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Gemini Adhesives Ltd extend range of phthalate free flexible flooring profiles and offer new remedial service for cap and coving failures.
Those involved in the supply and installation of finishes for resilient PVC flooring in locations such as hospitals and public building across the UK will be familiar with the all too common problem of capping strip failures.
The adjacent images are typical of the failures discussed in this article and of some poor remedial work undertaken to correct the problems.
These failures are a fairly recent development and are raising questions about the current effectiveness of these time proven and economic floor finishing systems. Failures can be seen in buildings of all ages and is either a source of continuous expense or to toleration of areas where cleanliness is substandard. There can be many kilometres of these finishes in a typical general hospital. In addition these failures mean that, instead of providing an easy to clean finish at the edges of the floor, the finishes themselves become a harbour for grime and bacteria. Gemini Adhesives is a leading supplier of spray adhesives and has undertaken an extensive investigation of the causes of these problems and has developed innovative and effective solutions to these capping strip failures. Our researches into the causes of the failures led us to believe that the main source of the problem is the variety of plasticiser chemicals used to make the PVC flexible. These chemicals are mainly of a type known as phthalates many of which are listed as chemicals of concern in the REACH Regulations and in others such as the SIN list. These plasticisers will under certain conditions migrate from the PVC causing emissions of concern and shrinkage as well as the breakdown of adhesive bonds. From the sustainability viewpoint there are strong feelings that phthalates should be eliminated from products. For example in a report from September 2014 the “Healthy Building Network” in the USA stated: “………
..Additionally, many phthalates are known carcinogens and reproductive and developmental toxicants. Exposures to these toxic plasticizers from PVC products can occur throughout their lifecycle. Therefore, it is crucial that PVC products containing phthalate plasticizers be eliminated from the built environment’ Our original focus was to identify a source of phthalate free capping and coving systems from among the many available on the market which could be guaranteed compatible with our Grabfast Gold range. We struggled with this task due to the varied and inconsistent PVC formulations that we found and finally took the decision to invest in our own extrusion manufacturing facility. The
result is that we now successfully market a phthalate free range of flexible profiles which satisfy the most demanding of technical requirements as well as being competitively priced. In addition to being compatible with most conventional adhesives we offer a unique lifetime guarantee when the profiles are installed using our Grabfast Gold adhesive range. Our extrusion manufacturing facility and all of our logistics and support operations are certified under ISO 9001 and ISO 14001 systems and we are committed to limiting our carbon footprint through being accredited to the Carbon Action Standard.
Although what we have done to date will help to permanently resolve future problems, we are now working with a number of contractors on offering a service to fully resolve existing failures. As those involved in the flooring industry will appreciate each site brings with it a unique set of problems and therefore a number of remedial steps may be necessary to fully resolve the situation for the lifetime of the installation. Nevertheless our results to date have been very encouraging and the economic case for fully resolving these issues is overwhelming. The case for providing cleanable surfaces in sensitive environments such as hospitals is of course self-evident and is of paramount importance. Our remedial service looks to provide an aesthetically pleasing and fully functional cap and cove finish and to remove all traces of previous failures. Prices for the service vary depending on the work needed but we offer a free site survey and written quotation setting out the terms of our post refurbishment guarantees.
So whether you are considering the installation of a new cap and coving system which you wish to be problem free - as well as competitively priced and free of phthalates - or wish to remedy existing problems please contact us and we will be happy to help. Our website carries full details of our products together with news items and installation tips including our recent appearance on the Euronews Channel’s Business Planet documentary series.
Gemini Adhesives Limited,
New Building, Top Road, Osgathorpe, Leicestershire, LE12 9TB. Freephone Sales Line UK: 0800 3284267 Email:
info@geminiadhesivesgroup.com
www.geminiadhesivesgroup.com
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