Germany (Abstatt) | Industry & Life Science | norament® 928 grano ed

Bosch Development Centre Abstatt

A Flooring to Meet High Requirements

Bosch has been investing in trendsetting technology to make people’s life easier for over one hundred years. This is also the goal the company is pursuing at its de-velopment centre in Abstatt, which was built in 2004. Because the staff there work with readily combustible and aggressive liquids, an especially robust flooring had to be found for the construction. The developer and architects decided in favour of a rubber floor covering from nora systems for this very reason. Bosch manufactures and tests vehicle components at the Abstatt development centre. Liquid fuel, oils and acids are commonplace substances with which the staff work on a daily basis. Inherent risks are involved which had to be taken into consideration during the planning phase for the research and laboratory building in 2002.
...read more

Well planned

Those responsible for the project therefore made sure to use exceptionally resistant building materials. “This applied particularly to the floors in the laboratories and workshops,” explains architect Rainer Wild from Schwarz Architekten. “To make sure that we would use a floor covering that meets our criteria, we installed and tested different rubber and PVC floorings in trials conducted in a test container.” These test trials lasted nine months.

The acid test

The floor coverings were tested to establish whether they were abrasion-proof and resistant to chemicals. “Because many of the substances used in the laboratory are readily combustible, the electrical dissipation qualities of the floorings were also an especially vital factor,” says Wild. “A small spark can have catastrophic consequences.” To prevent accidents, the floor also needed to be slip-resistant. Another important aspect was easy cleaning.

A clear decision

“At the end of the test trials, the choice fell on floor coverings from nora systems,” reveals Thomas Volk, construction project manager at Bosch in the Facility Management Abstatt department. “Not only did they prove to be exceedingly robust and they fulfilled all our technical expectations, but they also fitted exceptionally well into the overall architectural concept. Colour-wise, they harmonise perfectly with the other materials such as the ashlar and needle felting.“ The fact that Bosch could rely on these coverings being available even years later for possible renovations and enlargements of the building also influenced the choice.

Safety with raised-access floors

At the time, the designers of the development centre decided to use two different varieties of the rubber floor covering. “Due to the technical fittings, we had to be able to lay parts of the covering as a raised-access floors. This meant that coverings that were only available as sheetware were ruled out right from the beginning. A bonus point for nora systems,” explains Wild. norament 928 grano ed was therefore chosen for the technical areas because the rubber tiles are electrostatically dissipative, making them suitable for ESD-protected areas (EPA). They are also resistant to most acids and lyes. The building developers decided to use noraplan stone, which is installed in sheets, for the rooms where the floor does not come into contact with such substances. “The work didn’t present any problems,” explains Wild. “We just had to experiment with cutting to shape at the round supports.”

Data and facts

Building Bosch Development Centre, Abstatt, Germany
Contruction management Robert Bosch GmbH, www.bosch.de
Market Segment Industry & Life Science
Products norament® 928 grano ed
Architect Schwarz Architekten, www.schwarz-architekten.de
Installation Year 2009
ESD production site with nora floor covering

Products

norament® 928 grano ed

Electrostatically dissipative “ed” floorings for optimum ESD protection of electronic devices and equipment. Protect against electrical shock, resist most oils and greases and are suitable for forklift truck areas.

More references

SanaCare Gesundheitsprodukte GmbH & Co.KG, Alsbach-Hähnlein, Germany

Germany (Alsbach-Hähnlein)
norament® 926 grano, nora® nTx | Industry & Life Science

From a home garage to a newly constructed production hall: Within 14 years, the company’s success in health care products has already required three relocations of SanaCare, based in the South Hessian town Alsbach-Hähnlein.

Schleuniger AG: Decades of Durability in the Most Demanding Conditions

Switzerland (Thun)
norament® 926 grano | Industry & Life Science

In the year 2001, Schleuniger decided to equip the production halls at the Swiss site in Thun with new floor coverings and they quickly opted for the rubber floor coverings made by nora systems.

Biopharmaceutical Manufacturing Facility

USA
norament® 926 grano | Industry & Life Science

Maintain high levels of cleanliness and appearance by installing a resilient floor that is resistant to chipping and staining, and with low-maintenance benefits.

How to contact us
Room Designer
Latest news & Events
Find nora on LinkedIn