conditions faced when making high- quality whisky.


Approximately 350m2 of Flowcrete’s


resin flooring, Flowfast Quartz Classic for Wet Areas, was installed across these spaces to create a surface that would provide the necessary safety, durability, hygiene and aesthetic properties for an extended period of time.


The seamless nature of the system was an advantage compared to the tiles as it avoided the need for grout lines where bacteria and contaminants can get trapped. In comparison, a seamless floor can be easily washed to ensure that all unwanted substances are quickly removed from the production area.


As a methyl methacrylate system, this solution was very fast-curing and could be trafficked after just hours, rather than the usual days or weeks that it would normally take for alternative materials to fully cure. The fact that this system could be quickly installed on top of the existing floor, combined with its rapid curing characteristic, meant that the four week refurbishment project could be carried out during a previously scheduled shutdown period, avoiding any additional downtime.


The new resin floor provides a variety of additional benefits for Glenkinchie Distillery. For example, coving and drainage are incorporated into the light, urban grey finish and a cream walkway has been added into the floor plan to create a defined route for the tours. Signage such as this is an effective way to utilise the floor to enhance safety within potentially hazardous environments as it helps to avoid anyone getting unnecessarily close to any pieces of equipment that could pose a health risk. The frequent cleaning and potential for spillages of whisky, by-products or ingredients meant that staff or visitors could be at risk from potential slip hazards. To reduce this risk it was important for the floor finish to have a textured, anti-slip finish that would enhance traction underfoot.


Glenkinchie Distillery’s new floor would also have to be resistant to the chemical attack that such cleaning and spillages would inflict on it, as over time these corrosives could eat into the surface layer and render the finish porous and difficult to wash.


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MORAY A distillery in the Moray countryside faced a different flooring concern, as the county’s often inclement weather was taking a toll on the floors and walls of the distillery’s tank bunds.


“The durability and


functionality that can be achieved with resin flooring makes


it a useful solution for whisky distilleries.”


rain and sun as well as the industrial challenges inherent to producing a high-quality alcoholic beverage. The fast curing nature of these systems meant that the distillery wouldn’t have to cope with a long downtime period.


Damage caused by corrosive materials may not always be visible to the naked eye, but can lead to structural failure or even public safety risks. For whisky distilleries, lost capacity for repairs to corrosion damage or relining can be a serious and costly problem.


Vinyl ester resin – a hybrid of polyester resin strengthened by the addition of epoxy resin - offers superior protection against highly concentrated and aggressive acids, alkalis and solvents including sulphuric, nitric and hydrochloric acid as well as ethanol, butane and methanol.


This type of flooring can provide temperature resistance of up to 350°F, excellent bond strength and abrasion resistance, as well as reduced shrinkage and a high level of durability.


One of the vinyl ester systems used, Flowchem VE, was specifically formulated with improved dimensional stability to protect concrete and metal structures against continuous or occasional exposure to heavy-duty chemical, thermal and mechanical attack.


Glass fibre reinforcement was added into the vinyl ester system to add strength to the lining, increasing the material’s tensile strength and resistance to cracking, while at the same time reducing any curing shrinkage and coefficient of thermal expansion.


Maintaining a seamless and impervious lining around its external tanks was a priority for the distillery. A 250m2


area


was coated over a two-week period with an exceptionally corrosion-resistant system to create a high performance dark grey surface that would ensure all liquids and industrial solutions on-site are safely contained.


Shrinkage compensated vinyl ester resin based coating systems were used to refurbish the bund’s floors and walls.


These solutions were specified as they would be able to withstand the wind,


The durability and functionality that can be achieved with resin flooring makes it a useful solution for whisky distilleries, as it can be tailored to meet the various complex challenges that the distillation process will subject the floor to. When choosing a floor finish for this type of environment it is crucial that the end user discusses all the flooring considerations with the supplier and applicator to ensure that the finished surface will provide all the benefits that the distillery requires in each area - as a floor that’s suitable for the mash house might not work in the storage area and locations such as the tank rooms will be different again.


www.flowcrete.co.uk INDUSTRIAL FLOORING | 45


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