Flowcrete Outlines Solutions for the Beverage Sector

We walk all over them, but flooring in the brewing and distilling industry is more than just about a surface underfoot.

Coping with a bashing from falling bottles, leakages of acidic fluids and a constant movement of foot and wheeled traffic are just some of the factors that can take their toll on floors in these environments.

Couple this with the risk of workers suffering slips and trips as a result of fluids on the surface and the issue of flooring is not just about durability - it is a safety factor too.

However, given careful thought, a performance floor can provide an effective solution to the needs of the industry that combines safety with style, acid and abrasion resistance, ease of maintenance and exceptional cleanability too.

Vivek Margasahayam, managing director of specialist flooring manufacturer Flowcrete India based in Chennai, said: "When specifying a floor for the drinks industry, a range of factors need to be considered.

"Of primary importance in this environment is slip-resistance. Modern systems bring together various grades of anti-slip flooring to ensure a better grip underfoot, without detriment to the cleanability of the finish."

"Another factor to consider is the actual installation process itself - particularly for refurbishment projects. Advances in technology mean floors are now available that can be installed under a fasttrack method - and ready for traffic within hours."

Systems such as Flowfast from Flowcrete India can be applied by our approved contractor network to a very tight programme, thereby cutting any disturbance to a bottling or beverage plant's day-to-day operations to a minimum.

On the subject of installation, to cope effectively with the presence of fluids, floors can also be laid to falls to enable liquids to exit the working environment quickly. Drainage can also be built into the flooring project, for a total solution.

These are just a few facts to consider in the provision of an effective flooring system - and they do all need to be thought about carefully. Ultimately, if the wrong floor is chosen for a job, the cost of repairs can be significant - and if a floor completely fails a plant may even have to close while repairs are carried out.

"By taking time to find the right floor for an individual working environment in the early stages of development, that risk can be minimised" adds Margasahayam.