Introducing the composite retention socket:
a smarter foundation for X-Last bollards
You can now install the NAL X-Last bollard quicker and easier than ever before. Meet our new composite retention socket – designed to make X-Last installation and maintenance even more flexible.
Unlike our standard steel or iron retention sockets, the new addition to our socket portfolio is made from a durable composite plastic. For installers, this innovation combines lighter handling and shallower depths with the rapid demountable functionality you already trust.
Let’s take a closer look at the new NAL composite retention socket.
You asked, we listened
Before our composite socket, customers had three main options when installing X-Last bollards:
- Direct burial in concrete – secure, but messy and not easily removable
- Bolt-down installation – less disruptive than concrete, but still requiring drilling into carriageways
- Standard retention socket – the optimum solution, but a more premium choice for cost-sensitive projects
Based on your feedback, these installation options left a gap in the market. You told us that you’d also welcome a fourth option: a solution offering demountable speed and simplicity, while remaining highly competitive across large-scale urban rollouts.
Built to solve your challenges
Our X-Last composite retention socket answers that need. In the first instance, it gives you the same benefits as our conventional sockets:
- Fast installation and removal of X-Last bollards
- Reduces carbon-heavy reinstatement
- Extends asset life
- Minimises disruption to roads, pavements, and surrounding infrastructure
- Ideal for temporary or changeable applications (i.e. markets, events, evolving city layouts)
- Reduces lifecycle costs by eliminating repeated civils work
- Protects surrounding surfaces, with no need for cutting or drilling into finished paving or carriageways
- Improves health and safety by reducing manual handling
- Enables future flexibility, with easy bollard swaps or upgrades
However, the new product’s composite design means reduced size, weight, and foundation depth. In short, it’s ideal for urban schemes, pedestrian zones, and high-footfall areas where factors such as speed, safety, and scale are paramount.
“Our customers favour the demountable functionality of a NAL retention socket, especially for bollards in high-impact or temporary-use areas. That’s where the new composite socket comes in. By using a durable, non-metallic composite material, we’ve maintained our demountable benefits while ensuring choice and competitiveness across large-scale rollouts. It’s a practical innovation that makes real-world installation options more flexible.” Ryan Churchill, Head of Sales, NAL
How it works
- The X-Last bollard is secured with a locking steel pin, housed in a recessed side-chamber of the socket
- The side-chamber is protected by a locking pedestrian cover – preventing any unauthorised access
- The socket has an overall depth of just 200mm and minimal foundation requirements, for a quick, easy install
- Pedestrian plug tested to Class B BS5834-2: 2011 to ensure industry H&S standards
- Compatible with all 150mm Ø base standard, solar, and illuminated X-Last bollards
Key advantages of the composite retention socket
With the composite retention socket, we’ve brought together the best of both worlds: the trusted performance of a demountable socket with the practical advantages of lighter materials. Its compact design and shallow foundation depth make it easy to handle, quick to fit, and non-intrusive to surrounding infrastructure – all without compromising strength or stability. And, because it’s designed specifically for the X-Last range, you get a perfect fit every time. • Fully demountable, allowing for swift removal and replacement of X-Last bollards when needed • A lightweight, compact solution ideal for congested footways or tight urban environments • Primed for manual lifting and rapid on-site installation • Non-corrosive composite construction that’s resistant to rust, moisture, and chemical exposure • A versatile alternative to steel or iron retention sockets in cost-competitive projects • Effectively keeps out unauthorised personnel • Engineered to perfectly fit the full range of X-Last bollards for maximum stability and safety
Ready to specify?
NAL’s composite retention socket is available now. Combined with the flexibility and passive safety of X-Last bollards, it provides a comprehensive solution for modern street design.
Get in touch with our team for technical specs, installation guidance, or to discuss the right solution for your next project.