Oct 4, 2022 | Access Mats, News
Are you a project manager searching for access solutions that will last throughout your project? Does the work you’re doing involve heavy equipment and machinery? If so, rig mats from GFI Solutions are an excellent choice to ensure your project is safe, accessible, and gets finished on time. Whether you’re working in the oil and gas, renewable energy, construction, or another industry, rig mats are a safe access solution that can save money and time. At GFI Solutions, we are proud to be the premier distributor of Sterling Solutions TerraLam CLT access and rig mats. Are you interested in learning more about rig mats and the differences between CLT and traditional bolted mats? Continue reading to learn more!
How Rig Mats Work
Rig mats are a subcategory of access mats primarily used for heavy machinery. They are manufactured with five layers of solid wood to support the additional weight of rigs, cranes, and other heavy equipment, which can be used to replace 8×20 and 8×40 traditional steel frame rig mats. These particular mats can manage a range of weight loads. Similar to access matting, rig mats provide heavy equipment and workers with a safe means of accessing project worksites while still protecting the environment they’re used in.
CLT Vs. Traditional Steel Frame Rig Mats
Traditional Steel Frame Rig Mats can leave your project in a bind when they break down between jobs or, worse, in the middle of production if you’ve had enough with bolted mats costing you more and more on your bottom line. In that case, you can save more today by switching to Sterling Solutions TerraLam Cross Laminated Timber (CLT) mats from GFI Solutions!
Through an innovative process that includes bonding alternating perpendicular layers of Southern Yellow Pine with eco-friendly adhesive, CLT mats are manufactured. Compared to traditional bolted mats, CLT mats have more flexibility under the weight of significant loads. This flexibility allows the mats to disperse the weight strain more effectively, preventing the mat from breaking as quickly. In addition to their greater flexibility, CLT mats weigh significantly less than their bolted counterparts. That means you can fit more mats per load, resulting in savings in transportation and delivery costs. Aside from their reduced weight, CLT mats also have a 3-5 times longer lifespan than traditional bolted mats. That means your overall return on investment is more significant when you use CLT mats. At GFI Solutions, our team of experts can assist you with determining the number of access mats your project requires. Our team is available 24/7 to support you with whatever access solution questions you may have.
Alberta’s Source for Access Solutions
As the exclusive Canadian partner for Sterling Solutions, GFI Solutions is proud to provide our customers with robust, high-quality access matting. Beyond access matting, we also offer a range of services such as delivery and installation, inventory management, mat washing, turnkey services and more. Our team can connect with you to ensure you get the access solutions you need to keep your Alberta project operating smoothly. Contact us today if you’re interested in learning more about GFI Solutions’ range of rig mats, access mats, or services!
Aug 30, 2022 | Access Mats, News
Looking for portable access mats that are used to support heavy machinery during construction or oil drilling operations? Look no further! GFI Solutions’ drilling mats are manufactured to provide you with matting solutions that are safe, durable and affordable. Whether you need to build a portable road over unstable terrain or create a passage to a pipeline, GFI’s access solutions will help you pave the way. Read on to learn more about our matting solutions!
Protect The Land, The Machinery and The Crew
Operations on biochemical and petrochemical worksites can cause severe damage to the environment as chemical spillage can destroy habitats, kill wildlife or even contaminate vital resources in the food chain. Using drilling mats on the worksite protects the land from any toxic materials.
Drilling mats also help protect your machinery and workers, no matter the circumstances. Whether the terrain is wet, muddy or simply unstable, on-land drilling mats will help protect your equipment and support heavy machinery. Companies in the mining industry also prefer the use of drilling mats as they provide a safe and solid terrain for easier storage of equipment and materials.
Canadian weather can also negatively affect your crew. Wetlands or ice surfaces create an unsafe work environment where your workers are prone to accidents due to uneven and dangerous grounds. Drilling mats ensure your workers’ safety, regardless of the weather conditions.
Durable And Robust
Unlike regular access mats, drilling mats have a steel frame that increases their strength, enabling them to withstand heavy machinery like:
- Drilling Rigs
- Oil Rigs
- Pumps
- Compressors
- Storage Tanks
- And more!
