Advances in highways maintenance technology are creating new opportunities to explore how road repairs are carried out, with innovation playing an important role in improving efficiency, sustainability and whole-life value.
Czech company FUTTEC is looking to introduce its microwave-based road repair technology to the UK, aiming to work with local authorities and contractors to explore its potential across the highways network.
We caught up with Paul Hyslop, FUTTEC’s UK representative, to discuss the technology, its practical applications and the company’s plans for the UK market.
Q. FUTTEC has recently joined LCRIG. What are you hoping to get from the membership?
A. LCRIG gives us an opportunity to connect with local authorities and others across the UK highways sector.
We want to share our approach while learning more about the challenges local authorities and contractors face. Membership gives us an opportunity to build relationships, understand the market and identify where our technology could offer practical benefits.
Q. Can you tell us about FUTTEC and the technology you’re bringing to the UK?
A. FUTTEC is a Czech company that developed its microwave-based road repair technology in response to the challenge of repeated road repairs.
Working with universities in the Czech Republic, the company has developed a process designed to heat the existing asphalt consistently, including around the edges of a pothole.
Because the microwaves heat the asphalt from within, rather than applying intense heat to the surface, the process is non-degenerative: the bitumen binder is not overheated or burnt, so the binder ageing that can weaken conventional heated repairs is avoided.
The surrounding material is softened before new asphalt is added and compacted. This allows the materials to bond together, creating a seamless repair designed to reduce water ingress and improve durability.
The technology has been used in road maintenance operations in the Czech Republic, and the company is now looking to expand into international markets.
Q. Why is the UK an important market for FUTTEC?
A. The UK offers significant opportunities because of the size of its highways network and the pressure on local authorities to make the most of their maintenance budgets.
We want to encourage customers to look beyond the initial cost of a repair and consider its whole-life value. If a repair lasts longer, it could reduce repeat visits, associated costs and disruption.
The UK is also a significant market for infrastructure technology. From that perspective, we feel highways teams will be comfortable with our process, and that it adds another option to the asset manager’s toolbox, helping authorities manage their road networks even more effectively.
Our focus is on working with local authorities and contractors to identify where the technology is most suitable, rather than suggesting one method will work for every situation.
Q. How does the repair process work, and where could it be used?
A. The equipment is transported in a van, alongside microwave furnaces that heat pre-bagged asphalt on site.
The microwave patcher heats the existing asphalt around the pothole while the repair material is prepared. Once the defect has been cleaned and the surrounding surface softened, the new asphalt is added and compacted to create the finished repair.
The system is designed to be operated by two people, with asphalt supplied in 25kg bags to help teams take only the material they need.
This compact setup could be particularly useful in rural areas, on roads with restricted access and in urban locations where larger machinery is difficult to deploy. The technology has also been used for night-time repairs in the Czech Republic, where minimising disruption is important.
Q. What does the technology offer in terms of durability and whole-life costs?
A. Durability is central to our approach. Although some repair methods have a lower initial cost, repeated interventions can increase expenditure over time through additional labour, materials, equipment and traffic management.
In the Czech Republic, a Ministry of Transport technical document states that, for roads under seven years of age, a repair made with the technology is considered permanent and is expected to last for the remaining lifetime of the road.
Ultimately, we want customers to consider the full cost of maintaining a repair over time, rather than focusing solely on the initial outlay.
Q. How could the system support more efficient and sustainable highways maintenance?
A. The compact setup and bagged asphalt give operators control over the materials they take to site, helping to limit unused material and waste.
The potential for longer-lasting repairs could also reduce repeat visits, material consumption and the transport and equipment requirements associated with additional work.
Having the equipment and material preparation together in one vehicle can simplify operations, particularly where access is difficult or larger machinery is impractical.
Sustainability is about considering the whole repair lifecycle: how much material is used, how efficiently the work is carried out and how often teams need to return.
Q. How will FUTTEC establish itself in the UK?
A. Our initial plan is to work through a distributor that can supply the equipment and bagged asphalt, alongside servicing and technical support.
We’re looking for partners that can develop sales opportunities and support customers in the field. Given the investment involved, we don’t necessarily expect distributors to hold stock; equipment would be manufactured once an order is secured.
We’re also exploring leasing and other purchasing arrangements to give customers greater flexibility.
Q. What would success look like for FUTTEC in the UK over the next two to three years?
A. We want the technology to become well known across the UK highways sector.
Placing the first machines into the UK market will be an important early milestone. Longer term, we want microwave repair to become an accepted, standard solution alongside the established methods highways teams already use.
Establishing a reliable distribution and service network will be important, alongside working directly with local authorities and contractors to understand where the technology can deliver the greatest value.
Ultimately, success will mean building awareness, developing strong partnerships and demonstrating the technology’s practical benefits in real-world maintenance settings.
Q. How important is it to be part of wider conversations across the highways sector?
A. It’s essential when introducing a new technology into an established market.
We need to understand the requirements of UK local authorities and contractors, including their maintenance practices, specifications and challenges across different road types.
LCRIG gives us the opportunity to build those relationships, share our experience and learn from people working across the sector.
Ultimately, it’s about listening as well as introducing innovation, so we can identify where the technology could make a practical difference.
A big thank you to Paul and the FUTTEC team for sharing their insights into the development of microwave-based road repair technology and their plans to bring the approach to the UK highways market.
Visit FUTTEC’s website to find out more about its road repair technology.