CoMar Enterprises - Bellingham, WA
(360) 389-2609
Marlen Hansen: marlen@comarltd.com
Damian Vines: damian@comartld.com
Tom Howerton: tomh.comarltd@gmail.com
If you are looking for new, innovative building materials that will withstand not only the test of time but also any number of natural disasters, then Marlen Hansen is the guy you need to know.
His company, CoMar Enterprises Limited, began in 1993 to supply an alternative to traditional wood and masonry construction. His products, Kryton Concrete Waterproofing Systems, synthetic and steel fibers and ICS 3-D Panel System are used worldwide by architects and contractors whose goals range from ecological to structurally sound.
Kryton KIM, or Krystol Internal Membrane. This waterproofing product is an integral part of the construction process when building. KIM is mixed with the concrete or shotcrete before application and ultimately provides protection against corrosion, concrete shrinkage, and cracking. "Because it works with the concrete," Hansen explained, "the treatment is permanent." Hansen also carries other Kryton waterproofing products that can be used on existing concrete structures that are suffering from leakage and water damage. Krystol T1 and T2 react chemically with the concrete by forming hydration crystals, which block the area where leakage occurs. Krystol Baricote can also be added to Krystol T1 to prevent water leakage through cold joint areas where separate concrete pours meet.
Jim Strengholt owner of Strengholt Construction has used the Kryton products on a number of his projects including the Bellingham Surgery Center remodel, and on new construction at Horizon Bank in Barkley Village, Bellingham. He has been extremely happy with the product, which he says is an added insurance where leakage is a potential problem. "The surgery center stairwells had been wet since the project was first built," Strengholt explained, "we used a combination of the products which took effect within a matter of days, and it has been bone dry ever since." For Horizon Bank, Strengholt used the Kryton products to seal the exterior masonry, and he has used the products in fountain repairs, basement walls and slabs, and for several condominiums in a Montana ski resort.
Forta FERRO is a second generation macrofiber that is used as a replacement for wire mesh and crack control steel in slab on grade, steel deck applications and precast applications. Forta FERRO is widely considered the best mixing and most effective macro fiber on the market at controlling cracking and providing the ultimate benefit in residual strength. Recognized by increasingly more and more national and global code bodies, macro synthetic fibers are growing to meet the rapid technological pace of the construction industry.
According to Hansen, the Kryton, Forta and ICS Panel Systems are gaining recognition throughout the world and are widely used in the Caribbean and Latin America, countries where hurricanes can cause massive damage. For the Pacific Northwest and its soggy climate and earthquake potential, Hansen believes these products are a sensible remedy.
For more information, Hansen can be reached at (360) 650-9038 or by email at marlen@comarltd.com
Web sites for all products are: Insteel Panelmex | www.kryton.com | www.forta-ferro.com