Jun 29, 2020 | Access Mats, News
Tired of the cost of procuring traditional bolted mats for your remote worksites as well as dealing with the risk of sudden breakages due to heavy loads? It’s time for a change! While timber mats once were the main player when it came to site access solutions, today’s market features several new and improved options, including the latest frontrunner: Cross Laminated Timber (CLT) mats. Designed to be significantly lighter and to perform better than their predecessors, CLT mats have quickly made a name for themselves as the preferred choice amongst industry leaders, particularly amongst those in the power and pipeline sectors in North America. Learn more about why you should consider making the switch to CLT mats for your next project below.
Why It’s Time For An Update
There’s no denying that, for many years, bolted mats played a key role in helping solve the many site access challenges faced by projects located in remote regions of the Canadian landscape. As technology has progressed, however, advanced methods like those used in the creation of cross-laminated timber have been able to step in and address the areas where traditional mats have been lacking. One of the chief improvements can be found directly in the composition of the mats themselves; while standard timber mats are produced using a mixture of hard and softwoods that can often result in unpredictable results, CLT mats produced by leaders like Sterling Solutions are crafted from high quality southern yellow pine that helps to prevent breaks at stress points and, combined with the design of the mat overall, handle heavy loads with ease.
Due to their unique composition, CLT mats are up to 40% lighter than traditional counterparts, and as a result, allow for the hauling of up to 25% more mats per load. This saves you time, money, and allows you to get up to speed fast!
Go Beneath The Surface
With a process originally discovered in the 1990s, today’s CLT mats are the product of a unique design and build that lends itself to long-lasting performance. 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 by bonding alternating perpendicular layers of wood together with an environmentally safe adhesive to help keep the mat strong, as well as protected from outside factors like moisture. The end result is a mat that is flexible and resistant to heavy loads, no matter your application. Core 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
CLT Access Mat Solutions At GFI
As Western Canada’s leading source for access mat solutions, GFI is proud to partner with Sterling Solutions‘ as a distributor for their range of TerraLam® products, including the 300 and 500 series access mats, access bridges, and more. Learn more by contacting our team today.
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 8, 2020 | Access Mats, News
When it comes to finding the best access solutions for your project, the ideal option offers a combination of performance and cost-effectiveness. With tight deadlines looming, knowing that you can trust your mats to perform as needed no matter the challenges at hand is invaluable. High-quality access and rig mats stand up to the pressure of heavy loads, helping you keep your job site safe, efficient, and on track. GFI Solutions is Western Canada’s leading supplier of CLT access matting solutions, including Sterling Solutions’ extensive range of TerraLam® products. Crafted from high-quality Southern Yellow Pine fibres, these mats offer exceptional durability and strength, as well as unbeatable return on investment. Learn more about the benefits of CLT rig mats below.
Innovation At Its Finest
As a relatively new addition to the field of access mats, Cross Laminated Timber (CLT) mats have quickly made a name for themselves as an indispensable resource for those in the oil & gas, construction, chemical, infrastructure, and related industries. Weighing up to 40% less than traditional bolted mats, CLT mats allow for the transport of 25% more units per load, saving you valuable time and money per load. With a life cycle that is typically 3-5 times longer than bolted mats and a superior strength profile, CLT mats can withstand heavy-duty applications, with certain models able to serve as rig and crane mats.
What Makes CLT Mats Different
The secret to the success of cross-laminated timber lies in its unique design. CLT mats are created through the process of bonding alternating perpendicular layers of wood with an environmentally safe adhesive to as opposed to the traditional methods favoured by bolted mats. The end result of this process is a product that is flexible and durable, with its strength coming from the fact that weight is evenly distributed through the entire mat leading to unbeatable performance in even the toughest of conditions.
TerraLam® CLT Access Mats are among the best available and are made with Southern Yellow Pine Wood Fibre, which is 30% harder than Douglas Fir. This makes TerraLam® mats ideal for heavy-duty applications, including acting as a foundation for cranes, and more.
Unparalleled Performance
In addition to their unique structure, CLT mats offer a wide variety of 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, include heat and cold.
- Solid matting top reduces tripping hazards, as well as the tire damage to vehicles
- Able to handle heavy-duty applications
- 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 is proud to carry TerraLam® products within our inventory, 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. Our team of experts offer 24/7 support for all your site access needs. Contact us today to learn more!
