Warsaw, 9 November 2022 – On the occasion of European Inventors’ Day, held on 9 November, it is worth recalling the innovations that have contributed to the development of modern building materials and technologies in Europe. Although they are often invisible to end users, they play important role in the construction of residential, public and industrial projects, and many of them have brought significant progress in this area.
CPG Europe, a manufacturer and supplier of leading brands of construction products in Europe, presents selected inventions that respond to the challenges faced by the modern construction industry, including durability, energy efficiency and sustainable development.
The origins of the Flowcrete brand, a leading expert in resin flooring, are dating back to the 1980s. British inventor Peter Gibbins, commissioned by one of the largest confectionery producers, then created a special type of flooring system that was able to meet the demanding conditions of use, mainly related to large amounts of sugar having a damaging effect on the concrete substrate.
Another breakthrough was the development of the original technology of mechanically troweled epoxy-quartz flooring, i.e. Peran STB Compact. The flooring system made of clear epoxy resin and coloured quartz sand is very durable. It has high mechanical resistance to scratches, abrasion and impacts, thanks to which the Peran STB Compact floor has served as a market standard in the industry for many years.
Due to the growing demand for this type of solution in public facilities developed in line with the principles of “green” construction, Flowcrete has created a new, innovative version of this floor – Peran STB Public. It is based on the technologically advanced Peran STC LE resin, which allows one to create floors with reduced emission of volatile organic compounds, and at the same time increases their resistance to UV rays, which is important for colour durability.
The well-known and recognized worldwide brand Vandex, offering professional products for waterproofing, repair and protection of concrete, was established over 70 years ago. In 1943 its founder, the Danish chemist Lauritz Jensen, invented and was the first in the world to patent the penetrating crystallization technology as a method of waterproofing and sealing concrete. It quickly gained popularity in Scandinavia, and then gradually throughout Europe and the world, and contributed to the development of a new industry.
Vandex sealing materials using this technology consist of cement, quartz sands and specialized activating chemicals. The waterproof layer made of these coatings on the concrete surface additionally enters the capillaries of the concrete together with moisture due to osmotic pressure. Chemicals react with the active ingredients of concrete, resulting in the formation of chemical compounds closing capillaries and hairline cracks. As a result, the penetration of liquid water through the concrete becomes impossible, while the penetration of water vapour is still enabled.
Since the invention of crystallization technology, Vandex products have been continuously developed by the brand’s R&D department. Suitable materials of this type, once applied, become an integral part of the concrete, strengthen it and are highly homogeneous with it. They are used for waterproofing foundations, parking lots, green terraces, elevator shafts, industrial water reservoirs, retaining walls, etc.
In turn, the illbruck brand has been designing and manufacturing materials for bonding and sealing in passive and energy-saving construction for over 60 years. It has numerous innovations and patents to its credit, incl. in 2007, it revolutionized the sealing market by inventing and introducing the world’s first multi-functional TP650 illmod Trio sealing tapes.
While sealing tapes can be used to seal windows and facades, as well as in some special areas, multi-functional sealing tapes are mainly used to seal window joints when installing a window in the wall.
These tapes allow for the quick, economical and safe sealing of all three levels of window joints with one product. At the same time, they meet the requirements of diffusion tightness according to the RAL principle of “tighter inside than outside”. As a result, the sealing time is reduced by 80%, which means more windows can be installed per day.
The examples shown are only a small part of the innovations launched on the market by the CPG Europe brands. Research and development work on further specialized materials and technologies are still carried out, thanks to which buildings and structures have a chance to be more durable, energy-efficient and exceed the standards of sustainable development.
