Flowcrete Africa lights the way with glowing resin systems

Flowcrete Africa recently launched two

innovative, glow-in-the-dark flooring systems designed to provide unique health and safety benefits for industrial facilities. Flowfast Glow and Flowcoat Glow are specialised coatings with a flake finish that glows in the dark.

The illuminating characteristics can be invaluable safety features in industrial facilities to highlight pathways to safety zones, emergency exits or emergency staircases. This is a distinct advantage during power cuts, in low-light operating areas and in the event of an industrial emergency that turns off the lights.

The homogenously distributed, self-luminous flakes work by storing energy when exposed to light and then releasing it in the dark as a vivid, greentinged illumination across the floor.

Flowcoat and Flowfast Glow are not only robust and multi-functional finishes that are able to provide high performance surfaces for an extended period of time within intensive industrial environments – but they provide an unparalleled safety advantage in areas of low light.

Developers and facility managers can use this unique flooring property to incorporate important signage into the flooring systems of industrial facilities that guide people to exits or safe zones in the event of an emergency.

Industrial facilities often use demarcation on the floor to create zones and highlight routes around the site. These zones can draw attention to areas of high risk, such as spaces that contain moving

machinery that should only be entered by trained personnel. Often, safe walkways are identified using coloured coatings or demarcation as well, but if the lighting fails then these walkways and hazard zones will be swallowed in darkness. Using Flowcoat Glow or Flowfast Glow can eradicate this issue, as pathways will always be visible regardless of the light conditions in the facility.

Whilst the physical appearance of the systems are pleasing, these hard-wearing and durable floors can also withstand heavy footfall, wheeled equipment, impacts from dropped tools, forklift trucks and other potentially damaging conditions expected in industrial plants. The ability to withstand scuffs and scrapes makes it an ideal solution to use on emergency staircases, as well as in the main plant itself.

The seamless nature of both Flowcoat Glow and Flowfast Glow helps to keep the floor clean and clear, making sure that the site is hygienic and that the floor’s glow isn’t affected by unwanted contaminants stubbornly sticking to the finish.

Although similar in appearance and properties, Flowfast Glow is a fast curing methyl methacrylate (MMA) coating and can cure in as little as 2-3 hours after installation. For facilities that need a quick turn-around time for a refurbishment in order to meet busy working schedules, this system is ideal.