Industry Flooring FAQs with Lewis Leadeatt

Yes, we do, GTI EL5 is the solution and it can withstand up to 70kg/cm2 dynamic loads and 120kg/cm2 of static loading.  This innovative technical tile solution is available in a unique dovetail connect format (for a fast plug and play install) and also a cleantech format (hot welded using conductive welds for a watertight finish).

Yes.  Gerflor suggests leaving a couple of metres walking area to discharge any static charge built up through the body by the carpet tiles and that the height difference of our GTI EL5 tiles matches the carpet tile height at 6mm. Alternatively a Gradus transition strip can be used in between the carpet and Mipolam Biocontrol EL5 2mm conductive sheet product.

Yes, the perfect solution would be the GTI Technical tile range, as it can be loose laid on power-floated concrete, resin and even vinyl and tiled flooring, and each tile can easily be uplifted and removed or replaced when required. The ideal products within the range for Labs would be either GTI Max Cleantech or GTI EL5 Cleantech, these revolutionary products are hot welded watertight solutions and depending on whether you need to reach certain ISO and GMP standards or IEC standards for static discharge control.  

Yes the GTI Max Connect product is the ideal solution if a couple of tiles become damagedand should you wish to replace them, this can be simply done, they can be uplifted and easily replace with new tiles.  There is no need to wait until there is a planned shutdown, there is no need to replace an entire area and due to the simple, no glue, dust free installation process you should even be able to overlay your existing floor right away with GTI without waiting for the next shut down.

Extended Question: We are commencing the construction of a large-scale battery manufacturing facility, and we require a flooring solution that has a high dynamic load resistance for forklift trucks, has a low body voltage generation of less than 50v due to the sensitive and potentially explosive mixtures of powders and gases within the facility and a product whereby the installation will have minimal impact on the construction programme. Also, chemical resistance to NMP would be advantageous for the end client. 

Yes, we have a unique solution called GTI ESD+, this is a high traffic PVC tile and is made for dynamic loads up to 3500Kgs. GTI ESD+ is ESD compliant according to following standards: EN 1081 / S 20.20 / IEC and it will keep body voltage generation to below 35v. 

GTI ESD+ does not need any curing time, as it is a looselay installation, so as soon as it is installed then it is possible to resume factory operations.  The installation (up to 200m2 per day per 2 people) can be done whilst other factory operations are running in the same space, so there is no need to block a room off for 3 or 4 days for the renovation. Therefore, construction will not be delayed while the flooring is being installed. 

GTI ESD+ is resistant to almost all chemicals used in a typical battery plant (cleaning agents, decontamination agents, chemicals and solvents used in production) except for NMP. No flooring solution is resistant to NMP. The only material that is resistant is stainless steel; in the event our flooring is damaged, there is no need to stop production operations while the floor is repaired, a tile can be replaced easily with no need for sanding the subfloor (creating dust or introducing VOCs into the controlled environment).

Extended Question: Our state-of-the-art laboratory handles liquid nitrogen and other extreme temperature substances daily. Our current flooring system is struggling to withstand the rapid temperature fluctuations caused by liquid nitrogen spills. We need a robust solution that can handle both the extreme cold of liquid nitrogen exposure and occasional hot spills.

The flooring must be impervious to liquid nitrogen at temperatures as low as -200°C. It should withstand rapid temperature changes without cracking or delaminating. The flooring should be resistant to any potential chemical reactions caused by liquid nitrogen exposure. We need a long-lasting solution that won’t require frequent repairs or replacements.

GTI Max connect/cleantech is a loose laid solution which is resistant to extreme hot and cold temperatures, as it is designed to withstand rapid temperature fluctuations without cracking or delaminating. Gerflor have tested samples and have video evidence to support this. Liquid nitrogen can be corrosive to standard flooring materials. GTI Max Connect/Cleantech tiles, however, are resistant, so you won’t need to worry about degradation due to chemical exposure, Gerflor have an extensive list of chemicals the product is resistant to which we can provide upon request.