International. BASF floor coverings are celebrating an important anniversary. 50 years ago, Master Builders Solutions' Ucrete solution was patented, a resin technology that offers floors exceptional resistance against aggressive chemicals, extreme mechanical impact and thermal shock.
The development of the Ucrete line began in the late 60s. At this time, he began the search for a durable and easy-to-place floor covering in industrial chemical plants. Polyurethane, as a basic ingredient, makes a reaction that is controlled with water before its application, and aggregates -which until then were only used for concrete-, proved to be the ideal solution. "The properties of Ucrete – whose name is a combination of urethane and concrete – were revolutionary, as its technology made it possible to remove all types of residual moisture in the substrate, which is why it could be installed quickly," says Philip Ansell, marketing manager of Ucrete Industrial Flooring Europe at BASF.
Finding solutions that support strong external agents and at the same time are durable in works of different sizes and uses is one of the biggest challenges in all sectors. This need means that, since its creation, the floor covering of the Ucrete line is one of the most used worldwide. "Having an extended life floor is crucial for any business. This represents savings in production downtime and costs generated in the event of a renovation or replacement. In 2018 alone, more than five million square meters of surface area around the world were covered with Ucrete's solutions," says Ansell.
The extremely low volatile organic compound (VOC) content of the Ucrete line makes it perfect for floors in different industries, such as food and beverage, chemical, pharmaceutical, aerospace, electronics, textile and mining, where it is necessary to resist aggressive external agents. Withstanding extreme chemical, mechanical and thermal impacts, long-term durability with little maintenance for decades, hygiene, skidding resistance and electrostatic conduction, if necessary, are some of the properties that most stand out to this product.
The investments that BASF has made over the years have led it to reach several milestones, such as:
· 1982: First hygienic antistatic floor for the pharmaceutical industry;
· 1993: First heavy-duty subfloor with thermal shock resistance for ergonomic application;
· 2003: First systems with specific slip resistance profiles as the main safety requirements for the food and beverage industry;
· 2011: First fast and stain-free curing systems, to minimize downtime, even at low temperatures;
· 2018: Monolithic, antistatic and thermal shock resistant coating".
