Jan 24, 2023 | Access Mats, News
Crane mats are commonly used across numerous oil & gas, power, and refinery projects. Worksites in these industries and others often rely on heavy-duty equipment to get the job done. That heavy equipment needs safe site access mats designed to withstand extreme weights and the many challenges of working remotely or in challenging environments.
Most project managers consider bolted mats the best choice for heavy machinery and equipment. However, the experts at GFI Solutions know that we have better access solutions than traditional bolted mats. Cross Laminated Timber (CLT) Mats are an innovative access solution that is more affordable, higher quality, and longer-lasting than conventional bolted mats. Below we’ll cover the CLT difference and some of GFI Solutions’ turnkey services. Continue reading to learn more!
The CLT Difference
For most worksites, bolted timber mats are the traditional choice; however, they’re not your only option! Cross Laminated Timber (CLT) mats perform far and above traditional bolted mats. CLT mats are manufactured from eco-friendly materials like Southern Yellow Pine and environmentally friendly adhesive instead of bolts. This allows the CLT mats to be gapless, lightweight, and more durable than traditional bolted mats. Bolts in crane mats can create splinters, pressure points and may cross-contaminate your working environment. CLT crane mats have a smooth top to reduce tripping, potential damage to your equipment, and environmental cross-contamination. In addition, GFI Solutions’ CLT mats are stronger and more durable than traditional bolted mats, so they can better withstand heavy loads and equipment. GFI Solutions’ Site Safe CLT mats are the best option for any remote project or worksite. They can withstand harsh weather conditions, challenging terrain, and heavy equipment. This maximizes your return on investment as they have a longer lifespan, are more durable and are lighter in weight. When you need reliable crane mats, or other services related to access matting, GFI Solutions is here to help!
Turnkey Services at GFI Solutions
At GFI Solutions, we are pleased to offer our customers more than just outstanding products! We also provide various turnkey services to ensure your project goes smoothly. Below are a few additional services we also offer:
- Inventory Management
- Mat Installation, Delivery, and Removal
- Custom Access Mat Manufacturing
- Access Mat Rentals
- 24/7 Services for Sales and Rentals
- Mat Washing
- Planning and Consultation
- And more!
Our team is proud to provide these services to our customers so they can get their projects operational quickly. So if you’re looking for crane mat installation, mat washing, rentals, or something else, GFI Solutions is sure to have the solution for you!
Get Started Today!
GFI Solutions has a range of crane mats, access mats, bridges, and more for all projects and worksites. Regardless of what industry you’re working in, GFI Solutions is here to provide the necessary support and services you need to get the job done on time and within budget. Ready to learn more about CLT mats and installation at GFI Solutions? Contact us today for more information on our safe site access solutions inventory.
Jan 11, 2023 | Access Mats, News, TerraCross Bridges
Contractors and project managers looking for access mats often refer to them as swamp mats. While swamp mats and access mats share similarities, they are quite different. Ordering the wrong mats for your project can result in frustration and delays, so before putting in your next order of site access mats, read the following blog to learn more about the different types of matting solutions you might need.
Access Mats
Starting with the most common type of matting option available, access mats. If you’re looking for a matting solution that can be used as temporary roads that help equipment move in and out of a job site, then you should be looking for access mats. They are manufactured in many sizes and can handle various weights. Generally, access mats come in either Cross-Laminated Timber (CLT) design or the traditional bolted format.
Swamp Mats
While access mats are often referred to as “swamp mats,” they do serve different purposes. Swamp mats are usually installed to support heavy equipment operating on soft ground. In warmer climates where rain and moisture are very common, the ground starts to become very soft and requires swamp mats to stabilize the ground.
Rig Mats
For those looking for site mats to support oil rigs and large-scale equipment such as construction equipment, then you should be looking for rig mats. Projects that require camps, drilling rigs, tanks and helipads would often opt for rig mats as they are engineered to withstand the weight of heavy machinery and provide the support needed.
Crane Mats
Crane mats are similar to rig mats but are designed with a steel frame that can withstand more weight and provide more support to heavy equipment than rig mats. GFI Solutions proudly offers the TerraLam®’s 500 series mats that feature the TerraLam 504 and TerraLam 508. Both crane mats are lighter and stronger than comparative mats and increase your saving!
