How to Keep an Open Sealant / Adhesive Cartridge for Further Use

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For maximising the shelf life of open cartridges, we have these tips:
1. Keep it in a cooler place. You can even keep it in the fridge to maximise open shelf life.
2. Use the attached nozzle cap (if available) to cap the nozzle after use. If the product doesn’t have a cap, you can wrap the nozzle tip with tape.
3. Do not remove the nozzle after use!
4. Every 2 weeks, remove the nozzle and replace with a new nozzle. Pump out sealant into the new nozzle. Repeat every 2 weeks.
The rationale for step 4 is that the sealant cures from the nozzle top to the bottom. As long as only the sealant within the nozzle is curing, you can still replace the nozzle and replace it with fresh material. Once the sealant cures all the way into the cartridge, you will not be able to use anymore.
For a fuller explanation, refer to this diagram below:
  1. Before opening, the material is in the cartridge
  2. Once opened, fresh material enters the nozzle as you apply the sealant
  3. If kept in storage, the material at the tip of the nozzle started to cure from its contact with air (this happens even with a nozzle cap). In the diagram above, the time of 1 week is hypothetical and for illustration only.
  4. As the product is kept in storage, it continues curing downwards into the nozzle. At this point (above), you can no longer use the cartridge with the attached nozzle as it has too much cured material. However, you can still use the contents of the cartridge if you replace a new nozzle.
  5. a. If the nozzle is not replaced, the sealant will continue curing downwards into the cartridge body itself. At this point in time, you can no longer use the cartridge. However, if you had replaced the nozzle as in 5.b., the cycle can now start again.

Do note that even with such means of extending the life of an open cartridge, it may still suffer degradation in quality, and after time may even cure from the bottom up from the plunger. It cannot be used to extend the shelf life of the product.

PFE Factory

COVID-19 SAFE MANAGEMENT MEASURES

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In light of the recent developments regarding COVID-19 in Singapore and globally, PFE Technologies Pte Ltd has implemented a Safe Management Programme to keep our workplace safe, and to prevent any viral transmissions. As a valued customer, these are the important things you need to know.

Continued Operations

PFE Technologies Pte Ltd has been operating through the duration of the Circuit Breaker as an MTI (Ministry of Trade and Industry) approved essential business. Now, carrying on into Phase One, we will continue operations at our workplace premises with continued safe-distancing and other safe management measures.

During the Circuit Breaker period, our company was closed on Wednesdays. Now in Phase One, we will be operating everyday, except for weekends and public holidays.

NOW – Phase One – (2 June 2020 onwards) BEFORE – Circuit Breaker (Before 2 June 2020)
Operating hours:
9am to 4.45pm, Mon – Fri
Off days: Weekends, public holidays. 		Operating hours:
9am to 4.45pm, Mon, Tue, Thu, Fri
Off days: Wednesdays, weekends, public holidays.

No Entry to Visitors

There will be no entry to all visitors to our workplaces, except for the purposes of goods collection and delivery. The only visitors allowed into our workplaces are:

  • Couriers
  • Delivery personnel collecting goods for our customers
  • Other pre-authorized visitors who have made prior appointments

Visitors who do not fulfill any of the above will be turned away.

We are still serving all our customers and clients through other non-physical means. If in doubt, feel free to get in touch with us through the phone or by mail.

SafeEntry

All employees and visitors are required to check-in using SafeEntry when entering our premises by scanning the QR code at our entrances. They will be required to use their mobile phones to scan, and fill in their personal details. They are likewise required to check-out when exiting. Click here for more information on SafeEntry.

Reducing Physical Interaction

PFE Technologies Pte Ltd is actively seeking to reduce physical interaction wherever possible in the following ways.

  • There will be less employees present at our office, and many will work from home. As a result, it may take more time for physical payments, collections, or purchases at our premises.
  • We strongly encourage for customers to use digital, no-touch payment methods such as bank transfers, GIRO, and PayNow in all cases.
  • We encourage all customers to communicate with us by email, texts, or phone calls. Please avoid coming to our workplace.

Safe distancing Measures

Safe-distancing measures have been implemented for our employees and visitors to our premises.

  • Masks are required at all time within the premises.
  • All individuals are to abide by the safe-distance markers as provided
  • All visitors are required to sanitize their hands (provided) before opening our door and entering.
  • All visitors and employees must keep a safe distance of at least 1 metre from others.

