Oct 28, 2020 | News, TerraCross Bridges
If your worksite features uneven terrain, bodies of water, marsh, or any of the other challenges the Canadian landscape has to offer, you no doubt know just how useful having a reliable access solution is to maintaining workflow. From delivering resources across creeks, ponds, ditches and related factors to simply ensuring your crew can safely get from point A to point B, temporary access bridges can be a lifesaver when it comes to staying on track and on budget. Sterling Solutions’ range of TerraCross™products are designed to help you tackle the landscape with ease.
As Canada’s leading supplier of site access solutions and your exclusive source for TerraCross™bridges, GFI is proud to offer our customers products they can count on. Below, we’ll discuss some of the main benefits of working with access bridges, as well as TerraCross™products. Read on to learn more!
It’s All Water Under The Bridge
Whether your worksite is located in one of the more remote regions of Canada or your simply need to contend with ever-changing seasons that can wreak havoc on terrain, having safe reliable transport access is one of the biggest priorities for any project. While access mats can serve as a makeshift roadway on relatively even ground, bridges are best for tackling gaps that cannot be safely crossed otherwise. Such gaps may include ditches, rivers, sinkholes, etc. Ultimately, access bridges become a necessity where safe transport is impossible without a designated route being created, typically using a combination of access mats and bridges. Factors that help determine what kind of bridge is best for your specific application include:
- Intended period of use
- Load capacity requirements
- Geographic factors specific to your location
Typically, portable or temporary bridges are a sufficient and more cost-effective method opposed to permanent installation; as they can be removed upon completion, they are less likely to disturb the local terrain in the long term and can be relocated throughout the site as needed. This is a strong selling point for project managers that may only require brief access to certain areas, and who prefer a versatile asset that can be used in multiple locations.
TerraCross™ Access Bridges
Easy to deploy and lightweight, Sterling Solutions’ line of TerraCross™ bridges are perfect for crossing unstable terrain while also minimizing environmental damages. The bridge is designed to facilitate lifting and construction with a 200-class excavator or similar equipment and enables faster, safer passage while also preventing contamination on site. Specs are as follows:
TERRACROSS 40:
- Weight Limit: 100 tons
- Maximum Spanning Distance: 35′
- Total Length: 40′
- Matting: TerraLam® 500 bearing mats and TerraLam® 700 decking
TERRACROSS 56:
- Weight Limit: 65 tons
- Maximum Spanning Distance: 50′
- Total Length: 56′
- Matting: TerraLam® 500 bearing mats and TerraLam® 700 decking
TerraCross™ bridges can be rapidly assembled on-site as needed, meaning you’ll face minimal downtime and have no problem staying on track. With TerraCross™, you gain a valuable access solution that brings safety and enhances productivity to any worksite.
Access Solutions You Can Depend On At GFI
GFI Solutions is proud to be a leading provider of dependable worksite access solutions Canada wide. Our inventory features the top products from Sterling Solutions, including their range of TerraLam and TerraCross products. Engineered to be lighter, stronger, and more durable than competitors, TerraLam and TerraCross products are depended on by innovators in the oil & gas, petrochemical, construction, forestry, and mining industries. Learn more about our available inventory and services by contacting our team today.
Oct 28, 2020 | Access Mats, News
Tired of spending a small fortune on renewing your access mat resources every job or two? Looking for a solution that you can depend on to stand the test of time without sudden breakages, bolt failures, and other complications? GFI Solutions is proud to be Canada’s exclusive provider of TerraLam®’s CLT line of matting solutions. Designed to be lighter in weight while offering superior performance to traditional bolted mats, CLT mats help address many of the concerns site managers have with regards to premature damage and mat replacement.
As a full turn-key service provider, we partner with clients across Canada for their many site access needs, including helping them care for their matting to ensure a reliable lifecycle that nets you optimal ROI. Below, we’ll explore four easy ways you can extend the lifetime of access mats, as well as share more of the benefits of choosing CLT mats. Read on to learn more!
The Right Fit Matters
As any experienced site manager and project engineer will know, choosing the right kind of access mat for your specific application can quite literally make or break where your makeshift roadways are concerned. While many of the options on the market today are quite versatile in their weight ranges (especially where CLT mats are concerned), ensuring you have durable matting becomes a particular concern where heavy-duty applications like rigging, construction, or any other applications where heavy equipment is concerned. Choosing the right mat will help to eliminate the risk of unnecessary strain being placed on the mats, which helps to reduce wear and tear, even with higher traffic levels going in and out of site.
Installation and Orientation Of Mats
Access mats may be fairly straight forward to install, but knowing that you have everything laid exactly as it needs to be saves you peace of mind both where safety and product durability is concerned. Partnering with a full-scale provider like GFI gives you access to our installation team, who will happily deliver right to your site and offer same day setup Canada Wide. This means there’s no need to worry about any “whoops” moments down the line, and that your mats will be set up for success right from day one.
