F.B. Washburn Candy Corporation

5000 sq.ft. — The Sweet Taste of Success

Project Overview

The F.B. Washburn Candy Corporation, located in Brockton, MA and founded in 1856, is America’s oldest family-owned candy business. The company produces Sevigny’s Thin Ribbon Candy, Old Fashioned Hard and Filled candies, and Yummy-Pops delivering to retailers throughout the United States and Canada. The company is a leader in the hard-candy business, supplying many re-baggers and private label brands with wrapped hard candies. Today, the company operates a facility with five floors and 150,000 square feet of space.

Project Details

The Challenge

For many years, Washburn Candy worked unsuccessfully with a string of national and local flooring companies to resolve ongoing floor damage caused by ingredients used in candy processing. Flooring system after flooring system would fail sooner than expected and at great expense to the owners. After more than 100 years of production, ingredients had brought the production floors to an advanced state of disrepair. Pristine set out to design a floor system that could withstand caustic ingredients used in candy production and keep employees safe at their work stations.

The Solution

In 2008 the company asked Pristine Surfaces to propose a solution that could address their many needs while keeping an eye on their overall maintenance budget. Pristine toured the facility and carefully collected samples from floors and walls in every area. After extensive testing, and consultation with various manufactures, Pristine designed a Quarter Inch Urethane Cement Flooring system with a Chemical Resistant Top Coat. This Floor system is durable, easy to clean, and able to withstand the caustic ingredients used in the production of candy.

The Result

Pristine designed a strategic Project Plan to maximize Washburn’s down time during the evening hours. We removed the failed flooring systems that had been installed over the years, and stripped away any contamination using a combination of equipment and methodologies. In layers we installed a Quarter Inch Urethane Mortar system with a Chemical Resistant Top Coat. We collectively chose a color to enhance the appearance of a 100 plus year old building. Today Washburn Candy boasts about the results and its relationship with Pristine Surfaces—a company that came through on its promises to deliver a floor that remains sound, safe, seamless, and sanitary. We continue to work on small projects throughout the facility and Washburn Candy remains a valued Pristine Surfaces partner to this day.