Crash barriers, bollards, handrail, column protection, traffic control and the rest of the kit your site needs — galvanised, specified properly, and dispatched from the West Midlands.
1,500+
Lines in stock
12
Protection ranges
BS EN ISO 1461
Galvanised standard
UK-wide
Dispatch & delivery
UK Dispatch
Stocked & shipped from the West Midlands
Technical Support
Speak to specifiers, not a call centre
Trade & Public
Same pricing, no account required
Built for Britain
Galvanised, BS-compliant systems
— The Catalogue / 12 Ranges
— By Site Type
From a single column wrap to a multi-hundred-metre Armco run — the same catalogue serves contractors, facilities teams and end users across the UK.
Aisle Armco, racking end protectors, column guards, bollards at goods-in and pedestrian segregation handrail.
ExplorePerimeter crash barriers, wheel stops, height restrictors, speed bumps and bolt-down bollards on tarmac or slab.
ExploreDock bumpers, container kerb ramps, Armco runs and high-visibility corner protection at every reveal.
ExploreCast-in bollards, anti-ram protection, retractable belt stanchions for events, and convex traffic mirrors.
Explore— Specifier's Edge
The two crash barrier profiles you'll actually consider on a UK site — side by side, no marketing fluff.
| Specification | Armco (W-Beam) | Open Box Beam |
|---|---|---|
| Profile | Corrugated W-beam | Rectangular hollow section |
| Deflection on impact | Higher — absorbs energy by flexing | Lower — stiffer, less rearward movement |
| Typical use | Warehouses, car parks, general site | Tight clearances, higher containment |
| Post centres | 1.9m standard | 1.9m standard |
| Finish | Galvanised steel | Galvanised steel |
| Cost | £ — most economical | ££ — premium |
— Knowledge Centre
Plain-English guides to specifying, installing and maintaining the products we supply. Written by our team for UK contractors, facilities managers and site engineers.
A crash barrier is a steel safety barrier installed to protect people, buildings and equipment from accidental vehicle impact. In the UK the most common profiles are Armco (corrugated W-beam) and Open Box Beam, both supplied as galvanised rails bolted to driven, cast-in or baseplated posts. Crash barriers are used on roads, car parks, warehouses, loading bays and industrial estates wherever traffic and pedestrians meet.
A crash barrier absorbs and redirects impact energy. The steel rail flexes against rigid posts, spreading the force of a vehicle strike across several posts so the vehicle is slowed and pushed back into its lane rather than stopped dead or allowed through. Galvanising protects against corrosion, and post spacing and gauge are chosen to suit the expected impact severity.
Crash barriers are installed by fixing posts at a set centre (typically 1.9m for Armco) using one of three methods: cast-in posts set into fresh concrete, baseplated posts bolted onto an existing slab, or spring posts where some deflection is required. Rails are then bolted to the posts with the matching M16 fixings, and corners and end-pieces are added to close out the run.
Armco is the original name for the W-shaped corrugated steel crash barrier profile, now used generically across the UK industrial sector. Armco barriers combine high strength with the ability to deflect on impact, which is why they remain the default choice for vehicle protection in warehouses, car parks, depots and along site perimeters.
Both profiles do the same job but in different ways. Armco (W-beam) is the lighter, more economical option and is typically used for general site and car park protection. Open Box Beam is a rectangular hollow section that is stiffer, deflects less on impact and is specified where space behind the barrier is tight or where a higher containment level is required.
Choose bollards on three factors: the threat (low-speed parking nudge vs high-energy ram-raid), the installation surface (concrete slab, tarmac, paving) and the fixing method (surface mounted, bolt-down or cast-in). For warehouse pedestrian protection a 90mm or 114mm bolt-down bollard is usually sufficient; for perimeter and asset protection larger diameter cast-in bollards are used.
A warehouse protection scheme normally combines several products: Armco or polymer barriers along aisles and walkways, column protectors at the base of every upright, corner protection on racking ends and at door reveals, and bollards at high-risk points such as goods-in doors and battery charging areas. Pedestrian segregation handrail completes the layout.
Column protection guards structural columns, racking uprights and door frames against forklift and pallet truck strikes. Options range from heavy-duty steel guards bolted into the floor to lightweight plastic wraparound protectors that absorb low-speed impact. Bright yellow finishes also serve as a visual warning to drivers.
— Got Questions?
— UK Coverage
BarriersUK is the online catalogue of Express Matting Services Ltd, based at Unit 1B, The Summit, Manchester Road, Burnley, Lancashire BB11 5HG. We supply crash barriers, Armco barriers, Open Box Beam, bollards, handrail systems, column & corner protection and traffic control products to trade contractors, facilities managers and the public across the United Kingdom.
From our West Midlands base we dispatch nationwide — from Glasgow and Edinburgh down through Manchester, Leeds, Birmingham and the Black Country, across to London, Bristol, Cardiff and the South Coast. Local trade customers across the West Midlands, Staffordshire, Worcestershire, Shropshire and Warwickshire are welcome to collect from site.
— Ready When You Are
Order online, or speak to our team for help specifying a full scheme. Trade and public welcome — UK-wide dispatch from the West Midlands.