Finishing - May-June 2022

10 POWDER COATINGS
Swings and roundabouts
Innovative Interpon Redox powder coatings
from AkzoNobel are helping HAGS, one of
Europe’s foremost manufacturers of outdoor
playground equipment, to protect its products
from the impact of costly and unsightly
corrosion, especially in difficult coastal
environments with a high salt content in the
air.
HAGS, which recently celebrated a 25-year
partnership with Interpon, was one of the
pioneers in switching from a solvent-based
paint system to an Interpon powder coating
that was more sustainable, and that fully
supported its sustainability strategies.
HAGS first started using Interpon in 1998,
looking for a more sustainable solution to
protect its products against corrosion and
general wear and tear. The switch coincided
with a move to a new manufacturing facility in
Egham, UK which the Interpon team
supported with practical advice, training and
support. Since then, AkzoNobel has helped
HAGS to seamlessly integrate its powder
coating processes into three more sites
including Aneby in Sweden (2013) and
Sosnowiec in Poland (2019).
Mark Grace, Marketing Director of HAGS,
says that he particularly values the expertise of
the Interpon team through its process audits
for its ‘Approved Applicator’ registration: “It
gives our customers peace of mind that our
installed products will last for many years with
minimal maintenance required to the power
coated finish, as well as being based on a
sound environmentally friendly solution. And
because Interpon is a globally available
powder coating system, we have been able to
develop a standardize finishing system across
all our European factories.”
Tomasz Kluczewski, Regional Director North
Europe of AkzoNobel’s Powder Coatings
business, says he is proud of the 25-year
partnership with HAGS: “Since helping HAGS
make the switch we have continued to
support them through partnership and
innovation. These have been the key drivers
not only in helping our customer to meet their
sustainability goals, but also in establishing an
unbeatable platform that brings benefits to
both companies and reflects our heritage in
building long-term relationships.”
Among the first to use Interpon’s Redox
Duplex system – a two-layer system with a
zinc-rich Interpon Redox PZ epoxy primer
and topcoat, HAGS now offers its customers
the Redox Triplex three-layer system. This
provides enhanced corrosion protection in
environments up to the highest corrosivity
category of C5.
Most recently, HAGS introduced an
optional Interpon AM topcoat, which can
reduce microbial growth such as bacteria and
mold by up to 99.9%. These powder coatings
have been especially popular for those
procuring its outdoor fitness products used in
public places, since they tend to attract a high
number of users from all age groups.
Andy Yates, Technical Director at HAGS,
says that as a major supplier to local
authorities and councils, quality and reputation
are key: “What is vital to our customers is that
the products have a long life-span and reflect
well on the people who procured them. What
is crucial to us, therefore, is working with a
partner like Interpon whose products protect
and enhance our equipment and ensure they
keep performing in a variety of different
global climates and environmental conditions.”
Finishing - May/June 2022