Lightweight and Cost-Effective Swamp Mats

Lightweight and Cost-Effective Swamp Mats

Apr 10, 2023 | Access Mats, News

For those working in the oil & gas, forestry, mining, civil and renewable energy industry, you have definitely experienced the challenges posed by Canada’s difficult landscapes. Working in a remote location and navigating heavy machinery and heavy loads across unstable terrain can be extremely dangerous, which is why you need robust and long-lasting matting solutions that can withstand the demands of your project.

If you’re a project manager searching for a lightweight, cost-effective and site-safe access solution for your next project, GFI Solutions has the perfect product for you. As Canada’s leading supplier of access matting solutions, GFI solutions is proud to offer a range of swamp mats. Our cost-effective and lightweight swamp mats offer you a durable solution that can meet the requirements of your project. Learn more about the benefits of our CLT swamp mats below!

Cross Laminated Timber (CLT) Mats

Generally, traditional bolted mats are the primary choice for site-safe access solutions; however, there are better options available on the market. CLT swamp mats are much more suited for heavy industries than traditional bolted mats. Instead of using traditional Douglas Fir to manufacture access mats, CLT mats are manufactured from Long Leaf Southern Yellow Pine wood fiber, which is 33% stronger than Douglas Fir. Compared to traditional bolted mats, CLT swamp mats are a safer and longer-lasting access solution for heavy equipment and heavy loads.

Safer For the Environment

Long Leaf Southern Yellow Pine wood is not only 33% stronger than Douglas Fir, but it’s also much more sustainable as it grows to harvestable maturity in approximately 20 years, whereas Douglas Fir takes up to 80 years. At GFI Solutions, we believe that it’s our responsibility to ensure the safety of your machinery, crew and environment, which is why we offer sustainable access matting solutions that can meet the needs of your project without causing harm to the environment.

Solid Foundation

The adhesion used to bond the fiber in our CLT swamp mats create a smooth and solid top surface that eliminates many hazards on the job site. Unlike traditional bolted mats, CLT mats don’t rely on bolts which removes the risk of puncture injuries or vehicle damage from loose bolts or gaps between the boards. GFI solutions Site Safe CLT access mats also have a wax sealer on all four edges of our swamp mats to reduce moisture absorption and increase the longevity of the mats.

Lightweight and Cost Effective Solution

There are many factors that determine the budget of your matting needs, including the cost of the product, transport, installation, removal and storage. Our CLT swamp mats are engineered to be two-thirds the weight of traditional bolted mats! We can fit 72 CLT swamp mats per load, saving you up to 60% in transportation costs! With a lighter CLT swamp mat, you will be able to fit more mats on loaders and shuttle trucks, increasing your savings by up to 40% on installation and removal costs. Save time and money and keep your project on track with GFI Solutions’ CLT swamp mats.

Our inventory of CLT access mats includes the following:

Site Safe 300 CLT Access Mats

  • Sizes: 4′ or 8′ wide x 14′, 16′ or 18′
  • 3-ply construction
  • Manufactured from sustainably sourced Long Leaf Southern Yellow Pine

Site Safe 500 CLT Access Mats

  • Sizes: 4′ or 8′ wide x 14′, 16′ or 18′
  • 5-ply construction
  • Manufactured from sustainably sourced Long Leaf Southern Yellow Pine

Site Safe 700 CLT Access Mats

  • Sizes: 8′ wide x 14′ or 16′
  • 7-ply construction
  • Manufactured from sustainably sourced Long Leaf Southern Yellow Pine

Site Safe Access Services and Products 

Our 24/7 service and support team offers customers access to our access matting products and services, including our rental and sales, mat washing, installation and turnkey services.

Contact us today to learn more about our site-safe access services and products!

Access Mat Rentals in Canada

Access Mat Rentals in Canada

Apr 10, 2023 | Access Mats, News

Access mats are temporary portable solutions designed to help workers and heavy machinery navigate through Canada’s unstable terrain. Generally, access mats can be used in remote locations or on large worksites for temporary roadways, temporary staging yards and drilling pads.

Since access mats can be manufactured using a wide variety of materials and different compositions, the first step in choosing the right access mat is choosing the right material for your needs. Learn more about choosing the right access mat below!

Cross Laminated Timber (CLT) Access Mats

With the current technological advancements nowadays, GFI Solutions’ access mats are manufactured using our innovative Cross Laminated Timber (CLT) technology. Instead of fastening planks of wood together using bolts, CLT mats use an environmentally safe structural adhesive to bond the planks together.

