Kemsley Paper Mill

Project Information

Abfad Limited were brought in on a project to refurbish the ceiling and replace walls in a modern paper mill, this presented a range of unique and demanding problems.

Against strong competition from major civil engineering and construction companies, Abfad secured the contract with an innovative plan involving the design, fabrication and installation of suspended decks and platforms, and the use of advanced Copon sealant polyurethane and finish coat systems.

Unique and Demanding Challenges

The mill presented a unique challenge, as during the project, there could be NO disruption to it’s 24 hour a day operation. The working environment inside the paper mill consisted of very hostile humidity and temperature (45-60^o C) conditions which had to be overcome. Health and safety of mill employees, Abfad technicians, and the safety of sensitive paper process equipment had to be assured.

Project Highlights

Some 5,000 sq.m of the concrete ceiling running the length of the mill had to be cleaned, repaired and prepared for treatment, and two concrete walls either side of a large skylight atrium had to be removed and replaced with WARD insulated wall panels.

To tackle these requirements Abfad created a mobile platform (35.6m x 8m) and installed its two main beams on the mill’s own overhead crane rails using a 300 tonne crane. Once the platform fabrication was completed it was installed using rope access technology and rigging equipment to secure the interconnecting sections.

Abfad also designed and installed a special steel deck, plate by plate, using rope access and rigging to span the 176ft skylight atrium opening, to allow work to be carried out and also prevent any interruption to the mill’s paper operation.

A secure disposal system was also designed to deal with over 200 tonnes of debris. An important factor for Abfad was ensuring that all ceiling and atrium working areas were sealed to prevent debris spillage and equipped with effective environmental controls.

Protective Coatings

The client selected three Copon guarenteed warranty coating systems to protect the renovated mill ceiling:

• Copon 165 sealer – designed especially to penetrate porous concrete and increase its tensile strength, whilst also acting as a primer for a range of solvent free urethane coatings.
• Copon 170 EL – an elastomeric polyurethane rapid cure flexible lining that is impact, abrasion and chemical resistant. It provided a fully waterproof coating to prevent any deterioration in the mill’s humid atmosphere.
• Copon HBF – a single pack moisture cure polyurethane designed to give a cosmetic but resilient colour fast finish.

Mission Impossible a Success

The ceiling was renovated to specification in just 8 weeks, which was 4 weeks ahead of schedule, with a 100% safety record, and absolutely no disruption to mill operations.