Duplex System for corrosion protection employed in Cologne

The newly opened Rheinboulevard on the banks of the River Rhine in the Deutz district of Cologne has been transformed into a stage where real life takes place. Stretch out your legs with a locally brewed beer in your hand and enjoy the panoramic view of the city that presents itself to you here – on your own, as a couple or in groups – the 500-metre wide outdoor flight of steps has quickly become the favourite new meeting place for local residents.

It directs the gaze of its visitors to the Rhine. The scene is rounded off by a sturdy railing with a delicate design on the quay wall that is made of 1.5-metre high and three-metre long protective steel elements, installed to prevent people from accidentally falling into the river.

ZINKPOWER Meckenheim GmbH & Co. KG was assigned the task of hot-dip-galvanizing this steel to protect it from rust and so it was awarded the contract to galvanize a total of 44 tonnes of railings for the Rheinboulevard from December 2014 to April 2015. The metalwork also included mobile crash barriers, which Cologne City Counsil can deploy at special events. “On-schedule deliveries and consistently high quality were what the customer wanted from us as its provider of galvanizing services,” said Rüdiger Thoß, the responsible Works Manager at ZINKPOWER Meckenheim.

The Duplex System anti-corrosion coating was applied to ensure that the railings remain in use for as long as possible. This specifically means that the steel elements were hot-dip galvanized and then given two coats of wet DB 704 paint. The main advantage of this system is the long-lasting mutual protection that the two components provide to each other. The coat of paint covers the layer of zinc, protects it from external effects and stops it from being scraped or scratched off. The base coat of zinc, on the other hand, will withstand even severe stresses and takes on the corrosion prevention role should the paint become damaged.

An additional benefit: damage to the coat of paint can be immediately repaired locally, meaning that the railings along the Rheinboulevard will be protecting the people of Cologne for many years to come.

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