Network Plus is the first to deploy RodRadar’s newest 30cm LDR system, in partnership with UK distributor MachineTech, to pioneer a new standard for excavation safety.

In a multi-year, fleet-wide deployment across hundreds of excavators, Network Plus becomes the first to deploy RodRadar's new, world-first 30cm LDR system, in partnership with UK distributor MachineTech, to pioneer a new standard for excavation safety.

UNITED KINGDOM – July 22, 2026 – Network Plus, one of the UK’s leading national utility and infrastructure contractors, today announced a landmark, multi-year partnership to deploy RodRadar’s Live Dig Radar® (LDR) technology across its national fleet.

Serving major UK asset owners including Severn Trent Water, Cadent Gas, National Grid, and UK Power Networks, Network Plus will roll out RodRadar’s LDR Excavate™ technology across its repair and maintenance fleet of more than 200 machines over a multi-year programme. The planned rollout marks a decisive shift toward eliminating underground utility strikes, an industry-wide safety challenge across UK construction.

According to University of Birmingham research, the UK suffers over 60,000 utility strikes every year, costing the economy an estimated £2.4 billion annually in project delays, traffic gridlock, and severe safety risks to site crews.

A World-First Solution for Tight Urban Spaces

The partnership traces back to MachineTech, RodRadar’s exclusive UK and Ireland distributor, which identified Network Plus’s strike-risk challenge and introduced the contractor to LDR. Recognizing that the highest density of shallow, high-risk utilities is found in congested urban environments, Network Plus challenged RodRadar to scale down its proven technology.

In response, RodRadar engineered the Type 0 LDR Excavate, the world’s first-ever 30cm (12″) wide digging bucket embedded with live, intelligence-driven ground-penetrating radar. Following successful field trials supported by MachineTech, the system proved it delivers real-time, AI-classified alerts directly to the operator the moment a utility is detected.

Dave Fleming, Head of Plant at Network Plus, commented: “Utility strikes are a costly, high-risk disruption, and preventing them is a priority across our operations. RodRadar’s LDR technology is a complete game changer for risk management. By rolling this out across our fleet, we will not just protect our crews and assets, we will guarantee a best-in-class, uninterrupted service for our clients and the millions of UK citizens who rely on their infrastructure.”

Setting a New Global Standard: “Zero Strikes”

Yuval Barnea, VP Sales and Marketing at RodRadar, stated: “Network Plus operates at a scale that demands the absolute pinnacle of site safety and operational efficiency. We are incredibly proud they have chosen our field-proven Live Dig Radar to protect their workforce and their customers’ infrastructure. This massive nationwide deployment brings us a giant step closer to making ‘Zero Strikes’ the global industry standard.”

RodRadar’s patented technology detects underground utilities in real-time, during excavation, at the moment the risk is live. By providing the operator with immediate visual and audio alerts exactly when they are needed the most, it acts as a digital safety net, preventing utilities from turning into catastrophic strikes.

“Helping a contractor operating at this scale adopt real-time strike prevention is exactly the safety impact we set out to deliver for the UK market,” added Ash Mills, Managing Director and Co-Founder, MachineTech. “As RodRadar’s exclusive Distributor, we are proud to bring Live Dig Radar to Network Plus, and are committed to providing comprehensive, on-the-ground support throughout this nationwide rollout.”