Whiterock_premier_installer

Altro premier installer since 1998

CommercialKitchen1
kitchen_person-_in_motion2

Taking care of all your needs in demanding commercial kitchens

We were the first company to innovate a complete system of compatible hygienic wall cladding and safety flooring. As the system is fully integrated, it fits together perfectly to provide a hygienic, watertight solution. No gaps or rough edges, just a smooth, uninterrupted surface – even around plug sockets, light switches and corners.

The system offers the best possible protection against bacteria, bugs and vermin. Altro’s integrated floor and hygienic wall cladding system makes cleaning easier too.

We have specifically designed our integrated system to address the issues commonly found in kitchens – slips, contamination, cleaning and maintenance. Our system doesn’t just protect the people who use it; it also protects the environment and those responsible for the health and safety of employees and visitors.

But safety is not our only consideration. Altro Whiterock and Altro Stronghold 30 work together to give you a varied and exciting colour palette. So from traditional to contemporary, you can go as bold as you dare.

We thoroughly test our products, exceeding industry standards for safety and hygiene to ensure you have the best solution for your business.

What the law says

Employers are required to ensure the health and safety of all employees and anyone who may be affected by their work. They must assess risks, including slip and trip risks, and take action to control those risks. Floors must be suitable, in good condition and free from obstructions.

Altro Stronghold 30, our specialist kitchen safety floor, has a Pendulum Test Value (PTV) of ≥55 / R12, meaning it goes that extra mile and is proven to provide the highest level of safety and slip resistance.

What causes you to slip?

Contaminants (water, oil, flour) create a film between the floor and your shoe or foot.

A film as thin as 1/10th thickness of human hair can be enough to prevent complete contact between shoe and floor, causing an accident. The shape of the aggregate in Altro Stronghold 30 protrudes through the surface of the floor, creating a grip on the sole of the shoe and preventing an accident.

slip_conditions

Oil, grease, flour? We've got you covered

Testing and contaminants

Food and drink preparation and cooking areas can spell danger. Grease, fat, cooking oil, flour, milk, food particles and the occasional chopped carrot – all can end up on floors and walls. Altro’s sustainable, integrated safety floor and hygienic wall cladding system provides long-lasting, safe and hygienic surfaces for wet, dusty and greasy conditions.

Real world tests for real world conditions

The standard pendulum test for shod slip resistance uses water. Test results are rated with a PTV reading; a reading of PTV≥36 represents a one in a million chance of slipping on a wet surface. A wet surface only covered in clean water, that is.

Water only represents a small proportion of the hazards a kitchen worker would encounter on a daily basis. So we decided to put our floor to a real world test: using a variety of different contaminants found in a commercial kitchen.

The reality is kitchen workers are busy. Oil evaporates into the air and settles on the floor when it cools – requiring constant cleaning to prevent a slippery surface. Small spills like milk or flour could cause a very real slip hazard.

A busy lunch hour would mean a lot of oil and cooking ingredients on the floor, and not enough time to keep the floor as clean and hazard-free as you would ideally like.

What do you need and why?

Tests prove different contaminants pose different challenges. Whilst the risk from vegetable oil may come as no surprise, the other most significant danger comes from greasy water – and what kitchen can avoid that?

Typical contaminants in a kitchen are not water and motor oil, which is what the PTV and Ramp tests use. The test we used was the standard PTV pendulum test BS7976, but instead of using only water as the test contaminant, we used a range of other contaminants found in a typical kitchen.

 

 

 

This graph shows test results carried out on Altro Stronghold 30 with common kitchen contaminants, including:

  • cooking oils
  • greasy water from washing up
  • milk, flour, plastic wrap
graph
Altro-didyouknow

Keep it clean

Keeping people safe isn’t just about slip resistance and cleaning. It’s about preventing surfaces from harbouring bacteria.

Our integrated hygienic wall cladding and floor system is tankable. It has impermeable surfaces, which are easy to keep clean. With regular cleaning and maintenance using traditional solutions, Altro floors and walls do not allow bacteria to hide and grow.

With the addition of Altro Whiterock hygienic ceilings and Altro Whiterock hygienic doorsets, it creates a fully sealed room. It’s so tough, you can power wash all surfaces if you want to and not cause surface damage that can lead to bacterial growth.

So when you have a clean kitchen, you have a safe and hygienic kitchen.

