Altro XpressLay brings fast turnaround and cost savings at 27 new build schools
Altro XpressLay
The proven cost and time saving credentials of award-winning Altro Looselay™ technology has lead to Altro XpressLay safety flooring being selected for installation in 27 new schools being built in the North East of England.
Galliford Try is building the new schools as part of the Priority School Building Programme (PSBP). Galliford Try has a longstanding Supply Chain Agreement with Altro, so when it came to specifying flooring for the PSBP schools, both companies worked closely together to select a high quality, cost-effective flooring that was also quick to install.
Roy Perry, Galliford Try Contracts Manager, said: “We chose to work with Altro on the PSBP scheme due to the strength of our supply chain relationship and their array of appropriate products for the schools.
“We selected Altro XpressLay because it’s a cost-competitive option that would also save us installation time on all the priority school schemes in this region. In many instances we require a quick turnaround, as Galliford Try is under pressure to deliver the schools within set timescales.
“We have been pleased with the service we have received from Altro and the flooring contractors, which has enabled us to complete the work to the customers’ satisfaction.”
The flagship school for the PSBP scheme, and one of the first to be built, is the £18.6 million Hessle High School and Sixth Form College in East Yorkshire. Previously Hessle High was split over two sites, with 1,450 students, including 200 students in the sixth form.
The new build, designed by DLA Architecture Ltd in Leeds, has created a combined, fit-for-purpose school that operates from just one site, with new science labs, ICT and teaching areas and sports facilities for up to 1,550 pupils, including 230 students in the sixth form.
The easy-to-fit capabilities of Altro XpressLay meant big savings in time and a trouble-free installation, as Phoenix Flooring MD Matt Brown explained.
“With Altro XpressLay there is no need to lay a dpm, and it can be fitted without adhesives,” said Matt. “This makes it very cost and time effective, and fitter friendly too. We know that every time we use this flooring we save a lot of time on a project, so for us it’s a great choice all round.
“We had excellent support from Altro throughout the entire project, but they always deliver a very high level of back-up.”
Mark Owen, Facilities Manager at Hessle High School is happy that Altro XpressLay is ticking all the right boxes. “We had a mixture of lino and tiles in the old school, which looked very old fashioned and was neither safe underfoot nor easy to maintain. This new flooring looks superb, colourful and modern, and it’s a proven safety flooring that can stand up to the rigours of busy school life.
“There has been no rucking or movement at all. It’s as firm and reliable as any flooring fitted with adhesive. So for a school it’s a great product, because we have the flexibility to repair or reuse the flooring in the future if required.
“Maintaining the flooring is proving easy as well, and it cleans up very nicely.
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