As it is fast approaching the wetter season, line marking jobs can be challenging to complete. In the UK, the average annual precipitation is 133 out of 365 days, and calculates to 33.7 inches of rain a year. This means that there must be many cancelled jobs every week. This is due to the inability to mark damp surfaces, as the surface will not provide the right conditions for product adhesion.  Projects will slow down through this period, and if any projects to continue, there is a chance of premature failure.

To help tackle these 133 days of dampness throughout the UK, the use of road surface dryers is the way forward and in line with the UK’s Net-Zero targets.  Meon’s range of road surface dryers from Zirocco can completely change the way you work and reduce the downtime caused by wet weather. These innovative machines have been making waves in the industry recently, allowing you to continue working.  The Zirocco brings turbine technology and state-of-the-art mobile electronic controls into the surface treatment and surface marking industries.

With the need for innovation in the line marking industry increasing as the temperatures drop and rain becomes more frequent, Meon has compiled a list of the top five reasons you need a Zirocco Surface Dryer this Winter:

1 – It Saves Time

The use of a Zirocco on any winter line marking job will save time massively by allowing the surface to be dry and pre-warmed in minutes. Other methods, such as using gas torches will produce dampened air, which takes longer to dry the surface entirely than using a Zirocco. The need to use a gas torch to warm the surface is also eliminated, as the surface has already been heated by the Zirocco.

2 – It Increases Productivity

As mentioned above, using a Zirocco on your line marking jobs save massive amounts of time, contributing to a productive workforce. As well as this, the machine can be handled independently and conveniently as there is no need for an air compressor, making the machine lighter and easier to use. The Zirocco range is very versatile and can be pushed along manually for smaller jobs or pushed by a Graco Line Driver for larger projects, meaning there is no need for a change in machines on different sized jobs.

3 – It Saves Costs

The Zirocco M100 Surface Dryer does an effective job every time and has very low operating costs because it uses turbine fuel. There is also the smaller option of the Zirocco HammerJet, which runs on Makita batteries and turbine fuel. Using a Zirocco also massively speeds up the line marking process, reducing costs in equipment hire, labour, and any downtime caused by the weather conditions.

4 – It Is Very Versatile

The Zirocco can be used safely in populated areas or surfaces used by vehicles such as roads and runways, as it does not use pressurized gas. It also has the ability to be used in both a forward and a reverse direction, by hand (HammerJet or M100), or being pushed by a Graco LineDriver (M100 only).  The compact nature of the HammerJet also means it can be easily transported to and from projects and set up ready to go in under a minute.  This makes the Zirocco perfect for almost all surface drying jobs.

5 – It Reduces Product Cure Times

As well as drying the surface it runs over, the Zirocco also heats it up. This contributes to the curing of the line marking product laid as higher temperatures speed up the curing process. Traditionally, the product or surface is often heated with a gas torch to decrease curing time, which is not environmentally healthy and can add extra time and costs to the job.

If you want to know more about our range of Zirocco road surface dryers, you can find additional technical data with our technical datasheets on the HammerJet and M100 here.

If you are interested in trying out these products, please don’t hesitate to contact someone at Meon on 023 9220 0606 or emailing them at mail@meonuk.com.