Jun 29, 2020 | Access Mats, News
In need of heavy-duty access mat solutions? Whether you’re in the oilfield, pipeline, or power industry, crane and rig mats are a highly valuable resource that can help mitigate accessibility challenges, as well as increase worksite safety and environmental sustainability. For decades, traditional timber mats have been the primary choice by default, but with newer innovations now available on the market, companies stand to benefit from the many advantages CLT benefits offer, including superior performance, increased savings, and more. Learn more about the reasons you should consider making the switch from timber to CLT crane mats below.
Why It’s Time For a Change
While it’s fair to say that timber matting has served its intended purpose over the past few decades, there is a common misconception that timber solutions are the strongest available. In actuality, however, bolted timber mats are made from a mixture of hard and soft woods that are not held to any specified standards. This means they cannot always be counted on to be as durable, and the required bolts can cause breaks at stress points when subjected to heavy pressure by cranes or other heavy machinery. Add in the fact that timber mats take multiple truckloads to transport and require complicated installation to get started, and it becomes apparent that timber mats are not always the most preferable option for the job.
As an innovative new solution, CLT mats address each of these issues, offering superior and long-lasting performance, as well as a significantly lighter weight profile (up to 40% less than bolted mats) that allows for up to 25% more mats to be shipped per load. Designed to perform under even the toughest of circumstances, CLT mats are versatile, long-lasting, and suitable for use in a wide range of industries including oil & gas, petrochemical, power, and more.
What Makes CLT Mats Different?
The secret to success where CLT mats are concerned comes down to their unique build and composition. Unlike traditional bolted mats which are created using a mix of wood fibres and steel bolts to create fixed points, cross-laminated timber mats are made from southern yellow pine and bond alternating perpendicular layers of wood together with an environmentally safe adhesive that helps keep the mat strong, as well as protected from outside factors like moisture and contaminants. Able to flex under the pressure of extreme loads like cranes, CLT mats evenly disperse weight throughout the entire mat as opposed to specific bolt points, reducing your chance of sudden breakages and allowing for exceptional performance in the longterm. Additional benefits of CLT mats include:
- Life cycle that is 3-5 the length of traditional mats
- Easy installation
- Can haul more mats per transport load
- High impact resistance, and more.
Heavy Duty Crane Mat Solutions At GFI
GFI Solutions is proud to carry TerraLam®’s 500 series mats, which feature 2 lengths; 4 feet (TerraLam 504) and 8 feet (TerraLam 508), both of which are lighter and stronger than comparative timber mats. The innovative cross-grain technology allows them to outperform competitors all while saving you money on hauling and installations costs. Learn about our available products and services including sales and rentals, mat washing, installation, and more by contacting GFI today.
Jun 22, 2020 | Access Mats, News
Does your team need a heavy-duty, dependable, cost-effective option when it comes to access solutions? As a vital resource for any project in the oil & gas, mining, petrochemical, forestry, and construction industries, rig and crane mats are essential for site management and safety. As a much lighter alternative to traditional fir mats, Cross Laminated Timber (CLT) access mats offer unbeatable strength and lower shippings costs among many other benefits to be explored. Learn more about these innovative products, including TerraLam®’s 500 series mats, below.
A New Path Forward
As one of the new innovations available from the matting industry, CLT solutions are designed using a process that dramatically improves upon the shortcomings commonly encountered with traditional mats.
Cross Laminated Timber is the result of bonding alternating perpendicular layers of wood with an environmentally safe adhesive to create each mat in comparison to the previous mode of creating bolted mats. One of the defining features of CLT mats is there ability to “flex” under pressure and distribute payloads evenly, reducing the chance of breakages and resulting in a much longer lifecycle (typically 3-5 times longer than average mats).
TerraLam® CLT Access Mats as offered by GFI solutions are crafted from high-quality Southern Yellow Pine Wood Fibre, which is 30% harder than Douglas Fir, the most common wood fibre used in the construction of bolted mats. This makes them ideal for heavy-duty jobs, even serving as rig and crane mats when needed.
What Are The Benefits?
CLT access and rig mats offer a wide range of benefits compared to traditional matting solutions. Advantages of choosing CLT mats include:
- Lightweight profile means that you can ship up to 25% more mats per trip, saving money on transport costs.