Travel Speeds And Tracking
Even though your mats are built to withstand the demands of heavy traffic travelling through your site, implementing a lower speed limit for haulers going in and out will help to reduce strain, especially where heavy loads are concerned. Set a pace that’s conducive to workplace safety, as well as factors in protecting your assets in the process.
Secondarily, while corked tracks on equipment are great off-road, day in and day out exposure can be rough on access mats. Try to reduce the travel of corked tracks where possible.
Clean Between Jobs
Mat washing isn’t just an important practice for safety standards (though it certainly plays a huge role), but can also greatly extend the lifecycle of your mats. GFI Solutions offers site washing remotely as well as at our yards across Canada for your convenience.
CLT Mats: Your Lifecycle Champion
Designed to improve upon the many challenges presented by traditional bolted mats, CLT matting is lighter (up to 40%), stronger, and lasts longer (3 to 5 times longer) than its bolted counterparts. CLT mats are created using a distinct process that involves bonding alternating perpendicular layers of Southern Yellow Pine wood together with a special adhesive, which allows for increased flexibility and even weight distribution. Additional advantages of CLT mats include:
- High impact resistance
- Suitable for use in extreme conditions, include heat and cold
- Solid matting top reduces tripping hazards, as well as the tired damage to vehicles
- Reduced shipping costs due to the lightweight nature of the mats (more CLT mats can be shipped compared to bolted products), and more.
TerraLam® CLT Mats at GFI Solutions
As Western Canada’s leading source for access mat solutions, GFI is proud to carry the best products available on the market. We are a distributor for Sterling Solutions’ range of TerraLam® products, including their 300 and 500 model access mats, access bridges, and more. To better suit all your site access needs, GFI offers full-scale turnkey support including sales, rentals, delivery and installation, mat washing and more. Find out more about CLT mats by contacting our team today!
Oct 22, 2020 | Access Mats, News
Whether you’re in the oil and gas, construction, or related heavy fields, you’re no doubt aware of the strains that heavy equipment can put on the landscape and vice versa. When it comes to protecting your rigs, cranes, and even your crew, rig mats play a vital role in helping to reduce damage and providing a safe, stable platform for your operations. GFI Solutions is proud to be Canada’s leading supplier of CLT access mats and is your exclusive source for TerraLam® products from Sterling Solutions. Known for their exceptional quality and long-lasting matting, TerraLam® is Sterling Solutions’ latest in a continued line of innovative site access products. Made with high-quality Southern Yellow Pine, TerraLam® mats offer unbeatable durability and strength that protect your bottom line. Learn more about the benefits of CLT rig mats below.
It’s Time To Make A Change
Fed up with the cost and frustrations associated with using traditional bolted rigging mats? As one of the most recent additions to the site access industry, Cross-Laminated Timber (CLT) mats are now the preferred solution for leaders in the oil & gas, construction, chemical, infrastructure, and related sectors. CLT mats stand above old school competitors thanks to their lighter weight profile (up to 40% less than traditional mats), massive savings where shipping is concerned (up to 25% more units can be shipped per load), and a life cycle that is 3-5 times longer than bolted mats. Built to withstand the demands on cranes and more, you can count on TerraLam®’s 500 line to have your heavy-duty access matting needs covered.
CLT Mats Lead The Way
CLT mats are distinct from bolted rig mats due to their unique construction and design profile. Where bolted mats, as the name suggests, are created by bolting combinations of wood together and then adding a steel frame for rigging purposes, CLT mats are made by bonding alternating perpendicular layers of Southern Yellow Pine wood with an environmentally safe adhesive. This results in a lighter and more flexible profile that is able to bend with each load to prevent sudden breakages.
Thanks to the strength of Southern Yellow Pine (up to 30% more than Douglas fir) CLT Access Mats are among the best available on the market and backed by the reputation for excellence held by its manufacturer, Sterling Solutions. The 500 series models are capable of standing up to a wide range of heavy applications, including acting as a foundation for cranes, and more.
Results You Can Trust
In addition to their one of a kind structure, CLT mats offer multiple other benefits, including:
- High impact resistance
- Glue lamination and wax sealed on all 4 edges makes it easier to repel moisture and rot.
- Suitable for use in extreme conditions, including heat and cold
- Solid matting top reduces tripping hazards, as well as the tire damage to vehicles
- Cheaper to ship due to the lightweight nature of the mats (more CLT mats can be shipped compared to bolted products), and more.
CLT Rig Mats and More at GFI Solutions
GFI Solutions is proud to be Canada’s only source for TerraLam® products. We carry both the 300 and 500 as well as Sterling Solutions’ access bridges and more. Designed with the utmost of quality in mind, TerraLam® solutions embody the many benefits of CLT mats, right down to the superior performance and longevity. Our team of experts offer 24/7 support for all your site access needs. Contact us today to learn more!
