Streamline Your Project Without Compromising Your Budget or the Environment
When it comes to choosing Industrial Matting, material does matter. After all, there’s a lot riding on your choice – both figuratively and literally. Truck drivers hauling heavy equipment to and from a remote site, for example, need sturdy, load-bearing Access Mats to create temporary roads for the duration of large construction projects. Crane operators in densely populated urban areas, meanwhile, need an especially stable Crane Mat to create a solid foundation on uneven ground.
Obviously, public and work safety is paramount. In addition to safety, though, there’s a whole host of other factors to consider in your decision-making process. From a project management perspective, ease of deployment, deadlines and cost all play important roles. You want portable heavy-duty platforms that will streamline your project and keep you on budget, and on time.
And then there are environmental considerations. Since Access Matting is often used to protect environmentally sensitive areas, it only makes sense that the preferred material would be natural. That’s why wood is such an important material. From forest to finished product, wood is the most environmentally friendly material there is.
But what species is best for your project? Performance-wise Douglas Fir and Pacific HemFir boast virtually the same characteristics. They’re. strong, durable and rot-resistant. In terms of availability and sizing options, however, Pacific HemFir is wood that works!.
“HemFir is readily available in longer lengths, which means you need less mats for a uniformly distributed point load,” says Doug Carl, who is president of Industrial Timber Products – one of the largest Crane Mat manufacturers in Western Canada. “It makes a great mat. It drills well and it’s not heavy, which can significantly cut down on freight costs.”
Here, then, are 5 more reasons to consider Pacific HemFir mats for your next heavy construction project.
1. Abundance of High-Quality Timbers
Pacific HemFir trees grow particularly fast and straight. So, there’s an abundance of longer, high-quality sizes available. This is a definite benefit for those projects that require crews to traverse long stretches of rough or environmentally delicate terrain to access their site. With less mats to move around, your deployment and removal will run a lot more efficiently.
This also means every layer of your access road can provide support all the way through. Poor quality timber can compromise the integrity of your access road. Square cut timber, with very limited wane and no rot, make the best Crane Mats. A square flat surface is critical for a very large crane setup, especially when the boom is up, and a large load is applied. Even a ¾” step in the mat surface can be dangerous when the boom is at full height.
2. Greater Ease of Deployment
Using a lightweight, yet incredibly durable, species like Pacific HemFir for temporary roadways will simplify your project planning. Laying down mats made with lighter materials means less time spent on logistics and more time getting the actual project done. When you have crews on the clock, time is of the essence. You want to avoid any unnecessary delays and downtime as much as possible so you can reach daily productivity goals.
That’s where Pacific HemFir matting solutions come in. They will help you stay on track with your timelines. No matter how challenging or environmentally sensitive your job site is, high-quality materials will make getting people and equipment to the site just that much easier.
3. Sustainably Harvested
Grown and harvested within British Columbia’s leading sustainable forest management regime, Pacific HemFir is a choice you can feel good about. This means Pacific HemFir producers adhere to the most stringent environmental regulations in the world. For example, three seedlings are planted for every single tree harvested and only ⅓ of 1% of BC’s forests are harvested annually.
It’s rigorous processes like those that ensure delicate ecosystems are protected for future generations. And when you’re managing a utility or pipeline project, where there’s independent oversight systems and procurement policies in place, every decision is scrutinized including your choice of materials. With Pacific HemFir, your matting can be traced back to 3rd-party forest certification by PEFC and FSC and CSA, and keeping a spotless environmental record often translates to repeat business.
4. Leaves Smaller Footprint
Using mats made from 100% renewable wood, particularly fast-growing Pacific HemFir, is a natural solution that helps fight climate change by capturing and storing carbon – as opposed to emitting Co2 like non-renewable materials such as steel, cement and aggregates like gravel from a quarry.
Plus, when you’re creating temporary roadways over highly sensitive areas such as farmland, wetlands, bogs, etc., you need a mat material that won’t shed any synthetic debris or substances onto the surrounding ground. Again, Pacific HemFir is a natural choice. It’s also sturdy enough to evenly distribute weight to minimize damage to the vegetation underneath.
5. Cost Effective Choice
Regardless of the project or the sector, staying on budget is important – whether it’s a big government contract, mining project with multiple stakeholders, or large development for the private sector. While prices on softwood remain somewhat volatile, Pacific HemFir remains a relatively cost-effective choice when compared to Douglas Fir. And most lumber experts predict that once the market settles, Pacific HemFir will stand out even more as the economical choice for project managers looking to stay on budget.
Plus, another way Pacific HemFir cuts down on costs is transportation. It’s a relatively lightweight wood, which has a significant impact on freight fees – especially when you’re deploying Access Mats into remote areas of Northern BC, Alberta and beyond.