- Versatile in application and able to withstand the demands of fluctuating climates year-round.
- High impact resistance.
- Resistant to moisture and rot, and more.
TerraLam® CLT Access and Rig Mats
With an industry-wide reputation for exceptional products, it’s no surprise that Sterling Solutions’ line of TerraLam® products are among the best on the market. Crafted using the finest quality Southern Yellow Pine planks, each mat is meticulously tested to ensure optimal performance and longevity, allowing you to keep your project on time, and on budget, with ease. The 500 series is suitable for heavy industry applications, including use as rig and crane mats, and more.
Want to compare CLT mats to timber alternatives? Check out this quick cheat sheet.
Discover Rig Mat Solutions At GFI
GFI Solutions is proud to be an authorized distributor of TerraLam® products, including access and rig mats, TerraCross® bridges, and more. With 24/7 access to our leading inventory, qualified team members and more. GFI is Western Canada’s foremost choice when it comes to heavy-duty rig mat solutions and everything in between. Contact us today to learn more.
Jun 22, 2020 | Access Mats, News
Are you in need of access solutions that can stand up to the demands of heavy-duty loads and even act as a solid foundation for heavy machinery like cranes and more? Whether you’re in the oil and gas, pipeline, construction, or mining industries, access mats play a critical role in helping to maintain the progress of your project, while also upholding safety and environmental standards. Located in Whitecourt, Alberta, GFI Solutions is a leading supplier of top access matting solutions across Canada. Our inventory features top products from Sterling Solutions, including their range of TerraLam® Cross Laminated Timber (CLT) access mats.
TerraLam®’s 500 series mat is a heavy-duty solution that offers superior performance compared to most traditional bolted mats, boasting a lightweight profile that holds up under even the toughest of applications. Learn more about TerraLam® products, including the 500 series, below.
A Path You Can Count On
Rough terrain and fluctuating weather patterns combined with remote locations cause constant headaches for project managers year-round, especially once the spring thaw begins to hit full swing. Access mats are your go-to resource for overcoming difficulties caused by mud, shifting topography, and other such difficulties. From creating a viable, unchanging road that your fleet can depend on no matter the circumstances to protecting heavy equipment and the surrounding landscape, access mats offer multiple benefits where workplace safety and efficiency are concerned.
Industry Leading Innovation
TerraLam®’s line of matting solutions offers customers multiple benefits compared to other traditional bolted competitors. Engineered to be significantly lighter than other models (up to 40%), as well as significantly stronger, TerraLam®’s CLT based design results in mats that perform under pressure, job after job.
TerraLam® 500 Series Mats
Stronger, stiffer, and less than 50% of the weight of comparable hardwood crane or rig mats, TerraLam’s 5-layer 500 mats are game changers where heavy-duty access mats are concerned. Created using the unique Cross Laminated Timber (CLT) technique, TerraLam’s alternating perpendicular layers of wood are bonded with a special adhesive for unmatched strength and safety in a lightweight solution. A major factor that sets this CLT process apart from traditional methods is that it allows the mat to flex under weight loads, equally distributing the demand through the entire unit rather than specific bolting points. This allows for superior performance and reduces the chance for sudden breakages.
TerraLam® CLT mats also mitigate the risk of knots by adhesive bonding 100% of the board surface to another board, eliminating any weak points and resulting in a more durable and weight resistance option than traditional matting options, as well as a longer life cycle for each mat. Crafted from southern yellow pine, TerraLam® access mats offer superior value for the price and can be delivered quickly with GFI Solutions on-demand 24/7 service.
Need Access Mats Fast?
Contact GFI Solutions to learn more about TerraLam® Access Mats today. We offer round the clock sales and rental support in addition to mat washing, consulting, installation services, and more.
Jun 15, 2020 | Access Mats, News
Is your worksite in need of solutions when it comes to access and transportation? Home to major developments for the oil & gas, petrochemical, and energy sectors, Western Canada features several notable projects, many with remote sites that can be difficult to access due to rugged terrain and rapidly shifting weather patterns. Access mats, frequently referred to as swamp mats pave the way for safe transportation of materials to and from your site, allowing things to proceed on pace and on budget. Learn more about the benefits of access mats, including the differences between access, swamp and rig mats, below!