Oct 22, 2020 | Access Mats, News
Are you in need of heavy-duty site access solutions that can handle the rugged Canadian landscape, changing weather patterns, and the demand for heavy equipment travelling over the top of your makeshift road day in and day out? Frustrated with the shipping costs and challenges presented by traditional bolted mats? It’s time to join some of the biggest players in the Oil & Gas, Petroleum, and Construction sectors and make the switch to CLT rig mats.
GFI Solutions is Canada’s leading provider of site access products and services and is your exclusive source for TerraLam® CLT access mats, including their 500 series rig and crane mats. We’re proud to offer customers across the nation access to our turnkey services including mat rental and sales, delivery and installation, and more. Learn more about TerraLam® crane mats, as well as GFI’s rental solutions, below.
CLT Access Mats: Lighter, Tougher, Stronger
It’s no secret that oak bolted mats were once the industry staple where rig and crane matting needs were concerned. While these steel-framed mats can offer decent performance, many customers are now growing frustrated with the heavy costs associated with hauling, as well as the mats’ tendency to breakdown rapidly past a certain age point.
To address these concerns and provide a more viable option, Cross-Laminated Timber (CLT) were created and have since taken over as the leading choice by many engineers and project managers. In addition to weighing up to 40% less than standard bolted mats and offering a life cycle that is 3-5 times the length, CLT mats are extremely flexible, which makes them ideal for heavy applications as required by rig and crane operations. Best of all, you can expect to garner huge savings where shipping is concerned as the lighter weight of each mat means you can haul up to 25% more mats per load.
How It Works
The secret to the success of CLT matting comes down to their unique design and construction process. Unlike traditional mats, which are crafted from various woods like oak or other mixtures and then bolted together, CLT mats are created by bonding alternating perpendicular layers of wood (Southern Yellow Pine) together with an environmentally safe adhesive. This method makes CLT flexible and able to disperse heavy loads without sudden failures, which in turn helps to mitigate the risk of costly replacements mid-way through your project.
Meet GFI Solutions, Your Source For Site Access and More
GFI is proud to be one of Canada’s most trusted sources for site access solutions. Our team knows how important it is to have solutions available round the clock, and offers 24/7 rental and sales support as well as Canada-wide delivery and installation for your convenience. Whether you’re looking to test out the durability of CLT mats before buying or need to replace failing mats in the interim, GFI is here to help. Contact our team today to learn more.
Oct 14, 2020 | Access Mats, News
Grande Prairie Access Mats at GFI Solutions
Does your Grande Prairie operation need reliable site access solutions to help keep transport on track? Tackle the Albertan landscape with GFI Solutions. As one of Canada’s leading suppliers of CLT access mats, as well as site access services, GFI makes it easier than ever to overcome challenges presented by the environment and keep your job site safe. GFI is proud to be Canada’s only source for Sterling Solutions’ range of TerraLam® access mats, which lead the industry in performance and quality.
Learn more about TerraLam® CLT mats, as well as GFI below.
CLT Access Mats: Lighter, Flexible, Made to Endure
Looking for site access solutions that are free from the common complications faced with traditional bolted mats? While bolted mats have been a trusted staple for many years, the industry has demanded better, lighter weight solutions that are able to outperform and address the issues found with older models. CLT mats address many of the frustrations faced by project managers in heavy industries while weighing in at approximately 40% less than standard bolted mats. CLT mats also last 3-5 times longer than bolted mats, and allow you to ship up to 25% more per load for added savings. Additional benefits include:
- Almost doubling hauling capacity when mobilizing due to lightweight profile.
- Twice the strength of a traditional bolted mat.
- Adhesive lamination and wax sealer on all 4 edges makes it easier to repel moisture and rot.
- Suitable for use in extreme conditions, include heat and cold.
- Lack of bolts means less tire damage to transport vehicles.
What Makes CLT Mats Unique?
The core of CLT mats’ superior performance lies in their composition and method of construction. Unlike traditional bolted mats, Cross-Laminated Timber mats are created by gluing alternating perpendicular layers of wood together with an environmentally safe adhesive. This allows the mat to gently flex under each load, and evenly distribute the weight across the entire surface, which reduces the strain and shock of heavy loads. This means you can confidently use CLT mats for heavy applications without fear of sacrificing performance.
GFI Solutions: Grande Prairie’s First Choice For Site Access Solutions
With multiple yards throughout Canada including offices in Whitecourt, AB, Edmonton, Calgary, and Grande Prairie, GFI Solutions is here to ensure our clients always have access to matting solutions. Our team offers customers across Canada 24/7 support for sales and rentals, as well as site access services including inventory management, mat washing, expedited delivery installation and more. Contact our team today to learn more.
