake. The annual occasion is the biggest road safety awareness event in the UK, with thousands of companies, organisations, educational institutions and wider communities taking part in road safety demonstrations, exciting events and information screenings, all with the focus of raising road safety awareness.

Road Safety Week 2019

During Road Safety Week, the police often take the opportunity to conduct roadside checks of vehicles in order to highlight the importance of keeping your vehicle properly maintained, offering advice to drivers and running speed checks on traffic, with the message that speeding is a major cause of accidents and contributes to more deaths on the road than is acceptable.

Few causes mean as much to MVIS as road safety, being a central foundation for our business. Many of our ITS products are designed specifically with road safety in mind, covering road works, traffic management, speed enforcement and other general road safety concerns. What’s more is that not only does our business surround the importance of road safety, but so do our team’s lives, who are often required to go out into the field on highways up and down the country to conduct maintenance on our units.

MVIS in the field

With this in mind, it is of extreme importance to us that our own company vehicles are maintained properly, and this week marks a perfect prompt to run even more thorough checks on our vehicles than usual. Vehicle safety is an aspect we do not take lightly anyway, even on a normal day, with the company requiring our delivery drivers to perform daily and driver change fleet checks on all vehicles with no exception. However, during Road Safety Week, the MVIS team take this opportunity to do tremendously thorough checks that go above and beyond the already strict requirements.

Ensuring that all vehicle, road safety and first aid equipment is present and in working order, MVIS vehicles are certain to have had checks on their brakes, lights, tires, water, oil and other fluids, all as part of a list of 63 checks that employees must check daily before they can leave our premises.

You can do your part for Road Safety Week yourself in many ways, such as fundraising for or donating to the road safety charity Brake, or by simply doing stringent checks on your vehicles, business or personal.

For more information about Road Safety Week, check out their website.


Success at Highways UK and Traffex Scotland 2019

November has brought a few busy weeks for MVIS, with not one, but two successive trade shows in as many weeks. The final industry trade shows of the year kicked off with Highways UK 2019 at the Birmingham NEC on the 6th – 7th November which was then followed by Traffex Scotland 2019 at the SECC in Glasgow on the 13th – 14th November, both keeping the MVIS team on their feet, ready and waiting to network with those interested in what we can offer.

Highways UK was very well attended, from exhibitors to visitors and all those in between, there was scarcely a moment that the MVIS stand was empty of attentive visitors. With many new and old faces in attendance, Highways UK provided an invaluable opportunity to raise the profile of the MVIS product range to a highly interested and concentrated audience. The other exhibitors all put on their finest display, with some very impressive and entertaining stands and exhibits on show to represent the very best of the industry.

MVIS - Highways UK

The following week brought Traffex Scotland, offering its true value to us in the form of the amazing geographical networking opportunity. Since the opening of our new depot in the North East, Scotland is a location that MVIS can cater to easily, paving the way for a whole new route of conversation for us at this show.

The guest speakers in attendance were exceptional, bringing the very best of innovation in the industry from across the UK to this one location in a celebration of industry excellence, success and hard work. As with Highways, we saw many familiar faces along with new faces who were interested in seeing what the MVIS team and product range had to offer.

Traffex Scotland 2019 - MVIS

At both shows, our HD Compact VMS was one of the products that came out on top. With many visitors and exhibitors alike interested in this innovative and pioneering creation, we were delighted to be able to demonstrate its brilliance in such high profile and important environments.

Both events were a big success for us, bringing different strengths to the table that offered fantastic opportunities. For more information about future shows we will be attending, please contact marketing@m-vis.co.uk, or for more information about our products, please contact sales@m-vis.co.uk.


MVIS Delivers Fast Results for the Construction Industry

With a wealth of experience working on large highways and construction projects over the years, MVIS is well aware of the challenges that these projects can throw up on a daily basis.

After talking to our trusted customers, we’ve highlighted some of the biggest challenges facing the construction and highways sectors today, and how MVIS delivers fast solutions to overcome these.

Benefits of pre-hiring VMS units from MVIS

1. Time

Tight deadlines are a pre-requisite of highways projects and with tighter and tighter time constraints, it makes sense to pre-hire your equipment to ensure it’s been delivered before you even arrive onsite. MVIS’ variable message signs (VMS) can be pre-booked to arrive onsite, and with our handy BartcoLive app, you can create and program your content ahead of your project so you are ready to hit the ground running as soon as you arrive.

2. Cost

Budgets for highways and construction projects are ever shrinking, so the more in control of project costs you can be, the better. Pre-planning and pre-ordering your highways and construction solutions equipment direct from MVIS means there are no unexpected surprises when it comes to your budget.

3. Quality

The last thing you want when you’re in the middle of a high-speed project is for your equipment to malfunction. MVIS’ portfolio of traffic management solutions for the highways sector is hard-working and high quality, meaning you can rely on MVIS to deliver solutions you can trust. And – as unlikely as it is – if something does go wrong, all MVIS customers have access to our 24/7 support service which guarantees an initial response from our team within 4-hours

4. Weather

From time to time, extreme weather conditions may cause a project to take longer than it should, but they won’t affect your traffic management equipment. Made with the highest quality LEDs, the non-glare screen is designed to offer maximum visibility when when conditions get tough, and our VMS units are completely weatherproof, so come rain or shine, you can depend on MVIS to deliver time after time.

5. Safety

Safety is the upmost concern of anyone involved in highways and construction projects. MVIS’ Overhead Service Unit was developed to further enhance site safety for the workforce by using editable text or pictograms to warn in advance of overhead obstructions.

For more information on MVIS’ traffic management portfolio, please call MVIS on 01629 580 570 to speak to one of our friendly team.


Exhibiting at Traffex Scotland 2019

Come and find us on Stand E46!

