Going green, through the use of greener coatings, poses an important challenge to the South African corrosion protection industry, says corrosion protection specialist Bulldog Projects founder and CEO Mike Book.

“In the midst of international environmental concern, the local corrosion protection industry is obligated to follow a more environ- ment-friendly route. However, owing to the lack of a proven track record in the case of some green products, many local companies are reluctant to convert,” he says.

Book adds that, although most green anticorrosion coating products and technologies have been tested overseas, they have not necessarily been tested according to South African standards.

“South Africa has a unique environment. We experience extreme temperatures at both ends of the scale, while the temperature range in Europe, for instance, is much smaller. This makes it challenging to determine the durable life expectancy and how effective these coatings will be when exposed to our climate,” he says.

Further, lack of experience and knowledge in working with greener anticorrosion coatings also discourages corrosion specialists.

“Consulting engineers in corrosion protection tend to prefer using coatings that they are familiar with, as new products require a learning period that will cost in terms of time and effi- ciency. Besides that, they run the risk of the product not being effective,” Book explains.

Research done by a major chemicals company shows that 36% of corrosion protection failures experienced in countries that have converted to greener products, are due to experimentation with new products.

However, Book says training in the use and application of greener products will assist in reducing green product-related failures.

Setting Trends

Bulldog Projects plans to set new standards in creating greener alternatives.

“Since the 1960s, there has been little to no progress by paint- ing facilities in the South African corrosion protection industry when it comes to finding ways to lower their carbon footprint,” Book says.

He attributes this slow change partly to the recessions experienced between the 1980s and 2010.

The economic downturn saw companies reducing exports and imports across the board. Moreover, during this period, companies simply could not afford greener products, which are normally more expensive than conventional products, Book says.

“Using modern and greener technology can assist the corrosion protection sector in controlling its working environment and emissions. This will contribute to a cleaner environment and improved efficiency, which will reduce overall costs,” he adds.

Bulldog Projects has a vision to reduce its environmental contamination by internalising 80% of its shop painting and blasting facilities.

“By undertaking projects in a closed building, contamination of the surrounding area will be significantly reduced,” Book says.

He notes that extraction fans and improved handling equipment will be used in indoor facilities to ensure a safe working environment.

Cost of Corrosion

Book says the real cost of corrosion is extensive, but that the impact of such costs is hidden to such an extent that it is only truly felt when it is too late.

He feels this is because corrosion control and maintenance are severely neglected across all industry sectors.

“In most cases, when a company experiences a bad financial year, the first division where cuts are made is maintenance. They can get away with this for some time but, eventually, it catches up with them,” Book says.

What seems to be a clever cut, ends up costing companies a fortune.

“Years of neglect can result in huge failures that require extensive and lengthy maintenance projects, which translate into prolonged downtimes and a huge loss in profits.”

Research done by the Society for Protective Coatings and US-based Nace International, previously known as the National Association of Corrosion Engineers, shows that the cost attributed to corrosion damages of all kinds has been estimated at between 3% to 5% of industrialised countries’ gross domestic product.

“It is, thus, crucial to undertake regular, thorough and smaller- scale corrosion protection projects to avoid corrosion damage from building up,” Book says.

He adds that high expenses are another factor discouraging companies from undertaking regular maintenance and corrosion control.

“Maintenance is costly. Not only does it require downtime, but also the building of access scaffolding, buying of corrosion protection products and paying of labourers. Eventually, companies only get back roughly one-third of the money value they spend on a maintenance project. Once the access scaffolding, labour and management have been removed from the site, the client is left with only the material aspect of the contract,” Book explains.

Further, the high cost of maintenance is driving companies towards buying cheaper anticorrosion coatings that do not last as long as their more expensive, higher-quality counterparts.

“This results in corrosion protection projects ending in failure and having to be redone, costing more time and money,” he says.

Book feels that, if company accountants budget for annual maintenance projects, major corrosion problems can be avoided.

He says particular attention should be paid to corrosion protection in C5 industrial (indus- trial areas such as mines and plants) and C5 marine (coastal areas) environments, where fac- tors such as weather and industrial fall-out play a significant role in increasing the rate of corrosion.

“When building plants, mines and factories, it is important that companies consult with corrosion specialists that have vast corrosion experience in a particular industry, and who know how to apply proper corrosion protection,” he adds.

Inhibiting Factor

Book feels that South Africa is keeping abreast with international corrosion protection standards; however, he is concerned that progress in the sector is hampered by the local skills deficit.

He says the country’s high unemployment rate contributes to the lack of real economic expansion in South Africa.

“Companies are not employing as many people as they did in the 1970s and 1980s. By lowering the unemployment rate, more individuals will be able to pay tax, which will build the eco- nomy,” Book adds.

He believes that corrosion training will empower entrepreneurs and local communities, assist them in creating their own small businesses and relieve unemployment.

“South Africa’s corrosion industry will be far more stable if it comprises a large number of small businesses, rather than a few major contractors that monopolise the market and deprive local communities of job opportunities.

“This is currently the case, as local communities often do not have skilled people. Consequently, skilled people have to be brought in from outside,” Book notes.

He proposes that, when bigger corrosion companies from outside these local communities are needed for a particular project, they can contribute to relieving the area’s unemployment by including local contractors.

“There are endless opportunities for both the South African and international corrosion industries,” Book says.

Positive developments in the international mining, manufacturing and power generation industries, and the impact of political unrest and natural disasters, such as the Japanese tsunami, will provide opportunities that should not be missed.

“South Africa’s population is growing at a staggering rate. This calls for a major increase in water and electricity supply that will translate into a boom in our local piping and electricity generation markets, leading to increased demand for corrosion protection,” he says.

Increasing international demand for commodities is driving major expansion in the international industrial and mining industries, particularly in big mining countries such as India, Canada and China.

Further, he says that following the devastating impact of the natural disaster that hit Japan, the country’s recovery will yield significant redevelopment and rebuilding opportunities.

“New infrastructure that is being built will require constant corrosion protection,” Book concludes.

To subscribe to Engineering News's print magazine email subscriptions@creamermedia.co.za or buy now.