Hydewa® (UK) Limited has supplied Glasbord® Hygienic Wall Lining system to the McDonald’s Restaurant, Leigh, Lancashire as the preferred finish for the kitchen areas of the restaurant.
Not only was it preferred, but was fully tested by the staff!
The existing tile finish was looking tired and was proving difficult to clean properly. Tiles in high traffic areas were damaged and difficult to repair and the grouting between the tiles was proving impossible to get thoroughly clean with standard wash down procedures. The management decided that it was a good time to refurbish the walls. However, the refurbishment had to be completed in one week and without disturbing the functionality of the restaurant. This time constraint demanded the installation of a system that could be fitted quickly and simply, but giving a top class hygienic finish. The Hydewa® Hygienic System was the preferred choice.
Not only does the Glasbord® panel have an easily cleaned surface, but as a GRP it has a tough hard surface which allows for ease of handling and the elimination of damage during installation. PVC profiles were used as the vertical joints and the panels were sealed to the wall with a full coverage adhesive. The existing tile system was still well fixed to the walls and did not require removal. Damaged tiles were filled and made good. The tiles were thoroughly cleaned and disinfected prior to the installation. The Hydewa® Glasbord® panel was tested by the staff before the order was placed.
The embossed surface is not always recognised as an easily cleaned and maintained material, so samples of Glasbord® with Surfaseal were attached to the walls alongside a similar product with a flat surface and all the possible food products that could end up on the walls were smeared onto both sample surfaces and left for 24 hours to dry.
After the 24 hour period, the staff then implemented the standard cleaning programme on the samples and wiped both surfaces clean. They found that the food products were more easily removed from the embossed finish than the flat finish.
This surprised them as they were expecting the flat surface would provide a more easily cleanable surface. However, the embossed surface made it difficult for the food products to stick to, enabling the surface to be cleaned more easily and quickly.
The Surfaseal finish, which is a unique finish to the Hydewa® Panel System, enhances the ability for the panel to be cleaned easily as it has a high resistance to scratching and reduces the ‘stickability’ of food products.
The embossment also diffuses light in the artificially lit areas reducing glare and improving the working environment.
As Lawrence Hilliker stated, “The combination of a hard, tough, scratch resistant surface, ease of installation and cleanability and meeting my budget requirements combined to make the Hydewa® Glasbord® wall panel the best system for the upgrading of the restaurant. I am looking forward to many years of a maintenance free wall lining system.”
