Industrial Plastic Shapes was recently involved in a major RCC refurbishment project of the Mason Clinic in Mount Albert, Auckland. The clinic is a secure mental health unit, delivering services to the northern region's courts and prisons, as well as providing general mental health services from Taupo to the far north.

IPS was involved in sourcing material for a variety of glazing applications that would provide security for the staff and patients, but at the same maximise the use of light and space. With this brief in mind, IPS recommended Saphir Mar-resistant polycarbonate from Arlaplast in Sweden. This material was selected because it is virtually unbreakable and it has excellent optical clarity, thus creating an almost 'invisible' security barrier. It also maximises the use of light whilst at the same time creating an illusion of space and openness.

From this material, IPS designed a 6m long window to provide security in the nurses' station, while at the same time allowing staff to observe the movements of patients in the vicinity. The window was fabricated in four separate pieces in the factory and then delivered in a single piece to the Mason Clinic site. IPS' partnership with Acryform enabled them to supply a screen with virtually invisible glue joints that are also extremely robust, which was extremely important given the location of the window panel. An additional security panel was supplied to the dining area to create a secure but non-intimidating barrier between kitchen staff and patients.

The second part of IPS' involvement was to provide shower screens and mirrors to the new bathroom facilities. Once again, 12mm Saphir Mar-resistant polycarbonate was selected not only because of its strength and clarity, but also because the Mar-resistant coating (on both sides) will ensure the material remains clear and scratch-free, even with regular cleaning.

When it came to providing the mirrors, polycarbonate was again selected. Through a special proprietary process, a mirror finish was applied to the polycarbonate to create a mirror image of the highest quality. The corners were rounded and edges bevelled to remove any potential risk to the patients.

IPSNZ imports its specialty polycarbonate from Arlaplast in Sweden, one of the world's premier extruders of Polycarbonate sheeting.