The Versatility of Temporary Access Mats in Industrial Applications

Sep 15, 2023 | Access Mats, News

Across the industrial sector, heavy machinery, large equipment and challenging terrains are commonplace. That’s why having reliable and efficient access solutions is critical. This is where GFI Solutions’ range of temporary access mats comes into play. Our versatile mats offer a range of benefits in industrial applications as they provide safe and stable access to otherwise inaccessible locations. Next, we will explore the versatility of GFI Solutions’ temporary access mats and how they enhance productivity and safety in various industrial settings. Keep reading to find out more!

Enhanced Safety

In any industrial environment, safety should be a top priority. GFI Solutions’ temporary access mats offer a reliable solution for creating safe pathways, even in hazardous or challenging conditions. Our traditional bolted and CLT access mats are designed to withstand significant loads, providing stability for equipment and vehicles while minimizing the risk of accidents and injuries. Whether you’re working on a muddy construction site, oil and gas operations or a mining site, GFI Solutions’ temporary access mats offer a secure surface that ensures your workers can confidently navigate the area.

Access to Challenging Terrains

Often industrial projects work in remote or challenging locations such as wetlands, marshes, or even sandy areas. GFI Solutions’ temporary access mats excel in such conditions by distributing the weight of your vehicles and equipment, preventing them from sinking into the ground below. With our new or used mats in place, construction, maintenance, and transportation becomes more cost-effective and efficient, and GFI Solutions’ access mats eliminate the need for extensive ground preparation or the creation of permanent roads.

Environmental Preservation

As the industrial sector continues to push for more sustainable and environmentally-friendly practices preserving the environment has become a significant concern in these applications. GFI Solutions’ temporary access mats provide an eco-friendly alternative to other access solutions. Companies can reduce their ecological footprint by utilizing our mats (especially our CLT access mats). Moreover, GFI Solutions’ access mats help prevent soil erosion and protect sensitive ecosystems, ensuring minimal disruption to the natural environment during industrial operations.

Versatility in Different Industries

GFI Solution’s inventory of new and used traditional bolted and CLT access mats can be used across various industries. For instance, our mats are essential for creating temporary roads and pathways on remote sites in the oil and gas sector, allowing for more efficient transportation, maintenance and operations. While at the same time, access mats enable smoother operations in construction projects by providing stability for machinery and equipment, allowing the projects to progress regardless of weather or ground conditions. The agricultural industry can also benefit from temporary access mats, as they facilitate better access to fields for harvesting and managing crops. Overall, GFI Solutions’ temporary access mats are incredibly versatile and durable, making them suitable for almost any project, regardless of the industry.

Access Mats and More from GFI Solutions

Temporary access mats are indispensable across numerous industrial applications as they provide multiple benefits. By investing in GFI Solutions’ access mats, companies can ensure the smooth operation of their projects, mitigate risks, and achieve greater productivity.

At GFI Solutions, we recognize the importance of temporary access mats. We are committed to providing innovative solutions that cater to the evolving needs of industrial environments. That’s why we offer several temporary access mat solutions, including traditional bolted mats, CLT access mats, and used mats. Contact our team today to learn more about our inventory of access solutions!

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.