Syncros helps keep Fremlin Walk shopping centre safe from trips, slips and falls caused by slippery surfaces during bad weather.
For 8 years, shoppers in Maidstone have been benefitting from access to top high street brands at Fremlin Walk. The shopping centre attracts some 6.3 million visitors annually to eat, drink and shop at the 50 or so outlets. Customers enjoy the unique atmosphere of the shopping crescent which retains many of the original features of the old Fremlin's Brewery, on which site it stands.
One thing that customers have not been enjoying, however, was the recent prolonged periods of bad weather, causing slippery floors which the management at Fremlin Walk were keen to correct.
One particular area of concern was the partially open-air entrance to the car park where several slips, trips and falls had been reported. The lobby experiences heavy footfall since it not only provides access to the 760 car parking spaces but is also the location of lift entrances and the car park paying machines.
Thankfully, Syncros Entrance Matting Systems was able to recommend a functional and economical solution. "We chose Syncros because the product not only met our particular needs in terms of specification and price, but all of the staff we dealt with were extremely helpful and knowledgeable," said Fremlin Walk’s Marketing Manager, Jaine Rees. "They did everything they could to help with the order from start to finish."
The product suggested by Syncros was Milliken Forma™ tiles which possess scraping filaments to remove foot-borne debris and moisture-retaining textile inserts to ensure that wetness isn't carried onto the surrounding walkways and into lifts.
Tiles can be cut to fit to the exact size of the lobby area, without the expense of bespoke matting and, should a tile become damaged, it is easily replaced without having to remove the entire mat.
The available colours are specially chosen to conceal dirt and, because the tiles wash well and resist fading, they are easily maintained.
Eager to provide Fremlin Walk with a safer car park pedestrian entrance, the installation was completed in just a few hours. As always, Syncros' fitting department was able to limit disruption, carrying out the installation after 11pm, which best suited the shopping centre.
Syncros certainly made the right choice to use Miliken Forma™. "Since its installation in February 2013, we have not encountered one single incident, compared to the previous month in which three separate accidents were reported," said Jaine Rees. "The matting has also resulted in less maintenance and improved standards of cleanliness across the centre as the cleaners no longer need to frequently mop the lobby floor every time it rains. This has freed up resources to concentrate on other heavily used areas, eg public toilets.
"We have received positive comments from both shoppers and retailers regarding the improved appearance of the lobby as the matting has helped to soften the area and feels much more welcoming than the previous concrete floor!"
Syncros is also delighted with the results, having helped to solve yet another customer's flooring problem and making this a very successful shopping trip all round!
