Nyheder

Natural stone adhesive or a generic tile adhesive?
The tiles at the University Hospital are 40 cm in width, with decreasing lengths. Great care was taken when selecting the tile adhesive for the project: “As natural stone is very individual, it’s important to test the adhesive and tile together before laying 1,800 m2 of it. After tests with natural stone adhesive and the generic Alfix ProFix adhesive, a decision was made to use Alfix ProFix, because it has a much longer open time and is nice to work with, which saves us time”, master mason Jesper Sørensen, from Horsens Murer Service ApS, tells us.

He is pleased to have a proper basis and background for decision-making, thanks, among other things, to the tests conducted at Alfix’s laboratory in Kolding. As water impact from a generic tile adhesive can scald the top surface of natural stone, testing the tile’s sensitivity to moisture was a crucial determining factor in the choice of adhesive.

Knowledge of natural stone’s porosity a must
Natural stone is a material that creates a stylish and exclusive look and play of colours that are difficult to replicate with, for example, ceramic tiles. Natural stone has many different qualities, including hard as well as softer types, from non-porous (e.g. granite) to highly porous (e.g. sandstone) – all things you need to know about natural stone to be able to choose the type that is right for the level of utilisation on the project in question.

Knowing the porosity is important, as it enables you to choose the right tile adhesive; porosity is an indicator of the moisture sensitivity of the tile, after all. A specific natural stone adhesive, such as Alfix QuickFix premium, should be used for natural stone that is sensitive to moisture. Natural stone that is not sensitive in this way can be mounted with a number of different tile adhesives, such as Alfix ProFix, as used on the project in Skejby.

From Alfix ProFix to Alfix ProFix Plus?
Jesper Sørensen founded Horsens Murer Service ApS in 2009 and has since begun using Alfix products; over time this has meant many tonnes of Alfix ProFix tile adhesive. But is he now going to switch to the new CO2-reduced version, Alfix ProFix Plus? “We haven’t made the switch yet, but are expecting to use the new Alfix ProFix Plus for a project in Hedensted, because it’s a DGNB-gold certified build”, he explains. He feels that sustainability is higher up the agenda today even compared to just a few years ago - a development that he is following closely and is also part of himself.

Alfix products used on the project in Skejby
• Tile adhesive: Alfix ProFix
• Primer: Alfix PlaneMix
• Grout: Alfix QuickFuge – Premium 8

We would like to extend our thanks to the Danske Byggecentre association and the nomination committee that chose Alfix as the winner of this prestigious sustainability award. We are honoured and delighted with the strong vote of confidence that the award represents.

Ten years ago – in 2012 – we had the good fortune to win the Building Industry Environmental Award for the first time, when the prize was likewise awarded to Alfix on the basis of the company’s documented and actively applied environmental and OHAS strategy. It is an absolute pleasure to be able to bring the award home to Kolding once more! Under under normal circumstances, this award is presented once every two years in connection with the giant Danish construction industry expo.

The decision to name us the winner of the Building Industry Environmental Award is based on our active environmental strategy (CSR – Corporate Responsibility, and ESG – Environment, Social and Governance). One practical example of how the strategy results in tangible initiatives is the new Alfix ProFix Plus tile adhesive: ProFix Plus

The Danske Byggecentre association (which organises the construction industry expo and presents the awards) and the nomination committee had the following to say about Alfix and its nomination for the award:

Since 2000, the company has been focusing in particular on the environment and OHAS. Most recently, it has introduced more than 60 EPDs, it has made the UN Sustainable Development Goals an active part of its growth strategy, and it has expanded its factory with a new, DGNB-certified distribution centre. Alfix experiences strong commitment and receives positive statements concerning the meaningfulness of this work from employees, suppliers and customers alike. With clear strategic ambitions for increased green transition and new low-carbon ingredients in the company’s products, we are confident that Alfix will be able to fulfil its vision.

We’ve prepared a profile video about Alfix which presents the core of our business in two minutes of images, audio and text. We hope you enjoy the video!

Sustainability through and through – a real plus for more sustainable construction
In comparable cement-based construction materials, the ingredients themselves account for 98 percent of the total carbon footprint, so there are clear environmental gains to be made by rethinking the choice of raw material.

In addition to using low-carbon cement, Alfix ProFix Plus features bio-based synthetic polymer and a natural light filler that translates into extended coverage. In fact, an 18 kg sack can cover the same area as a 25 kg sack of conventional tile adhesive. As if that were not enough, Alfix ProFix Plus is supplied in eco-friendly packaging featuring a new type of sack based on FSC-certified paper, with the inner film consisting of 100 percent recycled plastic. This helps cut carbon emissions from the packaging by 90 percent in relation to the current Alfix sack.

