Prepared & Specialty Foods · Sugar
Sugar Refinery & Mill Floors That Stop Sugar Attack
Sugar is one of the most destructive substances for concrete. Refineries, cane mills and sweetener plants spill raw juice, syrups and molasses all day, often hot, and sugar dust builds up wherever it can. Over time the concrete goes soft and crumbles. PumaCRETE urethane concrete flooring seals sugar out of the slab, handles hot syrup spills, and gives you a seamless surface for dust housekeeping.
Sugar
Sealed out of the concrete
248°F
Maximum service temperature
9,500 psi
Compressive strength
5-yr
Written warranty
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What sugar processing does to a floor
Sugar attack on concrete
Sugar solutions react with the cement in concrete and weaken it, especially when floors stay wet. A sealed urethane concrete topping keeps sugar off the slab.
Hot syrups and molasses
Evaporators, vacuum pans and centrifugals drip hot syrup and molasses. The system is rated for service up to 248°F.
Lime and process chemicals
Clarification uses lime and other process chemicals that end up on the floor. PumaCRETE resists alkaline and acidic exposure.
Sugar dust
Sugar dust is combustible and builds up in cracks and joints. A seamless floor makes housekeeping easier.
Cane and bagasse at mills
Cane receiving and milling bring soil, bagasse and heavy equipment. Thicker, textured systems handle the abuse.
Heavy loads
Bulk bags, forklifts and equipment loads are heavy. The 9,500 psi system resists wheel wear and impact.
Recommended system by zone
One urethane concrete system, configured for the room you’re standing in. Thickness, texture and cove are set zone by zone. Add 1/8 in for integral cove.
| Zone | Recommended system | Key exposures |
|---|---|---|
| Raw sugar or cane receiving | 401-HF, 3/8 in, slip-grade | Heavy traffic, soil, bagasse |
| Juice extraction and clarification | 401-HF, 3/8 in + cove | Raw juice, lime, constant wet |
| Evaporators and vacuum pans | 401-HF, 3/8 in (thermal) + cove | Hot syrup, steam |
| Centrifugals and molasses handling | 401-HF, 3/8 in (thermal), slip-grade | Molasses, hot spills, slip risk |
| Drying, screening and packaging | 401-HF, 1/4 in | Sugar dust, forklift traffic |
| Bulk storage and loading | 401-HF, 1/4 in | Forklifts, bulk bags, dust |
Installing between campaigns
Off-campaign scheduling
Cane mills and beet factories are typically done between campaigns; refineries are phased by area.
Sugar-damaged concrete removed
Softened concrete is ground back to sound material and patched before the topping goes down.
International projects
For mills in the Caribbean and Latin America, materials ship from Miami and a factory trainer certifies your crew. See Caribbean & Latin America.
Food safety and dust
- Meets FDA current good manufacturing practice: floors that can be adequately cleaned and kept in good repair (21 CFR Part 117)
- Seamless floors make combustible-dust housekeeping easier, supporting your NFPA 61 program
- Aligned with SQF, BRC, IFS and FSSC 22000 audit expectations
- OSHA-compliant slip resistance (wet coefficient of friction 0.6–0.9)
Performance data
| Property | PumaCRETE 401-HF |
|---|---|
| Compressive strength | 9,500 psi (ASTM C579) |
| Tensile strength | 1,450 psi (ASTM C307) |
| Flexural strength | 3,200 psi (ASTM C580) |
| Bond to concrete | Exceeds substrate (ASTM D7234) |
| Abrasion resistance | 0.06 g loss (ASTM C501) |
| Impact resistance | >160 in-lb (ASTM D2794) |
| Service temperature | -40°F to 248°F |
| Thermal shock | Pass, boiling-to-ambient cycles |
| Wet coefficient of friction | 0.6–0.9 (tunable) |
| Vapor pressure tolerance | Up to 25 lbs through the slab |
| Minimum install temperature | 35°F (operating coolers) |
| Standard thickness | 1/4 in (3/8 in in thermal zones) |
Standard 1/4-inch PumaCRETE 401-HF system. Full test data is on the technical data sheets.
Three ways to buy, direct from the manufacturer
Every system on this page is made by PumaCRETE and sold direct, with no distributor markup.
Buy the materials
Urethane concrete, primers, topcoats and cove kits shipped direct from the manufacturer to your plant. No distributor markup.
Buy it installed
Turnkey installation by factory-trained crews, with material and workmanship warranties from a single source.
Train your own crew
A factory-employed PumaCRETE trainer certifies your maintenance team or local contractor on your slab: prep, mixing, troweling, cove and testing.
Frequently Asked Questions
Sugar Refinery & Mill Floors FAQ's
Sugar reacts with compounds in cured cement and weakens it, especially with repeated wetting. Floors gradually become soft and powdery. A sealed urethane concrete topping prevents sugar from reaching the concrete.
Yes. We specify 3/8 inch around evaporators, pans and centrifugals. The system is rated for service up to 248°F.
Yes. Without cracks and joints for dust to settle in, housekeeping is faster and more complete, which supports a combustible-dust program.
Yes. PumaCRETE ships from the Port of Miami to mills across the region, with on-site training for local crews.
EXPERIENCE AND EXPERTISE
Ready to spec your refinery or mill floors?
Get a no-obligation site assessment. We review your rooms, chemistry, temperatures and production calendar, then deliver a written specification and budget within five business days.
