It is with great sadness that Highways reports on the passing of Norman Smith, a ‘legend’ of the road markings industry and founder of the Norman Smith Group.
Mr Smith passed away at the age of 95, leaving a lasting mark on the road markings sector and his colleagues from a lifetime of dedication and innovation.
Rob Shearing, CEO of the Road Safety Markings Association, said: 'The RSMA is deeply saddened by the passing of Norman Smith, an esteemed Honorary Member. Norman’s steadfast support and commitment to the RSMA over many years will always be remembered, and our thoughts are with his family and friends at this time.'
With the Norman Smith Group’s in-house design and production capacity, Mr Smith helped change the face of the industry, bringing innovations and new products to market.
One of the company’s well-known products was the Vibraline. This product deployed a raised rib line in an edge marking that would cause vehicles to vibrate if they drove over it, acting as a warning to drivers that they were close to the edge of the carriageway.
A former general manager at the Norman Smith Group, Robert Copeland told local press: ‘In the earlier years, he told me that he felt the road marking industry was flatlining and there was a need to introduce something that was totally out of the ordinary.
‘We came up with the idea of the rib line for the edge of motorway markings. The rib line would stop many accidents happening on the hard shoulder of the motorway.’
The company also developed one of the first examples of digital control in the sector through its ‘hot oil jacketed application shoe’ to deliver the Vibraline product.
The shoe was built in-house and equipped with two shutters, one to supply the material and the other to create the raised rib. The shoes were fitted to truck mounted vehicles, and the devices were computer-controlled by the on-board operators.
These innovations helped establish the Norman Smith Group as a leader in the UK sector, with its products sold internationally as well.
