Food & Beverage Manufacturing Flooring
Beverage Production Facility – Indiana
- Industries: Food & Beverage
- Services: Concrete Surface Preparation, Industrial Epoxy Flooring, Joint Filling & Repair, Urethane Concrete
Solving Critical Flooring and Drainage Issues in Beverage Production Facilities
When a major beverage manufacturer in Indiana faced deteriorating floor conditions in their blending and production facility, corroded concrete with exposed aggregate and standing water from inadequate drainage creating sanitation violations, they needed a sloped-to-drain urethane concrete solution that could be installed on an extremely tight timeline without disrupting production operations.
The Challenge
The manufacturing facility produces and blends various beverages, operating in a production environment with strict sanitation standards and FDA compliance. Initially, the concrete floor lacked protection when production equipment was installed. Consequently, after just a few years, the concrete suffered severe corrosion with exposed aggregate. This deterioration resulted in a porous, unsanitary surface that was impossible to clean properly—a critical problem in beverage manufacturing where product contamination poses a constant risk of shutting down operations. Furthermore, the concrete slab had no proper pitch or slope leading to floor drains, which allowed standing water to accumulate. This pooling water created a serious sanitation issue, potentially leading to regulatory violations, production shutdowns, or contaminated product. Compounding these challenges, the entire project needed to be completed under an extremely tight timeline.
Regulatory Requirements:
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Non-Porous & Easily Cleanable
Surfaces must be designed for adequate cleaning and prevent seepage. Floors must be non-absorbent to liquids, oils, or food particles and must withstand repeated cleaning and sanitizing.
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Adequate Drainage
Floors must be properly graded with a minimum 1/4" per foot (2%) slope toward drains to ensure adequate drainage, thorough cleaning, and prevent standing water which can lead to bacterial growth and sanitation violations.
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Chemical Resistance
Material must be resistant to degradation from acids, caustics, sanitizers, and cleaning chemicals, must not leach into food contact areas, and must maintain integrity under Clean-in-Place (CIP) protocols.
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Thermal Shock Resistance
Must tolerate temperature extremes from hot water washdowns (160-180°F) and thermal cycling without cracking, delaminating, or losing bond strength.
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Non-Toxic Materials
All flooring components must be food-safe, non-toxic.
Hardig's Approach
Hardig Industrial Services provided a sloped-to-drain urethane concrete solution to correct drainage deficiencies, protect the substrate, and restore sanitary conditions, all within the facility’s aggressive timeline and budget.
Concrete Protected from Chemical Attack
The process began with extensive preparation and repair of the corroded concrete substrate, which is essential to ensure decades of performance for the new flooring system.
Drainage Issues Resolved
The drainage deficiency was corrected by sloping the floor with epoxy mortar, followed by the installation of a 1/4 inch urethane concrete system for impact and flexibility, and finished with a high-performance Novolac epoxy topcoat for superior chemical and thermal shock resistance.
Met Regulatory Compliance and Honored Tight Timeline
Despite the extremely tight timeline, Hardig successfully completed the complex, multi-layer installation on time and within budget.
The Results
- The sloped-to-drain design eliminated standing water, ensuring proper drainage during washdown procedures and CIP cleaning cycles.
- The smooth, non-porous surface allows water, debris, and chemical residues to be quickly rinsed toward drains rather than pooling on the floor.
- The urethane concrete and Novolac epoxy coating system is successfully protecting the deteriorated concrete substrate from ongoing chemical attack.
- The seamless, easily cleaned, properly drained floor supports the facility's ability to pass FDA inspections and maintain sanitation standards critical for beverage manufacturing operations.
- The flooring system has withstood daily hot water washdowns, CIP chemical exposure, beverage spills, and production traffic without delamination, cracking, or performance degradation.
Project Specifications
- Industry: Food & Beverage Manufacturing
- Client: Beverage Manufacturer (confidential)
- Location: Indiana
- Facility Type: Beverage Production & Blending Facility
- Project Type: Retrofit/Corrective Maintenance
- Solution Provided: Sloped-to-Drain Urethane Concrete Flooring System
- Systems Installed: Concrete repair, epoxy mortar sloping system, 1/4" urethane concrete, Novolac epoxy topcoat
- Special Challenges: Corroded concrete with exposed aggregate, no drainage slope, standing water sanitation issues, extremely tight timeline
- Special Requirements: FDA compliance, sanitation standards, chemical resistance, thermal shock resistance, proper drainage, minimal production downtime
- Performance Standards: Chemical resistance (acids, caustics, sanitizers), thermal shock resistance, seamless construction, slip resistance, easy cleanability
- Business Impact: Led to multiple additional projects with same owner
Ready to Address Your Food & Beverage Facility Flooring Issues?
Dealing with deteriorated concrete, drainage problems, or sanitation violations in your food or beverage manufacturing facility? Hardig’s sloped-to-drain urethane concrete systems correct drainage deficiencies, protect substrates from chemical attack, and restore sanitary conditions while minimizing production downtime.