Food and Beverage Manufacturing Flooring
Abbott Nutrition Facility Expansion
- Industries: Food & Beverage
- Services: Concrete Surface Preparation, Urethane Concrete
Key Flooring Challenges in FDA-Regulated Facilities
When Abbott Nutrition, a global leader in nutritional products, decided on a multi-phase 100,000 SF facility expansion to upgrade their beverage processing and packaging operations, they faced critical challenges: installing FDA-compliant urethane cement flooring systems across multiple phases while coordinating with numerous trades, managing dramatically varying installation temperatures in a moderately conditioned construction environment, and maintaining strict timelines that required periodic turnover of completed areas for production equipment installation.
The Challenge
Abbott Nutrition’s facility expansion involved upgrading approximately 100,000 SF of production space for beverage manufacturing. Adding to the complexity, the project schedule required phased turnover, with completed areas periodically handed over to Abbott for production equipment installation and fabrication work while construction continued in adjacent zones. This phased approach meant Hardig would need multiple mobilizations, an extended on-site presence spanning different seasons, and constant coordination with other contractors working simultaneously throughout the facility.
Regulatory Requirements:
The flooring system needed to support the operational and regulatory needs of FDA-regulated food and beverage manufacturing:
-
FDA Compliance:
Surfaces must be non-porous, easily cleanable, and resistant to microbial growth to prevent contamination of food products.
-
USDA Sanitation Standards:
Seamless, coved installations with no cracks or joints where bacteria can harbor.
-
Chemical Resistance:
Protection against aggressive cleaning chemicals, CIP (clean-in-place) solutions, acidic beverage ingredients, and sanitizing agents used in daily operations.
-
Thermal Shock Resistance:
Ability to withstand temperature extremes from hot washdowns, steam cleaning, and cold processing environments.
-
Impact & Abrasion Resistance:
Durability under forklift traffic, pallet jacks, and heavy production equipment.
-
Slip Resistance:
Safe working surfaces even when wet from cleaning operations.
Hardig's Approach
Hardig Industrial Services provided a comprehensive 100,000 SF urethane concrete flooring solution specifically engineered for food and beverage manufacturing environments.
Aggressive Surface Preparation & Waterproofing Foundation
Every square foot began with shot blasting to CSP 3-5 using Blastrac 15D equipment, creating the deep anchor pattern essential for long-term bond strength of thick urethane systems. Areas involving elevated work or moisture exposure received Duraflex Elastocoat waterproofing to protect the structural slab.
1/4" Urethane Concrete Base with Seamless Cove System
Duraflex MD urethane mortar was installed at 1/4 inch (250 mils) thickness across the entire 100,000 SF, providing superior chemical resistance to acidic beverage ingredients and alkaline cleaning solutions, thermal shock resistance through hot washdowns and cold processing cycles, and impact absorption from forklift traffic and heavy equipment. All perimeter walls and equipment pads received trowel-applied urethane cove base, creating seamless floor-to-wall transitions that meet USDA sanitation requirements and eliminate 90-degree joints where bacteria accumulate. A Duraflex Polycrete TF receiver coat (10-12 mils) with colored quartz aggregate broadcast created slip-resistant texture critical for safety in wet manufacturing environments.
Zone-Specific Topcoat Systems & Chemical Containment
Recognizing different areas faced varying chemical exposure levels, Hardig specified customized topcoat systems by zone: Duraflex TF Plus Grey for standard production areas, SW Resuflor 374 for high-traffic corridors, Novolac Epoxy for increased chemical exposure areas, and SW Magnalux Vinyl Ester System for the four chemical containment zones (3 exterior, 1 interior). This strategic selection optimized performance and cost – applying premium vinyl ester systems only where extreme chemical exposure justified the investment. The containment areas received trowel-applied construction creating monolithic, impermeable barriers that function as secondary containment basins preventing chemical spills from reaching the environment.
Multi-Phase Execution with Temperature Adaptation
Hardig’s crews continuously adapted procedures including material temperature management (pre-warming or cooling to optimal application temperatures), cure time adjustments based on ambient conditions, environmental monitoring throughout each phase, and application technique modifications to maintain consistency. The phased approach required multiple mobilizations, daily coordination meetings with other trades, detailed phase completion schedules aligned with Abbott’s equipment installation needs, and quality documentation packages for each turnover – ensuring each phase completed on time without delaying downstream work.
The Results
The project delivered a complete transformation for the 100,000 SF concrete floors.
- The completed 100,000 SF flooring system met all FDA regulatory requirements for food and beverage manufacturing including seamless construction, chemical resistance, and cleanability standards.
- Despite the phased installation approach spanning multiple seasons, Hardig delivered a visually consistent, uniform floor surface across all 100,000 SF.
- The urethane cement system has maintained complete bond integrity without delamination, cracking, or performance issues.
- All four containment areas (three exterior, one interior) have successfully contained chemical exposures without substrate damage or environmental release, protecting both Abbott's facility and surrounding environment.
- Each phase was completed on time, enabling Abbott to proceed with production equipment installation as planned.
Project Specifications
- Industry: Food & Beverage Manufacturing
- Client: Abbott Nutrition
- Location: Tipp City, Ohio
- Total Square Footage: 100,000 SF
- Facility Type: Beverage Processing & Packaging Expansion
- Project Timeline: Multi-phase installation across multiple seasons
- Solution Provided: Urethane Concrete Flooring with Chemical Containment Systems
- Systems Installed: Shot blast prep (CSP 3-5), Duraflex Elastocoat waterproofing, 1/4" Duraflex MD urethane base, Duraflex Polycrete TF receiver coat with quartz aggregate, zone-specific topcoats (Duraflex TF Plus, SW Resuflor 374, Novolac Epoxy, SW Magnalux Vinyl Ester)
- Special Features: Cove base and curbing, 3 exterior + 1 interior chemical containment areas
- Special Requirements: FDA compliance, USDA sanitation standards, phased turnover coordination, temperature adaptation across seasons, multi-trade coordination
- Performance Standards: Chemical resistance, thermal shock resistance, impact resistance, slip resistance, seamless/monolithic construction, easy cleanability
Ready to Discuss Your Food & Beverage Facility Flooring?
Planning a food processing facility expansion, beverage manufacturing plant upgrade, or FDA-regulated production environment? Hardig’s urethane concrete flooring systems are engineered to meet the strictest regulatory requirements while delivering the chemical resistance, thermal shock protection, and durability your operations demand.