On November 13th and 14th, Traffex Scotland welcomes MVIS Ltd as we take our place at Scotland’s major highways exhibition.

Traffex Scotland and Bridges Scotland are Scotland’s only dedicated events for the roads and bridges sectors under one roof, providing a platform to see and learn how new technology is driving change on the network.

The event provides the platform for debate and discussion around the areas of:

  • Improving road maintenance and delivery
  • Traffic management and Mobility as a Service
  • Future proofing the Scottish network
  • ITS-how is ITS technology driving change on the network
  • Transport schemes, planning and delivery
  • Delivering safer roads
  • Identifying and promoting innovation

Visitors to the expo are invited to pick up a brochure and head over to stand E46 to discuss MVIS’ capabilities.

July 2019 saw MVIS unveil a new depot in the North East of England which facilities the build and storage of more units for our hire fleet. This location and increase in fleet size services contracts across the north of England, as well as Scotland, and also provides a more regional hub for further growth in these areas.

At the event, we will be looking forward to discussing our product’s capabilities and what they can bring to the Scottish market.

Our Sales Manager based at the Newcastle Depot, Graeme Lee commented:

“We’re looking forward to heading north of the border to Traffex Scotland and seeing both our existing clients and some potentially new ones too.

“With our new depot just below the border, we’re set up to support contracts in Scotland better than ever before in terms of both geographical locations, as well as the number of units in our fleet.

“We’ve had 40 Solar IP units added very recently in addition to almost 70 VMS of various sizes, to our ever increasing fleet of 500+ units. This will continue to grow, and the fleet will continue to expand to support the demand for our products on the network.

“We look forward to being able to discuss more in detail at Traffex Scotland.”

For more information about Traffex, please visit their website


If you’d like more information about any of our products or services, contact the team on 01629 580 570 or email sales@m-vis.co.uk

 

 

 


MVIS returns to Highways UK

Come and find us on Stand F60!

6th / 7th November, NEC Birmingham

MVIS will be returning to Highways UK this year when the showcase event returns to the NEC Birmingham in November.

MVIS Highways UK 2019
After a successful visit to the event in 2018, MVIS return to Birmingham NEC for Highways UK 2019

 

Highways UK is now in its 5th year, with 4 of those shows being held at the NEC. The event has rapidly become a ‘go-to’ for the sector, with over 3,500 attendees in 2018 passing through the doors.

Over two days on November 6th and 7th, MVIS will be found on stand F60 exhibiting numerous products from our diverse range of ITS equipment and solutions. 

Since our last appearance at the exhibition in 2018, there have been some major changes to the company. One significant addition is in the form of a new depot located in the North East to support contracts across the north of England, as well as Scotland, as the company continues to thrive and grow.

MVIS General Manager Anne Ashman comments: 
“We’re looking forward to inviting people to stand F60 over the course of the 2-day show. It’ll be fantastic as ever to see our clients, and we look forward to making some new connections too.

“As we continue to increase our capability, regional presence and fleet size there’s plenty to talk about, so we look forward to seeing everyone at the show!”

If you’d like to find out more about the exhibitors and sessions available at Highways UK, or to book your place, take a look at the website: https://www.highways-uk.com/huk/whats-on

First published on HighwaysIndustry.com


In the meantime, if you’d like more information about any of our products or services, contact the team on 01629 580 570 or email sales@m-vis.co.uk


Vast hire fleet supports major schemes nationwide

In 2012 following the London Olympics, VMS hire specialist MVIS had a fleet of 180 units. Their role at London 2012 was a landmark, being involved in one of the most prestigious events the UK has ever held.

MVIS-Fleet-size-and-staff

Now, 7 years on, the hire fleet is gargantuan, with over 550 hire units – showcasing a 7-year growth that sees an increase of over 200% in fleet size.

General Manager of MVIS, Anne Ashman comments:

“Year on year we are having to increase the hire fleet by 100 units minimum just to keep up with the demand for hire from MVIS.

“Our reputation goes before us and our focus on service and quality is seeing consistent, fruitful growth.”

MVIS-Fleet-size-and-staff

 

Anne continues:

“Over the years, we’ve developed a reputation for quality, and our capabilities have led to being trusted with the planning and implementation of major schemes.

“The way we work with a client is very simple; you give us your plan, and we’ll make it work for you.

“We’ll consult, plan how many units are needed and where they ought to be deployed via a site visit and evaluation, then we deploy and deliver the required number of units on time for the scheme to commence.”

Recently, MVIS has opened a new depot in the north east to further increase efficiency in servicing the north of England as well as Scotland. This additional space means more units can be housed for the hire fleet, as well as placing an increased demand for units with the capability to service more contracts.

As a result, MVIS has recently added another 40 Solar IP units which Bartco UK built, plus almost 70 VMS of various sizes.

Additionally, MVIS are looking to add another 40 HD compact units to the fleet over the next few months, as well as 40 new Solar IP units and 30 new VMS-C units.

 

MVIS can build 150 units in 5 months for large schemes and have them on the Highway, as they did with corridor orange on the M1.

Currently, the MVIS fleet contains over 500 units, with a breakdown consisting of 181 VMS-A, 192 VMS-C, 81 x Solar IPS and 43 x HD Compact amongst other refurbished units.

With the aim of 110 new units in the next few months, the fleet could now see a 20% boost in size by the new year.

Anne commented on the upscaling:

“Simply put, we need a larger hire fleet due to demand, as well as our increased presence in the North East.

“With our build capability and emphasis on servicing our clients, we’re striving to make these fleet additions in the near future as we continue to keep Britain moving.”

First published on HighwaysIndustry.com


For more information on how our solutions can help you, please get in touch with the team at MVIS on 01629 580 570 or email sales@m-vis.co.uk