The Project

MSC Industrial Supply was preparing two existing distribution facilities—one in Jonestown, PA, and another in Elkhart, IN—for the installation of AutoStore warehouse automation systems. 

The investment was an important part of MSC’s strategy to maximize cubic storage capacity and reduce labor-intensive material handling processes. With the two installations scheduled only weeks apart, both facilities needed to be ready on time. 

MSC, a long-time Durable Surfaces customer, knew that the automation systems required significantly tighter floor tolerances than traditional warehouse operations. As a result, MSC brought Durable into the project early to evaluate the existing slabs, identify compliance gaps, and complete the remediation required before installation. 

The Challenge: Aging Floors Meet Modern Automation

Both AutoStore systems were being installed in older, existing facilities where the concrete slabs had never been designed for the tolerances required by modern warehouse automation. 

Testing revealed significant elevation variations at both locations. 

At Jonestown, portions of the approximately 10,000-square-foot automation footprint were as much as 40 millimeters outside the required tolerance. Much of the variation was concentrated along slab joints, where curling had created pronounced high areas.

Elkhart presented a different problem. Floor deviations exceeded 20 millimeters, including an area where intersecting slabs differed in elevation by approximately 14 millimeters—directly within the planned AutoStore footprint. 

Left uncorrected, these conditions could have prevented the automation systems from operating as designed. In the worst case, MSC could have faced system binding, installation delays or even the need to dismantle and reinstall portions of the system after discovering the problem. 

Because MSC evaluated the floors early, however, remediation could be treated as part of the project plan rather than an emergency.

Testing Turned an Invisible Problem into a Clear Plan 

Durable began with laser scanning to map the elevation changes across each automation footprint. 

The resulting data allowed the team to visualize the contours of the existing slab and pinpoint the areas requiring correction. Color-coded contour markings were transferred into the work area, giving both MSC and Durable’s field crews a clear visual representation of where the most significant deviations occurred.

The mapping also revealed a pattern: many of the problem areas followed slab intersections and joints where curling had occurred over time. 

Rather than broadly grinding the entire floor, Durable used the testing data to target the areas that actually required correction. 

As remediation progressed, the team continued evaluating the slab. Once the primary corrections were complete, Durable used profilograph testing on a grid established according to the AutoStore requirements to verify the finished floor. 

The Solution

Different Floors Required Different Corrections 

The two facilities presented different conditions, requiring Durable to develop a remediation strategy for each site. 

At Jonestown, correcting high areas required substantial concrete removal. Durable used a combination of shaving, milling and grinding to bring the slab into tolerance. 

Removing that much material also created another consideration: the corrected areas could not simply end at an abrupt elevation change. Durable extended the grinding beyond the most severe high points to create smoother transitions and avoid introducing new operational or safety concerns. 

At Elkhart, the challenge was primarily low areas rather than excessive high points. In some locations, Durable needed to add as much as 14 millimeters of material to bring the slab to the required elevation. The team selected a specialized high-performance topping material capable of supporting the demands of the automation system without creating future dusting or durability problems. 

After the fundamental remediation work was completed, the floors were scanned and tested again to confirm that the required tolerances had been achieved.

Working Inside Active Facilities

Both projects were completed while MSC continued operating its facilities. 

At Jonestown, the automation footprint was located near the center of the building, creating significant logistical challenges for power, equipment movement and dust control. Durable routed temporary power overhead rather than running 250 feet of 480-volt cables through active work areas. 

Crews also used propane-powered grinding equipment where appropriate, HEPA-filtered vacuum systems, and extensive housekeeping procedures to keep dust and debris to an absolute minimum. A Tenant floor scrubber was used alongside the grinding operation to continually clean the surrounding work area. 

Elkhart presented its own access challenges, with the project located toward the back of the facility and away from convenient equipment access. 

In both locations, the objective was the same: complete highly technical concrete remediation without allowing the work itself to become an obstacle to MSC’s ongoing operation.

Safety that Stands Up

Safety is a core value at Durable Surfaces, supported by trained leaders at both the corporate and job-site levels. 

Because both MSC facilities remained operational during remediation, the project required careful management of power, equipment, dust and interaction with facility personnel. Durable used HEPA-filtered vacuum systems, continuous carbon-monoxide monitoring, and overhead power distribution to control job-site hazards while minimizing the impact on MSC’s employees and operations. 

The work was planned around the facility—not the other way around.

The Results 

Planned Remediation. Successful Go-Live. 

Durable completed the Jonestown project in approximately six weeks and the Elkhart project in approximately four weeks, with work at the two locations occurring simultaneously. 

Both floors were brought within the required tolerances, allowing the AutoStore installations to move forward as planned. 

There were no callbacks related to the remediation, and both automation systems successfully went live on schedule. 

Just as importantly, the floor work remained within MSC’s planned capital expenditure. Because the client had investigated the slab early and incorporated remediation into its project planning, Durable was able to provide a cost-effective solution rather than relying on overtime, rush mobilization or other costly measures to recover a schedule already in trouble.