How a new type of floor coating can reduce overheads


23.10.2018

What do we expect of a floor coating product? Matthias Dürig of Enzler Reinigungen AG has the answer. He regularly tests Wetrok products in the advanced development stage. He tested the new Mepol HM floor coating product in July 2017. This is a report about a successful attempt to save a floor from unnecessary refurbishment.

The coating clamp with the fleece cover glides smoothly across the floor, one line at a time. The already wet lines glisten in the sunlight. Any remaining dry spots are covered bit by bit in circular, overlapping movements. It takes less than an hour for Matthias Dürig, Regional manager of Enzler Reinigungen AG to finish applying the first coat.

From microfibre cloths to machines and methods – Matthias Dürig regularly tests the very latest Wetrok solutions before they are launched. He is a certified facility cleaning expert with a degree in Business Management. His mission: To field test the latest Wetrok developments and ensure that they are ready for market.

Test floor: A hard nut to crack
Matthias Dürig arranged to carry out a field test for Wetrok’s new Mepol HM floor coating product in July 2017. Enzler’s cleaning expert chose a very tough nut for the experiment: an extremely worn conference room floor on-site at the location of one of his customers from the manufacturing sector. Oil and grease residues have been trodden into this floor for many years and it had suffered countless scratches and dents from chair legs and falling objects. The customer had already decided that the only option left was to completely refurbish the floor. Or so he thought. Matthias Dürig convinced his customer to allow him to test a new coating to give the old floor one last chance.

20,000 Swiss Francs saved
The cleaning expert began by removing the old protective film using a single-brush machine. This basic cleaning step freed the floor from deeply engrained dirt particles. Then it was time for the test: Matthias Dürig poured the undiluted Mepol HM coating agent directly onto the floor and began distributing it with the application tool in circular motions. Once the first coat was dry, he repeated the coating process a second time. When it came to inspection, the customer could hardly recognise his old floor: no scratches, no discolouration, no dents – the floor was once again completely uniform. Floor refurbishment was postponed indefinitely. The customer was so happy with the result that he contracted Enzler Reinigungen AG with a Mepol HM treatment for the conference room across the hall as well. “All functional properties of the floor have been restored and it can be used for another five years without any issues”, explains Matthias Dürig, adding that “this saved the customer around 20,000 Francs”.

Employees appreciate the ease of use
Working with Mepol HM turned out to be very easy; the initial wetting was a lot more even than with other floor coating products and, according to Matthias Dürig, the result was impeccable. Enzler will from now on only use Mepol HM for any floor coating jobs. “We have a few canisters of the old formula still in stock, but our cleaners only want to work with the new Mepol HM now. They all agree that it is a great feeling to be able to promise the customer a perfectly coated floor for months to come”, reports Matthias Dürig about the feedback from his personnel.

Positive effects in terms of maintenance cleaning
After this test in 2017, Enzler Reinigungen AG continues to be the maintenance cleaning provider for that industrial facility. The newly attained resilience has had a positive effect on maintenance cleaning as well: “The entire cleaning process is much faster now, the mop glides effortlessly across the coating and dirt is removed much quicker”, says Matthias Dürig about the practical and ergonomic advantages.

Personnel at Enzler Reinigungen AG will soon be applying the new Mepol HM onto the linoleum floors at various universities and vocational colleges one line at a time. These institutions want to benefit from many more years of impeccable flooring as well.

A quick interview with Matthias Dürig, Regional Manager East of Enzler Reinigungen AG

“The customer was so enthusiastic about the coating result that the idea of refurbishing the floor was off the table immediately”

Why are you the right person to test new products?
I have always been fascinated by cleaning, because interdisciplinary thinking and a methodical approach can quickly help you to stand out from the crowd and delight your customers with superior results. An attractive floor coating is not much use, for example, if it is hard to remove later and possibly damages the floor underneath. You always have to think at least one step ahead. I have this attitude in everything I do every day and I am very critical, which means I will report weaknesses in a product objectively and without holding back. Wetrok appreciates and shares this attitude: A product that does not bring the maximum benefit to the customer belongs back in the research laboratory and has no place on the market.

What was your initial thought when Wetrok approached you to test the new Mepol HM?
I had already worked with the previous version of Mepol HM and was generally satisfied with it. I was told that the new formula aimed at creating a more homogeneous, tougher satin finish. This made me curious as to whether the new product could actually solve the notorious issues with matt coatings.

What are the key requirements for a floor coating product?
Looks are everything – that’s essentially what the client sees and what he measures quality by. A coated floor is seen as aesthetically pleasing when the protective film is applied absolutely evenly and there are no visible irregularities. Another important aspect is durability. The glide on the bottom of a chair leg should not leave any streaks or damage on the floor, for example. And there are two more aspects that concern application: The coating should not require a special application technique and it should be possible for untrained personnel to achieve good results. At the end of its service life, the coating should also be easy to remove. Many floor coating products do not meet this last requirement.

What were your experiences during the coating test?
I applied the product for the first time in July 2017 in a conference room, where the condition of the floor was extremely bad. Applying Mepol HM was fairly self-explanatory for me and my staff and the coating result was satisfying across the board. Surface damage sustained over many years was levelled out evenly, the depth of colour was restored, the floor was non-slip, there was no shine and walking on the coated floor left no tracks. The need to replace the old flooring was now off the table for the customer. There is nothing better than surpassing the expectations of a customer!

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