A UK chilled food manufacturer needed to mount workplace equipment and information around its factory without drilling into newly installed wall panels.
The internal walls consisted of insulated composite panels with plastic-coated steel faces. Because the steel surfaces were suitable for magnetic attachment, the manufacturer used rubber-coated magnets to hold a range of items in place.
This provided a removable mounting method that allowed the factory team to reposition items when production areas or line layouts changed.
What did the food factory need to mount?
The manufacturer used rubber-coated magnets for:
- Signs and safety notices
- Shadow boards holding squeegees, brushes and shovels
- Soap and sanitiser dispensers
- Hairnet and beard snood holders
- Shoe-cover dispensers
- Earplug dispensers
Where a sign was not already magnetic, magnets were screwed onto the sign before it was placed against the steel-faced wall panel.
Why did the manufacturer want to avoid drilling?
The factory team did not want to make holes in its new composite wall panels.
Equipment and layouts within factories can change. A permanently drilled fixing may be left in the wrong position when a production line, workstation or access point is reorganised. Moving the fixture then means drilling again and leaving the original holes visible.
The manufacturer was also concerned that holes in the wall panels could create points where dirt or water might collect or enter. Its use of magnetic fixings was chosen to avoid making these penetrations.
“With the magnets, we can move things around without having to drill more holes and leave holes showing.”
— UK chilled food manufacturer
This is the experience of this particular manufacturer. This was a site-specific application. Requirements vary between production areas, so any proposed fixing should be checked through the factory’s usual technical, hygiene and maintenance approval process.
Why were rubber-coated magnets selected?
The customer reported that the rubber coating did not mark its white wall panels during use. The coating also prevented the magnet itself from making direct contact with the finished panel surface.
Rubber-coated magnets can offer more friction against smooth surfaces than an uncoated magnet, which can be useful when an item is being held vertically. Actual holding performance will depend on the complete installation, including:
- The weight and dimensions of the item
- How far the load projects from the wall
- The direction of the load
- The type and thickness of the steel surface
- Any gap between the magnet and the steel
- The number, size and position of the magnets
- The method used to attach the magnets to the fixture
A magnet’s stated pull force should not be treated as a safe working load. A flat safety notice and a loaded dispenser can place very different forces on the magnets, even if their total weights are similar.
How did magnetic mounting help when the factory layout changed?
The manufacturer regularly moves equipment and plans different line layouts. Its magnet-mounted signs, boards and dispensers can be removed and repositioned without drilling another set of holes into the panels.
This gives the team more flexibility when the required location changes while preserving the wall panels.
Can rubber-coated magnets be used on every food-factory wall?
No. The wall or supporting surface must contain a suitable ferrous material, such as steel, and the complete fixing arrangement must be capable of supporting the intended item.
Composite panels vary, so magnetic compatibility and holding performance should be tested on the actual wall surface before magnets are specified for wider use. The proposed installation should also be checked against the factory’s requirements for cleaning, washdown, maintenance and installation.
Choosing rubber-coated magnets for signs, boards and dispensers
Anchor Magnets can help identify a suitable rubber-coated magnet for mounting workplace items to compatible steel surfaces.
To discuss an application, please provide:
- A description of the item being mounted
- Its weight and dimensions
- The number of fixing points available
- How the magnets will attach to the item
- Details of the wall or supporting surface
- Whether the item will be loaded, operated or pulled after installation
- The quantity required
For businesses purchasing magnets regularly or across several factory locations, Anchor Magnets can also discuss trade-account supply.
View the rubber-coated magnet range, or contact Anchor Magnets with details of the item, supporting surface and quantity required.