Vebro Polymers, in partnership with specialist applicator partner Hendersons, is delighted to have played its part in the construction of the new crash, fire and rescue station at RAF Lossiemouth in a £10.7 million scheme awarded by Britain’s Defence Infrastructure Organisation (DIO).

RAF Lossiemouth is an RAF fast jet main operating base and is home to squadrons operating both the Typhoon and Tornado jets. The station is also the Quick Reaction Alert (Interceptor) North base, meaning that it provides crews and jets to intercept unidentified aircraft in UK airspace.

Built by South-Derry firm, Henry Brothers, as part of a wider upgrade programme at the Moray station, the new building allows RAF Lossiemouth’s professional in-house firefighters to reach any part of the airfield in under two minutes.

The building itself has been built to be robust and spacious to accommodate state-of-the-art new firefighting vehicles while also supporting training.

Focus on the floor

Several Vebro Polymers’ seamless resin-based flooring products have been expertly installed by Rothes based contractor, Hendersons, within various locations across the new site, including the main garage, workshop, foam storage areas, corridors, kit room and mechanical and electrical plant rooms.

A slip-resistant, 6.0 mm polyurethane concrete system has been used in all engine bays within the main garage. This system involves the installation of a specialist primer to assist with adhesion to the new concrete prior to overcoating with a medium duty cementitious urethane material, broadcasting aggregates into the material while wet before sealing with a pigmented polyurethane concrete topcoat.

The vebrocrete SR system delivers sufficient compressive strength to withstand the rolling load from heavy 13-tonnes, fire safety vehicles as well as ensure a slip-resistant profile underfoot to optimise safety, minimising slip / fall risks.

A complimentary cove system was also installed within the main garage to deliver a hygienic transition between the floor and wall.

In areas subject to slightly less arduous service criteria and lighter loads, including foam storage areas, service areas, corridors, and clean rooms a 2.0 mm (FeRFA Type 5) a slip-resistant self-levelling epoxy system had been specified.

vebrores EP SL SR incorporates a double prime, followed by a single layer of heavily filled pigmented epoxy resin, which is broadcast with quartz aggregates whilst wet and sealed with a coat of high-build epoxy. Once cured, the system offers excellent chemical resistance and in medium-duty conditions offers a life expectancy of up to 8 years.

Alongside our long-term applicator partner, Hendersons, we are absolutely thrilled to have played even just a small role in upgrading RAF Lossiemouth’s site

Robert Gray
Global Specifications Director, Vebro Polymers

In the less frequented, and therefore less trafficked, back-of-house mechanical and electrical plant rooms, an epoxy resin (FeRFA Type 3), high-build coating vebrores EP HBC, was chosen.

Construction of the new facility began in August 2021 and is just one of many improvements being made at RAF Lossiemouth, future-proofing the Moray station for years to come.

The site has already benefitted from early completion of the resurfaced runways, installation of advanced communications and improved drainage among other enhancements to its operating capability.

Elsewhere on the RAF Lossiemouth site, a further 600 square metres of vebrores EP HBC has been installed by Hendersons within the Engine Test Facility. This building, which was originally built in 2016, houses aircraft undergoing testing following the repair or replacement of engine parts. Requiring a routine refresh, the surface was prepared, primed and re-coating before adding vibrant yellow linemarking to regulate traffic movement. 

Robert Gray, Global Specifications Director for Vebro Polymers, said; “Alongside our long-term applicator partner, Hendersons, we are absolutely thrilled to have played even just a small role in upgrading RAF Lossiemouth’s site.

“We have extensive experience working in the defence sector, and this project has allowed us to further develop our relationship with Henry Brothers and continue to deliver robust seamless surfaces that meet the DOI and RAF’s stringent requirements.”

George McClelland, fire station manager at RAF Lossiemouth, said: “The new station is a fantastic new facility – a definite improvement on our previous old and tired building.

“This has been an exciting project to be involved in, one which has been in the planning stage for many, many years and has only been a dream for all previous fire station managers and firefighters.