Alumasc Water Management Solutions (AWMS), a UK-based company which brings together five leading brands to provide one simple solution in integrated water management, will be showcasing three of these brands at The Big show next month (November).

At the event, AWMS will be putting the spotlight on its Gatic Civil Drainage, Gatic Engineered Access Covers, and Harmer Building Drainage brands. It will reveal the innovation behind Gatic’s revolutionary new concrete drainage system Filcoten, and the leading benefits of Harmer’s stainless steel floor drains and metal roof outlets. Gatic’s established and well-known access covers and Slotdrain channel drainage will also be prominent at its stand.

Gatic’s international development director Keith Lambourne MBE, MIEx explains: “The show is a great opportunity for AWMS to introduce Filcoten, a new Gatic product that represents a significant advance in the formulation and manufacture of high-performance concrete (HPC) products. At a quick glance, Filcoten may look the same as many other concrete channels on the market, but it’s not. It sets new standards for strength, installed performance and environmental compatibility.

“Specified for prestigious UK projects, such as Carlisle Lake District Airport and the ‘City of Culture’, Kingston upon Hull, Filcoten’s immense compressive strength means it can support excessively heavy loads between 80 and 90 N per sq mm. Its unique composition delivers not only the high compressive strength associated with HPC products, but also a high level of flexural strength – approximately double that of conventional HPC.”

Lambourne says flexural strength is measured by the ability to withstand heavy loads without incurring deformation. “Conventional HPC would shatter and break under a sudden load or impact. Filcoten will flex and absorb shock loads, and is resistant to structural damage traditionally caused by freeze/thaw temperatures.

“Filcoten is also 70 per cent lighter than conventional concrete, meaning it’s easier to handle and install, and its flexural strength protects the channel from accidental damage in transit.

From Harmer ... stainless steel floor drains.

“In applications where the channel drainage system needs to withstand constant traffic, as well as slow moving, heavy vehicles such as planes, or heavy stationary items such as shipping containers, compressive and flexural strength is essential to the long-term operational life of the channel,” he explains.

Lambourne continues: “And in a changing climate where torrential rain and flooding is an everyday possibility, high-capacity channels are a must to control the flow of rainwater from originating source to water course, sewer or ground. Filcoten is available in deeper and wider channels to handle anything from a raindrop to a rainstorm. It also leads in sustainability. It is 100 per cent recyclable and the only channel to be manufactured from 100 per cent renewable energy, which means no nasty chemical stabilisers, additives or releasing agents.”

Commenting on the company’s participation at The Big 5, Steve Durdant-Hollamby, managing director of AWMS, says: “Gatic is a long-established global brand best known for its engineered access covers and Slotdrain channels. Its surface water drainage solutions have been specified for major projects around the world in ports, airports and military bases.

“The (Big 5) show reaches out to an international audience so it’s a great opportunity to build ground for Filcoten and our other leading brand in drainage solutions - Harmer Building Drainage. Harmer is well known in the UK so it’s good timing to expand its distribution and reach into new global markets. Harmer’s extensive range includes high-performance internal and external metal drainage made from cast iron, aluminium and stainless steel. Our systems work seamlessly together to provide a total solution.”

He says Harmer’s internal stainless steel floor and channel drains are renowned for applications such as industrial and commercial kitchens, production and processing, chemical and pharmaceutical, and school and leisure environments. Easy to install and suitable for tiled or vinyl installation, the floor and channel drains are designed to drain high volumes of water and waste quickly and efficiently without causing a hazard. The systems are also corrosion-resistant for ultimate durability and retain their appearance for many years.

Harmer external roof outlets are suited for flat roofs, inverted roofs, balconies, car parks, metal deck warm roofs and much more, and cover three distinct ranges: AV aluminium roof outlets, cast iron outlets and roof insulated outlets.

Stainless steel channel drains from Harmer.

AV aluminium roof outlets drain up to 40 per cent more roof area than conventional gravity outlets, and come with a life expectancy of 40 years, Durdant-Hollamby says. Bespoke designs ensure a solution for non-standard applications such as balconies, gullies and car-parks where the roof surface abuts a wall or parapet.

Harmer’s cast iron outlets are inherently strong, making them ideal for load-bearing applications and for flat roof drainage. The range is cast to the British Standard BS EN 1561 with a designated load rating up to 12.5 tonnes.

Durdant-Hollamby says metal deck warm and inverted roof installations will benefit from Harmer’s roof insulated outlets that help eliminate condensation forming on the underside of the outlet due to cold bridging.

“All our products are backed by extensive technical advice and support, including BIM (building information modelling), design engineer assistance and Harmer’s exclusive drainage design calculator,” he concludes.

AWMS will be exhibiting at the British Pavilion, Hall 3, at the Big 5 show.