Hot dip galvanizers offer common warranty terms

In January 2018, Zinkinfo Benelux kicked off its ZEKER ZINK campaign to make it known that hot-dip galvanizing offers unprecedented certainty for the corrosion protection of steel structures. Through the introduction of common warranty conditions, the trade association is adding strength to that message. From now on, all members can, if they wish, offer their Benelux clients up to thirty years warranty on zinc work delivered in a C3 corrosivity class. And it gets even better: for powder coating systems on hot-dip galvanized steel, the industry is also offering common guarantee conditions. More on this in a forthcoming article.

Cross-industry guarantee conditions that all members of Zink-info Benelux can apply: the dream is finally a reality. An important milestone that further highlights the added value of hot-dip galvanizing, emphasizes Bruno Dursin, general manager at Zinkinfo Benelux: "Previously, each galvanizer applied his own terms and conditions, so there was no uniformity. Differences in terms of duration, exclusions, conditions, ...: it all became somewhat confusing. From June 1, 2019, all galvanizers who are members of Zinkinfo Benelux - no less than 90% of the market - will be able to offer common warranty conditions in all circumstances. An excellent thing, because in the past some galvanizers were far too modest and gave a guarantee with difficulty, whereas we should certainly not shy away from emphasizing that hot-dip galvanizing offers not only a costly lifetime guarantee, but also the guarantee that no aftercare is required and that building owners, contractors and steel builders need not fear additional costs."

Hot-dip galvanized steel was also chosen for this autonomous, bio-ecological greenhouse dwelling. (Image: Joost Demuynck / photojoost.com)

Three warranty periods

Depending on the atmospheric corrosion load categories - read: the risk of corrosion on the construction site in question - the hot-dip galvanizers offer specific guarantee periods. The basic term on discontinuous hot-dip galvanized steel that applies in the vast majority of the Benelux is thirty years (categories C1, C2 and C3, if there are no steel elements thinner than 3 mm). For C3 (thickness of steel elements 6mm), the warranty period is twenty years. Finally, customers receive a 10-year warranty for category C4 (thickness steel elements 6mm). "In general, Benelux customers can assume that the zinc coating protects the underlying steel structure against corrosion for at least three decades. That is quite long, which sets us apart from the classic protective paint systems, which do not meet our deadlines and usually give (only) five to ten years guarantee. We also have a set of warranty terms for projects outside the Benelux: twenty (C3), ten (C4) and five years (C5)," Dursin clarifies.

Collective consciousness

With the introduction of common warranty conditions, Zinkinfo Benelux is responding to the growing importance of maintenance and the increasing demand for warranties that cover customers against unexpected additional costs. In addition to common warranty conditions, common general sales, delivery and payment conditions will also be introduced by ZIB members on June 1, 2019. "With this, we are the first trade association for thermal galvanizers in Europe that has succeeded in setting up such a cross-industry system; we hope that other countries will follow our example."