Excellence in Galvanizing
Merseyside Galvanizing Ltd was invited by the team at Castle Foundry to provide its hot dip galvanizing treatment to a large 150kg rhino sculpture, which has been installed in Maghull on the outskirts of Liverpool.
Chris Butler, Managing Director of Castle Foundry, created the design using 3D design software, which he then brought to life by making the steel frame, welding it together, and filling the inside with steel mesh. Once fabricated, he had the sculpture processed at Merseyside Galvanizing.
Sculptor Chris had originally planned to paint the rhino once the protective galvanizing treatment was done, but upon seeing the finish, changed his mind. He explained: “Galvanizing protects steel from rust and corrosion, and I wanted to make sure that we had the rhino treated so that it could last for many years to come.
“However, once I saw the stunning raw finish of the galvanizing treatment, and how it resembled the Northern White Rhino, I immediately changed my mind. It was perfect. And a big thanks must go to the team at Merseyside Galvanizing for being able to support such a worthwhile project.”
The life size rhino weighs approximately 150kg and measures 3 metres long, and symbolises the need for recycling to protect the environment, with pupils from three local schools — Northway, Lydiate, and St Andrews — collecting bottle tops to fill the rhino.
Installed at Stafford Moreton Way in Maghull, one of the busiest areas of the town, it was a collective community project crowdfunded by Friends Of Maghull and District (FOMD).
Richard Smetham, Sales Manager at Merseyside Galvanizers, added: “We’re thrilled to have been involved in this fantastic initiative. The choice of using hot-dip galvanizing was a perfect one and complements the project’s overall purpose to promote recycling and sustainability.
“As a process, galvanizing is highly sustainable and produces minimal waste, with any zinc that doesn’t instantly form a coating on the steel remaining in the galvanizing bath for reuse. The non-ferrous property of the metal also makes it indefinitely recyclable, without any loss to the physical or chemical structures. Once galvanized products have been constructed and installed, they can also be removed, re-galvanized, and reused, as well as easily recycled with scrap during the steel production process.”
By Wedge Group Galvanizing Ltd