Nov 12, 2020 | Access Mats, News
Are you in need of site access solutions in the Edmonton Capital region as well as throughout the rest of Canada? Tired of battling the Canadian landscaping and waiting for expensive POs from competitors? GFI is here to help!
Whether you need access to heavy-duty problem solvers like rig and crane mats or standard mats to help pave the way for transporters, GFI Solutions has you covered. As one of Canada’s top source for access mat rentals and sales throughout Alberta hot spots like Edmonton, Red Deer, Calgary, and more, our team is proud to be Canada’s only source for Sterling Solution’s range of TerraLam® access mats. With a product line that features the latest innovations in CLT matting, TerraLam® solutions are able to stand up to even the heaviest of tasks demanded by rigs and cranes. Learn more about TerraLam® mats, as well as GFI’s rental solutions, below.
It’s Time to Work With The Best
As a relatively new, but increasingly preferred option in the site matting field, Cross Laminated Timber (CLT) mats have quickly taken the market by storm and risen in prominence over traditional bolted mats. Weighing up to 40% less than standard bolted mats and offering a life cycle that is 3-5 times longer, CLT mats are an undeniably strong asset for any job site and stand to save investors in both the short and long run. With the heavier duty models capable of tackling traditional jobs held by old school rig and crane mats while still maintaining a lighter profile that allows for more mats to be shipped per load (up to 25% more, in fact), CLT mats have become the solution of choice for heavy industry leaders within Edmonton and across the nation.
Designed For Success
A large part of what allows CLT access and rig mats to be so successful is their unique design and manufacturing process. Cross Laminated Timber mats are created by bonding alternating perpendicular layers of wood with an environmentally safe adhesive, which allows them to evenly distribute weight throughout the entire mat, leading to superior durability and performance, even for the heaviest of loads.
TerraLam® CLT Access Mats are among the best in the world and are made with Southern Yellow Pine Wood Fibre, which is 30% harder than Douglas Fir. This makes them ideal for standing up to the toughest of jobs, even over long periods of time.
Rig Mats and More at GFI
With decades of combined experience in the industry backing our team, GFI Solutions is proud to support our customers with all of their site access needs. From 24/7 rental and sales support to inventory management, mat washing, expedited delivery installation and more, GFI Solutions is here to ensure that your project has everything you need to continue on schedule. Contact our team today to learn more.
Nov 12, 2020 | Access Mats, News
At GFI Solutions, we know just how vital access to reliable matting solutions and services are. Canada’s oil & gas, drilling, power transmission, renewable energy, mining, and related sectors are hard at work year-round, with long hours and sudden changes making 24/7 service essential. Our team is proud to serve clients all over the country, offering nonstop support for mat sales, rental, delivery, installation and more. As Canada’s exclusive source for TerraLam® CLT access mats, you can trust our team to have your back, no matter when you call. Learn more about the benefits of TerraLam® mats and partnering with GFI below!
TerraLam® Mats: Today’s Leading CLT Solution
When it comes to finding the right access mats for the job, it’s no secret that the best option is the perfect fit of competitive prices matched with superior performance. TerraLam® CLT access mats are made with the highest quality materials and design, giving you peace of mind and an unbeatable ROI. TerraLam® mats are engineered to be stronger and more durable than traditional bolted mats, and serve as a safer alternative that drastically reduces damage, replacement, and transportation costs.
Why Choose CLT Matting?
If you’re used to traditional bolted mats but are contemplating finally making the switch, there are plenty of perks to be found with CLT mats, including a lighter weight profile that allows you to ship up to 25% more per load, a lifecycle that lasts 3-5 times longer than bolted mats, and dependable performance even in tough situations. In addition to superior durability where loads are concerned, the adhesive used to bond planks together also protects the mat from rot and decay, meaning your lifecycle is much longer and maximizing your investment.
Meet GFI Solutions
At GFI Solutions, our number one priority is, and always will be, our customers. We believe in providing exceptional service alongside unbeatable products to give you the support you need when it matters most. From round the clock shipping to rapid installs, mat washing, inventory management services and more, we’re here to cover your site access needs, every step of the way. providing customers with exceptional products when it matters the most.
For more information on our leading access mat products and services throughout Canada, contact GFI today.
