Milling / removing the asphalt
Production floor with a walkway and crossing points
The super flat LGV runway
The super flat LGV runway
The finished industrial floor with markings
Introduction
AkzoNobel required a high-performance industrial floor for its Premier Whites site in Suffolk as part of the creation of a highly automated production facility. The 4,000 m² floor consisted of large areas of asphalt flooring alongside older concrete floors, so the project required extensive preparation, phased installation and specialist flooring systems capable of supporting both production activity and laser guided vehicles.
Elgood Industrial Flooring was appointed to deliver the complete flooring installation using its Britdura flooring systems. The works included removal of asphalt, dust free shotblasting, installation of Britdura Epoxy Screed, application of Britdura 750 highbuild solvent free epoxy floor coating and the creation of a colour-coded industrial floor layout with walkways, forklift routes, hazardous areas and crossing points.
The project was completed in several phases over six months to meet AkzoNobel’s critical production schedule and help keep the plant operational throughout the works.
Background
AkzoNobel was developing a highly automated production facility with extensive use of robots throughout the production process. A key requirement was the creation of a suitable floor base for LGV vehicles, in this case robotic fork trucks used to carry pallets of Dulux paint from the production line to the robotic shrink wrap facility.
The industrial floor had to be flat and free from undulation so the vehicles could operate correctly and avoid paint spillages. It also needed to provide an attractive and durable working surface throughout a prestige production facility, with the strength to withstand pallet movement and fork truck traffic.
Elgood Industrial Flooring was selected for its project management experience, installation flexibility and high quality products. As British manufacturers and installers with more than 125 years of experience in industrial flooring, Elgood was able to provide a complete in-house solution using UK manufactured Britdura flooring systems and its own specialist installation team.
The Challenge
The project needed to address several clear requirements:
Remove large areas of existing asphalt flooring
Prepare old concrete floors for a new industrial floor coating
Reinstate the removed asphalt areas to finished floor level
Create super flat flooring suitable for laser guided vehicles
Provide a durable industrial floor capable of withstanding pallet and fork truck movement
Install a clear colour-coded layout for production areas, forklift routes, hazardous zones, walkways and crossing points
Complete the works in several phases while helping keep the plant in production
Meet AkzoNobel’s critical project schedule over a six-month programme
The Solution
Elgood Industrial Flooring specified and installed a complete industrial flooring system for the AkzoNobel Premier Whites site in Suffolk.
Key elements of the solution included:
Asphalt removal
Around 900 m² of 25 mm thick asphalt was removed using milling machines over a weekend. This allowed the existing asphalt areas to be stripped back before the floor could be rebuilt to the required level and standard.
Dust free shotblasting
All concrete areas were prepared using enclosed dust free shotblasting. This preparation method cleaned and profiled the concrete, creating the correct surface for strong adhesion of the new Britdura industrial floor systems.
Britdura Epoxy Screed
Elgood installed Britdura Epoxy Screed at an average thickness of approximately 25 mm over the 900 m² area where asphalt had been removed. This reinstated the floor to the required finished level while providing a robust industrial flooring base.
The screed was laid super flat to enable the laser guided vehicles to operate effectively across the facility. This was critical because the robotic fork trucks required a flat, stable and consistent surface to function correctly.
Britdura 750 highbuild solvent free epoxy floor coating
Britdura 750 highbuild solvent free epoxy floor coating was applied to the existing concrete areas. This created a durable industrial floor finish suitable for production use, pallet movement and fork truck traffic.
As a UK manufactured flooring system produced by Elgood Industrial Flooring, Britdura 750 gave AkzoNobel a practical and hard-wearing industrial floor coating from a British manufacturer with full control over product quality and installation.
Colour-coded industrial floor layout
Contrasting colours were used to form a clear floor layout across the production facility. Light Grey was used for the majority of the floor, Charcoal for forklift routes, Brilliant Red for hazardous areas, Grass Green for walkways and white for zebra crossings.
This colour-coded industrial floor helped define operational zones clearly, supporting safer movement, better organisation and a more professional production environment.
Phased installation programme
The flooring was installed in a number of phases over six months to meet AkzoNobel’s critical schedule. This phased approach helped the plant remain in production while allowing Elgood to deliver the required preparation, screeding, coating and line marking works across the 4,000 m² floor area.
Outcome
The completed industrial floor provided AkzoNobel with a durable, highly functional and visually organised flooring solution for its Suffolk production facility:
A 4,000 m² industrial floor installation for a highly automated production environment
Removal and reinstatement of approximately 900 m² of asphalt flooring
Britdura Epoxy Screed laid super flat to support laser guided vehicles
Britdura 750 highbuild solvent free epoxy floor coating applied to existing concrete areas
A durable surface capable of withstanding pallet and fork truck movement
A colour-coded industrial floor layout with forklift routes, hazardous areas, walkways and zebra crossings
A phased six-month programme delivered around AkzoNobel’s critical production schedule
By combining asphalt removal, dust free preparation, super flat epoxy screed, Britdura 750 industrial floor coating and colour-coded markings, Elgood Industrial Flooring delivered a specialist industrial floor for AkzoNobel in Suffolk. The finished floor supported the operational needs of a highly automated facility while creating a cleaner, clearer and more professional working environment.