Sustainable and Long Lasting Access Solution

While traditional mats use Douglas Fir, which grows to harvestable maturity in 80 years, our CLT mats are manufactured using Long Leaf Southern Yellow Pine, which only needs about 20 years to grow to maturity. Not only is Long Leaf Southern Yellow Pine much more sustainable than Douglas Fir, but it is also 33% stronger! Combined with our environmentally safe adhesive, our CLT access mats are three to five times more robust than our competition, offering you a sustainable and long-lasting access solution.

Lightweight and Cost-Effective Access Solution

Now that we’ve established the strength and durability of CLT access mats, it’s time to uncover their cost. As a project manager, the cost of access mats doesn’t only include the price of the product, but it also incorporates delivery, installation and removal costs. Since CLT access mats are two-thirds the weight of traditional bolted mats, GFI Solutions can transport 72 CLT access mats per load, saving you up to 60% in transportation costs!

As our CLT access mats are lighter in weight, you can fit more mats on loaders and shuttle trucks, increasing your savings by up to 40% on installation and removal costs. When choosing GFI’s CLT access mats, you’re definitely choosing the more cost-effective option.

Bring Down Your Costs with Access Mat Rentals

Other factors that contribute to the cost of your access matting budget are washing, transporting and storing your access mats. As per Canada’s matting standards, used access mats must be properly washed and bleached to avoid cross-contamination. Once you’ve completed your project, why spend unnecessary amounts of time and money on cleaning, transporting and storing your access mats? With GFI Solutions’ access mat rental service, you can eliminate extra costs and only pay for what your project requires! Our access mat rental services allow us to take the responsibility off your hands!

Access Mat Rentals and More at GFI Solutions

As Canada’s leading supplier of access solutions, GFI Solutions offers a variety of access products and services to meet the demands of your project. Contact our 24/7 support and service team today at +1 (833) 434-6287 or fill out our online form with all your needs, and one of our matting experts will reach out to you as soon as possible!

Access Solutions Built To Last!

Access Solutions Built To Last!

Mar 30, 2023 | Access Mats, News

Are you looking for a site-safe access solution, but you’re not entirely sure which product best suits your project requirements? Learn about the most common access mating products.

Let’s Clear Up the Confusion

There are many site access products you can use to create a safe and robust makeshift road or ground protection platform for your heavy machinery and crew. Across all industries, access products are used to safely navigate the rugged Canadian terrain and overcome the challenges posed by unstable regions.

Since all access products technically provide ground protection on uneven terrain, customers often make the mistake of thinking that they’re all the same. However, there are significant differences in sizing, usage, material and pricing of access products. Below are the three most common access products you might come across:

Access Mats

    • Sizes:
      • 8’ Wide x 14’
    • Material:
      • Hemlock and/or Balsam Fir
      • Sustainably Sourced Long Leaf Southern Yellow Pine
    • Usage:
      • Temporary access to navigate unstable terrain
      • Temporary right-of-ways
      • Temporary staging yards
      • Portable platform used to support equipment

Rig Mats

    • Sizing:
      • 8’’ Wide x 14’’, 16’’, or 18’’
    • Material:
      • Douglas Fir ( 3 or 4 rail steel beams and wooden inserts )
    • Usage:
      • Temporary stationary platforms to support large and heavy equipment
      • Temporary foundations for large surface area applications
      • Temporary heavy-duty ground protection for large working areas

Crane Mats

    • Sizing:
      • 4’ Wide x 20’ Long x 12’ Thick
    • Material:
      • Douglas Fir
    • Usage:
      • Temporary ground protection for heavy crane equipment
      • Protecting the environment in industrial projects
      • Temporary access to help heavy equipment navigate unstable terrain

CLT Mats: Lightweight Solution

As someone who’s been in the industry for years and managed numerous projects, you’re probably familiar with Douglas Fir traditional bolted mats. For the longest time, everyone relied on Douglas Fir traditional bolted mats to support their heavy machinery and crew in unstable terrain; however, with the introduction of Cross Laminated Timber (CLT) mats, project managers have shifted to a more cost-effective and lightweight solution.

Unlike traditional bolted mats, CLT mats are manufactured using sustainably sourced Long Leaf Southern Yellow Pine wood that is 33% stronger than Douglas Fir and other wood compositions. Instead of using bolts to fasten the wooden planks together, our CLT mats are bonded together using an environmentally safe adhesive that allows for even distribution of loads across the surface area, rather than fixating the weight only on the bolts. The strength and flexibility of our CLT mats make them 3-5 times stronger than traditional single wood or composite mats and offer maximum durability.

CLT Mats: Cost-Effective Solution

Our CLT mats are not only engineered to offer industries a lightweight and durable matting solution but they’re also designed to cut down unnecessary costs! With a lighter CLT mat, you can fit more mats on loaders and shuttle trucks, increasing your savings by up to 40% in installation and removal costs. We can also fit more CLT mats per load and save up to 60% on transportation costs. GFI’s innovative manufacturing process and sustainably sourced materials are designed to outperform traditional mats and offer you a lightweight and cost-effective solution!

