In this issue: - the Institute of Corrosion

FOCUSONcoating applicatorsFocusonconsultantsWedge Group GalvanizingPAINTING A PERFECT PROTECTIVE PICTUREGalvanizing has long been used withinthe construction industry to protect steelfrom corrosion, not only because of itsease of application, cost effectiveness andlong-term durability, but because of itsinherently sustainable qualities. Ongoingtechnological advances and new productdevelopments have made galvanizing anincreasingly environmentally-friendlyfinish, one which can be incorporated intoa variety of construction projects, bothlarge and small-scale. Trevor Beech ofWedge Group Galvanizing, the UK’s largesthot-dip galvanizing organisation, outlinessome of the key benefits of galvanizingand its sustainable qualities, as well ashighlighting a newly developed paint whichhas been produced specifically for use withgalvanized steel.“Steel is a vital raw material in theconstruction process, but it is highly proneto corrosion. In fact, figures suggest thatapproximately 4% of the world’s GDP islost each year due to corrosion, with onetonne of steel turning to rust every 90seconds – for every two tonnes of newsteel produced, one is made simply toreplace metal lost due to rust.The process of galvanizing involves cleansteel being dipped into molten zinc attemperatures up to 450˚C, where a series ofzinc-iron alloy layers are formed to create aprotective coating which can provide up to60 years of maintenance-free life.As a process, galvanizing results in minimalwaste, as any zinc that doesn’t instantlyform a coating on the metal, remains in thegalvanizing bath and is subsequently reused.Indeed, zinc’s non-ferrous characteristicsenable it to be recycled again and againwithout any loss of its physical or chemicalproperties. Of course, galvanizing reallycomes into its own as a sustainablefinish because of its one-off nature – theprocess only needs to be carried out atthe beginning of the construction project,but result in an effective and long-lastingprotection against corrosion. There’s noneed for the process to be repeated, andthere’s no requirement for time and costintensivemaintenance. At end of life thegalvanized products can also be removed,re-galvanized and re-used, as well as beingGalvanising in action.easily recycled with scrap created in thesteel production process.The industry has also taken significant stepsover the past few years to enhance theprocess to reduce its overall environmentalimpact, moves which Wedge Group hashelped to lead the way. As a company, wehave implemented a number of highlyinnovativeelements to reduce waste andimprove energy efficiency. For example, wehave introduced sophisticated rainwaterharvesting and sustainable drainagesystems at the majority of our 14 plantsacross the UK, which has minimised thereliance on mains supply.Once steelwork has been galvanized, therecan be a requirement to add colour to thefinish, perhaps to complement a company’sexisting branding. This can lead to majorissues with adhesion, as most types ofpaint simply cannot bond adequately to thesurface. To ensure that the paint remains onFor more information please contact: Stafford Street, Willenhall, West Midlands, WV13 1RZTelephone: 01902 630311 Fax: 01902 36635 Website: www.wedge-galv.co.ukBlackpool Tram Depot.the surface of the steel, the paint must becompatible with the galvanized coating, acombination that will provide unparalleledcorrosion protection.Wedge Group Galvanizing is currentlythe sole UK distributor of Galvacoat, atwo-component polyurethane-basedpaint system which has been specificallydesigned for use on galvanized steel.Galvanizing provides an ideal primer for thepaint, which is available in all RAL and BScolours at different levels of gloss, allowingthe end contractor a huge degree of designfreedom. Once applied to galvanizedsteel via its one coat system, Galvacoatcan last for a minimum of 8-10 years,eliminating the need for repeated on-sitemaintenance and replacement costs. It hasalready proven to be a popular solution forspecialist signage manufacturer ASG, whorecently used the paint on steel gantriesinstalled on the forecourts of every Tescopetrol station in the UK.”13 17