Floor in the company's color combined with long-term ESD protection

© Dirk Altenkirch

© Dirk Altenkirch

© Dirk Altenkirch

© Dirk Altenkirch

Future-oriented, sustainable, and transparent: In Waldbronn near Karlsruhe, the Californian life sciences company Agilent Technologies has expanded its existing corporate site with a modern customer and technology center. The pavilion-style new building, characterized by generous glass facades, spans three levels with office and development workspaces. The globally active laboratory technology manufacturer set high standards for the quality and sustainability of the building materials. When selecting the flooring, the decision was made in favor of rubber flooring systems from nora systems. The rubber floors convinced not only through their functional properties such as permanent electrostatic discharge capability with a 10-year warranty and extreme durability, but also through the possibility of custom design: Both the developers' ideas for a specific shade of gray from noraplan sentica in electrostatically dissipative (electrostatically dissipative) ed-variant and the desire to match the color exactly to the bright blue of the company logo in some areas could be fulfilled by the Weinheim rubber specialists. Overall, more than 4,200 square meters of nora ed floors in special colors, both as roll material and in tile format, are now installed in the new building. Nearly 900 square meters of noraplan sentica ed were installed as tiles on double floors.

Various formats – a uniform look

Agilent Technologies develops, produces, and sells complete analytical solutions used, among other things, for developing new medicines, controlling food safety, cancer research, or doping tests. The Agilent campus in Waldbronn, where around 1,000 employees work, is one of the company's most important locations in Europe. The Karlsruhe-based Vollack Group was commissioned with the master planning, project management, and workspace planning of the new building. The centerpiece of the new structure is a spacious daylight area that ensures natural lighting for the laboratories located in an inner ring. The positive environment is also enhanced by noraplan sentica. "The ability to individually customize the floor in sections with Agilent blue according to our wishes is a major advantage," says Dominik Langen from the Vollack Group. noraplan sentica offers an inspiring palette of 38 colors and a subtle granulate texture. Twelve colors are also available as standard in the ed-variant. This makes the floor ideal for customized design concepts in the industrial sector. To integrate cables and lines for communication, electricity, and water, double floors had to be installed in some areas. Here, noraplan sentica ed in tile format was used. With its tone-on-tone granulates, the floor creates a harmonious overall appearance. "Initially, several elastic floors were considered, but noraplan sentica best met the technical laboratory requirements, such as electrostatic discharge capability," Langen continues.

Ten-year warranty on consistent ESD values

A key aspect for both Vollack and Agilent was the ten-year warranty on constant ESD properties that nora systems grants for its ed floors. Rubber flooring systems inherently have a low tendency to accumulate static charges due to their material properties and do not need to be coated with a dissipative sealant. This ensures the discharge capability remains permanently effective. This is a significant advantage over other floors, whose coatings not only influence the reliability of conductivity but also need to be regularly renewed. Thanks to the high and permanent elasticity of nora floors, the contact points—areas where electrostatic charges are discharged into the ground—are optimally maintained.

High durability for ergonomic work environments

The durability of nora floors is also a major benefit in terms of ergonomic workplace design: The rubber floors reduce strain on the back and joints, which is especially beneficial for employees who have to stand for long periods during their work.

Highest performance, an attractive appearance, and high comfort: nora systems' flooring systems contribute to a positive and reliable working environment through their individual and diverse design and functional options in industrial facilities.

Construction Data

Project: Agilent Technologies Campus, Waldbronn
Client: Agilent Technologies Germany GmbH & Co. Immobilien KG, Waldbronn
Architect: Vollack Group GmbH & Co. KG, Karlsruhe, www.vollack.de
Products: noraplan® sentica ed, special colors 6824 and 6522, total installed area 4,200 m²
Installation: 09/2018
Application areas: production halls, laboratories, office spaces
Photo copyright: Atelier Dirk Altenkirch, Karlsruhe