Nov 5, 2020 | Access Mats, News
With environmental efforts becoming more and more of a priority and responsibility on job sites, the importance of using resources that minimize your footprint and help protect the land is greater than ever. Site access solutions such as mats and bridges play a significant role in reducing the damage caused by transporting goods, using heavy machinery, and more. At GFI Solutions, we’re proud to offer full-scale site access solutions, including mat rentals and sales, access mat washing, delivery and installation and more. Below we’ll take a quick look at how access matting can help you do your part to stay on the right side of environmental guidelines, while also benefitting your workflow. Read on to learn more!
Why Sustainability Matters
As mentioned above, there is an increasing demand for companies, especially those in the oil & gas, petrochemical, construction, and energy sectors, to ensure their job sites and practices uphold environmentally-oriented standards. Access mats are just one way to ensure you are in compliance while offering a wide variety of other benefits at the same time. Access mats help to ensure environmental and safety standard compliance by:
Minimizing Ground Disturbance
One of the most challenging aspects of any job is protecting the natural landscape while accomplishing the task at hand. Doing so requires careful planning, especially where site access and transportation issues are concerned. By serving as a makeshift road or foundation for heavy trucks, drills, excavators, cranes, and more, access mats help to reduce the damage done to the ground in the first place, which makes post job recovery much easier on the landscape.
Prevent Soil and Weed Contamination
If you’ve got trucks hauling materials throughout different areas of your site or coming in from remote regions, there’s a solid chance their tracks may introduce foreign fauna to the terrain. Access mats act as a shield against this and help to protect the local plant life from contamination.
Circumvent Weather and Challenging Landscapes
It’s no secret that both the Canadian landscape and climate can be unpredictable and difficult to overcome. Site access solutions allow you to conquer both with ease, while also reducing the damage that can be caused by mud, snow, rain, and more.
Prevent Chemical Cross-Contamination
As with organic cross-contamination, chemicals used during your operations can pose a significant risk to the environment. Access mats help prevent them from reaching the ground, and thorough mat cleaning between jobs will prevent future risks as well. Partnering with an experienced team like GFI’s makes it easy to clean mats efficiently, allowing you to get to the next job faster than ever before.
About GFI Solutions
As one of Canada’s leading sources for access mat solutions, GFI is proud to carry the best products available on the market. We are Canada’s exclusive distributor of Sterling Solutions‘ range of TerraLam® CLT products, including their 300 and 500 model access mats, 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. For all of your site access needs including rentals, sales, mat washing and more, contact our team today!
Nov 5, 2020 | Access Mats, News
In need of new sites access mats that are built to perform? Whether you’re in the oil & gas, petrochemical, or energy sector, there’s no doubt your job sites can benefit from reliable access solutions that allow you to conquer the Canadian wilderness and keep your project on track. Access mats, also known industry-wide as “swamp mats” are an invaluable resource that makes it easy to create makeshift roadways in less than ideal solutions to facilitate the safe transportation of materials to and from site. At GFI, we’re proud to be one of Canada’s top suppliers of CLT access/swamp mats, as well as your exclusive source for Sterling Solutions’ TerraLam® products. Our team is here to answer your many inquiries about all things access matting, including what the difference between access, swamp and rig mats are. Below we’ll talk a little bit about the main differences to be aware when choosing the right CLT product for your application. Read on to learn more!
Let’s Talk Phrasing
If you’re confused as to what the difference between access, rig, and swamp mats is, you’re not alone. In fact, one of the biggest sources of confusion amongst customers, and even professionals, is ensuring that everyone is on the same page when talking about a product. Because the matting industry tends to use all three terms interchangeably, it can be understandably difficult to figure out which is which, and more importantly, which one you need! To save you time and a few headaches, the following is a brief rundown of each category as defined by manufacturers:
Access Mats AKA Swamp Mats (commonly called Swamp Mats)
Access mats are the most widely used site access product and depending on the region you’re in, may be also referred to as a “swap mat”. Standard access mats are ideal for creating temporary roads and on-site infrastructure to facilitate the safe transportation of goods and equipment and can handle a wide range of weights.
Rig Mats
Rig mats specifically refer to any access mat designed to handle heavier loads, such as those found when handling a crane or rig. 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
Created to be an innovative alternative to bolted mats, Cross Laminated Timber (CLT) mats have a wide range of benefits to consider. Such benefits include:
- High impact resistance and durability.
- 3-5 times the lifespan of bolted mats.
- 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 (25% more CLT mats can be shipped compared to bolted products per load), and more.
GFI Solutions is proud to be Canada’s only supplier of Sterling Solutions’ range of TerraLam® products, including both the 300 and 500 models 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. This translates to increased savings, better performance and a killer ROI that just can’t be beat.
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!
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!
