STATE OF TH
Concrete Floor Grin
Grinding and polishing of concrete floors is progressively becoming a mature industry, but its potential has so far only scratched the surface. It is mainly in the US and parts of Europe and Australia were the method has had a serious impact so far. But the method’s distribution becomes increasingly evident in other parts of the world as the foremost major manufacturers in the area are expanding market shares with increased sales, subsidiaries and independent distributors. This has led to new users, plus new manufacturers of equipment and diamond tools. The first wave of interest came a few years ago, when many Asian manufacturers started producing cheaper machinery and equipment—often copies of already existing products. The quality was variable, and the availability of service and spare parts was often limited or unavailable. As always, the industry discovered this fairly quickly and the number of new entrants leveled off. Currently, there is no shortage of manufacturers of machines for grinding and polishing concrete floors. There are a large number of manufacturers, but the quality varies. The same applies for the tools. But the number of distinct methods for grinding concrete to super finish in up to 10 steps is limited. Only a handful of companies offer and market their practices on a global level.
Increasing popularity The process of grinding and polishing concrete floors into a finished end product is most widespread in the U.S., especially with the construction of new concrete floors. It is also common that the new concrete floor is stained or marbled differently, causing the concrete to resemble a stone floor. Concrete floors need polishing for up to ten stages, but the finished surface is easy to maintain and clean without harmful chemicals. Most appealing to owners, the floor has a life of up to 15 to 20 years.
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If polished concrete floors are incorporated in new projects the amount and distribution of aggregates in the concrete can be assessed. There is also the option to choose what type of aggregate to use to create the most aesthetic concrete as possible. While the U.S. has the largest market, Australia and parts of Europe are nevertheless quite substantial. As the process was first developed by HTC Sweden, it makes sense that grinding and leveling of existing concrete floors is common in the country. But going further with polishing the concrete floor to super finish is still not widespread, although it is on the increase. The countries of continental Europe, and especially Germany polish concrete floors to a greater extent and the potential for growth here is great. In markets in Asia, South America, the Middle East and parts of Africa grinding/polish is also increasing in popularity. Treatment of concrete floors requires the right equipment and tools, it requires an efficient method of polishing concrete, and facilities for demonstrations and
Professional Demolition Americas • Issue 1 • 2014 • pdamericas.com
training is crucial. In markets with low purchasing power, it may be more difficult to sell the concept or the need to create different types of financing before it is accepted.
Great potential in China and Brazil Examples of new markets where the grinding and polishing of concrete floors starting to get a stronger foothold are China and Brazil. Both countries are undergoing a significant transformation, with a plethora of new projects scheduled. For Brazil, of course, an important engine is the fact that the country’s economy has strengthened in recent years, but the upcoming football World Cup in 2014 and the Olympics in 2016. Along the Brazilian east coast and around the big cities, there are extensive renovations and new facilities underway. In China, this change has already been underway for the last decade. Both countries are accepting for floor grinding and polishing because the method is much more environme-