The Paarman factory, located in Constantia in Cape Town has recently undergone a major renovation using Saint-Gobain Gyproc’s innovative products to meet the needs of the plant.

The challenge

Managing Director of Paarman Foods, Graham Paarman explained that his brief to the professional team appointed to manage the renovations of the factory, was the need for his office to be accessible to his production staff. This translated into the management offices being re-located to the middle of the factory, which then posed the challenge of minimizing and controlling noise levels, ensuring that the noise emitted by a working factory be blocked out of the office environment. “I did not want to be isolated from my team, which in my opinion is one of the biggest mistakes made in business these days, where the management team operates away from the core of the operation,” explained Paarman.

In addition, the renovation had to take place while the factory remained in operation, and given the space constraints a creative solution had to be considered.

The solution

To suspend the offices above the factory floor, using structural steel slung like a bridge with a gantry walkway within the girder. The design further makes provision to add additional offices on in the future.

The appointed architect and acoustician consulted Saint-Gobain catalogues and the company’s specification and technical departments in researching products that would provide solutions to meet the clients brief. Gyproc SoundBloc 70AS/F60S57 performance boards were competitively tendered and installed. In addition, acoustic silicone sound sealants “O” rubber rings were fitted around all door applications to prohibit the transfer of sound. Added to this, 8.7mm acoustic glass (two sheets of glass with plastic in between) and 2.9meter high safety glass was incorporated into the application. 

The combination of the Gyproc SoundBloc performance board system and the use of glass has resulted in a quiet office environment, while positioned in the centre of a noisy factory. “When compared to my previous office, which was located on the factory level constructed using drywall partitioning with no acoustic benefits, making it extremely difficult to work given the consistent level of noise, the new office is heaven,” says Paarman.

The renovation process was closely monitored by an on-site safety officer, as safety is key at Paarman’s Foods. Strict working guidelines and conditions were enforced and the project was successfully completed with minimal disturbance to the daily running of the factory, as much of the work was done after hours, which also limited compromising the safety of Paarman Food employees.    

Why Saint-Gobain products were specified for this project

Architect, Oliver Dods explained that the Paarman administration offices did not function well acoustically. Given the buyers spend much of their time on the phone a quiet working environment was necessary, and this requirement extended to that of the Managing Directors office. “When various products were considered, we wanted to incorporate a thin lightweight (123mm) wall with high decibel (dB) ratings, and use products that would assist in meeting the clients requirements to provide for a quiet working environment and Gyproc products offered us these benefits and more,” explained Dods. 

“The project was very unique and with the use of a good professional team and the use of quality innovative products the renovation has provided a vastly more productive working environment, which met my brief and our requirements,” explains Paarman.