Cost-Effective
At GFI Solutions, we understand that projects can require a large number of mats to cover the area of a worksite, which is why we offer our partners our cost-effective Cross Laminated Timber (CLT) access mats. Our CLT mats are built using Southern Yellow Pine wood, which is 30% harder than most common wood fibre and is two-thirds the weight of traditional bolted mats. Shipping CLT access mats can save you up to 60% in transportation costs and up to 40% on installation and removal costs. With our CLT mats, you will no longer have to worry about cutting down on the number of access mats needed to fully cover the worksite.
Partner With GFI Solutions Today
Our matting solutions are designed to offer our partners top-notch quality at an affordable price. Partner with GFI Solutions and request a quote for your upcoming project.
Jun 24, 2022 | Access Mats, News
Edmontonians have been experiencing drastic changes in the weather for a while, resulting in muddy terrain, soft soil and an uneven landscape. Accordingly, outdoor construction sites have become almost impossible to work on without the use of crane/rig mats to ensure a safe worksite. Due to the extreme changes in the weather, most matting solutions are, unfortunately, quickly damaged, delaying your project and increasing your budget.
GFI Solutions have engineered safe and budget-friendly matting solutions and offer exceptional customer services to meet all your matting needs. Read on to learn more about our unique matting solutions and services.
Dependable Foundation
Heavy industrial sectors face challenges that require sturdy and long-lasting matting solutions. GFI Solutions is proud to introduce bolted and Cross Laminated Timber (CLT) rig mats that provide a safe foundation for heavyweight equipment during weather fluctuations. Our CLT rig mats have proven to be our customer’s to-go-to choice that provides a dependable and robust foundation for their matting needs.
Engineered using Southern Yellow Pine, our CLT mats are 30% harder than the competition, allowing our mats to provide a sturdier foundation for your heavy machinery. Southern Yellow Pine is also sustainable from growth to cutting, conversion to lumber and even disposal; it takes significantly less time to harvest than other hardwood options.
Additionally, our CLT rig mats are constructed using an environmentally safe adhesive that is biodegradable and provides a smooth surface for safer transportation. The adhesive is also used to provide a moisture barrier to protect the rig mat from extreme weather changes and prevent possible rot and decay.
Robust Foundation
The reliability and strength of our mats come from the adhesion process (Cross Laminated Timber). Adhered CLT mats allow for more flexibility within the mat, distributing the weight of heavy equipment equally throughout the mat. This process not only provides a robust foundation but also increases the longevity of the rig mats. GFI’s rig mats are guaranteed to last long no matter the project.
Fast Shipping
Our CLT mats are lighter in weight as the wooden planks are adhered together instead of using bolts. This allows GFI to fit more mats on shuttle trucks, approximately 72 mats per load, saving you up to 60% in transportation costs and up to 40% on installation and removal. You can count on CLT mats to provide you with the strength and durability you need while staying within the budget you have.
Request A Quote Today!
Contact our team of experts to learn more about bolted and CLT mats in Edmonton.
Jun 16, 2022 | Access Mats, News
Our Canadian terrain faces some unique challenges associated with the ever-changing climate throughout the year. The freeze-thaw cycle and extreme temperatures can leave your work site’s foundation riddled with mud, ice, snow, and uneven ground, making transportation difficult. If you’re a project manager looking to stay on track and budget, site-safe access mats offer safety and affordability with minimal disruption.
At GFI Solutions, we are Canada’s leading provider of access mats, including Sterling Solutions’ line of TerraLam® CLT mats. When it comes to the heavy-duty needs of our drilling sector customers, we know there’s no room for error or subpar mats. Keep reading to learn more about CLT mats!
TerraLam® CLT Matting an Industry Leader
Engineered to be up to 40% lighter than standard bolted mats, GFI’s TerraLam® CLT mats are a step towards incredible quality. Cross Laminated Timber (CLT) provides significant improvements over traditional bolted mats. They’re manufactured through a process that involves adhering perpendicular layers of wood together to create a solid structure that has a 3-5 times longer lifespan. Even under heavy pressure, our TerraLam® mats provide exceptional access solutions that make them well suited for a range of applications and job sites.