Conquering Confusion
One of the biggest sources of confusion in the matting industry is the difference between three main types of products: access, rig, and swamp mats. While each of these have a different meaning to manufacturers, consumers tend you use the terms interchangeably when referring to the same general product. In order to get the best results from your mats, and to avoid costly confusion by ordering the wrong items, it’s important to know the specifics of each model per industry standards. The following is a brief explanation of each category as defined by manufacturers:
Access Mats (commonly called Swamp Mats): refer to standard matting solutions that are often used to create temporary roads and on-site infrastructure to facilitate the safe transportation of goods and equipment. Sometimes called swamp mats (typically regionally specific), these mats can handle a wide range of weights and are available either in traditional bolted forms, as well as the increasingly in demand CLT designs.
Rig Mats: While technically another form of access mats, rig mats are designed to handle much heavier loads than standard models. This makes them ideal for handling heavy machinery and equipment like cranes. Rig mats usually feature a steel frame that reinforces the mat in order to prevent sudden breakages. As a result of these steel frames, rig mats tend to cost more, meaning that you’ll want to ensure you know exactly what you need prior to ordering to avoid sticker shock.
Why Choose CLT Mats Over Bolted Models
As an innovative alternative to traditional bolted mats, Cross Laminated Timber (CLT) mats have a wide range of benefits to offer your job site. Such benefits include:
- High impact resistance and durability.
- 3-5 times the lifespan of bolted mats.
- Glue lamination and wax sealed on all 4 edges of the mat make it less vulnerable to moisture and rot.
- Able to withstand the Canadian climate, all year round.
- Solid matting top reduces tripping hazards, as well as the tired damage to vehicles.
- Lower shipping costs due to the lightweight nature of the mats (more CLT mats can be shipped compared to bolted products), and more.
GFI Solutions is a proud distributor of Sterling Solutions’ range of TerraLam® products, including both their 300 and 500 model access mats, access bridges and more. Built from the highest quality Yellow Southern Pine wood fibres, which are up to 30% stronger than Douglas fir trees, TerraLam® CLT mats are bonded together with an environmentally friendly adhesive and distribute weight through the entire mat for superior performance.
Looking For Access Mats? GFI Solutions Is Here To Help
GFI’s team of experts is available for 24/7 support including sales and rentals all throughout Canada. Contact us now to learn more!
Jun 15, 2020 | News, TerraCross Bridges
Does your remote worksite feature uneven terrain that makes crossing and regular transport methods difficult? Canada’s landscape can pose multiple challenges to your project. From uneven terrain to creeks, ditches, and other similar factors, delivering valuable resources to and from the job site can be a headache without the right tools in place. Temporary access bridges like those found in Sterling Solutions’ range of TerraCross™products help haulers and project managers circumvent these difficulties with ease, while also minimizing your overall impact on the surrounding environment. Learn more about the benefits of access bridges, as well as TerraCross™solutions, below.
Bridge Over Troubled Waters: When Access Bridges Make A Difference
It’s no secret that remote worksites can often pose a surplus of logistical problems when it comes to staying on top of your project, especially when you factor in Western Canada’s ever-changing weather patterns and fluctuating temperatures. From muddy paths to creek beds and more, finding a dependable way to facilitate easy transport is vital. Where access mats are best suited to creating makeshift pathways, access bridges are useful when it comes to any application where there is a need to cross a gap in the ground, such as rivers or ditches, with both temporary and permanent options available to meet your needs. 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
In many cases, portable or temporary bridges are a suitable solution that allows you to facilitate easy crossing with minimal disturbance to the area in the longterm. This is particularly ideal for projects that may only require brief access to a specific portion of the worksite to deposit resources, as well as where cost-effectiveness is a concern since portable bridges can be used in multiple areas. The end result of using temporary access bridges is increased safety, reduced costs where transportation is concerned, and less disruption to your overall workflow.
TerraCross™ Access Bridges
Easy to deploy and lightweight, Sterling Solutions’ TerraCross™ bridge is ideal for crossing water, ditches, circumventing environmental hazards, and more. 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 include:
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 for added convenience, allowing your crew to get back to work in no time!
Access Solutions With GFI
GFI Solutions is proud to be a leading provider of dependable worksite access solutions across Canada. 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.
