Concrete Innovation of the Year - Concrete Furniture

Averaging 2.5 hurricanes per year since 1875, Cancun, Mexico knows all too well the devastating power that these storms unleash. If you operate a holiday resort in Cancun, Mexico, you come to view hurricanes as almost routine and do your best to protect your guests and staff, as well as minimize physical damage to your resort. One area that is always an expensive challenge to manage is the hundreds of tables, chairs and other amenities that make guests comfortable. Many pieces are destroyed by a single storm and the cost of replacing this furniture on a regular basis is enormous. GFRC Market Opportunity -- OBRaTUR, S.A. of Cancun has seen this destruction many times over the years and developed an idea to create furniture using glass fiber reinforced concrete that immediately got the attention of resort owners throughout Cancun and beyond. The initial order from one resort for a Royal Poinciana tree root table was 500 units. Creating a GFRC table design employs the root of a Royal Poinciana tree that was recovered from a hurricane. A critical production tool will be the rubber mold used to make the GFRC castings. Few mold rubbers can withstand both the chemical attack and abrasive nature of GFRC. The Royal Poinciana tree root poses a challenge in that there are deep undercuts and texture that require a soft mold rubber. After evaluating options, Smooth-On’s Rebound® 25 silicone rubber was determined to be the best investment to produce the many castings needed. GFRC furniture offers many unique advantages including; - Ecological Fit & Aesthetic Appeal - Hurricane Proof - Functional and Practical - Immediate Return On Investment Make It Now! with Smooth-On / smoothon / smoothon smoothon ~-~~-~~~-~~-~ Adult Supervision Required Keep Out Of Reach Of Children ~-~~-~~~-~~-~