May 19, 2022 | Access Mats, News
Now is the time to change your current access matting options and upgrade to a more robust, safer and cost-effective option. Customers in heavy industries such as oil and gas, mining, and even forestry count on GFI Solutions to provide safe site crane mats for sale and rent.
We are proud to be the leading Canadian supplier of Sterling’s site safe access mat solutions, offering you innovative and safe matting solutions for your upcoming project. Our Cross Laminated Timber (CLT) access mats are among the highest quality crane and rig mats available on the market. Read on to learn more about the many benefits of our crane access mats.
Engineered to Succeed
CLT crane mats are engineered to be more durable, lighter and faster to install than traditional bolted access mats. Instead of bolts, the wooden planks, made from Southern Yellow Pine, are glued together using an environmentally safe adhesive which saves you up to 40% on labour and up to 50% on freight costs.
Eliminating the use of bolts decreases the weight of our CLT mats, making them approximately two-thirds the weight of traditional bolted mats. This will allow you to fit up to 72 mats per load, significantly cutting your transportation cost. The lightweight CLT crate mats will also enable you to fit more mats on shuttle trucks and loaders, increasing your savings on installation and removal.
Stability and Support
When using crane mats, you are looking for mats that provide stability during heavy lifts and support the weight of your machinery. Our CLT crane mats are able to withstand heavy loads as the adhesion allows the mats to flex under pressure and distribute weight evenly throughout the mat rather than putting stress on certain bolted areas. The flexibility of the mat ensures the durability and high performance of our CLT mats even under heavy loads.
We offer the standard 500 series, 5-ply CLT mat, available in several sizes, ready to handle the heavy machinery in your project. For more robust mats best suited for heavier loads, we also offer the 700 series, a seven-ply CLT. Some projects require mats with different specifications and sizes; you can contact our team for customized CLT mats.
GFI Solutions work with our customers to ensure a smooth schedule for all projects. We offer matting solutions, including sales and rentals, mat washing, installation and inventory management. Contact GFI today to learn more.
Apr 25, 2022 | Access Mats, News
Winter is on the way out, and with the snow finally starting to melt, it’s time to make sure that you have everything you need for the upcoming construction and development season. Whether you’re in the construction, oil & gas, mining, forestry, petrochemical, or related heavy industrial sectors, you already know just how important it is to have the right tools for the job in place before breaking ground. At GFI Solutions, we’re proud to be one of Canada’s top choices for site access solutions, including a wide range of heavy-duty site-safe CLT access mats. Designed to tackle the toughest jobs on-site while saving you time, money, and avoiding plenty of headaches along the way, CLT rig and crane mats offer plenty of benefits to every job site, and GFI is here to ensure you have the products you need when it matters most. Learn more about the benefits of CLT crane mats and partnering with GFI below!
Leave the Past Behind
There’s been a large pain point in the safe access industry for decades, but until fairly recently, there hadn’t been a vetted solution for the frustration caused by traditional bolted matting. Despite being the go-to solution in the past, bolted mats have a reputation for sudden failures and heavy shipping fees, neither of which are ideal for procurement managers. Cross Laminated Timber (CLT) access mats have stepped up to fill the void and performance demands left by bolted mats and give you plenty of benefits to enjoy on the job site including weighing 40% less than oak mats, a life cycle that lasts 3-5 times longer, and 500 and 700 series that can easily outperform traditional crane and rig matting. Best of all, the lower weight of CLT mats means you’ll save significantly when shipping your mats, with each load being capable of carrying up to 60% more than standard bolted mats.
How it Works
CLT crane and access mats are set apart from competitors thanks to their unique manufacturing process. While bolted mats are created by bolting materials together (hence the name), Cross Laminated Timber (CLT) mats are created by bonding alternating perpendicular layers of wood with an environmentally safe adhesive. Bonding the planks together allows them to flex and focus weight on ALL aspects of the mat, rather than straining on bolt points and risking sudden failures. The flexibility of the mats allows for superior durability and performance, even under heavy loads, project after project. Our 500 series is a 5 ply CLT mat, available in multiple sizes, and for extra heavy lifting, we’re pleased to offer a 700 series for the toughest jobs you face.
Crane Mats at GFI
With decades of industry experience on our side, the team at GFI knows how important it is to have the right solutions available with minimal wait times or ordering hassle. Our commitment to you extends well beyond offering superior products to exceptional round-the-clock service. 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.
Apr 18, 2022 | Access Mats, News
Installing access mats that can withstand heavy weights as well as extreme weather conditions is every contractor’s dream. Finding the right balance between quality and affordability is another challenge contractors face, especially if the only option is to ship heavy bolted mats that blow up your budget.
