Sanitary Flooring

Industrial ceramics have long been used to provide safe, durable and sanitary flooring systems across all facets of the consumables manufacturing industries. Recent advancements in industrial ceramics now provide the beverage and dairy processing industries with a cost-effective engineering flooring solution that incorporates the use of fully vitrified industrial ceramic tiles (FVT) coupled with resin-based jointing materials that do not support bacterial or fungal growth. With new and stricter regulations being considered by the USDA, FDA and FSIS, the demand for "anti-microbial" flooring systems has never been more necessary.

The most significant development and performance improvement in the system's 30-year history is the direct-bond concept. Developed for beverage, food and dairy processors, the direct-bond epoxy method of pressure embedment tile has proven to be the most effective means of ensuring long-lasting performance. The process also reduces reliance on traditional labor-intensive installation methods and often provides significant reductions in installation time and can put precious days or weeks back into your construction schedule.

The principle design concept behind the pressure embedment FVT tiling used today is to produce a dense, non-porous and homogeneous flooring system with extremely high compressive, flexural and tensile strength.

In areas where aggressive chemical or physical conditions prevail, pressure embedded FVT are capable of satisfying the demands of many of the harshest environments. Chemical and high temperature spillages, impact, abrasion and constant mechanical loading provide the system's design basis and ensure its long-term performance capabilities.

Key benefits for FVT include the anti-microbial properties of the dense, non-porous tiles; unmatched resistance to heavy mechanical loading, impact and abrasion; an impervious surface unable to support bacteria, fungus or mold for easy cleaning; chemical resistance; slip resistance and rapid installation. BW



Keith Pfaff is Engineered Lining Systems manager for Henkel Corporation—Corrosion Engineering Department. Contact him at: Tel: 302/994-8240; Fax: 302/994-8859 or Email: keith.pfaff@us.henkel.com. www.corrosion-engineering.com.