Case Study: Seafood Distributor Installs Heavy Duty Grating
A New England shellfish company recently installed Strongwell DURAGRID® HD-4000 2’’ pultruded grating over its new lobster pool in Massachusetts.
Ipswich Shellfish Co., an international seafood distributor, needed grating strong enough to drive a forklift over yet light enough for workers to lift. The seafood distributor stores 100,000 lbs. of live lobsters in its 120’ long x 40’ wide pool. A concrete floor covers most of the pool and four rows of DURAGRID® Heavy Duty Grating allow workers access to the lobsters in the pool.
| TECHNICAL DATA |
|---|
| Product: Shellfish Pool Covers |
| Process: Pultrusion |
| Materials: DURAGRID® fiberglass reinforced grating |
| Sizes: HD-4000 2’’ grating, 18" x 52" panels |
| For: Ipswich Shellfish Co. |
Bob Butcher, Ipswich Shellfish Co. project manager, said the removable grating actually helps to reduce labor costs and improve the quality of their products. “The less you handle a live animal the better it is,’’ Butcher said. “The grating allows easy access for loading and unloading as well as inspection of the pool.”
The project’s engineers recommended Strongwell grating because it is lighter and longer lasting than its steel counterparts and not susceptible to corrosive attack in the aquatic environment. The company chose a vinyl ester resin system for superior corrosion resistance and a gritted surface to prevent slippage.