Kawneer UK Ltd, Runcorn, Cheshire

Continual growth in market share has necessitated the installation of an advanced materials handling system to manage the precision aluminium extrusions used in glazing and cladding systems throughout the construction industry.

The new precision racking system was installed in an existing facility at the Kawneer site. Timelines were limited and substantial concrete sawing was required to install the precision rails into the existing concrete floor structure. These rails carry the moveable storage systems and require great precision in levels and heights of the floor surface.

With the steel rails correctly installed the cut-out areas adjacent to the rails were repaired with webercem pyrapatch, the existing floor surface cleaned of old paint and sealer, and the whole area scabbled and cleaned. The floor was pre-treated and primed with weberfloor 4716 primer which is designed for use on all substrates prior to application of weberfloor products to achieve a thin but tight membrane. It regulates the porosity of the substrate and improves adhesion while reducing the formation of pinholes in the levelling layer. weberfloor 4610 industry top pumped floor screed was poured in sectioned bays to match the finished level of the rails. This project required 24 tonnes of weberfloor 4610 industry top to complete the 500m² area to the very highest standard and in the shortest possible time.

webercem pyrapatch is a fast-setting repair concrete for patch or full depth repairs up to 2m² and to a depth of 25 - 100mm. It is a pre-packed product based on hydraulic cements with specially graded, non-reactive aggregates. It sets in 15 - 20 minutes at 20°C and is fully trafficable within three hours. It is also resistant to sulphates and freeze/thaw conditions. webercem pyrapatch is self-priming and achieves excellent strength gain even in low temperatures.

Weber Recommended Installer, Maintenance Supplies Contracts Limited of Macclesfield, received an urgent call when the Kawneer project was virtually underway and with the contractors quick reaction the project was secured. Tom Leigh, contracts director of Maintenance Supplies reports: "We received a call on the Wednesday introducing the project; I was on site the following day; Weber's Technical Team inspected the site the very next day and we had the quotation and full specification on the clients' desk just a few days later. We got approval and commenced the job the following week, just 12 days from initial enquiry to material pumping!"

Weber's technical team specified weberfloor 4610 industry top, a UK manufactured industrial floor screed compliant with BS8204. It is a pumpable, rapid hardening and self-smoothing floor screed for use as a surface layer on industrial flooring with a compressive strength of C35 and flexural strength F10. It is especially suitable where renovation time is limited and is ready for foot traffic 2 - 4 hours after application. weberfloor 4610 industry top is designed for normal traffic loading without any finish but may be coated with a suitable resin. It is ideal for use on both new floors and renovation projects for levelling and smoothing floors subject to heavy traffic and abrasion.

"This is how the Kawneer facility was brought into production swiftly," comments Tom Leigh. "We use Weber products and systems as we know the job will always be first class and we can confidently advise clients that the job will be completed on time, every time."

Once poured the surface will take foot traffic in 2 - 4 hours; light traffic in 24 hours and full working load in seven days. After 28 days the flexural strength will be a mean of 12N/mm². The ideal layer thickness is 6 - 8mm with a minimum of 4mm and a maximum layer thickness of 15mm.