Ucrete DP: Choice for New Zealand Milk Processor 

• UCRETE DP delivers robust non-slip safety
• New Zealand's leading milk processor chooses BASF's UCRETE DP for safe, non slip flooring solution
• Easy cleaning ensures safe and hygienic environment for food processing

Takanini, New Zealand – July 22, 2011 – BASF’s unique high performance flooring technology UCRETE® DP has been used across two of the countrys largest   milk processing plants; Takanini, Auckland and Reporoa, Waikato, in
New Zealand.

Recognised as a global leader in dairy nutrition, Fonterra Co-operative Group is one of the top ten dairy companies in the world. Fonterra collects over 14 billion litres of milk a year from New Zealand farms and sells more than 2.3 million tonnes of product to customers in more than 140 countries across the globe.

The first of the new UCRETE® DP floors was laid in a newly expanded processing area at Fonterra’s Yoghurt, Cheese and UHT plant in Takanini, whilst the second floor was included as part of the refurbishment works in one of the Takanini plant’s packaging areas. The contract for the new UCRETE® DP floors and preparatory works was awarded to Topcoat Specialist Coatings Ltd.

Encompassing a total area of approximately 500m2, the Takanini floors were Fonterra’s first UCRETE® DP floors, and as such, these sections were also used by the company as a ‘live trial’ to assess the product’s performance under actual operating conditions.

“The floors in the Takanini plant provided us with an ideal opportunity to highlight UCRETE® DP’s outstanding performance in demanding conditions,” said Brett Wheeler, Director of Topcoat Specialist Coatings Ltd,. He added, “the combination of heavy traffic (both foot and equipment) and harsh operating conditions, combined with the strict hygiene standards and punishing cleaning regime, requires a floor which is extremely hard wearing; resistant to a wide range of materials; able to withstand constant temperature cycling; is easy to clean; and has a safe, slip-resistant surface,” Mr  Wheeler said.

“UCRETE® DP ticks all the boxes,” he added. “What’s more, UCRETE® DP also delivers the added bonus of an attractive floor that will stay looking good for years to come.”

Not surprisingly, the success of the first two floors at the Takanini plant has already resulted in Fonterra installing a subsequent UCRETE® DP floor in a section of its Reporoa plant. Brett Wheeler added, “Not long after completing the Takanini floor, we were also contracted to lay a new floor in the Tanker Reception Bay at the Reporoa plant. While discussing the type of floor required for this job, we suggested a site visit and inspection of the UCRETE® DP floors at Takanini.”

“Needless to say, seeing the finished results and performance of the UCRETE® DP floors at Takanini first hand, played a major role in Fonterra also selecting UCRETE® DP for the Reporoa floor,” Brett Wheeler said.

Encompassing an area of some 700m2, the UCRETE® DP floor in the Tanker Reception Bay incorporated a specially hardened non-slip aggregate to provide maximum slip-resistance and extreme wear resistance to cater for the high levels of heavy vehicle traffic.

With an iconic brand portfolio of New Zealand, Australian and international household names valued at almost NZ$1.6 billion per annum, Fonterra’s products include dairy commodities, speciality ingredients and branded milks, spreads, yoghurts, cheeses, dairy desserts and ice cream.