How Prolec is harnessing technology to build a safer future for the construction industry
On a mission to transform the construction industry’s safety and efficiency by leveraging innovative technologies, Prolec’s business is split into three distinct divisions: emerging technology, safety products, and customer technology. For more than 40 years, Prolec’s solutions have reliably and consistently protected the workforce, assets, and investments of companies looking to embed safety in their operation.
From software and hardware development to pioneering motion stop safety systems, Prolec strives to innovate, making construction a safer, smarter, and more efficient industry. To learn more about the business, we sit down with Managing Director, Nigel Shaw. “Prolec has been in operation for more than 40 years, and around the 2000s, we began to diversify away from manufacturing and towards applying our knowledge to plant machinery,” Nigel begins. “We focused on implementing safety systems, including stability protection, on excavators to prevent machinery from hitting what it’s not supposed to. Throughout the 2010s, we started to apply that technology into different, more advanced areas, and we formed relationships with larger OEMs like Caterpillar and Hydrema.
“Many of us within the Prolec business come from a telecoms background and we’re used to the constant innovation and product development this industry brings. We have a deep understanding of technology and our role at Prolec is to bring meaningful innovation to an industry that has historically been left behind in terms of digital transformation. We stay informed of the latest developments across all industries, and we’re constantly considering how to bring these to the construction industry.
“In more recent years, we were sold by James Fisher and acquired by Kinshofer, one of the leading suppliers of attachments to the construction industry,” Nigel explains. “This acquisition enabled us to innovate within a group that understands the impact of such innovation, and we’ve been on an exciting journey together over the last few years. As part of the acquisition, I took full control of the Prolec business, which has provided me with the opportunity to establish our growth direction, consider our ambitions, and take full control of operations.”
Enhancing efficiency
Elaborating on Prolec’s services, Nigel continues: “Our core service is providing safety solutions for the construction industry. For excavators, which are our biggest product, in most cases (other than selected OEMs) we provide an aftermarket fit of our solution to protect the excavator from hitting obstacles. This is especially important in the UK, as we’re a relatively small country and we’ve buried lots of things like cables and water pipes underground, meaning there’s a higher risk if an excavator digs up a pipe that disrupts a critical service or utility.
“We also work with OEMs, for whom we provide their payload solution, which gives them an overview of how much load is in an articulated dump truck (ADT). This helps operators to ensure they have a full load to maximise efficiency. By combining two proven technologies, excavator hazard mitigation and global geolocation systems, we can deliver transformative benefits in not only site safety, but also operational efficiency and reduced costs.
“Our products can be applied to environmental savings, as they encourage operators to work more efficiently, which uses less energy. Imagine you’re walking a tightrope – if I put a safety net under that tightrope then you’re more likely to walk across faster as you’re confident that you’ll land in the safety net if you fall. Our solution is that safety net; by providing an extra layer of safety, operators can work faster and more efficiently, therefore reducing energy consumption on site.
“Prolec also offers professional services, using our technology and experience to devise solutions for various construction related challenges,” he adds. “As a small business, we can’t change the world on our own. It requires collaboration across the industry, and we have a team of expert engineers who work with other companies and organisations to drive innovative solutions to construction challenges. We opened our Tech Hub in Southampton in 2022, which offers integration and development expertise to help bring ideas to life, and we even have a test excavator out in the field to test our solutions.” 
In 2024, Nigel was presented with a unique opportunity to visit the Prime Minister at 10 Downing Street. “Myself and around 20 other small business owners and operators were invited to Downing Street to attend a breakfast meeting and share our thoughts on how the Prime Minister can support small businesses. I had the incredible opportunity to speak for a few minutes and explain some of the challenges facing the construction sector, including safety and the generational gap among our workforces.”
Safety solutions
With a commitment to innovation, it’s clear that Prolec will continue to drive change across the construction industry in the years to come. To end our conversation, Nigel shares what’s next for the business: “We’re currently working on a major project that I can’t yet share details about, but we have several ongoing projects within the Kingshofer group. In terms of growth, I want to expand the business from a technology perspective rather than a manufacturing one. Since 2020, we’ve scaled down our operations and outsourced manufacturing to our partners across Europe. This allows us to focus on becoming a technologically advanced company with specific expertise around how technology can enhance safety.
“Our ultimate goal is to make our safety solutions more accessible to the industry and easier for operators to use,” Nigel concludes. “There are already so many processes and procedures for operators, and we don’t want safety to become another tick-box exercise but rather a system that’s embedded in every operation. Our solutions aid operators in a way that without even thinking about it, their job becomes easier, their role becomes safer, and their day becomes more productive.”