Pacific Brands - Highbrook Auckland
Resurface a warehouse floor using Retroplate Concrete Polishing system.
FLOOR AREA 6000M2
It was an easy decision for this Auckland-based warehouse operator – to either spend thousands of dollars replacing the tyres of their factory vehicles, or choose a revolutionary concrete polishing system that would solve the problem.
The Retroplate concrete polishing system has transformed a badly-marked warehouse floor into a stylish new surface for the Auckland distribution centre for Pacific Brands.
And the result showed what could be achieved with the right solution; expertly applied by Auckland Concrete Grinding Ltd, the sole Auckland applicator of the Retroplate system.
The challenge
Pacific Brands is an Australasian marketer of a large stable of well-known consumer brands; including Bonds, Berlei, Holeproof, Sheridan and Hard Yakka. Approximately 42 staff work on-site at the 11,000 sq-metre distribution centre in East Tamaki, South Auckland.
Although the Highbrook warehouse is relatively new, its previous floor coating proved unsatisfactory - and had very high level of friction marking from the factory vehicles.
"We had black marks everywhere," explains John Doig, Pacific Brands’ warehouse manager.
"When it came to fixing it, the only other option was to paint the floor, but that would be a waste of money unless we also spent thousands on non-marking tyres."
Pacific Brands leases the warehouse from building owners, Savory Construction. Director Mark Verran says although Retroplate was a new product, they had every confidence in the recommendation from Auckland Concrete Grinding.
"They've been grinding our floors for 20 years, and they’ve never let us down in all that time," he says.
"We wanted to do this job right first time...that's why we went to Auckland Concrete Grinding, and followed the recommendations of director Roy Easton."
The solution
Auckland Concrete Grinding is one of only three New Zealand applicators of the Retroplate concrete polishing system, which was first launched in the US in 1996.
Retroplate is servicing a growing demand in industrial, retail and commercial situations. It's suitable for floors of virtually any size - jobs completed by Auckland Concrete Grinding have ranged from 200sqm to 11,000sqm.
The Retroplate system is designed to cost-effectively transform existing concrete floors, resulting in a polished granite look.
John Doig says the improvement in his warehouse floor has been dramatic.
"You'd think it was a new floor – it's given a whole new look to the building."
Another advantage of the Retroplate is that it offers a 30% increase in reflectivity, which can in turn deliver savings by reducing the need for lighting.
"It's given us a lot more light, and that includes within the aisles," says John Doig.
"It's made the place look a whole lot brighter; as well as cleaner and tidier. Overall, it's given our staff a better environment to work in."
Minimal disruption
The Auckland Concrete team completed the warehouse floor over several weeks, without disrupting the normal operations of the warehouse.
"Resurfacing the floor is a difficult thing to do when you've got a live operation going," says John Doig.
"But the Auckland Concrete team were very professional - they just worked around our schedule, and it ended up being a pretty smooth operation."
Auckland Concrete avoided the operation's busy days during the week, and worked weekends where required. Other requirements of the warehouse were to minimise dust and fumes, and to carefully manage cabling in high-traffic areas.
"We have a strict safety regime in our warehouse, and the guys were good at fitting in with that," says John Doig.
About Retroplate
By chemically and mechanically 'locking up' the pores on the concrete surface, Retroplate revitalizes and strengthens old or new concrete. Aesthetically, it turns stained or difficult-to-clean concrete into an attractive marble-like surface.
As a cost-effective alternative to painting, Retroplate is also easy to maintain. The Pacific Brands warehouse, for instance, is commercially cleaned once a month.
According to Roy Easton, director of Auckland Concrete Grinding, this solution can save money both in initial outlay, and ongoing maintenance costs.
"Retroplate is probably 30-40% cheaper than painting – and it lasts forever," says Roy.
"While paint is a membrane that sits on top of the concrete surface, this product is actually part of the concrete."
And for organizations that want an environmentally-safe solution, Retroplate is a water-based sodium silicate. The system uses no solvents or volatile organic compounds – and is odourless, dust-free, non-flammable and non-toxic.
To find out more about Retroplate, and how it could transform your floors, see our Retoplate page.
