Dimensions of zinc bath and ample infrastructure add value

Hot-dip galvanizing gives corrosion no chance

Corrosion is completely natural to steel and iron. Thus, the combination of oxygen and water in contact with the iron or steel creates a typical brown layer of rust. Without proper treatment, the steel rusts away finally. Galvanizing offers a solution. Verzinkerij Lenssen in Genk, founded in 1988, has specialized in hot-dip galvanizing or galvanizing for more than 30 years. One of the deepest galvanizing baths in Europe and a production and storage area of 60,000 m² are two important assets. We spoke with managing director Georges Lenssen, who together with his brother Paul is responsible for the daily management of the family business.

Verzinkerij Lenssen has a company area of 60,000 m², divided into a practical production hall and a storage area.

Who is Verzinkerij Lenssen?

"We specialize in hot-dip galvanizing of iron and steel workpieces to avoid corrosion. In this process, after pretreatment, the pieces receive a protective layer by immersion in a bath of molten zinc. We carry out this galvanizing in accordance with the NEN-EN-ISO 1461 and NEN-EN-ISO 14713 standards, and the finished materials comply with the EN 1090 standard or the DASt Directive 022. We focus on industrial construction, greenhouse or greenhouse construction, automotive, agricultural infrastructure and various other industrial applications. Common products are undercarriages for trailers, sprinkler pipes, elements for industrial construction, sound walls, .... Our customers are located in Limburg and the rest of Flanders, but Walloon construction companies and Dutch greenhouse and greenhouse builders are also regular customers. For example, parts from our galvanizing plant have been used for many well-known projects, such as the Christmas decorations on the Champs-Elysées, the Lommel Sahara observation tower and the Eurotunnel. Our Dutch customers' greenhouses and conservatories are installed worldwide."

Why the choice of hot-dip galvanizing?

"The minute-long contact with zinc at a temperature above 450°C creates a series of zinc-iron alloys on the surface of the piece of steel. These guarantee optimum adhesion and excellent resistance to wear and impact. After several months, a "patina" forms on top of this zinc layer, an almost impenetrable and stable protection against corrosion. Damage in the galvanizing layer is not a problem because the cathodic protection ensures that the surrounding zinc continues to protect this spot permanently. A galvanized piece can be easily de-galvanized and re-galvanized after several decades, giving the galvanized steel a new life."

"We can even stock materials for our customers to galvanize and deliver on demand.

How does your firm differentiate itself?

"We are certainly not the largest, as most firms in this sector belong to larger groups. But the quality of product and service are central to us. For example, we have one of the deepest electroplating baths in Belgium, and even in Europe, allowing us to process pieces up to 12.8 m long, 1.5 m wide and 3 m deep. The company area of 60,000 m² is also an important asset. The machines are practically distributed throughout the entire workshop, which increases efficiency. Thanks to the available space, we can also easily maintain and renew our systems. Moreover, we can stock materials for our customers to galvanize and deliver on demand, and all galvanized pieces are always kept dry. We also continue to invest in the optimization of our production process, for example in the digitization of planning and administration. Finally, we distinguish ourselves by investing in making hot-dip galvanizing environmentally friendly by capturing unwanted vapors and recycling and reusing raw materials for the production process."    ν