Before photo
Before photo
Before photo
Pallet Lanes on Charcoal
The floor layout.
Permanent Epoxy Resin Numerals.
Contrasting colours for a striking finish.
Introduction
Akzo Nobel’s Premier Whites site in Stowmarket, Suffolk, was being transformed into a highly automated production facility with extensive use of robots and laser guided vehicles (LGVs) handling pallets of Dulux paint. The existing 4,000 m² industrial floor, made up of concrete tiles and large areas of asphalt, was no longer suitable for this level of automation. Akzo Nobel required a super flat, hard wearing industrial floor capable of supporting robotic fork trucks, pallet movements and intensive daily production. Elgood Industrial Flooring was appointed to design, manufacture and install a Britdura 750 epoxy industrial flooring system, delivering a precision flat LGV runway and clearly marked production layout over several carefully phased programmes.
Background
Akzo Nobel were investing heavily in a prestige, highly automated plant where LGVs transport pallets of emulsion paint from the production line to a robotic shrink wrap facility. The existing floor construction – a mixture of ageing asphalt and old concrete – could not provide the flatness, durability or presentation demanded by this new operation.
Having worked previously with the site’s chief engineer, Elgood Industrial Flooring was selected for its project management experience, installation flexibility and high quality British manufactured industrial flooring products. The Britdura range is produced in Elgood’s own UK facility and installed by a full time in-house team, giving Akzo Nobel a single, accountable supplier for both manufacture and installation of the new industrial floor.
The Challenge
The industrial flooring upgrade at Akzo Nobel’s Premier Whites site needed to meet several demanding requirements:
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Replace approximately 900 m² of 25 mm thick asphalt and refurbish large areas of existing concrete within the 4,000 m² floor
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Create a super flat LGV runway where robotic fork trucks could run smoothly, without undulations that might cause jolts, paint spills or operational downtime
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Provide a robust industrial floor capable of withstanding continuous pallet and fork truck movements throughout the facility
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Deliver an attractive, colour-zoned industrial flooring layout suitable for a prestige automated production plant
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Complete the works over several phases spanning six months to minimise disruption and maintain production while the upgrade was carried out
The finished industrial floor had to combine high tolerance flatness for LGVs with long term durability and clear visual organisation.
The Solution
Elgood Industrial Flooring engineered a complete industrial flooring solution combining precision removal of existing materials, super flat industrial screeds and a Britdura 750 high-build epoxy coating system.
Key elements of the solution included:
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Removal of asphalt by milling
Around 900 m² of 25 mm thick asphalt was removed using small scale road milling machines over a weekend programme. This exposed the underlying concrete and allowed levels to be controlled accurately. -
Enclosed shot-blast preparation
All exposed concrete areas were prepared using enclosed, dust controlled shot-blasting to clean the surface and create a strong mechanical key for the new industrial screed and coatings. -
Solvent free epoxy base screed – super flat build up
To reinstate the 30 mm floor thickness and achieve the flatness required for LGVs, Elgood installed a solvent free epoxy base screed. Laid to an average of around 25 mm over 900 m², this screed replaced the removed asphalt and maintained floor levels between different parts of the production area. The screed was installed super flat, using experience from television studio floors and AGV / LGV applications to ensure the robotic vehicles could operate smoothly and reliably. -
Britdura 750 High-build solvent free epoxy floor coating
Once preparation and screeding were complete, Elgood applied its Britdura 750 High-build Solvent Free Epoxy Floor Coating to all concrete areas. This industrial flooring system provides a dense, hard wearing surface designed for heavy pallet and fork truck traffic in demanding manufacturing environments. -
Colour-coded industrial floor layout
Contrasting colours were used to create a clear industrial floor layout:-
Light Grey for the majority of the production floor
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Charcoal for forklift routes
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Brilliant Red for hazardous areas
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Grass Green for walkways, with white zebra crossings to highlight pedestrian routes
This colour zoning supports safety, wayfinding and workflow management in a busy automated facility.
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The flooring installation was carried out in a series of phases over six months to align with Akzo Nobel’s critical production schedule. All works were delivered by Elgood’s small, full time in-house installation team, ensuring consistent workmanship and a single point of responsibility from design through to completion.
Outcome
The completed industrial flooring system at Akzo Nobel’s Premier Whites site in Stowmarket provides a robust platform for highly automated production:
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A 4,000 m² industrial floor incorporating a super flat LGV runway designed specifically for robotic fork trucks carrying Dulux paint
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A solvent free epoxy screed and Britdura 750 high-build epoxy coating that together deliver excellent durability under continuous pallet and fork truck traffic
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A visually organised floor layout with clearly defined forklift routes, walkways, hazardous zones and crossings, supporting efficient and safe operation
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A British manufactured and installed industrial flooring system supplied by a single-source contractor with extensive project management experience and installation flexibility
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A phased installation completed over six months, allowing Akzo Nobel to maintain production while upgrading the floor to a standard suited to a prestige, highly automated facility
By replacing asphalt and old concrete with a precision laid epoxy screed and Britdura 750 industrial floor coating, Elgood Industrial Flooring has helped Akzo Nobel create a super flat, reliable and visually coherent industrial floor that underpins the performance of its Premier Whites automated production line in Suffolk.
