Soundproofing Solution 

Recycled rubber products manufacturer, the Royal Mat Company, Beauceville, Quebec unveiled its new line of soundproofing panels made out of recycled rubber by-products. 

Used primarily as a subfloor in construction and renovation, the Neutra-Phone™ panels were developed by Royal Mat in collaboration with the National Research Council and soundproofing specialists, company president Pierre Poulin said. 

Royal Mat uses a thermocompression process to produce the panels. As a result the finished panels have a special configuration of grooves, whose dimensions and angles were meticulously calculated to optimize absorption of vibrations and airborne sound energy, Poulin said. Neutra-Phone™ can be installed under any type of flooring and is suitable for use with all types of concrete or wooden framework, the company said. 

Neutra-Phone™ panels can also be used in bathrooms - under the toilet, and whirlpool baths, for example - for absorbing noise and vibrations. 

The panels, which are a patented product in Canada, the U.S., Asia and Europe, have performed well in acoustic tests performed in accordance with ASTM standards for resistance to airborne noise and resistance to impact noise, Poulin said. 

Multi-facility Mat 

Proflex-rubber floor covering manufactured in Canada by Plate-Forme CPT, Inc., Quebec City, was on display in a variety of applications from athletic facilities, to day care centers to businesses and animal care and livestock barns. The flooring contains up to 100% recycled rubber and comes in solid black or a flecked-color line. 

Parking Safety Devices 

Park-It™ parking curbs from GNR Technologies, Montreal made from 100 percent recycled rubber are being sourced by contractors, paving companies and property managers, according to technical manager Michel Hebert. The curbing is being used for effective delineation of parking and to protect walls, vehicles and other valuables in garages and surface parking applications. 

Anti-fatigue mat 

Revec-Sol inc., Montreal, Canada showed its Revec-Sol 2000 anti-fatigue mats. Made from 100 percent recycled tire rubber, the Revec-Sol mat was recently successfully tested by "Workplace Health, Safety & Environment Office" at L'UQAM (Quebec's University, Montreal). Revec-Sol inc. also distributes a full line of other recycled rubber products manufactured in Canada. 

High-Shear Mixer 

The British firm Watson Brown (HSM) Ltd. has developed a new high-shear mixer that has the potential to recycle vulcanized scrap rubber to give it the same properties as virgin material. Recent company trials on different types of rubber including NR, SBR, EPDM and Nitriles were promising, David Brown, a principal of the company said. In moving toward commercialization of the mixer, the company is next planning to produce batch sizes of up to 440 pounds and will explore the use of various particle sizes.