Family-run T.F. Kinnealey & Co. located in Brockton, Mass., has been supplying high-quality beef and poultry throughout New England since 1939. As their business grew, so did their need for more space so, in 2009, they purchased a 70,000 square-foot building. Company President John Kinnealey looked at the expansion as an opportunity to create a state-of-the-art facility that would be both cost-effective and environmentally responsible.
Turning the existing industrial building into one suitable for meat processing posed a challenge, specifically when it came to the flooring. It was understood that the floors would be exposed to wear from forklifts, constant cleaning, thermal cycling, and exposure to sugars and oils from spilled product. To meet these challenges, a seamless, hybrid flooring system from Dur-A-Flex was chosen.
Dur-A-Flex’s Hybri-Flex® EB system was selected for its tolerance towards the abusive conditions. The system easily endures the frequent high temperature wash downs and stands up to the environments that are typical of food processing facilities. Hybri-Flex also has a low-VOC content and is manufactured regionally, which was crucial in helping meet Kinnealey’s goal for LEED certification for the facility.
To prepare for the new floor system, the existing concrete slab was replaced to accommodate new trench drains. The concrete was then sloped to the drains to eliminate standing water and areas that harbor bacteria, alleviating compliance concerns. Maintaining a sanitary environment is critical to Kinnealey and was one of the main reasons that a seamless floor system was chosen.
At the start of renovations, Kinnealey stipulated that floors must be easy to clean, resistant to thermal shock and be extremely durable. By choosing a Dur-A-Flex Hybri-Flex system, he got all that and more, with the added benefit of a great looking floor to “wow” customers when they walked through the door!