Health Checks and Protocols

  • All visitors must check their temperatures at our temperature screening stations. Visitors with high temperatures (> 37.4C) will have to leave.
  • All visitors must declare via SafeEntry, before being allowed to enter premises, that they:
    • Are currently not under a quarantine or isolation order, Stay-Home Notice, or been issued medical certificates for respiratory symptoms;
    • Have not had close contact with a confirmed COVID-19 case in the past 14 days; and
    • Do not have any fever or flu-like symptoms.

Please take note of these guidelines to ensure a smooth and safe experience for all.

These measures are part of our Safe Management Programme which has been implemented for our entire operations.

PFE Factory

COVID-19 CIRCUIT BREAKER MEASURES

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As of 2 June 2020, Singapore has moved from Circuit Breaker into Phase One. The information below is therefore no longer applicable. We have updated our latest Safe Management Measures in this new page.

In light of the recent developments regarding COVID-19 in Singapore and globally, the Singapore Government has implemented measures that will affect businesses. These are the measures and changes that PFE Technologies Pte Ltd have implemented.

Exemption from Suspension of Activities

The Government has announced closure of workplace premises for non-essential businesses. As we are part of a supply chain for essential businesses, PFE Technologies Pte Ltd has been approved by the Ministry to continue operations, with safe-distancing and other measures implemented.

No Entry to Visitors

There will be no entry to all visitors to our workplaces, except for the purposes of fulfilling the requirements of our customers listed as Essential Services. The only people allowed into our workplaces are:

  • Couriers
  • Delivery personnel collecting goods for our customers who are Essential Services

This means that we will not entertain any offline retail sales, walk-in enquiries, or self-collection of online orders. All visitors for such purposes will be turned away. If you require service or have enquiries, please get in touch with us through the phone or by mail.

SafeEntry

All employees and visitors are required to check-in using SafeEntry when entering our premises by scanning the QR code at our entrances. They will be required to use their mobile phones to scan, and fill in their personal details. They are likewise required to check-out when exiting. Click here for more information on SafeEntry.

Scaling down of operations

PFE Technologies Pte Ltd will be scaling down our operations immediately in the following ways:

  • Our company, office, and factories will be closed on Wednesdays, in addition to Saturdays and Sundays.
  • On our working days (Mon, Tue, Thu, Fri), our company office hours will be: 0900 to 1700.
  • There will be less employees present at our office, and many will work from home. There will also be safe-distancing measures in place. As a result, it may take more time for physical payments, collections, or purchases at our premises.
  • We strongly encourage for customers to use digital, no-touch payment methods such as bank transfers, GIRO, and PayNow in all cases.
  • We encourage all customers to communicate with us by email, texts, or phone calls. Please avoid coming to our workplace.
  • Our production is functioning at a lower capacity. We still have ample stocks of products on hand, but customized orders (e.g. belts) may face additional lead times.
  • We are still making deliveries. We encourage customers to make use of our delivery services to avoid coming to our workplace.

Safe distancing Measures

Safe-distancing measures have been implemented for our employees and visitors to our premises.

  • All visitors and employees are required to wear masks at all time within the premises.
  • We will only allow one visitor (single person – no groups) inside our office at a time. Visitors will have to wait in line outside for their turns, with safe distancing, to enter.
  • All visitors are required to sanitize their hands (provided) before opening our door and entering.
  • All visitors and employees must keep a safe distance of at least 1 metre from others.
  • All visitors and employees with travel history in the past 14 days will not be allowed entry.
  • All visitors and employees who feel unwell and/or have symptoms such as fever, runny nose, or cough will not be allowed entry.
  • All visitors may be required to complete a signed declaration and have their temperature taken.

Please take note of these guidelines to ensure a smooth and safe experience for all.

How to convert a sausage sealant gun to work on cartridges

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Our sausage sealant guns can be converted to be used on hard cartridge sealants, without using tools. It’s a very simple process.

Every gun comes with a blue plunger piece that is the size of the barrel, so as to push the sealant in a soft aluminium foil sausage out. Behind the blue plastic plunger, there’s also a smaller metal plunger that fits into a hard plastic cartridge. Converting the gun is simply removing the blue plastic plunger.

  1. Unscrew and remove the barrel from the grip and trigger

2. Unscrew the nut holding the blue plastic piece from the rod. This can usually be done without any tools by twisting the plastic piece itself.

