Nyheder

“At DM in SKILLS 2011, we were main sponsor for the tile fixing skill for the first time. Primarily, because we wanted to boost the knowledge about the important professions and crafts in Denmark and secondarily, because it made perfectly sense for us as first Danish manufacturer of tile adhesives and grouts to support the profession and participate in the education of young up-coming talents.

We now support both at the technical colleges during training and educational courses and at the actual competitions where apprentices work with our products when solving their tile fixing assignment”, explains Anders Bertelsen Toft, CCO at Alfix.

The co-operation between Alfix and DM in SKILLS has extended over the years and resulted in a dedicated partnership with mutual respect for the arrangement. Here follows a statement from the national tile fixing coach and educator Lars Skibdal Schmidt:

“The co-operation with Alfix as main sponsor for the tiling apprentices has worked excellent during the whole time. At every training course and during all the competitions, Alfix has always shown sincere involvement and interest for our activities”.

According to the national coach, the Alfix sponsorship has been an invaluable help to the SKILLS organization in terms of continuous development and improvement of the participants in preparation for national and international championships.

“When looking back at the last ten years’ development within the tile fixing profession at tech colleges throughout the country, we would simply not have been able to participate at international competitions without the sponsorship from Alfix”, tells Lars Skibdal Schmidt and elaborates that the SKILLS organization from the very beginning has used products from Alfix at every training session and competition and with the tile adhesive Alfix Letfix as the absolute favourite choice among the participants. Alfix Letfix excels in a number of properties: Easy to apply, long open time and a minimum of tool cleaning.

“The new and improved Alfix grouts also receive nothing but praise and positive response from the participants, so it has always been easy to persuade any team to use Alfix regardless of their preferences” , concludes the coach.

DM in SKILLS 2021 was held as a somewhat smaller edition of the usual DM because of Covid-19 restrictions. As from 26 - 29th August 2021, TECH COLLEGE Aalborg hosted the national championship for tiling apprentices. Four apprentices from all parts of Denmark competed for the much wanted award.

“Since the introduction earlier this year, our new tanking system for surface treatment of concrete has found use in many interesting and different building projects. The system has among others found use for surface treatment and tanking of garage floors, exterior stairways and large-sized swimming pools”, says Flemming Ilsøe, Technical Manager with Alfix.

“Our new PlaneMix products have also been used for pore-filling and surface treatment of old concrete, such as exterior stairs and balconies. The products may be used effectively in private residences with a growing need to solve problems with moisture due to an overall rise in precipitation. With our new system, we have also been involved in large repair jobs on habour sites”, continues Flemming Ilsøe.

The Alfix Sales Dep. also reports positively about the market introduction.

“The customers have welcomed our new niche products. We have several examples of merchants wishing to expand their total purchase from us which means that – apart from already buying our levelling compounds, tile adhesives, grouts and facade rendering system – they now want to include the new tanking system to complete their Alfix range. By doing this, these merchants will be able to supply tile fixers and brick layers with 100% Danish high-quality products for a great number of different jobs” states Claus Bernd Høgdal, Sales and Marketing Manager with Alfix

Thomas Westergaard is daily head of the lab, and the experienced Alfix employee would like to tell the following about his everyday work life at Alfix:

- Could you briefly describe your own department and its functions?

“Our department is responsible for an ongoing test procedure of incoming raw materials as well as manufactured products – testing is made alongside the production on a daily basis. The final control of products will ensure that every Alfix product is flawless to all times and meets the standards specified.

- Which assignments are you responsible for as head of the department?

“In close collaboration with my five good colleagues, I plan, organize and control the products in the lab. We do production controls, R&D and follow-ups on complaints.

- When do you experience a particularly good day at work?

“When the production runs as scheduled and the controls confirm the right product properties, we are happy and high spirited – even if we are very busy. A positive vibe and mood spreads all over the factory and everything loosens up, and work becomes easier. And it is nice to receive praise from eg the Sales Dep. if a customer has expressed his satisfaction with a particular product, which I have participated in developing.

Positive responses always boost the motivation. Icing on the cake: If Alfix delivers a lovely cake to accompany the coffee as was the case just recently when we celebrated having reached 1500 LinkedIn followers. I now look forward to achieving 1500 followers on Facebook”.

As Danish manufacturer, we are pleased to be placed in such sophisticated company with the stylish, classy and world-famous Arne Jacobsen fixtures fitted in all school bath- and toilet rooms. These design icons are rooted back to the 60es – being the very decade in which Alfix was founded with the production of our first tile adhesives and grouts (1963).

A number of our products have been used for this astonishing school building: Sealing Primer, 2K Sealing Membrane, LetFix tile adhesive and Universal Grout – Cerafill 10; products that form a durable and reliable background or foundation for the more eye catching Danish design interior to shine.

A lot exciting swimming pools are being built for private clients at the moment due to factors including the ongoing restrictions on travel and the fact that many people in Denmark have some spare cash in their pockets from extra holiday pay, free equity in their homes, etc.

From the Alfix perspective, however, the large public-sector pool projects are the ones that take up the most space volume-wise and in relation to the important associated guidance.

“Alfix has more than 45 years of experience in building swimming pools in Scandinavia. We have developed materials specifically for swimming pools and our painstaking approach to products, systems and guidance alike stems from a clear ambition to show responsibility in relation to both construction financing and the development of durable, sustainable solutions,” explains Carsten Schultz, Technical Manager at Alfix and a specialist in swimming pools.

Carsten originally trained as a mason and a building designer, and according to him, swimming pool construction is often a matter of public sector funding. In this regard, it is essential that the contractors and craftsmen are fully familiar with the special requirements that apply to the choice of materials. Alfix not only supplies construction materials, but also provides advice and guidance in building pools that require only minimal maintenance, while generating plenty of great experiences for their users.

Asked about Alfix’s role before, during and after these often complex construction projects, he replies:

“At the end of the day, we see our role as building bridges between the different professional contracts so that everyone is speaking the same language before the work even starts. This is the best way to guard against costly misunderstandings.”

Alfix is also represented at Trongårdsskolen school in Lyngby, north of Copenhagen. Here the Danish Alfix products are being used in a 25-metre pool, in the bare foot area and in the changing facilities. Rambøll is the consultant, JDN Entreprise A/S is the chief contractor, and CC-Fliser is company performing the actual masonry work.

Alfix products used in the project: PlaneMix S40 (Pool and concrete repair mortar), PlaneMix 100 (Fast-setting screeding mortar), Epoxy Primer, Epoxy Membrane, ProFix flexible tile adhesive, FlexBinder, C2 Epoxy (Acid-resistant grout and tile adhesive) and IndustryFuge CeraFill 18. Click here to find out more about our pool systems

A member of the Alfix production staff, Michael Valentin has been with the company since January 1998; he is an old hand at the Kolding factory, running tasks on one of three machines that make powder products. This is how he describes his work assignments:

“As a process operator on our Yellow machine, it’s my job to produce finished goods for our warehouse, which then takes care of the onward delivery. There’s a production plan, updated daily, that explains what we are to make that day. As Alfix can run products on the basis of customer requests, the plan is always flexible. We can switch products on the machine at extremely short notice, so my working day is often exciting and challenging. Another of my responsibilities as process operator is to take care of maintaining the machine, so I need to be good with my hands as well.”

_-What makes for a particularly good day at work?

“It starts when you arrive at work in the morning and everyone is happy to see you. And when the machine is running smoothly so we can meet the targets for the products our customers have ordered – all delivered on time, of course,” says Michael Valentin with a smile.