ARTSM Celebrates 80 Years
The Association for Road Traffic Safety and Management (ARTSM) celebrates 80 years and its 50th new member.
In 1934 IRS Ltd a leading traffic sign maker at the time, approached other key firms in the sign industry to form a trade association. These companies were Hub Iron Works, John Needham and Sons, The Royal Label Factory and Gowshall Ltd; the association they formed was named The Association of Road Traffic Sign Makers. From the very beginning, the new association aimed to raise standards in the industry, and lobbied for the introduction of a British Standard, which was published in 1939 as BS 873.
Fast forward eighty years and the only remaining founder member is IRS but the association, started so modestly to develop the traffic sign making industry, now named ARTSM (The Association for Road Traffic Safety and Management), currently represents companies engaged in the manufacture of all aspects of highway - related products from the original traffic signs to reflective film, fixed and portable variable message signs, permanent and temporary traffic signals, traffic control and telecommunications equipment, sign posts and fixings , lit and reflective bollards, sign lights, marker posts, sign software, sign installation, road worker safety, road studs and more recently passively safe sign systems.
ARTSM operates five working groups all aimed at developing key areas of the industry; bollards and sign illumination, traffic signs, fixed and portable VMS, traffic signal and control and installation/road worker safety. Members are encouraged to participate in the working groups and help shape their particular sector and it’s encouraging to note that nearly every member does! ARTSM lobby and engage with Dft and will act on behalf of member companies in dispute resolution which it has done effectively on more than one occasion.
The work and influence of ARTSM has steadily grown over the years and this has helped maintain its membership base but the last twelve months has seen a steady influx of new members’ culminating in the approval of Unipart Dorman in 2014 making it a record - breaking number fifty - but will it end there?’ No’, according to secretary Brian Lyus who notes ‘the Association’s strength is built on membership so we are always keen to add to this core strength to allow us to improve and develop our services and new members are always welcome’.