TerraLam® has two options in their safety access mats the 500-series and the 300-series. The 500-series lineup is ideal for supporting heavy-duty trucks and tracked equipment like those expected of rig and crane mats. Meanwhile, the 300-series are best suited for general ground protection, access roads, and drilling/equipment staging platforms. At GFI Solutions, our offering of TerraLam® access mats is sure to be the drilling mats you can count on.
CLT Mats V.S. Bolted Mats
While bolted mats or timber mats are the traditional choices for access solutions, that doesn’t mean they’re the best option available in the market. One of the main factors that make bolted mats less suited for most industries is that they’re made from hard and softwood. With no specific standard to control the quality, timber mats have a short lifespan. In comparison, CLT mats are made from high-grade Southern Yellow Pine, which makes CLT mats better suited for heavy-duty jobs and challenging conditions. At GFI, our CLT mats also offer the following advantages:
- High impact resistance and durability.
- 3-5 times the lifespan of bolted mats.
- Glue lamination and wax sealed on all four edges of the mat results in a mat less prone to moisture and rot.
- Resistance to our Canadian climate.
- Solid top, which reduces tripping hazards.
- Decreased shipping costs due to the lightweight nature of the mats (more CLT mats can be shipped in comparison to bolted mats), and more!
GFI Solutions Your Source for Access Solutions
From heavy-duty applications like drilling and rig work to custom roadways for your unique project, GFI Solutions is here to help you build the transportation solutions you need. We are proud to be Alberta’s top choice for safe access solutions; that’s why GFI offers a range of services, including 24/7 rental and sales support, expedited delivery, installation, and more. If you’re looking to try out the durability of our TerraLam® CLT mats before buying or need to replace a failing mat as soon as possible, GFI is here to help. Contact our team today to learn more!
Apr 25, 2022 | Access Mats, News
High performance and budget-friendly are the two vital factors rarely met when purchasing drilling rig mats for your project. You will mostly find yourself in a constant struggle between choosing a product of excellent quality at an extremely high price or sacrificing quality for a more affordable option.
For the past five years, GFI Solutions experts have been dedicated to addressing the problems associated with finding cost-effective and high-quality rig mats. We have since introduced the TerraLam® 300 3 ply and TerraLam® 500 5 ply Cross Laminated Timber (CLT) access mats. Not only are the mats more durable and stronger than traditional bolted mats, but they also are safer, reduce damage and have lower replacement and transportation costs. GFI Solutions offers you the highest quality of access mats at a budget you can afford; read on to learn the benefits of partnering with GFI solutions.
All Year Round Service
Partnering with GFI Solutions gives you access to 24/7 service 365 days a year. Our team of experts is available to ensure support and smooth operations with any forthcoming project. We will provide you with the tools needed to rectify any mishaps, delays or damage during your project. You no longer have to worry about the quality of your equipment since all our products abide by constructional and environmental guidelines, which are tested thoroughly through several conditions to guarantee excellent performance all year round. GFI Solutions is ready to ship the necessary mats you need wherever you are in Canada.
Safe Site Access Mats
GFI Solutions access mats are dependable for all your upcoming heavy-duty access projects. Unlike traditional bolted mats, our CLT access mats are designed to strengthen the bonding between the wooden planks by using environmentally friendly adhesive. The adhesion reduces the gaps between the wooden planks, which allows for more flexibility and durability than standard bolted mats. The design of our CLT mats is engineered to distribute weight evenly through the entire mat leading to exceptional performance in the most demanding conditions.
Affordable High-Quality Access Mats
GFI Solutions guarantees high-quality access mats since TerraLam® CLT access mats are made with Southern Yellow Pine Wood Fibre, rather than using Douglas Fir (which is used in standard access mats). The use of Southern Yellow Pine Wood Fibre is 30% harder than Douglas Fir, enabling our mats to withstand heavy-duty applications, especially the ones used in the drilling industry. We understand the importance of cranes and rigs having a solid, reliable foundation, so we have engineered CLT mats to ensure safe site access mats that you can depend on to support your equipment, no matter the weight.
Partner With The Best Today
It is time to upgrade your worksite with access mats you can depend on. GFI Solutions guarantees reliable, high-performance access mats. Request a quote today!
