Selection Process
When donut and pastry filling manufacturer, Fruition Fruits and Fills, became part of the Tim Hortons family, it was only natural that they move their operations to Oakville, Ontario, in order to be closer to their parent company. Fruition had requested a specific product coating system (Tnemec) for the flooring within their old facility, so when the 7,500 square-foot production area was being designed for their new home, it was no surprise that AppliedeX, an approved applicator of Tnemec products, stood out from the competition.
Project Details
Project Name: Fruition Fruits and Fills
Location: Oakville, Ontario
Owner: Tim Hortons, Oakville, Ontario
Application: Installation of a urethane concrete slurry floor system into the production area of a fruit filling facility.
Materials Used: Flooring: Tnemec Series 245 Ultra-Tread S.
Environment Exposure:
- Frequent hot water wash down
- Heavy impact of carts, machinery, and forklifts
- Aggressive cleaning procedures
- Thermal shock due to hot liquids
Site Condition:
- Concrete surface was worn with exposed aggregate and large cracks
- Surface was difficult to clean
The Solution
Production areas in food manufacturing plants require coating systems that are able to withstand aggressive environments, such as forklift traffic, high temperatures, and frequent wash downs. Fruition’s new facility specified different Tnemec coatings for the two production rooms in order to properly match each room’s environment. Series 245 Ultra-Tread S, a polyurethane-modified concrete floor topping, was trowel-applied at 3/16″ thickness to the production floors and finished with a loop roller to smooth out the area and help bring the liquid aspect to the surface to better seal the system. Ultra-Tread S was designed with food and beverage facilities in mind, and is formulated to withstand thermal shock due to hot liquids and aggressive cleaning procedures.
In the first production area, Series 243 Ultra-Tread V, a vertical version of Series 245, was applied at 1/8″ thickness to create a 12″ cove around the perimeter of the flooring. “We specified Series 243 in this production room because of the more aggressive environment,” explained Tnemec coating consultant, Dave Walker (who is also an NWA certified coating consultant) he added, “This area had more exposure to wash downs and water temperature changes.”
Series 237 Power-Tread, a polyamine epoxy was used to create the 12″ coving in the less critical production room, applied at 1/8” thickness. “These systems worked very well for the facility,” noted AppliedeX, “And just as they are designed to.”
The Results
Having had experience with the Tnemec product, Fruition Fruit knew what they wanted, but needed to have confidence that the application would be installed properly and within their tight timelines. The company researched other flooring installation companies and compared other products, but found that the years of end-to-end experience that AppliedeX offered, combined with the expertise of its applicators was the best fit for their project. The project was implemented on budget and without interfering with their production schedules.
Fruition is exceptionally pleased with the performance of the floor.