Altro integrated solutions: nowhere for bacteria to hide.

The beauty of design

We have designed a fully integrated system to make cleaning and maintenance easier for you. Surfaces are watertight and fully sealed around fixtures and fittings, with the sort of detailing that bacteria and micro-organisms just hate:  helping maintain the strictest levels of hygiene.

It also makes your surfaces easy to keep clean, making it a pleasant environment for your staff and which looks good at inspections. It means you will enjoy the long-lasting hygiene performance of our products.

Altro products are non-porous and non-shedding, so nothing can get in or out. And because they have high impact resistance, damage that can trap bacteria is unlikely.

Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP)

HACCP is an international system for food safety management. It is a legal requirement in Europe under EC Regulation 852/2004. HACCP requires a risk assessment for every food preparation area identifying “critical points” where food safety hazards could arise. Hazards include:

  • contamination by staff or poorly maintained fittings or equipment
  • chemical, physical or allergenic risks, caused by ingredients, handling, equipment or fittings, including floors and walls. You can reduce hazard risk and keep inspections to a minimum by selecting Altro floors for kitchens and hygienic environments  and hygienic wall cladding, which are all approved by HACCP International.
"Altro products are one of the few worldwide flooring and walling products to have achieved HACCP International certification for non-food services and supplies, which means that they have been assessed by a third party and found to be satisfactory and hygienic for use in a food environment. Both the flooring and walling products from Altro offer the seamless and impervious solution which means that there is nowhere for bacteria to hide, as well as being easy to clean, both important issues in the food industry."
Richard Mallett
EUROPEAN DIRECTOR OF HACCP INTERNATIONAL
untitled

The dirt on tiles

We’re confident we’ve taken care of all your needs in demanding commercial kitchens

Walls and surfaces must be kept clean and hygienic to ensure the safety of your customers and workers. Tiles can look great but there is more to hygiene than meets the eye. Tiles and grouting are porous, making them more susceptible to harbouring bacteria. They also chip and crack more easily, allowing dirt and bacteria to collect and hide from cleaners. Grout lines are particularly vulnerable and even epoxy grout is susceptible.

The Altro Whiterock wall cladding system has an extremely high impact resistance according to BS EN438-2-1991 Steel Ball Test (see image). Impacts that would leave ceramic faces vulnerable to water ingress barely leave a scratch on this tough surface. The same is true for the cladding’s thermoformed corners – an area where ceramic tiles are particularly vulnerable. Altro Whiterock also has an excellent Fire Rating: Altro Whiterock White and Altro Whiterock Satins have been assessed to EN13501-1 and obtain a Euro-classification of -s3-d0.

 

Altro: the modern alternative to tiles

With the range of colour from Altro Whiterock White and Altro Whiterock Satins, you can have the colour range choices that tiles provide, without the worry of contamination. As a result, businesses can enjoy reduced long-term maintenance costs, with a significantly reduced risk of contamination or, should the worst happen – an incidence of food poisoning occur – possible litigation or even closure. All this makes it perfect for use in any catering area.

food_safety2

Food safety management

Don’t get caught out; protect your environment

The EU food safety guidelines that kitchens or industrial catering areas must adhere to include:

  • every food business operation must ensure food safety is never compromised. The layout, design and construction of food premises must prevent the accumulation of dirt and the shedding of particles. Also, the formation of condensation or undesirable mould on surfaces must be prevented
  • all floors, walkways and stairs must be safe for employees or clients
  • floors, walls, ceilings, windows and doors must have impervious, non-absorbent and washable surfaces. All surfaces should be maintained in a sound condition, and therefore be easy to clean and disinfect. This will require all surfaces to be smooth, washable, corrosion resistant and made from non-toxic materials

Solution

  • one way of being sure protection is there, and that responsibilities are being taken care of, is to fit Altro  flooring and hygienic wall cladding
  • Altro resilient floors for kitchens and hygienic environments and hygienic wall cladding are HACCP (Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point) compliant, providing peace of mind with the risk assessments of environmental safety

These are the solutions we recommend for you

Altro Stronghold 30

Floors for wet and greasy conditions

Water underfoot is treacherous enough – add grease, oils and fats, and you’ve got a dangerous environment. So, for commercial kitchens, canteens, food preparation and service areas, it’s essential to select a floorthat will help catering staff do their job safely.

