Sustainable Floor Solutions at JIMMY's with DR Flexjoint

How reassuring it is to rely on a durable, elastic transition between different floor sections. A permanent joint that you can effortlessly drive over, resistant to molds and bacteria, and even adheres to a concrete floor contaminated with vegetable oil.

At JIMMY’s, the popcorn professional established in Oud-Beijerland since 1992, they are already familiar with DR Flexjoint, the doctor's prescription for smooth floor transitions. Frank Visser, operational manager, shares: “We place great value on quality. Our company boasts one of the most modern production lines for ready-to-eat popcorn. We also set high standards for the environment in which we produce this popcorn. It must be safe and clean.” Unfortunately, several past floor repairs repeatedly caused problems. Therefore, when Frank learned about a permanent joint solution, he contacted Arno Dohmen of DR Flexjoint, part of Ruys Groep in Apeldoorn.

Expansion joint outside production time

Arno explains: “We received a call and visited Oud-Beijerland. We then resolved the issue of two floor transitions and a repair near a drain. The expansion joint work, using the food flexjoint, was done on a Saturday outside of production hours. The task was completed within eight hours. For food companies, it’s crucial to achieve this quickly and with minimal downtime. At JIMMY’s, we faced an additional challenge. The popcorn process uses vegetable oil. The concrete floor was saturated with it. We found that the food flexjoint permanently adheres even to this floor.”

The doctor's prescription for smooth floor transitions

Strengthening the weakest spot

Ruys Groep has been laying floors for food companies for over 50 years. They recognize that the transition between floor sections is a weak spot. Hendrik Ruys notes: “You’re dealing with two foundations requiring a moving joint. Concrete shrinks and expands. Previously, this was addressed with various profiles and angle lines, but these were not smooth or lasting solutions. Even if the joint protrudes by just 1 millimeter, it damages the floor, machines, and affects the drivers who experience a jolt each time.” This needed to change. Hendrik involved Arno in the development.

Spot repair with Flexjoint

“DR Flexjoint is a unique material, it flexibly moves with a shrinking or expanding floor, but you can’t press it down.” Arno developed this as a strong procedure for expansion joints without any profiles, in collaboration with suppliers. Intended for spot repair, not entire floors. It’s waterproof, beneficial for production spaces on upper floors. It adheres to damp and dirty floors. It’s also advantageous for robotization, preventing disruptions from steel pieces in the floor that could confuse a robot.

Durable and odourless

Arno discusses specific details: “The initial flexjoints smelled like nail polish, unacceptable in the food industry. We continued developing and testing until this odour was eliminated. Now it's odourless. The transition remains visible, with grey as the only colour option. We avoid adding dye as it causes a chemical reaction, impacting quality. We stand by the sustainable and ecological product labels of these products, like the USGBC Green Building Council.”

Total floor care

Hendrik emphasizes: “Preparation and repair are specialisms we excel in. We’ve trained two teams for this.” Arno underscores the importance of total care. “When you lay a floor that can last 40 years, you want a good transition too. Besides the flexjoint we successfully install in various industries, this food flexjoint positively contributes to floor preservation and hygiene. It also extends the lifespan of internal transport equipment and benefits the health of operators.”

www.ruysgroep.nl
www.jimmys.eu

Photo: Arno Dohmen (left) and Hendrik Ruys ©photo Hissink