“We’ve focused on improved resource consumption in every area of the development of our new tile adhesive, which represents a more sustainable option through and through. Not only that, but Alfix ProFix Plus has been awarded both the Swan label and the EMICODE ECI PLUS label, which documents a minimal effect on the indoor climate, as well as suitability for use in DGNB-certified construction,” relates Kim Mathiasen, Innovation Manager at Alfix. He continues:

“Alfix ProFix Plus features a range of more sustainable properties that can help reduce the climate footprint of future constructions. It is for precisely this reason that the solution has been nominated for the 2022 Danish Building Industry Climate Award. We see this as a huge pat on the back, because it is well known that this award is presented to construction materials with a documented and significant low-carbon effect.”

New and more sustainable technology helps cut down on dust
The new tile adhesive is a low-dust solution, too, which helps improve the working environment. Dust reduction has been achieved here by using a completely new technology that cuts consumption of the otherwise commonly used oil by more than 90 percent.

Even though Alfix ProFix Plus has a carbon footprint that is more than a quarter lower than that of Alfix ProFix, the solution still provides the same, reliable technical properties. The biggest difference is the colour of the product, which is due to the low-carbon cement used in its preparation, as Kim Mathiasen explains:

“The strong technical properties that distinguish Alfix ProFix have been retained in full in the new ‘plus’ version. This means you can be sure of an efficient, versatile solution that is approved for wet rooms and for underfloor heating as well. The light, fluid consistency makes the product easy to blend and to work with, and just like Alfix ProFix, it is suitable for foot traffic the next day in most cases. It is easy to apply and has a long open time, which makes it ideal for all kinds of tasks both indoors and out.”

Alfix ProFix Plus is suitable for both walls and floors, as well as for large format and Porcellanato tiles. It has a long yield per square metre in layer thicknesses up to 10 mm.

The tile adhesive will be launched in April 2022.

Click here to learn more about the product: Alfix ProFix Plus

Tell us a bit about your department and your assignments:

"I work in the sales department as a mason consultant with district responsibility for Zealand and the other islands. My job puts me in touch with my customers – building supply stores and firms of masons – on a daily basis. I live in central Zealand, where I have a home office so I can stay in close contact with my Alfix colleagues in Kolding, particularly our technical department."

What are your tasks, specifically?

"My day usually starts with me answering some technical questions on the phone.
I work closely with a number of masons, and I often meet them out on the construction sites where we can have a good chat about our products and systems. I sometimes act as a sounding board for the master masons, where we may head out together to inspect a façade assignment, for example. Working together, we come up with the optimal solution that provides the best result for both the mason and the building owner/the end customer.
At the same time, I have to visit the building supplies stores in the district. Here, my task is to help the employees out by answering their technical questions, and I also present our product range to the staff and explain the benefits of Alfix products to them. There are also a number of trade fairs for skilled workers in my district, which I’m happy to attend.
Other “duties” can include setting up after-work events for masons, where the skilled craftsmen can come and try new Alfix products."

What makes for a particularly good day at work?

"I feel that I’ve had a really good day at work when we’ve helped our customers find the optimal solution and achieved an excellent result together."

“We are proud and honoured to have been nominated simultaneously for the Danish Building Industry Environmental Award and Climate Award. We would like to thank the nomination committee for recognising our years of work to promote more sustainable construction at both strategic and operational level,” says a clearly delighted Anders Bertelsen Toft, CCO and co-owner of Alfix.

Environmental Award
Alfix has been nominated for the Danish Building Industry Environmental Award on the basis of its sustainability strategy which, inter alia, defines how the company works actively with the UN Sustainable Development Goals in its everyday operations. Click here to see documentation of Alfix’s collaboration with the Bureau Veritas certification agency: Sustainable Development Goals

Moreover, at the start of 2022, Alfix ratified the UN Global Compact and joined Global Compact Network Denmark – the most significant global initiative for responsible business and the largest network in Denmark for responsible enterprises, respectively. This clearly highlights Alfix’s ambition to work to ensure that sustainability considerations are addressed to a much greater extent, through the use of less environmentally problematic raw materials and other deliverables from the supplier link of the chain. This is without doubt the biggest source of carbon impact, and the company has already spent years reducing the carbon footprint generated at its factory in Kolding, Denmark.

Fully 22 years of work
Alfix’s work to reduce environmental impact and to improve the working environment for employees, customers and end users alike began back in 2000. This was the year in which the company started work on documentation and improvement strategies in the field of the environment and occupational health and safety (OHAS). Alfix’s first environmental report was prepared in partnership with the CSR organisation Green Network, and was published in 2002. Alfix previously won the Danish Building Industry Environmental Award in 2012 and has subsequently been nominated twice for the same award in recognition of new, more sustainable products.

Climate Award
The second nomination is for the DANISH BUILDING INDUSTRY CLIMATE AWARD. In this category, Alfix has been nominated for its new, low-carbon tile adhesive, Alfix ProFix Plus. This product will be launched in April, and the “Plus” suffix refers to added environmental consideration. In addition to its reduced carbon footprint, the product features a range of OHAS benefits for the skilled workers who use it. To find out more, see the following article about ProFix Plus.
Click here to read about Alfix’s journey towards more sustainable construction: Environmental documentation