Keywords
Citation
(1999), "Steel in one of Europe's largest retail complexes protected by International Protective Coatings", Anti-Corrosion Methods and Materials, Vol. 46 No. 1. https://doi.org/10.1108/acmm.1999.12846aab.011
Publisher
:Emerald Group Publishing Limited
Copyright © 1999, MCB UP Limited
Steel in one of Europe's largest retail complexes protected by International Protective Coatings
Methods
Steel in one of Europe's largest retail complexes protected by International Protective Coatings
Keywords Corrosion, International Protective Coatings, Primer, Steel
Structural steel in one of Europe's largest retail and leisure destination Bluewater in Kent, UK has been coated with products from International Protective Coatings (Plate 4).
Due to open in 1999, Bluewater is twice the size of Bath's city centre and includes 139,400m of retail space.
The Waterman Partnership were appointed by Lend Lease (the Australian organisation behind the project) as their structural and civil engineering consultants. To protect the 12,000 tonnes of steel in the shell of the complex, Watermans specified Intercure from International Protective Coatings. With the Intercure system having been applied on previous Waterman projects, they were aware of the benefits of this rapid-dry epoxy compared with other standard priming systems. In addition, the ongoing technical support service provided by International, to assist in securing a trouble-free application programme, was said to be another main reason for specifying Intercure.
Plate 4 International Protective Coatings'
products have been used to protect structural steelwork at Bluewater, one of
Europe's largest retail and leisure complexes
The contract for the structural steelwork was awarded to Rowan Structures, one of the UK's leading fabricators, who applied Intercure 200 to the steel at the Sutton-in-Ashfield facility. The rapid handling properties of Intercure 200 ensured a demanding production schedule was maintained throughout the contract.
Intercure 200 has been confirmed as the primer on a further 3,000 tonnes of steel awarded to Rowans before the Bluewater project is complete. It is a rapid-recoat, fast-cure system for the long-term protection of steelwork in almost any environment. Unlike conventional epoxy coatings, Intercure continues to dry at temperatures as low as 0°C. At only 10°C it can be touch-dry in minutes and ready to overcoat again in as little as two hours.
According to IPC it is due to the very rapid drying properties of Intercure, that the amount of transit damage requiring site touch up is greatly reduced when compared to other priming systems. Touching up at site is not only costly, but also never as satisfactory as applying a uniform thickness at works for long term protection.
During the construction of the Bluewater complex, around 1,700 jobs have been created in the area, and 7,000 permanent jobs are expected to be created when it is finished.
Details from: International Protective Coatings. Tel: +44 (0)171 612 1000; Fax: +44 (0)171 612 1555; E-mail: jim.kavangh@courtaulds.com International also has a Website at: www.international-pc.com