Flooring solutions for the logistics industry

The logistics industry is a crucial part of the UK economy, with thousands of people working in warehouses day and night due to the huge demand and workload.

It is imperative that the right flooring is chosen. It requires a tough, hardwearing flooring solution to withstand HGVs, pallet trucks and forklifts shifting heavy loads up to 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Workforce safety is paramount, and the right floor contributes to reducing the risk of any dangerous hazards that could lead to staff injury and absenteeism.

One of the ways flooring can support health and safety guidelines is by mapping out zonal markings with clear demarcation lines. By clearly laying out where the danger zones and pathways are, you can ensure the smooth flow of goods and traffic.

Warehouses are one of the toughest environments for flooring as there is heavy duty forklift traffic 24/7, the temperature can fluctuate dramatically in the course of a year and water and debris may be brought in on the wheels of vehicles. These conditions often cause concrete and epoxy floors to crack after which constant patch repairs are required. An interlocking tile system solves this problem as individual tiles can be lifted and replaced in minutes.

Budget is always an important factor but it’s not just the initial cost you should consider when choosing the right flooring, you should evaluate the lifetime cost too.

What might seem like good value in the short term may turn out to be bad value when projected over a 20-year period and if you have to repair or replace the floor during this time, that could cost you not only in labour and materials, but also in operational downtime.

Flooring maintenance is critical; it needs to be kept clean, dust- and damp-free in order to provide a safe working environment. It’s also important that there is no chance of contaminating the product.

Polished concrete or epoxy have traditionally been used as warehouse floors and to begin with they do a good job. However, over time as heavy forklift and pallet truck traffic follows the same routes every day they start to wear away and degrade. At this point trying to keep the floor in a safe condition for traffic to move over and prevent particles of concrete or epoxy creating dust is a full time job.

Furthermore, the problem will spread as it is impossible to contain the damage. Ecotile interlocking floor tiles will cover any existing damage and prevent dust from the floor contaminating the air and products. They will also protect the floor from further damage and can be replaced in a matter of minutes should you damage one.