3. Adjust the nut on the back, to make the metal plunger go farther up the rod.

4. Reattach the first nut to secure the metal plunger in position.

5. Reattach the barrel. Now you can slide a cartridge into the barrel itself, and the metal plunger will be able to push the sealant out from your cartridge.

Here’s a short video to demonstrate:

To re-convert the gun back for usage on aluminium foil is similarly simple, just reverse the process.

Soudal Chemical Anchor CA1400

New Product: Soudal Chemical Anchor

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We have added a new product into our portfolio: Soudal Chemical Anchor.

Soudal Chemical Anchor

Soudal Chemcial Anchor CA1400

Soudal Chemical Anchor CA1400 is part of Soudal’s anchor range. Soudal has more professional chemical anchors such as the Soudafix VE400-SF (link in Dutch), but have recently released a CA1400 as a more universally applicable chemical anchor, complete with clearer, more informative packaging.

What’s a Chemical Anchor?

A chemical anchor is simply a type of chemical / adhesive that secures mechanical fixtures (anchoring rod) into a substrate (wall). 

Read more
silicone sealant in hdb

Homeowner’s Guide to Silicones and other Sealants

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Homeowner’s Guide to Silicones and other Sealants

Silicone Sealant in Bathroom

In our experience both as homeowners and as sealant manufacturers, we have found that many people know very little about sealants and silicones. We wrote this guide to help homeowners to be more informed on silicones and sealants, and to help them make better choices. This is a good thing for us, because we find that homeowners are willing to spend a little more on better-quality products that last longer (like our products). Contractors, on the other hand, want to save on costs. If homeowners are ill-informed, contractors will use any sealant they like (usually the cheapest). Having informed homeowners help the industry move to a higher overall quality.

In this guide, we’ll go through the economics, the basics, and some technical details.

  1. Renovations, sealants, and our suggestions
  2. Contractors and their choice of sealants
  3. Why you should insist on a good sealant
  4. Sealant basics
  5. Silicon or Sealant?
  6. Types of sealants
  7. Silicone Sealants
  8. How To Choose Anti-Fungal Silicone Sealants for your Bathroom and Kitchen
  9. Acrylic Sealants
  10. Hybrid Polymer sealants
  11. Sealant applications
  12. Conclusion

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Soudal Metal Fix

New Product: Soudal Metal Fix

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We have added a new product into our portfolio: Soudal Metal Fix.

Soudal Metal Fix is part of Soudal’s new “Fix” range which includes Soudal Pool Fix, Soudal Zinc Fix, and Soudal Green Fix.

Soudal Metal Fix

Soudal Metal Fix

Soudal Metal Fix is a sealant/adhesive based on Soudal’s SMX Hybrid Polymer technology, so it’s something like Fix All. Just like Fix All, it has very high adhesive strength, suitability on a wide range of materials, and can be used in many, many difficult conditions and scenarios. For example, it can work underwater.

Metal Fix is targeted at the sealing and bonding of metals such as steel, aluminium, and iron. It’s a great adhesive to use on things like metal fixtures, metal stairs and structures, steel works etc. It can also be used as a sealant, especially for when one substrate is a metal, due to its appearance – think stainless steel counters. Read more

KKH Window Newspaper

Newspaper used in Window-Wall Joints

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Recently, there’s been talk going around of newspaper found in a HDB wall, calling it “half cement half newspaper”.

Screenshot of the video (Screengrab: Facebook/ Singapore Uncensored)

Since then, HDB has come forward to clarify that the use of newspaper was by a renovation contractor hired by the flat owner in 1999. The balcony was completed in 1984.

We’re not surprised, because we’re in the window industry. Stuffing newspaper into window frame joints is fairly common practice back in the day. You know where else you can find newspaper stuffed into a window joint?

KK Women’s and Children’s Hospital.

We visited the hospital for personal reasons in 2014, and found this window at the ward.

It’s the same thing. Newspaper stuffed into a window joint, and then a layer of acrylic sealant over the newspaper. Read more

Soudal Annual Report 2017

Soudal Annual Report 2017

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Soudal N.V. has released its annual report for 2017. The Annual Report 2017 is available here, or you can download it directly from this link.

Key Figures

  • 2017 Gross Turnover was EUR 755m, a whopping increase of 12% from 2016.
  • Net Result of EUR 26m, slightly higher than the previous year’s 25m.
  • Investments of EUR 90m, almost threefold of 2016’s 32m.
  • A workforce count increase of 300 – from 2570 to 2861

Read more