Dur-A-Flex Floor Puts Whole Foods on Fast Track to New Store Openings

Whole Foods is one of the world’s largest retailers of natural and organic foods with more than 275 stores throughout North America and the United Kingdom. As Whole Foods continues to grow, Dur-A-Flex has worked closely with them to ensure their flooring systems meet their needs.

For three Florida locations, the original floor specified was an MMA system, known for its very fast cure times and excellent stain and wear resistance. A concern was raised when it was observed that one area of the floor would be frequently subjected to high heat during wash down. Thermal shock causes the floor to expand rapidly which, over time, can affect the bonding between the concrete and the flooring system, causing it to fail. The challenge was to find a flooring system that could withstand the thermal shock and, simultaneously, provide the stain and wear resistance of MMA. It was quickly determined
that the new Hybri-Flex™ Series M system coupled with a decorative quartz aggregate, making it an MQ system, would be the ideal choice.

Hybri-Flex™ is Dur-A-Flex’s new offering of hybrid flooring systems. A hybrid is the combination of two technologies to create a product that offers more features and benefits than they would on their own. All Hybri-Flex™ systems utilize our cementitious urethane as a base coat to provide unprecedented moisture tolerance, thermal shock resistance and impact resistance. The Hybri-Flex™ MQ series utilizes MMA topcoats that provide additional benefits such as stain and wear resistance and quick cure rates to help expedite the installation. Together, they provide a winning solution for Whole Foods.

All three of these construction projects were fast tracked to be able to open for business as quickly as possible. Typically, concrete must cure for at least 28 days before a floor can be installed over it. The Hybri-Flex™ systems are unique in that they can be installed, in many cases, on concrete as new as 5 – 7 days old. This, combined with the extremely fast cure rates of the components, provides a flexibility that allows the floor to be installed quickly. Once an area cures, construction is quickly able to resume.

Traditional flooring systems often require long cure times, frequently adding days to the project. By using Hybri-Flex™, these projects were completed on time. In addition to the Hybri-Flex™ systems, Dur-A-Flex
also produces quality epoxy, urethane and MMA floor and wall systems for all industries. The versatile, seamless applications are customized to each facility’s needs and provide improved safety, minimal downtime, moisture risk reduction and easy maintenance.

Publix Super Markets Cuts Annual Floor Maintenance Costs by 55% - 75%

Publix Super Markets is one of the largest and fastest-growing, employee-owned supermarket chains in the U.S. Their attention to detail, including each store’s decorum, ensures customers enjoy their shopping experiences. In many of their stores, facility managers noticed acids, frequent wash downs and cold temperatures taking a toll on the meat cutting floors. The flooring looked worn out, discolored and dirty. The Produce department floors were also suffering. Surfaces constantly wet from misting, coupled with acid absorption from fruits and vegetables, stained the vinyl tiles and terrazzo floors. Traffic
patterns became apparent along with color fading from light exposure through store windows.

Publix decided to update these stores, and launched a nation-wide, fast-track development schedule with a goal of adding 25-50 new stores per year. The criteria for these new stores are the same as for the existing stores: easy to clean, attractive floors that can be installed quickly without impacting customer service and revenue.

In customizing a solution for Publix, Dur-A-Flex focused on Cryl-A-Chip SL, a MMA-based polymer
floor. Valued for its one-hour cure time, Cryl-A-Chip SL meets the demands for a quick-install
and reduces each new store’s construction schedule by up to three weeks. This allows Publix to
open their stores sooner and boosts their revenue potential. Since Cryl-A-Chip SL can be installed in
35° F to 90° F temperatures, it’s a good option for existing stores and for unheated buildings that are
mid-construction. The variety of colored decorative chips gives Publix the freedom to create various
color schemes and add a slip-resistant finish.

Included in the new flooring plan is each store’s retail space, restrooms, Bakery, Seafood and Deli
departments and shopping cart area, where wet conditions are also encountered. For the existing stores, installation is done at night, eliminating the need to close during the day. Racks, cases and inventory are replaced an hour after the floor cures. New stores also reap the benefits of a quick cure time - install takes just four days - so development continues ahead of schedule allowing stores to open sooner.

Since 2001, Cryl-A-Chip SL has been installed in more than 200 Publix Super Markets. Each of
these stores continues to see an annual reduction on maintenance costs of 55% - 75% or $1
per square foot per store. That totals over $40,000 in savings for each location when compared
to other traditional flooring choices. These savings are attributed to Cryl-A-Chip SL’s easy
maintenance. The floor does not require wax, stripping or polish to keep its appearance.
In addition to MMA systems, Dur-A-Flex also produces quality epoxy and urethane flooring
and wall systems for all industries. The versatile, seamless applications are customized to each
facility’s needs and provide improved safety, minimal downtime, moisture risk reduction and
easy maintenance.
 

Dur-A-Flex Flooring for Cub Foods