Bollards & Barriers

Versatility as the basic principle of urban-planning solutions

Mobility is more important than ever, and yet also a major challenge, particularly in urban environments. All kinds of different forms seek to and must be integrated into traffic and urban planning – from pedestrians to motorised private transport to public transport.     Safety is a key factor here, because transport not only needs to flow; it also needs to remain as accident-free as possible. Cities similarly have particular requirements for solutions, with large-scale approaches often not possible for space reasons, or simply a matter of cost. There must therefore be a way of ensuring the various forms of mobility can co-exist safely, with a particular focus on the safety of all road users and participants, comparatively low financial and technical expense – and any manner of basic conditions.   Barriers and bollards can perform many of the tasks required, for they are characterised by their versatility. Their areas of application include

• Labelling roads, which is part of general traffic control;
• Demarcating zones designated for the various road users/participants – e.g. keeping parked cars off pavements;
• Providing light in squares and streets.

These safety functions additionally enable bollards to perform important logistical/supply tasks in public spaces. The ABES range of barriers and bollards meet all these criteria, offering suitable, adjustable solutions for every situation:   Barriers and bollards: From comparatively simple square or circular tube bollards with classic red-and-white paintwork to customised, styled bollards, there are countless ways to ensure safety at car parks, on streets and driveways and outside buildings, while also providing a visual enhancement.   Illuminated bollards: The ABES lighting bollards can be used for many different purposes, e.g. as street lighting for pedestrians and cyclists or to facilitate driving in and out of driveways and parking bays.   Functional bollards: Feeder bollards are not so much about safety, but rather the supplying of power and water, which is indispensable in public places which are used for events such as farmer’s markets, concerts or similar. The ABES feeder bollards be customised to do both.   Wooden bollards: Sometimes the variability of metal pollards is not enough achieve a desired overall look. In these cases, wooden bollards are available as attractive, robust alternatives.   Boundary markings: In this sector, ABES offers many different guide barriers which can be screwed into the ground and used to manage traffic. If necessary, they can even be supplemented with mini beacons or flares to ensure clear traffic control in confusing areas of the road.   Traffic cones: Traffic cones can be used as temporary solutions which are easy to set up and dismantle. They help temporarily seal off traffic areas without physically interfering with the existing infrastructure.  

Barriers and design of the cityscape

But urban planning and development is not just about purely functional infrastructures; it’s also a lot about aesthetics. After all, preserving/designing cityscapes  is always based on the principle of attractiveness. Environments deemed to be pleasant and appealing play a key part in enhancing people’s quality of life. Conversely, however, design requirements also need to comply with reality and the associated specifications. This means that visual consequences need to be considered before any (even mandatory) changes can be made to the streetscape. So barriers and bollards really have to perform a balancing act as urban-planning elements: They must provide atmosphere at squares and in pedestrian zones, but also remain visually unobtrusive. They need to be present in order to fulfil their function, but also be discreet enough to ensure the overall streetscape is not disrupted.   ABES thus designs barriers and bollards to suit your personal needs. Shape, materials and colours can all be individually adapted to each environment.

• Cast aluminium: The clear classic among bollards, available from ABES in a wide variety of shapes, and always with the option of modifying colours or adding safety features such as reflectors.

• Steel: Steel bollards can be used when things need to be a little more robust. Just like the cast-aluminium models, these are available in various designs, and may be customised with eyelets for chains if required. They can also be fastened with the ABES 3p technology.
• Wood: As inner cities are usually dominated by stone and concrete, wooden barriers can add a touch of nature to this urban environment. Choose from untreated black locust wood and oak, or pressure-treated Douglas The bollards can, however, also be made from other woods upon request, and special designs are also possible.
• Plastic: Barriers and bollards made from plastic combine many levels of flexibility with robustness, meaning they only suffer minor damage even if run over at speed. The ABES bollard sets are also light enough to be set up and dismantled at varying locations.

 

Innovative, environmentally friendly production

ABES has been combining technical innovations with individualist design since 1994, guaranteeing that a functional, aesthetic solution can be found for virtually every need. Municipalities, trade and industry can thus enjoy an incomparable variety of shapes and products, which can be expanded even further through colours and accessories.   One of the clear advantages here is that all barriers and bollards which have been in the range since 1999 continue to exist. On the one hand, this means an ever growing selection, and on the other, that existing stick can be expanded or topped up without any problem. New, customised shapes and designs can similarly be created with just as much ease.   The entire range of barriers and bollard additionally meets the highest quality standards. The premium materials are long-lasting, due in no small part to their robustness. The ABES assembly systems ensure a high degree of stability without any wobbling – it’s physically impossible to kick these sorts of bollards, thereby eliminating the vandalism problem. But even stronger impacts rarely cause total damage – despite there being certain limits to these products’ stability in the worst case scenarios.

