TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 20, 2024
International protective coatings and composites manufacturer Belzona recently announced the official opening of its independent distributorship and training center in Hawarden, Flintshire, Wales.
According to Belzona's emailed release, the new facility will include training, distribution and in-house application services to mark a new milestone in the company’s industry enterprise.
About the Facility
The 3 million pound (about $3.7 million) facility has reportedly been designed to provide a new training and application area. This includes a fully equipped presentation suite and newly built practical workshop space, measuring 585 square meters. A fully stocked and operational warehouse measuring 900 square meters accompanies the floor space.
The product training programs are reportedly already in operation, hosting EDF Energy on Jan. 16 with a sell-out attendance, according to the company.
According to Belzona, the new Hawarden facility will provide several opportunities for industry maintenance training, including courses covering Machinery and Equipment, Buildings and Structures and other specific components.
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| Photos: Belzona UK |
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International protective coatings and composites manufacturer Belzona recently announced the official opening of its independent Distributorship and Training center in Hawarden, Flintshire, Wales. |
“Today, as we open this new office, we are reinforcing our dedication to the U.K. market. Although the Belzona brand has branched out to the furthest reaches of the globe over the years, the U.K. remains one of the most important markets Belzona has,” said Philip Robinson, Applications and Training Director.
“Belzona U.K. now has its own dedicated on demand stock, product application and training centre, all built with the U.K. market in mind. This provides Belzona U.K. with the autonomy it needs to best serve its clients for years to come.”
The official opening ceremony occurred on Jan. 31, two weeks before the company'z 72nd anniversary, with a speech from Director Philip Robinson and ribbon-cutting ceremony, performed by Belzona’s President, Joel Svendsen.
Also in attendance were Councillors for Flintshire and Welsh Government officials, including Cllr Gladys and Dave Healey and Lord Barry Jones, a politician who has served the Flintshire community for over 50 years.
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According to Belzona's emailed release, the new facility will include training, distribution and in-house application services to mark a new milestone in the company’s industry enterprise. |
Additionally, an informal lunch reportedly provided an opportunity for guests to mingle with Belzona U.K. staff and discuss the company goal of investing in the local community through projects like the one percent volunteering scheme and raising money for charities within the Flintshire area, moving into 2024.
The ceremony was reportedly followed by a tour of the training facility to explore the range of repair solutions that Belzona offers to the industry.
Belzona U.K. states that it hopes the new building will help bring the wealth of experience from its staff and the backing of an established brand to the U.K. industries that use Belzona products for repair and maintenance solutions.
Previous Belzona News
In April of last year, Belzona completed a “mammoth” pipeline project in Thailand using a cold bonding solution.
According to an emailed release, the pipeline carried high-pressure water for injection into oil wells and consisted of 12 meter pipe lengths welded together.
However, an inspection found that the 2,000 psi water contents and the weld filler material used had resulted in internal corrosion defects at every circumferential weld joint, causing the deterioration of pipe wall thickness and risking high pressure leaks.
Work with local distributor Pan Mechanic Engineering Co., Ltd. led to an agreement to undertake the repair of the entire pipeline, requiring an estimated 5,000-7,000 kilograms of Belzona 1111 (Super Metal) epoxy-based composite.
Initially, the distributor had reportedly proposed the use of Belzona SuperWrap II to restore pipe wall strength, but testing then found that attaching carbon steel reinforcing plates using Belzona 1111 (Super Metal) as a bonding agent would be more appropriate. The company explained that the simpler cold bonding repair would be more cost effective and ensure a faster return to service in line with the customer’s requirements.
Belzona reported that, due to the massive scale of the project, it was decided to complete the repair in three stages. More than 1,000 joints were repaired in 2020 and the remaining defects were addressed in November and December 2022.
Surface preparation involved garnet blasting and using Belzona 9111 (Cleaner/Degreaser) to achieve an average minimum ≥75 μm (3 mils) profile and SA2.5 surface cleanliness for maximum adhesion. The atmospheric conditions were then tested to ensure that the relative humidity was below the maximum permitted 85% needed for the application to take place.
Afterwards, welding rods were used to create a shim between the steel plates and the repair area to control the thickness of the application. The welding rods were bonded to the steel reinforcing plates with a small quantity of Belzona 1111 (Super Metal) and the repair area was identified using masking tape.
Also, in December, Belzona announced that it was chosen to provide thermal insulation coatings to one metal tank at a lubricant plant for a leading oil and gas company.
According to the company’s release, Belzona 5871, a two-component, polymeric, solvent free system for thermal insulation and corrosion protection, was chosen to lower the surface temperature of the tank to prevent burns and halt further corrosion.
Belzona stated that the upper surface of the tank, which reaches a temperature of 230 degrees Fahrenheit, served as a walkway for operators, creating a risk to employees of receiving contact burns from the hot substrate. Additionally, some pitting corrosion had reportedly occurred on the tank.
According to the guidance set forth by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration, the maximum temperature for exposed surfaces that an employee can encounter is 140 F, aligning with ASTM C1055.
In addition to stopping contact-burn injuries, Belzona stated that its thermal insulation product only needed two coats to allow for a quick turnaround time, while also offering corrosion resistance.
The surface was reportedly prepped by vapor blasting the substrate to meet SSPC-SP 10/NACE No. 2 (Near-White Metal) standards and was then degreased. On top of this, corrosion at the top of the tank that needed pit filling was repaired with Belzona 1121 (Super XL-Metal) before the new coating was applied.
According to the release, the first coat was applied at the target thickness of 1000 µm (39 mil) wet film thickness, resulting in 3000 µm (118 mil) dry film thickness. The second coat was reportedly applied using the same method six hours later.
Belzona stated that the tank was back to full service 12 hours after the final coat was applied and that the tank’s temperature was successfully reduced from 230 F to 140 F.
Tagged categories: Belzona; Business matters; Business operations; Coating Materials; Coatings; Coatings Technology; Industry News; Jobs; Manufacturing Plant; Mixed-Use Facility; Paint application; Program/Project Management; Worker training; Workers
