GroundGuards

GroundGuards: ground protection and trackway hire and sales in the UK

GroundGuards is a British company specialising in the hire and sale of ground protection mats and trackway, solutions that create safe, passable access over soft, uneven or delicate surfaces. The company presents itself as a trackway hire specialist, with services covering advice, delivery, installation and removal of materials according to the client's schedule.

The firm states it has twenty years of experience and a technical team that helps determine whether to hire, buy or go without mats depending on the ground, the expected load and the duration of the project. Its catalogue is organised by load capacity, type of problem to be solved and sector of application.

Ground protection products

The sales and hire catalogue includes several families of mats and complementary solutions:

• XtremeMat, UltraTrack Pro, UltraTrack, TuffTrak, MaxiTrack, MultiTrack, EnviroMat, ProMat and LiteTrack.
• FastCover and FastCover Plus.
• Ex-hire product offers and bundles.
• Site support solutions: kerb protection, trackout control, accessories, joiners, installation tools, storage and mat underlay.

The company states that its mats are reusable, durable and easy to handle, and that part of the range is aimed at light uses while other references are intended for much higher loads.

Load capacity and selection criteria

GroundGuards organises part of its advice according to the weight the surface must bear. The website distinguishes ranges of up to 10 tonnes, up to 120 tonnes, up to 170 tonnes and up to 400 tonnes. As a reference, it notes that 8x4 walkway and access mats handle cars, vans and many site vehicles; MaxiTrack is designed for heavier plant up to around 130 tonnes, and XtremeMat can support very heavy equipment up to about 400 tonnes with the right ground preparation.

The company warns that actual capacity depends on ground conditions, tyre footprint and how the load is distributed, and offers a weight loading guide to help with selection.

Applications and sectors served

The mats are used to create temporary roadways, pedestrian walkways, site compounds and bases, ground survey and site investigation access, temporary car parks and event parking, hard surface protection, tree root protection, emergency and utility access, event flooring and wheelchair access.

Among the sectors the company mentions are construction, housebuilding, utilities and infrastructure, civil engineering, geotechnical engineering, forestry and land management, rail access, events and festivals, military and rental.

Hire, delivery and installation service

GroundGuards offers hire with an installation service. In this format, the team plans the route, provides RAMS, delivers to site and installs the mats by hand or with plant, fits all connections, walks the route with the client, makes adjustments if needed and hands over clean, safe access. When the job finishes, the company removes the mats and leaves the area tidy.

The firm states it holds large UK stock and that many hire jobs can start the next working day. It also offers timed delivery slots and out-of-hours slots on request.

Documented project case studies

The website includes examples of real applications. In Cumbria, GroundGuards adapted an UltraTrack hire installation when the original access point was too restricted for machinery, with the aim of minimising disruption and facilitating agricultural access. In Bridgnorth, an installation of 300 XtremeMat created a protected drilling area, maintained stable access and preserved grass surfaces. At York Racecourse, the company used UltraTrack Pro and FastCover mats to provide temporary taxi access and a waiting area on grass during an event.

Corporate profile and international presence

The company is identified as Ground-Guards Ltd and operates from Rudgate, Walton, Leeds. Its website allows users to select country or region from United Kingdom, Guernsey, Ireland, Isle of Man and Jersey, all with prices in pounds sterling. The company presents itself as a trusted ground protection mat supplier in the UK market and offers advice on choosing the right product without paying for unnecessary features.

Location and contact

Ground-Guards Ltd Rudgate, Walton, Leeds, LS23 7AU, UK · Phone: 0113 267 6000