# Nairns Linoleum, Kirkcaldy, July 2008



## zimbob (Jul 8, 2008)

It's been done, better, by others, but I was passing this on the way back from a family meal out, and noticed a rather obvious access point 

So I returned early the next morning (having sobered-up  ) for a nosey....

A little very sketchy history 

Kirkcaldy has been always known for Lino production, with the Nairn family being the best-known, this was the Smeaton Factory, built in 1883 AKAIK, and there is still a live section in use on this site, although Nairns are now part of Forbo-Nairn. I believe this factory shut down around 25 years ago.

The building:







Inside the ground floor is a bitty trashed, not a huge amount left:






Plenty of decay:






Looking through:






There was evidence of some nice tiling on the stairwell:






And this pipework ran from top to bottom:






There were large open floors, very reminiscent of it's Victorian heritage:






Same on the next floor:






Complete with some remnants of it's past :











Plenty of heavy-duty doors:











And some dark and pigeony parts 











It was in the above spot 5 of the feathered f***ers made their coordinated attack, certainly helped my hangover 

Next floor :











Back down:






Arty Lino shot 






Time was against me, family stuff was beckoning 











Looking back:






And lastly, my not so shiney, not so new (except to me) £200 Urbex-mobile, it's first trip, 500 miles over the weekend, never missed a beat 






​


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## Bryag (Jul 8, 2008)

Nice explore, it is as you advised, really fecked! Still some nice flaky paint

Can I see the access point in your first pic?!?!?!?!?

Anyway, just sorry I wasn't there to laugh at the pigeon ambush. I am glad the car held up!


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## Stealth_Snapper (Jul 9, 2008)

Lovely. And to think i've been working in Kirkcaldy for the last 3wks. If only i'd have joined this site sooner and taken my camera up with me. Ah well.


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## wolfism (Jul 9, 2008)

zimbob said:


> It's been done, better, by others



Nice one - cheers for the compliment! 

This was actually a very tough site until the opportunity arose - I looked longingly at it many times, and even climbed the fence twice to attack it twice from the rear! 

You get a good view of the live part from the top floor of the derelict buildings -


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## zimbob (Jul 9, 2008)

wolfism said:


> Nice one - cheers for the compliment!
> 
> This was actually a very tough site until the opportunity arose - I looked longingly at it many times, and even climbed the fence twice to attack it twice from the rear!
> 
> You get a good view of the live part from the top floor of the derelict buildings -



Credit where it's due mate, your reports and research are always top-notch 

It's been tempting me for a while too, when I saw the opportunity, I thought I'd best seize it!

I reckon the access'll be sealed up by now, hence the early Sunday morning trip


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## Bryag (Jul 9, 2008)

wolfism said:


> Nice one - cheers for the compliment!
> 
> This was actually a very tough site until the opportunity arose - I looked longingly at it many times, and even climbed the fence twice to attack it twice from the rear!
> 
> You get a good view of the live part from the top floor of the derelict buildings -



So is the "live" part still live? I have to say when I was last down, Kirkcady didn't smell anything like it used to. The aroma of linseed oil was everywhere, in the past. I thought all of the manufacturing had been moved to Belgium (the reason for my interest is, until my knees packed in, I used to install the stuff. Linoleum -not to be confused with modern vinyll floor-coverings- is still the best floor covering money can buy, and it is environmentally friendly too being made from 100% natural materials)


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## wolfism (Jul 9, 2008)

Yep, it's very much still live. The building in my photo there is the Plains Tower, with the Stoves Building behind it, that's where Marmoleum and Artoleum are made, AFAIK. I think it's one of only three lino plants left in the world – there's DLW in Germany, and Krommenie(?) which I thought was Dutch, but may be Belgian? The tower would be a spectacular place to visit: the lino hangs in festoons several storeys high while it's curing, apparently.

Anyhow, the wind was blowing in the right direction when we were in the old lino building, so we got the full waft of boiling linseed oil. Must admit, I like the smell of lino!


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## Bryag (Jul 10, 2008)

wolfism said:


> Yep, it's very much still live. The building in my photo there is the Plains Tower, with the Stoves Building behind it, that's where Marmoleum and Artoleum are made, AFAIK. I think it's one of only three lino plants left in the world – there's DLW in Germany, and Krommenie(?) which I thought was Dutch, but may be Belgian? The tower would be a spectacular place to visit: the lino hangs in festoons several storeys high while it's curing, apparently.
> 
> Anyhow, the wind was blowing in the right direction when we were in the old lino building, so we got the full waft of boiling linseed oil. Must admit, I like the smell of lino!



I was offered an official tour of the Forbo Nairn factory about 12 years ago, however- being self employed- I decided I would rather be out earning a crust, than visiting some sweet smelling factory. 
BTW, Lino is sold in 30 metre rolls. (ie 60 m2 per roll) with only one "bight " mark per roll. This is where the clamp holds it whilst it is curing. By my reckoning, there must be an area with at least a 30 metre hanging capacity!

I must write to them requesting a guided tour, before all production ends, or moves abroad


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## Silverfox (Jul 10, 2008)

Roger me from behind that place is really coming appart at the seems! Nice one for seizing the moment before the blatant entry point was re-sealed. My hat off to you Sir a very good report, ace pic's to


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## RichardB (Oct 5, 2008)

I've been inside the live part of Forbo Flooring Solutions, as it now seems to be called, and a lot of it looks not unlike these pictures- but with a thick coating of Calcium Carbonate (I think) and Rosin.


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## RichardB (Oct 10, 2008)

I've been working there all this week. It's been one of the shut-down periods when all the maintenance gets done so it was almost deserted, just a few staff and the odd contractor. 

I didn't go into any of the curing ovens but there are lots of them. The area with the ovens looks not unlike the Scare Floor in Monsters Inc, a large floorspace with a line of mysterious looking doors along one side. Apparently the rolls are cured at 80 or 90 degrees for weeks. 

Unfortunately I didn't take any pictures, I think that would be overstepping the mark as a contractor.


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## wolfism (Oct 10, 2008)

Pity we didn't know about the shutdown, as we've now explored three different Nairns buildings … would have been a chance to see this one, too.


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## RichardB (Oct 10, 2008)

I can find out when the next shut-down is, the rest would be up to you. Maybe you could do my job for the day (it's not hard) and I could stay at home.


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## Pincheck (Oct 12, 2008)

Wolfisms right even with a maintenance shutdown a live factory is different unless they leave the doors wide open so we can walk in, like the last nairn building which surprised us and made us extremly nervous but it was so funny shame you can't get a few pics mate sounds like it would be interesting


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