Cross Laminated Timber (CLT) access mat is the solution for every contractor’s problem. Not only are the access mats significantly more robust than standard bolted mats, but CLT mats are also shipped up to 50% more in a single load due to their lightweight structure. Read on to learn all you need to know about CLT access mats and the multiple benefits you can expect.
What is CLT?
The process of bonding wooden layers together using a unique adhesive to create an access mat is Cross Laminated Timber. Standard access mats bolt wooden planks together instead of adhesive, resulting in splints, damage and quick wear and tear. The adhesion used in CLT access mats allows for an even distribution of weight throughout the entire mat, resulting in less chance of damage and longer longevity. USDA Forest Products Laboratory, San Diego State University and Henkel Adhesives have all tested the strength of our CLT access mats and validated their durability. The durability of the CLT access mats allows GFI solutions to sell and rent out as many mats as you need, as you can easily reuse them for several projects.
Why Should You Switch To CLT Access Mats?
CLT access mats are an asset to any worksite, especially under the heaviest of loads such as cranes and rigs. Switching to CLT access mats enhances your worksite as they offer the following benefits:
- Withstand extreme conditions, including heat and cold
- Repel moisture and rot as all four edges are laminated using glue and wax
- Gap-less, solid matting top reduces tripping accidents
- Longer lifespan than bolted mats
- Safe for the environment
- Lightweight mats reduce shipping costs since more CLT mats can be shipped than bolted products and more!
Where can I Buy/Rent CLT Access Mats?
GFI Solutions is proud to be a distributor for Sterling Solutions, offering a wide range of TerraLam® products, including TerraLam® 300 CLT and TerraLam® 500 CLT access mats, access bridges and more. We guarantee the strength and durability of our mats; you will never be required to pay for damaged or replaced mats. GFI is ready to provide you with CLT crane access mats engineered to suit your project’s specifications whether you are looking to rent or purchase them.
When Will I Need to Switch to CLT Access Mats?
The sooner you switch to CLT access mats, the quicker you can guarantee a safe job site. GFI Solutions looks for long-term partnerships with our customers, helping you maintain all the safety measures necessary for your access mating needs. Once you request a quote, an expert from GFI Solutions will review your project and suggest the best access matting solution for your business. We also provide you with support 24/7 through our qualified team members.
Feb 3, 2021 | Access Mats, News
GFI Solutions is your first choice when it comes to site access solutions all across Canada. With an inventory that features the top products from the industry leader Sterling Solutions, our team is proud to help clients in the oil & gas, mining, forestry, construction, and related heavy industries create viable temporary access solutions and offers both sales and rentals of access, crane and rig mats for your convenience. As Canada’s exclusive source for TerraLam® access mats, including their heavy-duty 500 line, you can count on GFI to help you get where you need to go. Learn more about TerraLam® mats, as well as GFI’s rental solutions, below.
TerraLam® CLT Mats: The New Way Forward
If you’re tired of wasting vital funding on access matting solutions that are prone to breaking between projects, you’re not alone. While traditional bolted mats have been the standby for years, their heavy shipping costs and tendency to crack under pressure have left many looking for a better solution. In a bid to address these issues, TerraLam® Cross Laminated Timber (CLT) mats were designed to improve upon the groundwork left by bolted mats. With a profile that weighs up to 40% less than bolted mats and a lifecycle that’s 3-5 times longer, TerraLam® CLT mats offer superior performance and ROI, regardless of if you choose to rent or buy. As one of the most preferred brands on the market, Sterling’s line of TerraLam® mats offer exceptional value, and the 500 series is capable of tackling the toughest jobs typically reserved for rig and crane mats. Best of all, the lower weight of TerraLam® mats means you’ll be able to save significantly when shipping your mats to the site, with each load being capable of carrying up to 60% more than standard bolted mats.
Discover the Difference
CLT rig and access mats differ from bolted mats due to their unique composition and manufacturing process. Unlike bolted mats, TerraLam® CLT mats are created by bonding alternating perpendicular layers of wood with an environmentally safe adhesive. This composition allows the mats to flex under pressure and evenly distribute weight rather than putting stress on specific bolt points. This flexibility allows for superior durability and performance, even under heavy loads, project after project. The 500 series is a 5 ply CLT available in multiple sizes and is well equipped to handle heavy machinery, cranes, and the various demands as faced by those in the oil & gas industry. If you require even more strength we also offer the 700 series which is a 7 ply CLT.
GFI: There When It Matters Most
With decades of combined experience in the access solutions industry under our belts, GFI knows just how important it is to have access to reliable, cost-effective solutions when it matters most. Our commitment to our customers extends well beyond offering superior products to exceptional round the clock service. 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. Whether you’re looking to test out the durability of TerraLam® CLT mats before buying or need to replace failing mats, we’re here to help. Contact our team today to learn more.
