Post offices and Distribution Centres are often open 24 hours a day. They need a floor that can keep working with them.

Acrylicon has worked with many of the Post offices and Distribution Centres around the world.

Acrylicon Flooring Systems really work, and rarely do companies go back to conventional systems after seeing what Acrylicon can do for them, and how it can save them money in the long term.

• Production Areas
• Longevity
• Forklift Routes
• Cleanability
• Drainage
• Waterproofing
• Coves, Kerbs and Upstands
• Aesthetic
• Maintenance
• Traffic Route Marking
• Concrete Erosion
• Heavy Loads/Impacts
• Substrate Protection
• Smell
• Down Time
• UV Resistance

Production Areas

The flooring requirements for general production areas have changed very little over the last 30 years. When we conducted our first survey in 1977 we found that the main requirements of 95% of the companies who took part were as follows.
• Hygienic
• Good looking
• Easy to clean
• Long lasting with minimal repairs
• Protect the substrate
• This is still the case today although the order might change and the pressure to deal with one or the other may differ from company to company. Acrylicon was developed based on these requirements and has been fulfilling them since then.
More recently, however, the ability to maintain and repair has become of more significance due to current working practices of modern factories. With efficient factories working 24/7 the inability to shut down production areas to allow essential maintenance can leave floors looking unsightly and unhygienic. So in this regard the ability to carry out maintenance quickly and easily is of great significance when choosing a floor surface - even when specifying new build greenfield sites. There are more detailed explanations of the specific requirements elsewhere on this page.

Longevity

Most conventional floor systems rely upon a mechanical bond to the substrate surface, ultimately risking bond failure and resulting in delamination. The result can be constant and expensive repair work Acrylicon has an unbreakable chemical bond to the special primers that have penetrated the substrate. This results in a seamless surface without holes, voids or cold joints. The whole topping is truly monolithic and it is impossible to separate the individual layers that make up the system. To remove Acrylicon from a concrete surface you will break into the top zone of the concrete not delaminate it at the Bond Line.

Forklift Routes

These can be general or defined routes. Acrylicon systems can cope with the continual abrasion and high traffic movements in a defined route. If the forklift routes require additional slip resistance or colour coding for health, safety or production reasons this can easily be achieved at the time of installation or later should the ergonomics of the area change. This is due to Acrylicon's ability to chemically bond to itself, even after many years. Acrylicon will also produce high tolerance routes (superflat) for those areas involving high racking.

Cleanability

The Floor must be non-porous and free of pinholes, and be capable of withstanding the chemical abuse caused by spillages and cleaning. If the surface breaks down, delaminates or becomes porous the outcome can be slippery or uneven areas, with added hygiene hazards. The floor system must retain its cleanability for life, not just for the first year or two. Acrylicon is 100% solid, resin saturated acrylic. The non-porous, monolithic, impervious Acrylicon surface does not allow penetration by liquids and dirt, or the proliferation of fungi or bacteria. Acrylicon Systems are highly resistant to chemical attack, cleaning agents, liquids and foodstuffs. Chemical bonding ensures that the wearing surface remains locked into place for the life of the floor.

Drainage

Acrylicon carry a full range of special flexible resins for the creation of joints at abutments to drains, gullies and channels etc. By the use of special primers, the bond to the drain edge can be assured, creating a hygienic interface.

Waterproofing

All Acrylicon systems are non-porous will not allow the passage of water, and in this regard, can be considered waterproof. If further assurance is required against ingress of water to lower floors then the use of an additional flexible membrane can be included.

Coves, Kerbs and Upstands

For a floor to be fully hygienic it must be easy to clean with no dirt traps. To this end most floors are laid with coving. Acrylicon can lay a variety of coves, kerbs and upstands dependant on the clients needs. Because Acrylicon chemically bonds, the coves fuse to the floor giving a totally sealed joint (as opposed to "cold joints" with other resin systems) ensuring no dirt traps.

Aesthetic

Creating an environment that is conducive to high productivity and which reflect corporate values and quality standards is always important. Acrylicon provides a dynamic range of colours that can be blended to meet any requirement of the designer or architect.

