The HTC Superfloor flooring solution is greatly needed in the industrial sector, as it transforms dull and grey concrete floors into easy-to-clean, environment-friendly and durable polished concrete floors, says concrete equipment and machinery manufacturer Pan Mixers South Africa (PMSA).

Although HTC Superfloor has been available to the South African market for about ten years, it is being ignored by the industrial sector, where PMSA says it is needed the most. By marketing the flooring solution, PMSA hopes to inform this market about its benefits, which are featured in its showroom at its offices in Jet Park, Johannesburg, along with its uses.

The HTC Superfloor involves a special technique that uses the HTC range of floor-grinding machines and diamond tools to grind and polish concrete floors to remove the surface paste and expose the stronger concrete beneath the surface.

“Floors are an important part of everyday life in industrial and retail areas, and in private residences. In addition to being aesthetically pleasing, a floor needs to be functional too. When compared with traditional concrete floors or epoxies, HTC Superfloor offers a high level of durability,” PMSA sales and marketing manager Quintin Booysen tells Engineering News.

Its low maintenance cost and longer life span makes HTC Superfloor the most lucrative investment option, with the flooring solution’s overall life-cycle cost being about 60% less than traditional flooring solutions, he says.

Booysen adds that electrostatic-discharge resistance tests conducted on floor joists and on concrete slabs showed that HTC Superfloor complies with the SS-EN 61340-5-1 standard. The measured resistance values are also within the ranges of the International Electrotechnical Commission standard and the American National Standards Institute/ Electrostatic Discharge standard.

Concrete comprises pure natural materials; however, the coatings that are often applied to concrete flooring have an adverse effect on the environment, says Booysen, who points out that the HTC Superfloor concept uses as much as 30 times less energy than traditional flooring solutions.

“Over time, you find that traditional warehouse flooring breaks out and when it breaks, the dirt being expelled into the air can create an environmental hazard. HTC Superfloor also doesn’t grip all particles on its surface, because it is smoother than traditional industrial flooring; therefore, no black marks are left behind from forklift tyres. A smoother floor further results in fewer vibrations on the concrete, which contributes to noise reduction and less dirt being expelled into the air,” he points out.

Maintenance and Training
Booysen emphasises the ease of maintaining HTC Superfloor by using the HTC Twister. “HTC Twister floor-cleaning pads are coated with billions of microscopic diamonds and only require water and the HTC Twister pads for cleaning applications. This eliminates the need for wax, polish, chemicals and periodic maintenance in most cases.”

The HTC Twister floor-pads come in sizes ranging from 4 inches to 28 inches and can be fitted to any HTC grinding machine to polish flooring using varying grades of abrasion, cleaning or periodic maintenance. The HTC Twister floor maintenance system is also the only ecofriendly cleaning method and, when used on a HTC Superfloor-treated surface, it has a smaller carbon footprint than traditional floor-cleaning solutions, states PMSA.

HTC Superfloor is available in four different flooring concepts, namely Platinum, Gold, Silver and Bronze, which range between a reflective matte finish and a high-gloss finish, with different degrees of aggregate exposure. “What all four of the HTC Superfloor flooring concepts have in common is that they are functional, economical and ecofriendly. The key life span of the floor depends on how you maintain it,” he explains.

“Our experience has shown that traditional floors last for about ten years and then have to be refurbished or replaced. HTC Superfloor; however, will last for as long as a building is still standing, provided HTC Twister floor-cleaning pads maintenance is used.

PMSA supplies equipment and provides training in maintenance to its clients regarding the use of HTC Superfloor. It is also creating a training centre at its Jet Park offices where industry members will receive in-house training and HTC Superfloor will be promoted as a solution for industrial, retail and domestic use.