Rubbox ... Trelleborg’s revolutionary membrane.
Rubbox minimises moisture damage
01 November 2006
Sweden-based Trelle-borg Building Systems, which offers specialised engineered solutions based on leading polymer technology, has recently introduced a new membrane named Rubbox that minimises the risk of moisture damage in buildings.
“The product is an entirely new concept with no equivalent system in the market. The new offering Rubbox – which is currently awaiting a patent application – is a specially designed highly elastic rubber membrane that provides a considerably better seal than previous membranes and is highly elastic. In addition it offers significant time and cost-savings.
Trelleborg Building Systems has developed the Rubbox membrane from a material used to line ponds. Since the material is elastic, it absorbs movements in buildings extremely well and is highly resistant to vapour permeation, thus minimising the risk of moisture damage occurring in buildings.
“Rubbox seals more than twice as efficiently as the sealing membranes currently in the market. In fact, the difference is so great that Rubbox wasn’t even on the same measurement scale as the other materials,” says Johan Bergström, product manager at Trelleborg Building Systems.
Most sealing membranes currently used are painted onto the walls and floor with a roller. After that, they must dry for at least 48 hours before wall and floor tiles can be applied. Installing Rubbox is largely akin to wallpapering, with the difference that the walls and the floor are covered. Tiling can begin immediately after Rubbox has been installed. In addition to the membrane itself, the system includes seam strips, adhesive, primer, sealer and a roller. The Swedish Testing and Research Institute has tested this system with remarkable results, says Bergstrom.
“Rubbox was launched this January at Nordbygg, a major Swedish construction trade fair that was held in Stockholm and attracted great attention among visitors. However, the product has not only aroused interest among potential customers but also among competitors who wanted to collaborate with Rubbox – a recognition of the fact that that the company has developed an extremely innovative product with good business potential,” he says.
“The product sets a new standard for moisture-sealed wet rooms. In my opinion, you could compare this to when ABS brakes replaced regular disk brakes in the automotive industry where although a product already existed, the new one added a whole new dimension,” adds Bergström.
Founded in 1905 in Trelleborg, Sweden, Trelleborg has annual sales of approximately SEK24 billion ($3.25 billion) and is staffed by about 22,000 employees in 40 countries. The company offers technological solutions that meet three principal customer needs – to damp, seal and protect and are used in various industries worldwide. Its main clientele are to be found primarily within the aerospace, agricultural, automotive, infrastructure/construction, transportation equipment, oil and gas and other industries.
It has five primary business areas that include Trelleborg Automotive, Trelleborg Building Systems, Trelleborg Engineered Systems, Trelleborg Sealing Solutions and Trelleborg Wheel. It also has companies spread throughout the world in UAE, Turkey, Germany, Hungary, Italy, South Africa, Australia, Canada, Mexico, US and the UK among others.
