GLOBAL GALVANIZING AWARD GOES TO VIENNA
More than 500 participants from around 50 countries attended the official presentation of the “Global Galvanizing Award” at the Intergalva 2015 in Liverpool. Submissions from the USA, Canada, Brazil, South Africa, Australia, New Zealand and several European countries competed for the prize. The prestigious “Industry Award”, however, went to Albert Wimmer ZT GmbH, a firm of Viennese architcts, and the Unger Steel Group for their “Vienna Central Station” project. One of the most complicated and striking steel-construction projects in Austria was therefore the recipient of this outstanding prize. The ZINKPOWER Group was responsible for the hot-dip-galvanizing of the steel components. “Absolute adherence to delivery dates and consistent quality from every zinc bath worldwide are our top priority,” said Martin Kopf, Managing Director of ZINKPOWER Brunn. He added, “Tight schedules often allow only a single day for galvanizing – so cooperation has to work.” And – as this example shows – it did! “We're pleased to have been part of this ambitious steel-construction project.” More than a total of 7,000 tonnes of steel were used in the build. The complexity of the concealed roof structure meant that maintenance work is practically impossible. The solution was to use hot-dip-galvanized structural components, bolted together into sub-groups, to form the basis for the individual diamond shapes. Maintenance work and safety measures,which could result in the station's partial or even full closure, have thus been avoided from the outset. The prize is awarded every three years by the European General Galvanizers Association (EGGA), which acts as the umbrella organisation for the associations established for the hot-dip-galvanizing sector in Europe. The industrial award recognises projects realised through the use of hot-dip-galvanized steel.
© Reneé del Missier, Unger Steel Group