Manufacturing processes for maximum robustness

To ensure the ABES barriers and bollards really only suffer damage in extreme situations and otherwise retain their function and appearance in “normal” external weathering and similar, only processes which facilitate the desired robustness are used for machining and paint-coating:

• The bollards themselves are made from galvanised or stainless steel, or otherwise weather-proof timber.
• Steel parts are hot-dip galvanised using heat or low-temperature processes, and thus protected against corrosion damage. Alternatively, cataphoretic dip-coating can be used in certain cases to apply a protective coating.
• Powder-coating/stove-enamelling processes are used for painting. Unlike classic wet painting, these processes result in a high degree of resistance, which also effectively staves off impacts and chemical influences such as dog urine and road salt. In addition, the surface textures they produce make graffiti easier to remove.

Environmentally friendly manufacturing processes

Apart from their contribution to the high quality of ABES barriers and bollards, the manufacturing techniques used also offer the important advantage of being particularly environmentally friendly:

• The cast aluminium is 90% recycled materials and 100% recyclable, just like steel.
• Manufacturing a cast-aluminium bollard initially also involves making a mould which can then be permanently reused. This saves resources and prevents the waste commonly produced with other materials (especially plastic), and which can sometimes end up being problematic because of its special nature.

That is also why no pressure-impregnated timber is used, as this causes similar problems during waste removal.

• The stove enamelling results in only a small amount of cleavage products, and contains no toxic, odorous or flammable solvents.

And speaking of colour: The extensive, standardised RAL colour system and the option of applying even DB colours to barriers and bollards if necessary means all kinds of customised hues can be used. ABES standard pallet covers Traffic Red (RAL 3020), Moss Green (RAL 6005), Fir Green (RAL 6009), Anthracite Grey (RAL 7016), Light Grey (RAL 7035), Jet Black (RAL 9005), White Aluminium (RAL 9006), Traffic White (RAL 9016) and Iron Glimmer Microstructure (DB 703). If this selection does not contain the desired shade, the entire RAL colour palette can be viewed upon request.   If the bollards’ paintwork grows less attractive over time as a result of marks, scrapes or scratches, ABES offers a special service for repairing aesthetic defects of all sizes – either by applying a new powder coating or using the relevant touch-up applicators and sprays.  

The right technology for any situation

The design of the ABES barriers and bollards also enables maximum flexibility in virtually every respect, due in part to the patented fastening system using 3p technology. Geared entirely around multifunctionality, it is also easily compatible and replaceable thanks to its modular structure:

• Three different bases (Standard, High and Garage) ensure the barriers and bollards can be fitted in all designated areas.
• Flexibility is also offered by the connector pieces which, in addition to the standard design, can feature an anti-roll stop or demonstrate a certain amount of give under pressure (3p-flex).
• They also come without a pre-determined breaking point – which is a particularly useful solution in places requiring particular protection, e.g. when separating road traffic from pedestrians.
• As all components featuring 3p technology are compatible with each other, storage capacities can become more flexible, and fewer parts are required. The resulting cost saving then takes the strain off the available budgets.

In addition, the barriers and bollards can be designed to cater to various screw-heads, including normal hexagonal screws, special shapes such as “teardrops” or ovals, as well as the “3p high” specially designed for use by fire brigades. The latter can be opened using a long-handle triangular screw. As such, the screw joint was set higher than normal to enable optimum use of the triangular screw’s lever strokes, so that it can be opened and closed without being moved. This saves a lot of time in emergencies.    

Versatile, multi-faceted and long-lasting: Barriers and bollards as urban design elements

Strikingly unobtrusive, robust and flexible, long-lasting but cost-effective – the requirements of modern urban design and traffic controlling are not easy to meet at first glance. Barriers and bollards, however, are able to do just that:

• They are versatile in terms of where and how they can be used: From traffic management to infrastructural supplies to visual design elements, they have it all covered.
• They are multi-faceted and come in a wide range of designs, colours and materials – tailored exactly to personal needs and tastes.
• They are robust, due in part to the materials used, and in part to the innovative 3p technology, making the ABES barriers and bollards long-lasting.
• They are cost-effective because they can provide long-term solutions with comparatively low investment costs, given they do not need to involve larger, more costly intervention in the existing infrastructure. Another bonus is the fact that the 3p technology enables easy, affordable repairs of unavoidable damage – which is particularly useful from a long-term perspective.

As elements of (safe) urban design, barriers and bollards are thus a tried-and-tested means of catering to both general and customised requirements.