FasTop™ TG69 Flooring Solves Distillery Challenge

Background

Aber Falls Distillery in north Wales is the first of its kind in the area for 100 years. Gin, whisky and other liqueurs are made at its premises at Abergwyngregyn, which is one of only four distilleries in Wales.

In addition to the daily operations of a working distillery, the factory also acts as a tourist attraction, with tours for members of the public who visit the working area held throughout the year.

Jeremy Waterhouse, Flooring Product Manager at Sherwin-Williams, said: "The Sherwin-Williams range of flooring screeds have been supplied throughout the food and beverage industry for many years, providing heavy-duty seamless hygienic fi nishes. Aber Falls is a prestigious project where we knew we could provide the best fl ooring solution to meet their requirements and it was great to see that come to fruition working with the specialist installer REME."

Challenge

The distillery required specific flooring which was able to meet the hygienic standards required for a food and beverage premises. However, further considerations also had to be made to ensure that the flooring solution was of a high enough durability to withstand the weight of heavy machinery.

The processes involved in the brewing, distillation and production of spirits, mean that the flooring chosen needed to be hygienic, tough and durable, resistant to both heat and chemicals. Similarly, in such a wet environment where liquids are spilt and members of the public are regularly accessing, it was essential that flooring with a low slip potential was installed.

Solution

Brewery and distillery floors should be food-safe to prevent contamination and possible microbial growth. The Sherwin-Williams range of food-safe, anti-microbial, non-slip, resin flooring systems for breweries and distilleries comply with strict hygiene and safety standards and being monolithic means no ingress of water or fluids can seep between the substrate and the floor surface. These resin floor systems can withstand extreme conditions, whether it’s attack from sugars, thermal exposure, physical impact, and heavy machinery or equipment.

Experts from Sherwin-Williams carefully assessed the needs of the area before selecting FasTop TG69 and Resucoat HB in the production and storage areas of the distillery. The specialist FasTop applicator was REME Flooring.

Outcome

The products installed from Sherwin-Williams can meet the requirements of ISO 22916 for antimicrobial performance and also provide a very high compressive strength, meaning these flooring types can withstand the heavy loads from barrels and equipment operating at full capacity in the distillery.

Because these systems from Sherwin-Williams are seamless and impervious to humid conditions, spills that stay on the surface can be easily cleaned and hygiene standards maintained, with no contamination. The FasTop flooring range is designed to be installed in conjunction with drainage systems where required, and can also be laid to falls to enhance washdowns, and ensure that wastewater or other liquids do not pond or puddle on a floor surface.