How UHP Road Cleaning and Advanced Materials Create Safer, Longer-Lasting Pavement Markings
A roundtable on adhesion, reflectivity, and asset lifecycle with experts from SWARCO, SMETS, and L&R Roadlines
In critical infrastructure maintenance, surface preparation is the single most significant variable in determining longevity. If laitance or bitumen residues remain, adhesion is compromised, and the application fails. Our Ultra-High Pressure (UHP) water-jet systems are engineered to eliminate these failure points without the collateral damage caused by abrasive methods.
By providing a non-destructive, textured foundation, we enable advanced markings to perform to specification. We sat down with materials leader SWARCO and expert UK contractor L&R Roadlines to analyse how our ARC 1000 technology serves as the linchpin for a safer, longer-lasting road network.
Sascha Smets
CEO at Smets Technology
Markus Madner
SWARCO Road Marking Systems
Michael Littleboy
Director at L&R Roadlines
Markus, SWARCO is a leader in road and airport safety markings. What defines a high-performance marking system in critical environments like an airfield?
MM: At airports, markings must perform flawlessly under every possible condition—from daylight glare to pouring rain or fog. Our systems are designed around safety, visibility, and durability, following standards such as ICAO Annex 14. This performance is achieved by combining advanced marking materials, high-index glass beads, and application know-how.
And the field data proves this. A 2024 study ‘Field Data Analysis of Pavement Marking Retroreflectivity’ found that markings with better-graded glass beads and higher solid-volume paints had around 10% higher retroreflectivity and improved service life by approximately 65%. This is precisely the standard we target. Increasingly, we also focus on sustainability, reducing VOCs with water-based materials and powering our production with renewable energy.
Sascha, at SMETS technology you focus on what happens before the paint is applied. Why is professional surface preparation and road cleaning so critical for the success of pavement markings?
SS: The long-term performance of any road or airfield striping depends almost in a large was on the surface preparation. If laitance remains on concrete or bitumen residues cover asphalt, adhesion suffers and the markings fail prematurely. Our ultra-high-pressure (UHP) water-jet systems are designed for high-performance surface cleaning and retexturing without abrasives or chemicals.
This ensures a stable, clean bond for whatever marking system follows. We also use this technology for road marking refreshing, a process that gently removes surface films and restores the retro-reflectivity of glass beads already in place, often extending service life without a full reapplication.
Markus, how does that level of advanced surface preparation impact the performance of SWARCO’s materials?
MM: They’re inseparable. Even the best material cannot compensate for a poor surface condition. That’s why we pay close attention to how a surface is cleaned, structured, and dried before application. Technologies like precision UHP road cleaning have made a real difference here. They give our materials the right texture and cleanliness to perform to specification and maintain reflectivity over time.
Sascha, do you see a similar benefit from your side—when your UHP systems are paired with advanced materials like SWARCO's?
SS: Definitely. When a well-prepared surface is combined with advanced marking materials—for example, those using high-index glass beads—the results are visibly superior: consistent brightness, strong adhesion, and excellent durability. We see this synergy in practice across many projects. It’s less about one technology recommending the other, and more about both technologies complementing one another.
Michael, your teams are in the field using both SMETS equipment and SWARCO materials. How does this 'total quality' approach work in practice?
ML: At L&R Roadlines, we handle everything from highways to airfields, so we need reliability and precision. We operate our own Smets Technology ARC 1000 UHP truck, which is our go-to solution for pavement marking removal and surface preparation. It allows us for very efficient line striping removal with minimal disruption.
When we follow that expert preparation with SWARCO materials and glass beads, we consistently achieve excellent adhesion and retro-reflectivity. The results speak for themselves—clear, durable markings that meet the toughest specifications. We’ve also used the Smets system for road marking refreshing on existing SWARCO markings, and it’s impressive how much visibility can be recovered. From our perspective as the service provider, the two technologies work hand-in-hand and make our work both faster and more sustainable.
Looking ahead, Markus, what innovations are driving SWARCO's material development?
MM: We’re constantly improving our glass-bead technology—including coloured and high-index variants for better contrast—and advancing low-emission, solvent-free materials. We’re also focusing on longer life cycle performance. When surface preparation and pavement markings are coordinated, we reduce total maintenance cycles and environmental impact.
And Sascha, how is SMETS evolving its UHP technology for tasks like demarking and surface cleaning?
SS: We’re refining our UHP systems for greater efficiency: lower water and energy consumption, higher precision for complex marking removal, and minimal surface damage. We’re also integrating sensors to measure texture and cleanliness in real time. The goal is predictive maintenance—knowing when a surface or marking needs attention, not waiting for failure. Together, this kind of approach extends asset life and supports sustainable operations.
Finally, what do you each believe is the most important shift happening in road and airport line maintenance?
MM: Stricter environmental standards will drive the use of water-based and solvent-free systems, while digital tools will allow us to monitor marking performance in real time. I also expect stronger collaboration across the value chain—treating the road or runway as a complete system, not a sequence of separate tasks.
ML: From our standpoint as the contractor, that coordination is everything. Using advanced UHP road cleaning technology alongside premium marking materials allows us to deliver quality consistently and efficiently.
SS: I agree. Maintenance will become a continuous, data-driven process rather than periodic overhaul. When expertise in surface cleaning and pavement marking application come together seamlessly—as they do in our partnership—the result is safer, longer-lasting, and more sustainable infrastructure.
