The bio-pharmaceutical industry has relied on GIBCO for more than 40 years for its critical research and production expertise that helps provide consumers with new medical drugs produced using biotechnology. When the GIBCO plant in Grand Island, New York, decided to expand in 2004, Tnemec coating consultant Carl Bye utilized his own research and production expertise to prescribe a nearly indestructible wall coating system for the facility.
“We did a test application for the owner using the Stranlok ML system over cement board, and he liked it a lot,” explained Bye. “This process is a lot less expensive than a concrete block installation, and it allows for a very durable, cleanable and maintenance-free wall system.”
The area was primed with a roller-applied coat of Series 201 Epoxoprime, a high-solids, moisture-tolerant epoxy. A base coat of Series 273 Stranlok ML epoxy liquids was applied, followed by a fiberglass mat that was then laid into the still-wet epoxy, smoothed out with a roller, and followed by a saturant coat of Series 273. The walls were then sanded and coated with Series 280 TnemeGlaze, a modified polyamine epoxy providing excellent corrosion resistance, and topcoated with Series 290 CRU, an extremely hard urethane applied to enhance the durability of the overall coating system and provide exceptional color and gloss retention.
The interior overhead of the pharmaceutical manufacturing facility was primed with Series 151 Elasto-Grip FC, a waterborne modified polyamine epoxy, followed by two airless spray-applied coats of Series 158 Bio-Lastic, a waterborne acrylate specially formulated to resist potential mildew growth. “We addressed all of the owner’s concerns by applying these coating systems,” said Bye.