A local firm specialising in environmentally-friendly cleaning solutions has scrubbed up well after completing a prestigious contract that helped with the repaving of a Shropshire town.
Telford-based G-Force Steam was called upon to clean and apply a nanotechnology-based protective coating to approximately 300,000 new concrete paving stones used as part of a major refurbishment of Wellington town centre, which saw the entire repaving of New Street and Market Square, an area spanning approximately 5,000m2.
After the new concrete pavers were laid, they were steam-cleaned to remove any surface residue and dirt, before being sprayed with Flexiguard ™, a water-based, stain-resistant sealant manufactured by Oswestry-based surface technology specialists Signo Ltd.
Chris Garvey, Founder and Director of G-Force Steam, who was actually born and raised in Wellington, explained: “The sealant is free of environmentally-damaging solvents, and is made up of silicon dioxide molecules, which bond to the inner pores of the pavers to create a clear protective coating.
“While this layer is only 100-nm thick, which is 80,000 times thinner than a human hair, it is durable enough to enable the repaved surface to withstand a variety of potential hazards such as rain, frost and rock salt used in wintery conditions, right through to run-off from cement, fats, greases, and oils, for at least five years.”
Unlike many other fluorocarbon-based sealants, Flexiguard ™ is resistant to ultraviolet rays emitted from the sun, so the paving stones will not become discoloured over time, nor will they be prone to cracking.
“Using this sort of sealant also brings about a number of other long-term benefits,” Chris Garvey, continued. “Because it’s much more difficult for materials to adhere to the surface of the concrete pavers, they are much easier to clean. This, in turn, means that cleaning needs to be carried out less frequently, which obviously reduces overall maintenance costs, but also helps to preserve the lifespan of the stones.”
Adrian Elsdon, Site Manager of Telford-based civil engineering firm McPhillips (Wellington) Limited, the main contractor on the project, commented: “We’ve worked with Chris and the team at G-Force Steam on several recent projects, and were happy to offer them the opportunity to carry out the cleaning and sealing of the block pavers at Wellington. We received a very professional and accommodating approach under some awkward circumstances.”
The repaving of Wellington town centre was carried out as part of a £1.1 million suite of improvements funded by Telford and Wrekin Council, which included installing new bins and street furniture, street lighting and CCTV cameras.
G-Force Steam is one of the leading providers of environmentally-sound external cleaning solutions in the UK. With a passion for excellence, quality and the environment, G-Force Steam uses the latest technology and equipment to ensure that the cleaning process is carried out without using abrasive technology or harmful chemicals.
