Challenge
Sometimes simple rectangular anti-fatigue mats fit perfectly. Other times custom shapes are needed to wrap around or fit within unique layouts. Global tire manufacturer, Nokian Tyres, needed a mix of both standard and custom anti-fatigue mats to eliminate slip and trip hazards, reduce unnecessary costs, and elevate the overall health of its employees.
EHS Specialist Amanda Eskew contacted AcroMat about four challenges they were dealing with in the company’s Dayton, Tennessee manufacturing facility:
- Sliding mats – slip hazard
- Curling mat borders – trip hazard
- Easily worn-out insoles – Added costs
- Custom shapes – Standard shapes weren’t fitting unique layouts
"I hated anti-fatigue mats,” says Amanda. “They are slip/trip hazards, they slide around, and they curl up. They wear down and operators 'sink' into the mats which hurts their ankles. In an effort to make things better, I tried to get insoles for operators instead and get rid of the mats. The insoles lasted 6 months, and I was back to where I started. Then I came upon AcroMat."
EHS Specialist Amanda Eskew shares how her team eliminated sliding anti-fatigue mats and improved employee morale in partnership with AcroMat. From what they used before to the value of custom mats designed to fit, Amanda walks through her team's journey in this video.
Solution
Starting with a free trial mat
Amanda contacted AcroMat, shared her challenges, and the two sides put an action plan in place. AcroMat’s first course of action was to send Amanda’s team a free, full-sized custom anti-fatigue mat to make sure the mats were comfortable for her people and held up in the way they needed. After numerous issues with other mat providers and styles, both sides wanted Amanda and her team to be able to invest with peace of mind.
"AcroMat cut me a FREE sample mat worth $800, and it was at our plant in 3 days," says Amanda. "Operators couldn't stop talking about how much better it was than our other mats."
After a few months, when Amanda and her team were confident the mat provided the safety and support they were looking for, they made a more sizable investment.
Custom 100-1 Series anti-fatigue mat sample precision cut for Nokian Tyres.
Putting an end to sliding mats
Nokian Tyres’ previous anti-fatigue mats were "sliding all over the place." Amanda and her team removed the old mats and tried insoles, but the insoles wore out in less than 6 months.
Certain mat materials are more prone to sliding, including PVC foam, because they aren’t designed not to slide. Conversely, 100% nitrile is designed to remain in place. The closed cell foam material is impervious to liquids and chemicals, thus naturally slide-resistant. Amanda designed a slew of custom 100% nitrile mats for her team, adding AcroMat's non-slip backing GripCoteX to each mat.
"It’s been a year since we first purchased our mats, and they look almost brand-new. They haven’t budged or slid an inch since I first applied them."
GripCoteX is a non-slip backing applied to the bottom of anti-fatigue mats. It adds a critical layer of friction to mats in especially slick areas.
Putting an end to curling borders
As lower-quality anti-fatigue mats age, especially in more intense manufacturing environments with oils and chemicals, the anti-fatigue padding will shrink, buckle and eventually curl. This creates an obvious trip hazard.
At AcroMat, we combine 100% nitrile with an exclusive cut-and-bond design process that allows us to guarantee, as part of our 2-year full replacement performance warranty, that our mats will not curl. Pure nitrile nitrile is also guaranteed not to sink or flatten, ever, eliminating the sore ankle issue Amanda's team was previously dealing with.
This semi-circle cutout allows the mat to slide under the work station, eliminating ergonomic issues like edge-standing or half on/half off standing.
"They haven’t budged or slid an inch since I first applied them," says Amanda. This custom design creates a glove-like fit, while the non-slip backing adds a higher coefficient of friction.
Custom shapes create a glove-like fit
Nokian Tyres needed custom shapes to fit unique layouts. Rather than continue to try and piece together rectangular mats that didn't fit, causing trip hazards, Amanda partnered with AcroMat to design custom mats precisely to fit each individual workstation.
The glove-like fit combined with 100% nitrile and GripCoteX ensure each mat remains in place for its entire functional lifespan (~5 years on average).
"AcroMat has made such a difference for my operators," says Amanda. "It’s been a year since I purchased our first mats from AcroMat, in a 24/7 facility, and they still look brand new. I cannot say enough positive things about these mats and this company."
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