MechChem Africa February 2017

February 2017

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MechChem Africa

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Corrosion control and coatings

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Kansai Plascon

supervises bridge project in Lesotho

Kansai Plascon has provided an on site monitoring ser-

vice for a major bridge sandblasting project in Lesotho,

which also used specialist products from its Protective

Coatings division.

The project required sand blasting the steel bridge

surfaces to ISO 8501 1:2007 (Sa 2½). This was followed

by an application of a zinc rich epoxy primer and two

coats each of Plascotuff Epoxy MIO Intermediate Coat

and Plascothane 9000 Polyurethane Acrylic.

“Our on site monitoring of the application involved

spot checks on the surface preparation, aswell as dry film

thickness (DFT) readings,” explains Mike Byrd, national

protective coatings specification manager for Kansai

Plascon.

The company had technical specialists on site for the project. The Protective Coatings

division has had prior experience with bridge projects, which stood it in good stead in

clinching the Lesotho contract.

Byrd adds that the success achievedwith this particular project was also due toKansai

Plascon’s 360° guarantee system, which involves the end user, applicator and the coatings

manufacturer itself.

Plascotuff EpoxyMIOIntermediateCoat is a two component polyamide epoxy contain-

ingmicaceous (sparkling) iron oxide. It provides a high build barrier coating for protecting

steel in aggressive conditions, as well as an abrasion resistant coat for shop coated steel.

Plascothane 9000 Polyurethane Acrylic is a two component re-coatable polyurethane

acrylic highperformancefinish– formaintenance andnewconstruction–withanexcellent

decorative appearance. It features high gloss and colour retention, long term protection

and durability and is available in a range of colours. An added benefit is that a high DFT

thickness can be achieved with a single application.

compile reports onour findings, and thenpro-

vide corrosion-protection solutions specific

to each scenario,” Byrd explains. “We offer

a 360° guarantee, in addition to monitoring

all progress.”

Specialist coating products supplied to

this sector are Plascoline 1000 internal lin-

ing, Plascotuff 3000 primer, Plascotuff MIO

intermediate coating, and Plascothane 9000

topcoat. In addition, the Protective Coatings

divisionoffers technical and aftermarket sup-

port, as well as project management.

“We go to great lengths to support and

supply our customers, including newproduct

developments. Kansai Plascon has always

been at the forefront of coatings develop-

ment, as we expand our product range with

new technologies,” Byrd notes.

“Our custom-made solutions extend

the life of essential infrastructure in the

petrochemical industry by protecting tanks,

piping and structural steel from corrosion.

By keeping such infrastructure serviceable,

these operations run continuously, with

no costly stoppages and downtime, which

translates into constant production rates,”

Byrd concludes.

Turnkey coatings for the mining

industry

Despiteanongoingslumpintheminingsector,

KansaiPlasconhasmaintaineditscompetitive

edge as a leading paint supplier to the indus-

try, thanks to the fact that it offers a 360-de-

gree turnkey solution that is comprised of

decorative products, mine marking products

and protective coating products – all backed

by dedicated after-sales support.

Kansai Plascon is the market-leader in

supplying decorative coatings and aero-

sol marking paint to the mining industry.

Decorativepaint products areusedonmining

properties, which include staff houses, hos-

tels andoffices, whilemarking paints areused

at operational level in shafts. Kansai Plascon

brand manager for industrial coatings,

Mareta le Roux, says although the company

boasts majority market share in these areas,

there is still room for growth.

“One area of mining that holds consider-

able growth potential for us is corrosion pro-

tection for processing plants such as smelters

and concentrators. We are a relatively minor

player in this field at present. However, the

strategicfive-year plan in terms of resourcing,

is to put a focus on corrosion protection for

the inmine processing plants. Our protective

coating products meet all industry require-

ments, and it is now a matter of driving them

forward,” she states.

Over the years, Kansai Plascon has devel-

oped fundamentally strong relationshipswith

someof the largest names in theglobalmining

industry. Le Roux believes that this will work

to the company’s advantage, whenpromoting

its protective coating range. “This is already

bearing fruit, as a large goldmining operation

with mines in East, West and Central Africa

nowspecifies PlasconProtective coatings for

all of its processing plants.We have also been

supplying products to mines in the Zambian

copper belt for a number of years. Further

expansion in Africa holds the potential for

measurable growth.”

“We are by far the biggest coatings manu

facturer in Southern Africa, and we offer

a one-stop shopping experience that our

competitors cannot,” reveals Kansai Plascon

national market manager for mining and

mineralsandroadmarking,RolfRedelinghuys.

He adds that technical strengthand capability

also places Plascon ahead of the competition.

“Our service is not just selling protective

coatings, but doing specifications. We are

experts as far as that is concerned.We do not

just sell thepaint andwalkaway– there is sup-

port provided throughout the process. Our

technical teams undertake site visits to check

if the product is applied correctly, especially

when it comes to the corrosion protection,”

he elaborates.

Corrosion protection is expensive to ap-

ply and, le Roux indicates: “It is essential to

successfully complete the application of the

coating on the first attempt. Bearing this is

mind, we provide extensive training tomining

contractors at no additional charge. It’s all

about the customers’ bottom line at the end

of the day, and we are there to ensure that

everything goes according to plan.”

With regard to researchanddevelopment,

Kansai Plascon boasts a state-of-the-art

laboratory in Durban, KZN, which features

dedicated teams working solely on industrial

and protective coatings. “Our laboratory is

world-class, therefore, most of our research

and development is done locally, based on

local customer requirements,” says le Roux.

Kansai Plascon also boasts a strong net-

work of distributors in sub-Saharan African

regions such as Namibia, Botswana, Zambia,

Malawi, Zimbabwe and Mozambique, with

plans to expand the network in East Africa

andWest Africa. This networkwill enable the

company todeliver its rangeof products in the

quickest turnaround times.

In challenging economic times, the current

industry trend is to prioritise maintenance.

Redelinghuys believes that this works to

Kansai Plascon’s advantage. “Mining com-

panies are moving towards optimising and

conserving their assets, rather than replacing

them with new ones. As a result, our sector

sales have improved, and I am confident we

will gain market share in the foreseeable

future,” he concludes.