What is hot dip galvanizing
Hot Dip Galvanizing is a unique process. When clean steel is immersed into molten zinc, a series of zinc-iron alloy layers are formed by a metallurgical reaction between the iron and zinc, providing a robust coating which is an integral part of the steel.
- 41% Construction
- 22% Street and outdoor furniture
- 12% Agriculture and Horticulture
- 9% Transport infrastructure
- 8% Utilities
- 3% Industrial plant and equipment
- 2% Storage & Handling
- 2% Fastenings
- 1% Miscellaneous
Due to the fact that hot dip galvanizing has been used to protect iron/steel for such a long time, there are a variety of terms that have been used to describe the process, including galvanisation, galvanising and hot dip galvanization.
Hot dip galvanizing offers coverage both externally and internally within hollow sections, it self-repairs small areas when damaged, sacrifices itself to protect the base metal, is environmentally sustainable, has good impact and abrasion-resistance and a maintenance-free life of 50 years or more in most atmospheric environments in the UK and Ireland.
Galvanized steel is widely used in applications where corrosion protection is needed and can be identified by the crystallised pattern on the surface (often called a ‘spangle’).
Recent reductions in the aggressiveness of the atmosphere towards zinc, and the stability of costs of applying the coating mean that hot dip galvanizing today is highly cost-effective and can perform over multiple lifecycles.
There are almost 60 hot dip galvanizing plants in the UK and Ireland.
