Roland Plastics, based in Wickham Market, invited an instructor and 12 trainee engineers from the Royal School of Military Engineers in Chatham, to carry out an installation as part of their syllabus work.
The team, whose current studies involve the design and production of a road, were given the opportunity to work with Roland Plastics’ unique Durapath product, and to install it at speed in just one hour.
Durapath is made from 100 per cent recycled plastic, has a highly efficient drainage system, and is currently in use in the likes of a Highways M6 construction site, in national parks, golf clubs, farms and heavy-use car parks and factory settings.
Completing their challenge after an initial demonstration from the Roland Plastics staff, the engineers successfully laid some 40 square metres of the product in 60 minutes.
Ben Emerson, Director of Roland Plastics, said: “We were really pleased to be able to provide the RSME trainees with such a hands-on activity which coincides perfectly with the work they are doing in their syllabus.
“We’re enormously proud of the Durapath product because of its capabilities and its versatility, so we were delighted when we first established a connection with the MOD and were able to offer this practical opportunity at our Suffolk site.”
Mr Emerson added: “Following this great collaboration with RSME, we’ll certainly be pursuing further connections with the military. We are confident that Durapath offers a lot of scope to the MOD in a wide range of settings.”