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Lockers are typically made from one of five materials: Metal (cold-rolled steel), Laminate (MDF, P-Lam), Wood, Plastic and Phenolic (sometimes called HPL- High-pressure laminate or Structural Laminate). Each new material solution sought to correct deficiencies inherent in those prior.
Metal is a standard for it’s low price & security but is noisy, utilitarian, easily scratched, dented and rusts. Laminate is a quieter and more attractive low-price option but offers limited security and delaminates under normal locker room conditions & use. Wood is attractive but expensive and shows wear quickly under hard use and humidity. Plastic lockers are waterproof and tough but lack a pleasing aesthetic, often appearing ‘cheap’.
- Extreme impact resistance delivers a longer service-life.
- Waterproof & chemical resistance make cleaning & disinfecting easy.
- Eco-friendly materials & Class A or B Fire rated ensure safety
- Inherent structural integrity eliminates deformity and delamination
- Availability of a wide-range of colors, patterns and wood-grains match any decor
For these reasons, FOREMAN has chosen to offer only the best product solution for the broadest number of locker applications. Phenolic lockers are all we sell.
Phenolic has been around for over 50 years. The material’s structural integrity allows it to be used for construction and fine-furnishings but despite it’s track record, it remains little known or understood.
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Phenolic resin panels… …are, strictly speaking, neither a plastic nor a wood product, though they are related to and combine some of the best characteristics of both. Phenolic panels start as paper. Sheets of industrial kraft paper, similar to construction paper or grocery bags, are treated with phenolic resin. |
These are layered together… …and subjected to high pressure and temperature. This causes the phenolic compounds to chemically “cross-bond”, irreversably fusing the papers into homogeneous panels. Melamine-impregnated decorative surface papers give the face of the panel its color or pattern and creates the scratch resistant surface. |
“If you had conventional lockers in the past and are considering buying them again, don’t…you have to check out Foreman.” — Mike Feeney, Crunch & UFC |
The result is an extremely durable material that has a similar feel and appearance to dense tropical hardwood, but waterproof and requiring no finish. Very hard, It can only be fabricated and shaped with special tooling. This has added to it’s expense which has limited wide-spread adoption of this versatile and pleasant material. FOREMAN Locker Systems design in changing that.