Global coatings provider Hempel has been appointed to provide in- novative tough coating solutions
against corrosion to the Queensferry
Crossing. Located on the busy Forth
Estuary near Edinburgh, on the east coast
of Scotland, it spans an impressive 2.7
kilometers, making it the longest three-tower cable-stayed bridge in the world.
Due to its extensive experience and
high-quality coating solutions, Hempel
was chosen to coat the 35,000 tons of
steel needed for this innovative new
bridge. The steel was manufactured in the
UK and China and then transported to
Scotland by sea and so it was important
that the coating solution chosen would be
tough enough to withstand the impacts
and exposure during the 7,700-kilometer
journey, and robust enough to protect the
bridge from the harsh Scottish climate
and coastal conditions for years to come.
Steel manufacturer Shanghai
Zhenhua Heavy Industry Co., Ltd.
(ZPMC) was impressed with Hempel’s
range of high performance anti-corro-
sion systems. Hempel has an extensive
track record of protecting infrastructure,
Kai Zhao, project manager, ZPMC
said, “We chose Hempel because we
know the quality of their paint and the
high levels of service we can expect from
them. Their coatings deliver robust and
stable performance against corrosion
and their technical services are profes-
sional, precise and global, providing
great support to this project. We have
worked with Hempel for many years,
with great success.”
Lars Risum, Group Segment man-
ager, Infrastructure, Hempel A/S added,
“We are proud to be a part of this spec-
tacular piece of modern engineering. The
Queensferry Crossing project required
close collaboration and coordination be-
tween the customer (FCBC Consortium),
the contractor (ZPMC) and Hempel on
different sides of the world. We worked
with both the steel manufacturer and the
owner’s advisory engineering team in the
UK during the specification process to en-
sure the coating systems were equal to the
task. Our technical service teams worked
at the steelyard in China and at the con-
struction site in the UK to oversee the
application and ensure the coatings were
applied accurately and efficiently.”
Over 600,000 liters of Hempel coat-
ings have been supplied. For the exte-
rior, products applied to the Queensferry
Crossing include Hempadur Zinc 17360
which is a highly weather-resistant coat-
ing offering cathodic protection against
local mechanical damage. Hempadur
MIO 47950 which combines a relatively
high-volume solids content with a short
drying time and Hempathane HS 55613
which provides a high-build finishing
coat for protection of structural steel in
corrosive environments. For the interior,
Hempadur ZP 47940 was applied com-
bining high volume solids content with
short drying time. Hempel’s Galvosil
15700 was applied to the connection
joints to provide the necessary coefficient
of friction (slip resistance).
The Queensferry Crossing is due to
open in the summer of 2017.
AkzoNobel Site Expansion
Strengthens International
Brand in South America
AkzoNobel has opened a Performance
Coatings production facility in Santo
André, Brazil, which will enable the
company to be more agile in respond-ing to local customer needs and regional
market demands.
The facility – an expansion of an existing site in Santo André, São Paulo – will
manufacture and supply products from
the company’s International portfolio of
high performance industrial, marine and
yacht coatings, which has been present in
Brazil for 90 years.
As well as reinforcing AkzoNobel’s
commitment to investing in innovation
and technology, the new plant will also
help to strengthen International’s market
position in South America.
Commenting on the opening, Jelena
Arsic Van Os, director of AkzoNobel
Performance Coatings in South America,
said: “Our innovation expertise plays a
key role in driving organic growth and
this new facility highlights our continued
focus on adapting to market needs in order to better serve our customers with essential color and protection.
“The investment will add further
momentum to the instrumental role
International is playing in helping
AkzoNobel to strategically diversify its
markets and expand its presence through-
out South America.”
The Santo André expansion has in-
creased production capacity for smaller
batches by 35 percent and for larger
batches by 50 percent. A new distribu-
tion center also means shipping capac-
ity has been expanded by 50 percent.
Meanwhile, an increase in the level of
Hempel Protects Iconic Queensferry Crossing