Maintenance

When a conventional resin system becomes ready for overhauling it is necessary to completely remove it from the substrate before starting again, creating disruption, noise and dust. Alternatively the existing system is abraded to create a mechanical key for the new coating, a practice that generally fails and on some systems can be highly dangerous to health. Acrylicon is a special thermo-elastic resin that ensures each layer chemically fuses to the previous one, no matter how old. It is not possible to separate the individual layers that make up the system. Allied to a cure time of just 2 hours, this ensures that maintenance work is both more economic and less disruptive than is the case with other systems.

Traffic Route Marking

In busy working environments it is often required that areas safe for pedestrian use are clearly marked. The traditional method of using coloured tape to mark the boundaries or laying different floors often cause problems of delamination or wear. Acrylicon can lay these areas in a different colour to the rest of the floor, without adding weak points or joints. Because Acrylicon chemically bonds to itself, where the different floors colours meet, they chemically fuse together. This will ensure that marked areas never wear out or become unclear. We can also lay slip resistant flooring in these areas alone.

Concrete Erosion

Many chemicals if allowed to penetrate the floor surface will eat away or erode the concrete substrate below. It is often difficult to properly repair these areas if they are in constant use. Acrylicon have a special system that is designed to not only repair the concrete, but also cure within 2 hours. It can also be used as a quick curing underlayment to facilitate flooring that has to be carried out in short shutdown periods. All Acrylicon flooring systems chemically bond to it and thereby effectively repair and prevent future damage.

Heavy Loads/Impacts

Although Acrylicon Systems have exceptional compressive strength and can resist most impacts, it is inevitable that if there are exceptional heavy loads or impacts some damage may occur. Because Acrylicon chemically bonds to the substrate, should the impact be severe enough to penetrate through the floor, it will not delaminate around the edges of the hole. Therefore the damage will not get any worse over time, and can await an effective repair. Acrylicon can be repaired easily and quickly and therefore proves very economic in the long term.

Substrate Protection

When a concrete floor is showing signs of abrasive wear the surface dusts and becomes uneven, pitted and a danger to the workforce. If the existing floor is a conventional resin system the effects of heavy wear and abrasion will show in delamination with holes creating a dangerous uneven surface and allow chemicals to attack the substrate. Acrylicon has unique primers, which are designed to achieve high penetration into the substrate. Ultimately it is the strength of the bond line that produces successful floors, and the ability of the bond line to transmit loadings and thermal changes without reducing its grip that creates longevity. The compressive, abrasion, impact and flexural strengths of Acrylicon are generally far superior compared to other systems and they do not degrade as the effect of time, water and the working environment take effect. Thereby ensuring that your substrate is protected for many years, saving you money on costly substrate repairs.

Smell

It is important to remember that smell does not mean taint risk. Many resins without smell will taint products. So when we talk about smell, we mean smell – not taste. Acrylicon is a solvent free resin, and the smell is not solvent, but just an unpleasant odour – particularly to those experiencing it for the first time. It is safe and non-toxic, and presents no health hazard. The Maximum Exposure is limited to 50 parts per million in the atmosphere, however the "smell" is noticeable at 1 part per million. At the mixing point or over the floor being laid, it is generally no higher than 20 parts per million. With extraction it is possible and not a problem to stand next to Acrylicon whilst being laid, and this is proved by the many customers we have for whom we lay in the working environment without disrupting their staff or process.

Down Time

Most resins must be applied in moderate temperatures and traditional resin systems can take days to fully cure. Often other commercial pressures mean that the floor is used too soon after installation, jeopardising the system, resulting in premature damage, bacterial growth and other complications. Acrylicon fully cures, even at temperatures below zero, and can be put into use within two hours of installation. This avoids costly down time and eliminates the pressures to start using the floor too soon with the resulting damage that all too often accompanies the installation of conventional systems with long cure times. Let alone the saving to the company of shutting down production for a shorter time.

UV Resistance

Most new floors look good in terms of colour, but many flooring systems show the ageing effect of UV light very quickly, both fading and discolouration. Acrylicon Systems are highly resistant to the ageing and discolouration effects of UV attack, ensuring that the aesthetic qualities of the floor are guaranteed for the long term.