Altro Stronghold 30 achieves Altro’s highest rating for slip resistance (PTV≥55 / R12) and tests prove it minimises risk in wet and greasy conditions.

As well as helping to keep staff safe from slips, it also helps reduce their fatigue, thanks to its 3mm thickness which provides noise reduction and comfort underfoot.

Altro Whiterock White

Hygienic wall cladding for kitchens

Thinking of replacing ceramic wall tiles with a HACCP approved, high performance option?

Consider Altro Whiterock White – the hygienic alternative to tiles that’s impact resistant, grout-free and easy to clean.

Its smooth white surface and classical purity make it a timeless choice for any interior.

Altro Whiterock White is made from a high-quality, food-safe PVCu polymer that can handle temperatures up to 60°C, and meets all current EU Directives on health and hygiene. This makes it particularly suitable for use in commercial kitchens.

Altro Whiterock Satins

Use colour to subtly create a mood with Altro Whiterock Satins. This versatile and sophisticated wall cladding is available in a range of 26 solid, decorative, satin shades – from soothing through to stimulating.

Of course, Altro Whiterock Satins still provides the impact resistance and hygiene you would expect from Altro Whiterock, with a stain-resistant, wipe-clean surface.

Altro Whiterock hygienic ceilings

Altro Whiterock hygienic ceilings meet rigorous hygiene requirements and are particularly suitable for food preparation areas. They form an impervious, hygienic, virtually maintenance free system which can be hosed down in situ and provide a bright, durable surface which helps reduce condensation. They can be installed as a fully suspended system.

• Easy clean, non-porous and non-absorbent
• Impervious, chemical resistant
• Lightweight
• Twin wall construction reduces condensation
• Flush fitting lighting, access hatches, air grilles and sprinklers can be fitted
• Available in white, with excellent colour fastness
• Rapid, easy installation on suspended grid system or direct fixed to suitable surfaces
• Fully compatible with Altro Whiterock hygienic wall cladding
• BS 476 Class 1 and Class 0 Fire Rating (when installed on non-combustible substrates)

Altro Whiterock hygienic doorsets

When hygiene really matters - every detail counts. Altro Whiterock hygienic doorsets provide a complete PVCu-faced doorset to ensure the integrity of your hygienic, low maintenance installation. They can be designed for use on their own or as part of an Altro Whiterock complete system including walls and ceiling.

Altro Stainless Steel Splashbacks

For commercial kitchens, Altro Stainless Steel Splashbacks provide a hygienic and heat-resistant wall surface for cooking areas. Supplied with Altro Whiterock transition trims, they are a part of an integrated wall cladding solution.

 

gulley

Technical expertise -
the genius is in the detailing

Big chunky details get broken easily. They’re also hard to clean. Some wall cladding joint strips and wall / floor transition strips frequently have really horrible grease behind them when taken off the wall during refurbishment, hiding not only contaminants but bacteria as well. By welding or using Altro Whiterock FlexiJoint, joints can be completely sealed and impervious to contaminants, including bacteria, water, oil and grease.

Corners suffer a lot of pounding. For these areas we recommend the butterfly weld, which is more robust if knocked. It is our preferred method for demanding areas, including kitchens.

Get into the groove…

A hygienic wall or floor on its own is not enough; the transition between the two must also be sanitary to create a hygienic envelope from floor to ceiling. Transitions must also be watertight and seamless.  A very sanitary way to join materials is to use a heat weld.

The process of heat welding presses the molten weld rod (usually made out of plastic) into the grooves of the material fusing the material together. This creates a water tight joint and prevents moisture ingress.

To create an impervious environment, we recommend you cove the flooring to join with the wall covering and heat weld the transition between the two. By creating a seamless, watertight environment from the floor to the ceiling, you can help minimise the areas in which bacteria will grow and where moisture can get trapped and cause damage to the substrate.

Drains and gulleys

Using appropriate drain and cove details, Altro Stronghold 30 helps function as a water-proof membrane against leaks to spaces below.

Using clamping style drains allows water and spills to feed directly into drains without puddling, improving hygiene and making cleaning quicker and more sanitary.

Altro Stronghold 30 can be used with a wide range of both clampable and welded drain systems and access hatches. In so doing, you can minimise trip hazards in a busy kitchen environment and allow the easy removal and opening of hatches without damaging the floor.