Why Heavy Abuse Is No Problem for Thermoplastic Railing
In the previous article, we discussed why thermoplastic railing systems are ideal for harsh coastal salt environments. Painted steel and aluminum railing can’t stand up to the elements in oceanfront areas, while thermoplastic railing systems were invented specifically for properties that overlook the ocean.
Of course, you don’t need an oceanfront property to benefit from thermoplastic railing. Think about the abuse railing systems take at stadiums, arenas, amusement parks, water parks, and other venues.
How Railing Systems Take a Beating
It’s not like a hotel balcony where customers might occasionally lean into the railing. At many high-traffic properties, you have guard rails and stair rails. You have queue rails at rides and concessions, where people walk back and forth as they wait for their turn. You have safety rails and crowd control rails.
These railing systems take constant abuse. People sit, swing, climb, and jump up and down on rails. They put all their weight on them. They spill their drinks and ice cream on them. They scratch them with keys and jewelry.
With painted aluminum and steel railing, nonstop maintenance and frequent replacement is extremely expensive. That’s a given. But peeling paint and visible scratches that go down to the metal are a major eyesore.
Are Your Railing Systems Affecting the Customer Experience?
If railing systems look rundown or dirty, they can affect the customer’s perception of your company and brand. Cleanliness is a major factor when people leave reviews and fill out customer satisfaction surveys.
There’s a reason why major brands invest in railing systems that match the colors of logos, characters, and mascots. Theme parks got their name because their facilities, structures, and attractions are all based on a theme, whether the theme is princesses, superheroes, a country or culture, or a certain type of environment, like the rainforest.
Brand-conscious companies make sure everything is the right color, including railing systems. With painted metal, all it takes is one good scratch to affect the color palette and customer experience.
Thermoplastic Railings Can Take Heavy Abuse
Thermoplastic railing systems are thick, heavy-duty plastic tubes reinforced with steel. Metal provides structural integrity, while thermoplastic provides protection and aesthetics. You would need a hacksaw to get through the thermoplastic exterior and expose metal. Scratches are barely noticeable because the color extends throughout the plastic, not just on the surface.
Thermoplastic railing also requires no maintenance. When you see people climbing on rails and spilling drinks, you don’t have to worry about peeling or chipping paint. There’s no paint! In fact, thermoplastic just gets shinier every time you wipe it down.
AVCON Thermoplastic Railing Projects
Disney, one of the world’s most iconic brands, turned to AVCON to design custom thermoplastic railing systems. You’ll find AVCON railing across Disney World in Orlando at Magic Kingdom, Epcot, Toy Story Land, Hollywood Studios, and other parks, as well as transportation terminals and pickup areas. When construction on Hong Kong Disneyland began in 2003, Disney turned to AVCON for thermoplastic railing systems.
We developed thermoplastic railing for American Dream in New Jersey, which features the DreamWorks Water Park, Nickelodeon Universe, an ice rink, an indoor ski and snow resort, and other attractions. Major hotel brands like Hilton, Marriot, Holiday Inn, and Hyatt are also using our thermoplastic railing.
AVCON designed thermoplastic railing systems for a number of sports venues, including the minor league baseball stadiums of the Sugar Land Skeeters in Texas, the Lancaster Barnstormers in Pennsylvania, and the Aberdeen IronBirds in Maryland, as well as the Family Circle Tennis Center in South Carolina. This summer, we’ll be replacing the railing for the Long Island Ducks baseball team in New York. If you want a railing system that maintains its structural integrity and color with no maintenance, check out photos of our Projects, and contact us to learn more about thermoplastic railing.