Access Products and More at GFI Solutions! 

As Canada’s leading distributor of access mat solutions, GFI Solutions is proud to offer a wide range of access mat products and solutions for all your matting needs! Our extensive inventory of access mats, rig mats, crane mats, swamp mats and more are available for rent and purchase, suitable for every budget!

Contact our 24/7 support and service team at +1 (833) 434-6287 or fill out our online form with details of your matting needs, and one of our matting experts will reach out to you as soon as possible!

Temporary Access Mats For Canadian Winter

Temporary Access Mats For Canadian Winter

Mar 30, 2023 | Access Mats, News

It’s no secret that Canadian winter is tough, especially throughout Northern and Western Canada. The inconsistent weather patterns can drastically change the topography in a matter of hours. Unfortunately, it’s very difficult to predict the weather changes in Canada; therefore, you need to depend on robust and reliable temporary access mats to get you through extreme weather changes during Canadian winter.

While traditional temporary access mats were once the preferred option for projects across Canada, Cross Laminated Timber (CLT) mats have started to increase in popularity. In fact, some of the biggest names in the oil & gas, construction, mining, petrochemical, renewable energy, power and other heavy industries replaced traditional bolted mats with GFI’s innovative and reliable Site Safe (TM) CLT temporary access mats. Learn more about the benefits of our CLT temporary access mats below!

How Are Cross-Laminated Timber Mats Manufactured?

Compared to conventional access mats, where wooden planks are fastened together using bolts, CLT wooden planks are laid perpendicular to each other and bound together face to face using an environmentally friendly adhesive. The process of cross-lamination allows the CLT mats to withstand the heaviest of weights while reducing the chance of breakage! But how?! Well, the adhesive used to bond the CLT mat together turns the mat into a solid piece of wood allowing for even distribution of weight across the mat. Bolted mats on the other hand take and disperse the weight through to the bolt points. Once a single bolt is broken, the mat’s structural integrity is compromised.

Durable Temporary Access Mats

It’s a common misconception that bolted mats are stronger and more robust than CLT mats as they are bolted together using bolts. Is an environmentally safe adhesive more durable than bolts? While bolted mats can, in fact, withstand heavy loads, they are much more likley to break and crack than CLT mats. Instead of evenly distributing the weight across the mat, the weight is only fixated on the bolt points. As the pressure is only focused on the bolts, the mat will crack and break at the bolt holes. CLT mats, on the other hand, are versatile and can safely flex under pressure, even with the weight of industrial machinery and heavy loads.

Long-Lasting Temporary Access Mats

CLT mats are not only more durable than traditional temporary access mats, but they are also longer-lasting! The environmentally safe adhesive combined with Southern Yellow Pine Wood Fiber creates longer-lasting mats that are 5X stiffer and 30% stronger than traditional bolted mats. Our CLT temporary access mats are engineered for maximum durability and will not diamond or deform if dropped or mishandled.

Cost Effective Temporary Access Mats

The lightweight of GFI’s CLT mats allows us to transport 72 mats per load, increasing your transportation and saving you up to 60%. Since CLT mats are 40% lighter than most traditional bolted mats, you will be able to easily fit more mats on shuttle trucks and loaders, saving you up to 40% on installation and removal costs.

Rent or Buy Temporary Access Mats From GFI Solutions

Contact us today to learn more about our wide range of temporary access solutions for your next project!

Why Your Project Needs GFI Solutions’ Access Mats

Why Your Project Needs GFI Solutions’ Access Mats

Mar 27, 2023 | Access Mats, News

When your project requires access matting, you need mats that will bring incredible value to your project’s bottom line. Fortunately, GFI Solutions is your source for industry-leading access solutions! Our team of experts proudly distributes reliable, safe, and high-quality access mats to companies and projects across Western Canada and nationwide. Regardless of the industry you’re working in, when you need access mats, you need ones you can depend on. At GFI Solutions, one of our most popular access matting products is our Site Safe Cross Laminated Timber mats. Next, we’ll tell you more about our Site Safe access mats and why you should switch and save with GFI Solutions! Continue reading to find out more!

Quality You Can Depend On

As a leading manufacturer and distributor of access solutions, GFI Solutions offers innovative and durable access mats suitable for numerous types of terrain. In particular, our Site Safe Cross Laminated Timber (CLT) access mats are industry-leading access solutions as they outperform traditional bolted mats in many ways. From overall lifespan to transportation costs, installation, and more, GFI Solutions’ Site Safe CLT access mats are your top choice for high-performance temporary roadways, staging yards, drilling pads, work surfaces and other applications where you need a stable foundation. When your project needs high-quality access solutions, trust GFI Solutions’ Site Safe CLT access mats!