Access Bridges
Access bridges are very common in the oil & gas, construction, petrochemical and forestry industries. Remote job sites can make it very difficult for heavy machinery to cross the terrain or even to transport material safely. Access bridges become very beneficial in remote work sites where access mats cannot provide the reliability needed. If your worksite is in an area where there are rivers, creeks or any major gaps in the terrain, access bridges can help you bridge the gap.
Get your Durable Site Access Solutions from GFI
Whether you’re looking to rent or purchase your next order of site access solutions, GFI is available 24/7 to help you with all your access matting needs. We also offer mat washing, installation, delivery, planning and consulting services to ensure that all your access matting needs are met. Contact us today!
Sep 12, 2022 | Access Mats, News
If your project requires heavy machinery, you should also make sure that you utilize a crane mat. Crane mats are engineered to keep your work site as safe and accessible as possible. Without crane matting, accessing your site and efficiently working on your project can be compromised, not to mention the potential for environmental damages can increase. At GFI Solutions, we offer both CLT and traditional bolted crane mat options. That way, you can finish your project on time and without other access-related issues; below, we’ll discuss CLT mats and the benefits of using crane mats on your project. Continue reading to learn more!
CLT Mats: Engineered for Success
TerraLam’s Cross Laminated Timber (CLT) crane mats are engineered to outperform traditional bolted mats. They offer customers increased durability and performance as they can flex under pressure without damage. CLT mats have a lifespan 3-5 times longer than bolted mats as they evenly distribute the weight of your equipment across the entire mat. In addition, the uniquely formulated adhesive in CLT mats also acts as a protective barrier against decay and rot while remaining environmentally friendly. At GFI Solutions, we’re proud to offer our customers CLT and traditional bolted matting options. The following will discuss the benefits of using both types of crane mats on your project.
Sturdy and Safe Surface
When working in our challenging Canadian environments, your equipment and workers will likely be forced to deal with uneven, soft, muddy terrain. If you try to use a crane without the adequate support it requires, your equipment is at risk of falling over, getting stuck, or being damaged. Nevertheless, crane mats from GFI Solutions can ensure your equipment is safe and secure.
Work More Efficiently
Attempting to use a crane on ground that’s soft or uneven can be a recipe for disaster. To navigate challenging environments, you’ll have to maneuver your equipment carefully. Even with the most careful driver behind the wheel, there are still many risks. Not to mention, working so cautiously can slow your project’s progress. Crane mats can assist your team in working more efficiently over challenging terrain by providing a durable foundation to work off of.
Prevent Your Equipment from Getting Stuck
In addition to providing a stable base, a crane mat prevents your equipment and workers from getting stuck in the mud. Depending on the terrain, your crane can quickly sink into the ground, especially after significant rainfalls or in swampy environments. Getting large and heavy equipment stuck in the mud can bring your project to a complete halt and potentially cause damage to expensive and vital components. A crane mat can provide a stable surface for heavy cranes and workers, and they’re easy to remove from a worksite once your project is completed.
Lightweight Crane Mats from GFI
At GFI Solutions, our team understands the challenges your project may face. Lightweight crane mats are an accessible, reliable, and cost-effective solution GFI proudly offers. In addition to access solutions, we also provide 24/7 service for rentals and sales, turnkey services, inventory management, and more! Are you interested in learning more about our crane mats? Contact GFI Solutions today!
May 11, 2022 | Access Mats, News
A safe worksite and smooth production are the primary focus for all contractors in any project. Traditional bolted timber crane mats have been used for years on end; however, several problems arise that cause a delay in production and, more often than not, casualties on-site. At GFI Solutions, we understand the importance of ensuring a secure worksite for your crew and equipment without interrupting the advancements of your workflow. We are proud to be Canada’s exclusive source for TerraLam access mats, including heavy-duty crane mats that guarantee safe, cost-effective and robust access mats. Learn more about why TerraLam mats are the perfect solution for your matting problems.
1. Top-Notch Quality
TerraLam mats are manufactured using Cross Laminated Timber (CLT). This is the process of using adhesive and wax sealer instead of bolts to bond the wooden planks together. The adhesion enables the board to flex under the pressure of heavy-duty machinery, which allows for even dispersion of pressure of, let’s say, crane mats, for instance, throughout the entire mat as opposed to specific bolt points. The equal distribution of extreme loads reduces the chance of sudden breakage or irreparable damage to the access mats and ensures excellent performance in the long run.
