Excellence in Galvanizing
Wessex Galvanizers has been called upon by a long-standing client to provide a bespoke order of its innovative Galvacoat® to help brand new facilities and provide a more effective alternative to powder coating.
The project saw the plant supply the Galvacoat® paint system to John Reid & Sons for two commercial warehouses in Jersey which measured 29m and 38m wide by 45m long. John Reid & Sons was commissioned to design, fabricate, and erect the warehouses on behalf of their customer who required the paint to ensure it was protected against corrosion in the coastal environment.
Wedge Group Galvanizing is the sole UK distributor of Galvacoat®, a single coat, two-component polyurethane-based paint which has been specifically designed for use on galvanized steel.
Andy Davies, Production / Quality Manager at John Reid & Sons (REIDsteel), explained: “We called upon Wessex Galvanizers because the project required some stubs that formed part of the structure to be given a long-life exterior finish to match some features that were already powder-coated.
"It would be a difficult task to powder-coat such a large item, and Galvacoat® seemed to be the most viable option, without compromising quality. The product provides a good exterior finish, similar to that of a marine-type protective coating, and can be easily applied over galvanized steel both on and off-site.
“Wessex Galvanizers have long been our local suppliers, galvanizing our steelwork for projects all over the world, but this is the first time we’ve used the Galvacoat product on our steel, replacing the need for etch-primer and pc coating which was impracticable in this application,” Andy concluded.
Richard Whiddett, Commercial Manager at Wessex Galvanizers, said: “With many steel-related projects, hot-dip galvanizing is simply a process required to protect the metal against corrosion, and in cases such as these, it has consistently proved to be one of the most robust and effective finishes on offer.
"However, using standard paints on galvanized steel can often lead to issues with adhesion, and if the paint doesn’t bond adequately with the galvanized surface, it can peel or flake prematurely, resulting in an aesthetically poor finish. We were pleased to assist John Reid & Sons on this project, and provide an effective paint solution for their requirements.”
Galvacoat® is two component, polyurethane-based one coat paint system, which has been specifically designed to give GT0 adhesion on galvanized steel, and can be provided in all RAL and BS colours at different levels of gloss.
By Wedge Group Galvanizing Ltd