Norskreen® refers to a specialised Glass Fibre Reinforced Concrete (GRC) facade or cladding system, developed by Telling Architectual. This system is a lightweight yet highly durable alternative to precast concrete. It offers a wide range of customisation options in terms of 3D profiles, colours, textures, and finishes. Notable for its high impact strength and low maintenance requirements, Norskreen® is particularly suitable for high-traffic areas and is designed to be both non-corrosive and fire-resistant, adhering to fire classifications A1 or A2-s1,d0 according to BS EN 13501 standards.

The panels can be up to 7 meters in length and 2.5 meters in width, with bespoke dimensions available based on project requirements. The system reduces the reliance on traditional construction methods, such as extensive use of tower cranes, by allowing for installation via alternative means like monorail or spider cranes, facilitating quicker and simpler site logistics. This makes it an efficient choice for large-scale constructions, significantly speeding up the installation process and reducing the number of contractors needed.

For more detailed specifications and potential applications, the Norskreen® system also supports various environmental considerations, including options for the integration of thermal insulation and air barriers, provided by third parties​.

Norskreen® – why?

  • Byggimpuls commenced 2005 – involved with GRC in Sweden since 1990.
  • Moved the production to Norway with the team, learned the product.
  • Realised the complexity of the product and difficulty to teach the market.
  • No details existed, GRCA could not assist – only Asian projects. Design codes demanded a very high level of competance amongst the architects.
  • Standard engineers struggled to understand GRC as a system. We were always asked about details and pre-design.
  • We executed some large schemes – amongst them the Vulkan project.
  • We needed something more – we wanted to address the market quicker and easier.

We are excited that the Norskreen® name continues to live under the umbrella of our partners in Norway, the UK, Europe and North America! For Byggimpuls the concept and idea to create a brand name was always to increase and simplify sales of GRC to the market. Easier for architects to describe the system and easier to sell a brand name than «GRC».

Pre-design of a system that could be tested and described made the technical documentation easier.

Easy name to remember for the market and for Google.

  • In 2012 we started working on the idea – how can we find a better way?
  • In the period 2012-2014 we allocated all the resources we could afford – we used our engineers full time in designing a system that we could sell – and finally, we came up with two systems. One that could be used as full size elements and one lighter.
  • All details, pre-design, environmental and technical data sheets produced.
  • And we found the name – both Norwegian and English wording – Norskreen.
  • Nor for Norway and Skreen for the Norwegian way of writing Screen

We started marketing the Norskreen® brand and experienced both the fact that it was way easier to market and convince the market to choose the system. We realised quickly that the market responded very positively to the brand name – and we won our first scheme after just a few months. The project name was Malmskriverveien 4 – and that is why we name the elements Norskreen M4. (Malm meaning Ore and comes from old traditional iron production)

Telling Architectural

  • Contacted us first time in 2013, asked for us to produce under an agreement, that they could sell buying from Norway – this proved to be too expensive.
  • Discussed several models – they decided to start their own production and a license agreement was signed in 2015.
  • Training provided in Norway and manufacturing commenced under Byggimpuls supervion for 6 months
  • TA could market a system that had been delivered to the Scandinavian market since 1995. They could focus 100% to get going penetrating the marked and production systems. Design manual and systems gave them quickly ISO9001. They saved the 4-5 years period they would have needed to start from scratch.

Prefabricats Planas – Girona Spain

  • Joined the Norskreen® group in 2019. They looked for a system that could allow them to produce smaller types of elements and Norskreen gave them the opportunity.
  • One of the conditions in the agreement is to share technology. Planas shared the strong-back panel system back to us. It has been a very fruitful co-operation over the years.
  • Several other potential actors where ongoing, Covid stopped this process early in 2019.

Ibstock Telling GRC – Wolverhampton England

  • Following the disastrous fire at the Telling Architectural factory at Four Ashes in July 2021 the operations of the company were re-launched within the Ibstock Futures division of Ibstock plc in January 2022.
  • The new division is focused upon modern methods of construction for medium and high rise buildings in the commercial and residential sectors
  • Manufacturing was re-located to a state of the art manufacturing facility at Power Park where health and safety, environment and automation all became primary factors in the production process.
  • Ibstock’s dominance in the UK construction sector has created a significantly improved base from which the expansion and development of the Norskreen® systems has now been achieved with particular emphasis upon brick faced GRC.

Development over the period

  • Norskreen® has naturally developed and Byggimpuls contributed in funding the tests for EPD and prototyping the Brick faced GRC to overcome NHBC and specifier reticence.
  • Several other adjustments to the design have been introduced but the brick faced has the largest development.
  • We believe this placed Telling Arch and Norskreen® several years in front of any other producers.

160 Aldersgate London

Norskreen® Brick Faced GRC used in refurbishment featuring a hand made European brick to exactly replicate the architectural impact at a fraction of the weight

Norskreen® – summary

  • Originally established to create a pre-design that made it possible to sell in the market.
  • Making it easier to sell more facades by making it easier for architects and the fact that the market like a brandname more than the generic «grc».
  • Possibility to develop the system as our own– Google search and the new demand of digital product passports.
  • The name has found its placing
  • Google search and seem to be well established.

Norskreen® – License Agreement

  • Has to create and bring value to the licensee.
  • Technical value, ownership of documentation
  • Increase sales
  • Summary from our side – the intention is to make the cake bigger for everyone.
  • Future cooperation and possibilities – continue to develop markets?

Norskreen® – Fiberbetong
Grades of GRC and Use

  • Premix and Spray-up GRC
  • Grade 8, 8P, 10 and 10P is premix GRC
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  • Norskreen is produced as Grade 18 and 18P which is the highest grade of polymer modified GRC
  • created within international manufacturing standards when evaluating flexural characteristics and strength –
  • MOR (modulous of rupture – flexural strength) and LOP (limit of proportionality or elasticity)
  •  
  • Why required
  • To facilitate floor to floor panel spanning units whilst meeting engineering design codes
  •  
  • What creates grade 18P
  • A combination of the correct length and % of glass fibre within the designed matrix of OP cement,
  • silica sand, polymers and flow aid.