Access Products Built to Last

Part of what makes GFI Solutions‘ access matting stand out from the competition is that we ensure our access solutions are built to last. Most notably, GFI Solutions’ Site Safe CLT access mats are quality control tested to ensure their durability and overall performance. These access mats are manufactured through an innovative process that adheres Long Leaf Southern Yellow Pine wood fiber together perpendicularly instead of using bolts. This process makes Site Safe CLT access mats significantly stronger than traditional bolted mats. Furthermore, since GFI Solutions’ Site Safe CLT access mats are not manufactured with bolts, these mats evenly distribute the weight of heavy machinery and equipment across the mat’s entire surface, making them more durable and flexible. So if you’re looking for an access mat that will last through even the most demanding applications, trust GFI Solutions’ Site Safe CLT access mats!

The Lightweight and Industry-Leading Option

One of the critical benefits of GFI Solutions’ access matting is that our Site Safe CLT mats are lightweight and easy to transport and install. The kiln dried lumber and eco-friendly adhesive used on our Site Safe CLT access mats significantly reduces the overall weight of these mats. At the same time, the wax sealer on all four edges provides a moisture barrier that reduces the risk of rot, decay, and cross-contamination. Moreover, since Site Safe CLT access mats weigh significantly less than traditional bolted mats, you can save up to 60% on transportation costs! If you need access matting that is lightweight and cost-effective, GFI Solutions’ Site Safe CLT access mats are your best option!

Access Mats and More at GFI Solutions!

At GFI Solutions, we proudly provide innovative solutions and exceptional customer service. In addition to our Site Safe CLT access mats, we offer a range of A, B, and C-grade bolted access mats, rig mats, access bridges, crane mats and more! Our inventory and value-adding turn-key services make GFI Solutions your one-stop shop for all your access solution needs. To learn more about our offering of access mats, contact our 24/7 customer service team today!

The Benefits of CLT Access Mats For Industrial Projects

The Benefits of CLT Access Mats For Industrial Projects

Mar 27, 2023 | Access Mats, News

Remote industrial projects are challenging, especially with Canada’s harsh and rugged terrain. When it comes to facilitating the transport of equipment and goods, you will need strong, durable and long-lasting access mats to ensure the safety and efficiency of your project. For those in the construction, infrastructure, oil & gas, mining and other heavy industries, CLT mats have become the go-to choice! Learn more about the benefits of CLT mats for industrial projects below!

How Are CLT Access Mats Manufactured? 

While traditional access mats use bolts to fasten wooden planks together, Cross Laminated Timber (CLT) access mats are created using a unique adhesive to bond the layers of wood together. Unlike traditional access mats, where Douglas Fir is used as the wood fiber, CLT mats are manufactured from Long Leaf Southern Yellow Pine Fibre, which is lighter, stronger and more environmentally friendly than Douglas Fir. The process of bonding layers of Southern Yellow Pine wood fiber allows our CLT mats to outperform traditional botled douglas fir mats. Some of the benefits include:

  • Strength:

Even though CLT mats are 40% lighter than regular bolted mats, they offer 30% more strength! They can easily and safely withstand the weight of heavy machinery, cranes, rigs, excavators and more!

  • Flexibility:

The unique manufacturing process of CLT access mats allows for better weight distribution across the mat. Unlike bolted mats, where the weight is only focused on the bolts, CLT mats evenly distribute the weight across the surface to prevent breakage and maintain the smooth operation of your project.

  • Durability:

A vital step in engineering Site Safe CLT mats is using a wax sealant and glue lamination to ensure maximum life longevity from rot and decay. CLT access mats offer twice the strength and are 5X stiffer than conventional bolted mats. If dropped or mishandled, CLT mats will not diamond or easily deform.

  • Environmentally Friendly:

CLT access mats are designed to offer project managers and contractors an environmentally friendly access solution. Not only is the adhesive used to bond the wood environmentally safe, but Southern Yellow Pine Wood is also grown to harvestable maturity in 20 years. Instead of using strong metals and unsustainable wood, CLT access mats are manufactured with sustainability in mind.

  • Multiple Options:

At GFI Solutions, we understand that each project has its unique challenges, which is why we offer multiple CLT access mats suitable for your unique needs. Rather than settling for a one-size-fits-all access mat, you can choose one of our multiple sizes available or contact us for custom manufacturing.

Purchase CLT Access Mats Today! 

GFI Solutions is proud to be Western Canada’s leading source for CLT access mat solutions! Contact our team to learn more about our matting solutions today!