Network rail PPE contract

This reflected the long and established nature of the company’s involvement in the rail industry. The new contract is believed to be one of the largest-ever UK deals to supply GO/RT rail-compliant orange hi-vis workwear, and it covers hi-vis waterproof, flame retardant and arc protection clothing for Network Rail. It also underlines the way in which Ballyclare is able to design and develop its products to suit the particular requirements of this important industrial sector.

“The extensive rail experience we have was obviously a significant benefit for us when it came to what was a very stringent tender process,” Maggie Shaw, Ballyclare’s sales and service manager for the rail industry, said.

"Some small changes were made to design and construction details during the tender process, and every single aspect of the garments was closely specified and scrutinised, even to the point of them being finished in a very particular shade of hi-vis orange to ensure maximum safety for the wearer when working trackside.”

Those specifications led Ballyclare through almost a year’s worth of design work, plus extensive independent testing, wearer and laundry trials, to ensure that the resulting garments satisfied Network Rail’s specification. The company will now supply a wide selection of jackets, trousers, coveralls, body-warmers and underwear to 13,000 trackside workers based at over 700 different Network Rail locations throughout the country.  

Maggie added: "By using the best quality materials such as GORE-TEX we’ve ensured that the garments will deliver maximum levels of safety, durability waterproofness and breathability for the user, and allow them to work more safely and comfortably even in the toughest trackside conditions. They can also be cleaned and maintained repeatedly, so that they go on providing outstanding performance and a long operational life.”