2. Necessary Safety Measures
The adhesion used in our CLT crane mats is environmentally safe and worksite safe. Unlike traditional bolted access mats, CLT mats eliminate the risk of tripping or puncture hazards for your crew and equipment. CLT crane mats also reduce the risk of invasive specimens embedding between the wooden gaps and allowing for water damage pumping throughout the mat. The solid, gap-less surface reduces the possibility of work-related injuries to maintain a smooth production process.
3. Exceptional Customer Support
Supporting our customers is always a priority at GFI Solutions, which is why we offer 24/7 service for rentals and sales to keep your production flow moving. In addition to an extensive inventory of access mats, we offer the following solutions:
- Turnkey services
- Inventory management
- Manufacturing
- Delivery & Installation
- Mat washing
- Planning & consultation, and more.
Become Our Partner Today!
GFI Solutions understand the importance of having accessible, reliable and cost-effective matting solutions in all industries. We are committed to our customers and provide various solutions to ensure the safe and smooth operations of your project. Whether you’re looking for renting or buying TerraLam CLT mats, GFI Solutions is ready to help. Contact our team today to learn more!
Apr 11, 2022 | Access Mats, News
Are you aware of just how versatile crane mats can be when it comes to protecting your job site and ensuring everyone has the right resources to proceed safely and efficiently? If you’re gearing up for a busy spring and summer season, GFI Solutions is here to make sure you have everything you need to succeed when it comes to site safe access solutions. As one of Canada’s leading suppliers of CLT access mats, GFI Solutions is proud to carry some of the highest quality crane and rig mats available on the market. Below, we’ll talk about the many applications of crane mats that you can use to benefit your sites in 2022. Read on to learn more!
Heavy Weight Champions
As many in the industrial sectors will already be aware, sometimes base-level equipment and solutions simply won’t meet the needs of your job. Those who have tried traditional bolted mats are likely already familiar with the frustration (and expense) that comes with constant breakages, and you’re no doubt wondering how you can find an access mat that can actually stand up to the needs of heavy equipment like rigs, cranes, excavators, and more.
Fear not; Cross Laminated Timber (CLT) access mats have you covered! Designed to be stronger, more flexible (and therefore less prone to sudden failures), and able to stand up to the heaviest jobs with minimal strain, CLT mats are your cost-effective perfect solutions. 500 level models are an ideal fit for crane and rig applications and are specifically designed to deal with intense loads, such as equipment and heavy transport.
Versatile Applications
CLT crane mats are one of the most versatile solutions available on the market, offering you a wide range of benefits like reducing cost thanks to the ability to ship more mats per load, a superior life cycle, and more. One of the best aspects of choosing CLT matting, in general, is that the high-level performance allows you to use them for a wide range of applications including:
Temporary Roadways
Canada’s landscape can be tough for heavy machinery to navigate, especially when you factor in constantly changing weather that constantly affects the terrain. Rig mats can be used to form makeshift roadways for your convoys, giving them safe and easy access to your job site when it matters most.
Cranes and Heavy Equipment
We all know that cranes and rig work can be one of the more challenging applications for traditional matting due to the weaknesses present at the standard bolting points on typical mats. CLT mats are able to flex under heavy equipment, making it easy for them to stay in place and act as a steady platform while you operated your rig. Having an extra layer between the ground and your equipment prevents you from sinking into the earth, and helps protect the surrounding environment as well.
The stability and strength offered by crane mats make them extremely useful when it comes to acting as a foundation for other heavy equipment like excavators, drills, and other vital construction assets that may challenge standard access matting.
Pipelines
Crane mats are also a staple when it comes to pipeline construction thanks to their durability. Heavy-duty mats are a frequent feature on job sites as they make it easy for trucks to navigate and equipment to work as needed with minimal disruptions or risk to the landscape in the long term. Crane mats can also be used as an air bridge over exiting lines to prevent traffic from coming into contact with the pipe itself.
Need Access Matting Solutions You Can Trust?
GFI is here to help. With 24/7 service all year round service and a robust inventory of safe access solutions that includes crane mats and more, our team is here to ensure you have the support you need Canada-wide. Contact us today to learn more!
