How to Plan and Organize International Floor Installations
by Carlos Santana - Sales Representative - Arizona, New Mexico and Nevada
As the old adage goes, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. That’s certainly the case when it comes to planning and organizing international floor installations.
As Arizona Polymer Flooring has grown in size and scope, and gained an international presence, the company has had to adapt to the many challenges of working outside the U.S. It’s quite literally, like working in a whole new world.
In the past two years, APF has established relationships with both contractors and end users from across the globe, including countries of Bangladesh, Nicaragua, Puerto Rico, Panama and most recently, Barbados.
In all of these cases, customers from their respective countries have directly purchased materials from APF, which we shipped out. In a few of these countries, we have also had the privilege of going to help install the resins ordered, and provide some local training. Given this experience, we always advise our clients on the following:
Avoid the documentation dilemma. Our learnings have been broad, but perhaps the most significant was the importance of communication, specifically when it comes to relaying critical shipment details to freight forward companies that serve as brokers through the customs process, and underscore certain facts to stay in accordance with the country’s cargo guidelines.
To ensure timely delivery, all paperwork must be in order. For example, international shipments for sea cargo, which can take 6-8 weeks to arrive, require an International Maritime Organization Dangerous Goods Declaration, and a Certificate of Origin to ensure products being shipped do not compromise safety of life at sea, maritime security and the marine environment.
Prepare the worksite. In working with an international audience, there’s also a critical need to counsel the customer on the products so they understand the benefits and limitations before purchase. Most of the countries that have ordered from us have purchased our urethane mortar line, CastorCrete®. This system is gaining a lot traction due to its performance and workability, especially compared to other urethane mortar systems.
Due to the environment and humidity in a lot of these countries, the team has needed to advise customers to secure extra storage or staging procedures. Since CastorCrete is a moisture-cured resin, the humidity will act as a catalyst and force the mortar to kick too quickly before the contractor has a chance to install it properly.
Get the right tools for the right job. Additionally, since these products are often novel in international locations, securing the proper tooling contractors need to prepare the concrete and apply the coatings is significant. Many countries don’t have a big box store available where multi-sized trowels or other important tools are readily available. We do our best to educate the customer on what they’ll need to install the product before the product arrives.
As APF continues to evolve and expand its international footprint, the company is ramping up its education materials to help customers get a better understanding of products, installation and performance.