Of ice rinks, railways, and eternal ice

Dubai Mall Ice Rink, Dubai

Dubai Mall Ice Rink, Dubai

Tibet Railway, China

Tibet Railway, China

Research Station Antarctica

Research Station Antarctica

An ice stadium in the desert, perhaps the largest railway project of the 21st century, and a research station in Antarctica: these are unusual projects in special locations that are connected by a commonality. nora systems, a German manufacturer of high-quality rubber flooring, was significantly involved in the outfitting of each of these three sites – with creative, individual, and special solutions from Weinheim to the world. To places where heat, cold, and extraordinary climatic conditions prevail, and where the floors from Weinheim demonstrate their performance.

First Stage: 6,560 kilometers from Weinheim to the desert in Dubai

An ice stadium where the highest temperatures worldwide are recorded? Nothing is impossible. The Dubai ice stadium, with Olympic dimensions, is not only home to figure skating events and ice hockey games but is also open to anyone who wants to glide onto the smooth ice with skates in their free time. The special flooring behind the boards is "Made in Weinheim": a norament 992 studded flooring. A rubber floor that is highly slip-resistant even with normal footwear in humid conditions and especially withstands the impact of ice skate blades – thanks to its extremely cleat-rough special quality. Block stripes of varying widths in gray and blue define the design of the floor. Eight stripes per square meter were used – a custom-made product cut on the state-of-the-art ultrasonic cutting system at the nora systems Inlay Center. The total 11,200 strips were transported to Dubai on three container ships. Within just two weeks, the precisely fitted installation of the 1,400 square meters of rubber flooring in the ice stadium was completed, which can withstand external desert sand under the shoes without issue.

Second Stage: 7,200 kilometers from Weinheim to Xining on the Roof of the World

This is a record-breaking train route. It leads, for example, to the highest railway station in the world at 5,068 meters, followed by the highest tunnel at an elevation of 4,905 meters. From the Chinese provincial capital Xining, the adventurous route of the Tibet Railway leads to the Tibetan capital Lhasa. nora systems is also on board with 11,000 square meters of high-quality rubber flooring. Among other things, it was necessary to meet special fire protection requirements – a challenge well-suited for the Weinheim team. The 16 specially high-altitude wagons, which seat 930 passengers, are today equipped with a three-millimeter-thick noraplan floor covering, granulated in beige tones. A subtle design that exudes calm and is capable of concealing light dirt. In addition to safety and aesthetics, another feature was decisive for choosing no-ra: the floor is extremely abrasion-resistant and durable. A crucial criterion, considering that in the first 18 months alone, more than six million passengers passed through the train corridors.

Third Stage: 14,230 kilometers from Weinheim to Antarctica

52 people live and work there: at the Halley Research Station, where measurements leading to the discovery of the ozone hole were conducted in the mid-1980s. The British station is located in the Antarctic Weddell Sea. Temperatures can reach as low as -50°C in winter and hover around -10°C in summer. Extreme climatic conditions in a highly sensitive ecosystem also influenced the development of the new buildings and imposed the highest standards on the materials used. The station was built on massive skis with hydraulically height-adjustable legs – preventing the station from sinking into the snow masses. Only the best environmentally friendly materials were allowed, and the station was designed to provide a safe and comfortable living and working environment for scientists. The choice for the flooring was nora systems. The norament floor coverings with the classic round stud, shaped stairs, and perfectly coordinated accessories best met the requirements. In technical areas, the anti-slip round stud variant norament 928 ed is used today. While outside the snow-white dominates, the interior flooring was installed in coordinated shades of blue.