Abbott Diabetes Care

Abbott Diabetes UK required new resin flooring to their goods in area, production corridors and laboratory clean rooms. GSS specified an anti-static, profiled/textured epoxy coating system.

The old ceramic tiles were removed using electric, ride on tile lifters and the exposed concrete substrate was prepared using remote control, quad-headed diamond bladed grinders to remove the remaining adhesive and latex. The floors were thoroughly vacuumed to remove all traces of dust and the concrete substrate primed and sealed with Remmers FAS 100, two-part epoxy primer.

Once the primer had cured, earthing bolts were fixed to the substrate every 50m2 and a complex copper earthing grid was adhered to the floor at two-meter cross sections, starting and finishing at the earthing points. Where the copper grid had to cross over expansion joints within the substrate, a channel was cut into the floor for the copper tape to run approximately 20mm below the substrate. This was to ensure that the copper tape would not be affected when the joints were reinstated.

A two-component, carbon filled, conductive epoxy primer was then applied to the total area, completely covering the copper grid. This was followed by a carbon based, two-component, electrostatically conductive epoxy coating. Whilst the resin was still wet, a textured roller was applied over the resin to achieve a profiled, slip resistant, textured finish.

Electricians then connected the earthing bolts to the ring main. The floor was then tested by the resin manufacturer to ensure the correct conductivity had been achieved.

This system is a decorative, protective, electrostatically conductive resin finish, suitable for medium trafficked areas such as maintenance and manufacturing workshops, computer and server rooms, battery charging rooms and areas subject to high explosion risks. It is available in many colours and has a high-gloss finish.