New Zealand's first Costco opens its doors featuring the hard-wearing Shuttle entry matting. 

Designed by architects Woodhams Meikle Zhan, Costco’s first New Zealand store embodies the retail giant’s cost-conscious brand ethos in exposed concrete and industrial steel shelving. Says project architect Steve Mark, ‘As part of that effect, Shuttle entry matting from Advance Flooring fitted perfectly.’

The Costco strategy is to offer bulk goods at cheaper prices alongside a selection of higher-end items like jewellery and stereos, using a customer subscription model. Providing oversize trolleys for large numbers of customers purchasing in bulk, Costco needed a stylish entry mat system that would stand up to constant heavy use.

‘We were after a product that looked good and worked well for a lot of people tracking in and out of a busy retail environment,’ says Steve. ‘The concrete slabs were poured flush, so we needed to find a mat with a low profile that would keep the concrete floor in all the public entry spaces dry.’

Shuttle entry matting was installed in the store’s main customer entry lobby at level one, in the travelator lobbies at car parking level three, and in the lift lobby. Shuttle is part of Advance Flooring’s Architectural Series – designed in New Zealand by the family-owned business for aesthetics as well as superior performance. Its patented modular design has a four-way cleaning capability, designed to trap dirt and moisture approaching from all directions.

Shuttle’s special 10mm low-profile design doesn’t require a recess for installation while allowing for optimum performance. The mats have to contend with a lot of trolleys coming on and off the travelators,’ says Steve. ‘The profile height was key, making it easy for customers to roll the trolleys over.’

With heavy-duty aluminium construction to easily accommodate heavy rolling loads, and polyamide moisture-absorbent inserts to reduce slip hazards, Shuttle entry matting has proved its performance at Costco.

’It looks good and is working well,’ says Steve. ‘We installed the matting to a depth of four meters, which we can extend, if necessary, but even after a very wet spring it is definitely doing its job.’

Shuttle Entrance Matting:

• Designed to eliminate heel traps

• Compliant – exceeds fire safety regulations

• Heavy duty aluminium construction accommodates heavy rolling loads with ease

COLOUR USED:

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CREDITS

Architect: Woodhams Meikle Zhan Architects

Product: Shuttle

Photographer: Mark Scowen

Writer: Folio