An independent manufacturer of tiling, building, construction and DIY products since 1978, Palace Chemicals aims to set the industry benchmark for sustainability, both in terms of its product launches and also the environmental measures installed at its Liverpool manufacturing facility.
One of the company’s most recent products has been developed to provide a more sustainable solution in installations which have underfloor heating or where large format tiles are being used. The EXTRA-LITE range is designed to meet the needs of the modern tiling market, Palace says, where lightweight easy-to-use products are in demand.
EXTRA-LITE Standard Set is described as an ultra-lightweight, thin and thick-bed, flexible tile adhesive, which features a highly polymer fortified S1 formulation designed to provide the flexibility required for fixing large format tiles and panels or where slight movement or vibration is likely. The product’s flexibility also makes it suitable for use where underfloor heating is installed. Mixed with water, the product is said to create a high-yield, lightweight and easy-to-apply paste with an extended open time and 50% reduced weight for each square metre applied.
In addition to its performance advantages EXTRA-LITE Standard Set is also a more sustainable choice, Palace says, containing more than 40% recycled materials, comprising sustainable raw materials taken from low carbon production processes. Furthermore, the company says, it provides the same performance, while doubling its coverage capability, meaning users can transport smaller volumes to each job.
There is also a rapid-set version, EXTRA-LITE Fast Set, that provides all the features of the standard product, but additionally has a working pot life of up to 60 minutes and cures to allow light foot traffic within three hours after application.
Steve Ball, commercial director at Palace Chemicals, said: “Our EXTRA-LITE adhesives have added to the comprehensive range from the Palace Chemicals’ tiling adhesives portfolio, meeting the demand for adhesives that not only work very well in today’s market conditions, but also provide a more sustainable solution, which is increasingly required by the market.”
Palace Chemicals gained its ISO 14001 BSI accreditation for Environmental Management Systems nearly 20 years ago, and continually searches for ways to reduce its carbon footprint and create better manufacturing systems, better working conditions and a healthier planet. The recent installation of a closed-loop dust extraction and recycling system is one such investment by the company. The system reportedly means there is zero waste produced during the company’s manufacturing processes.
It does this by ensuring that all airborne dust emissions are contained and collected within a complex network of extraction ducting around all powder manufacturing and packing processes on site. The collected emissions are then monitored, stored and automatically re-processed incrementally back into the manufacturing plant under refined dosing arrangements. The accuracy of the technology means it operates within known and approved control limits to ensure product consistency and performance outcomes while vastly improving environmental outcomes – not least in improving levels of maintenance and providing greater clean air and housekeeping standards at the factory.
Ball said: “It is a first-class system and a unique example of how investment in sustainable technology can have tangible and long-lasting benefits”.
Palace has also worked with its packaging suppliers to convert more than two million containers so they are now produced entirely from post-consumer recycled plastic (PCR). Additionally, it has removed more than 80,000 composite paper sacks from its waste system, with almost 100% of its raw materials now handled via a fully automated bulk transfer system. This has resulted in a huge reduction in waste, the company says, as well as reducing the volume and frequency of transportation to and from the plant.
www.palacechemicals.co.uk
01514 866101
