A SELF-levelling floor using synthetic anhydrite and all specific additives has been successfully tested under the climatic conditions of the Gulf at temperatures of up to 55 deg C, according to Germany’s Knopp Engineering, which is now looking to manufacture the anhydrite binder in the region.

This test material was produced at the Knopp production plant and this milestone in the self-levelling flooring business was achieved thanks to major improvements in cost and quality using the raw material synthetic anhydrite coupled with Knopp Engineering’s know-how, says the company.

“The production of these self-levelling floors is based on the use of synthetic anhydrite as a raw material, which is a valuable byproduct in the production line of hydrofluoric (HF) acid,” says a spokesman for the company, adding, “It has been a booming segment over the past decade in the European civil construction sector.”

Knopp Engineering and Knopp Production (capacity of 200,000 tonnes per year) are today the leading partners in the development and production of special anhydrite binders used for applications in the field of self-levelling floors. These two companies collectively have nearly 20 years of international expertise and experience.

Knopp ... a leading producer of special anhydrite binders.

The spokesman continues: “During 2010, large-scale tests were executed by Knopp Engineering in the Gulf to improve and adapt its new product line PDM (plant dry mortar) to suit the region’s harsh climatic conditions. The excellent results fulfil all local requirements because the screed is applicable all year round.”

“Buoyed by these results, Knopp Engineering now intends to establish a partnership for the manufacture of anhydrite products for the civil construction industry in the Gulf region.”

PDM, an inorganic building material based on synthetic anhydrite, is an environment-friendly product with good carbon dioxide balance. Depending on the requirements, this product can be used in European climatic conditions and can also be adapted for warm and tropical conditions.

Synthetic anhydrite as a byproduct of HF/ALF3 production will be available locally in Abu Dhabi at the end of this year, he adds. Knopp Engineering is a global operating company that develops sustainable, innovative, future-oriented and high-quality complete solutions in the segments synthetic anhydrite, liquid chemical compounds and plant engineering. Further details can be obtained from the company’s website (www.knopp-engineering.eu).