Goodbye steel, hello cardboard – ventilation’s new wonder material

A developer of a revolutionary sustainable alternative to steel ducting has attracted none other than Rolls-Royce to its books.

A developer of a revolutionary sustainable alternative to steel ducting has attracted none other than Rolls-Royce to its books.

Rolls-Royce recently refurbished its high-tech Rotatives Department in Derby with 1,200sq metres of GatorDuct – an innovative combination of high-strength corrugated cardboard and a unique protective coating.

GatorDuct is light, printable, low cost and easy to assemble, like cardboard. But it’s also durable, fire retardant, anti-fungal, water repellant and airtight; all the properties expected of conventional galvanised steel without the cost and carbon footprint drawbacks.

The combination has the potential to radically transform ceiling spaces across the UK, from offices and factories to theatres and cinemas.

It was an easy decision for Rolls-Royce. On top of a healthy cost saving, the cardboard’s lightness meant a huge reduction in weight stress on the building.

The primary reason for the switch, however, was sustainability. GatorDuct is made of 21.5% recycled content, with the rest sourced from sustainably managed forests. The result is a product that is 100% renewable and 100% recyclable yet strong enough to last a lifetime. It can also be flat packed into small spaces, meaning lower emissions on the road.

Rolls-Royce is already planning to roll GatorDuct out at three more of its facilities across the country.

Luke Scruton, Operations Manager at GatorDuct, said: “To have a unique system of such magnitude like this at one of Rolls-Royce’s main facilities was incredible for everyone to be involved with.

“The end results of everyone being over the moon with the product and the quality of installation makes for exciting times ahead.”

This is a promoted article. 

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