MUNSTER/South Africa -- South Africa's sun beats down mercilessly. On the Dark Continent, even topcoats used to protect metal surfaces are exposed to extreme climatic conditions. Here's the challenge: The intense direct sunlight dries out the paint more quickly and strips away its protective qualities. This makes the surface permeable and causes rust damage. It's particularly annoying when the paint is used to seal metal roofs, which are extremely popular in Africa.
And that's what makes it a hot challenge for BASF Coatings. At the request of Mittal Steel, the world's largest steel manufacturer, BASF Coatings and the diversified technology company 3M took on the job of recoating South Africa's bleached out and peeling roofscape using an innovative 2-coat polyurethane system. "Thanks to our years of experience in coil coating, we have managed to develop a product with ideal properties for meeting the high climatic demands posed by South Africa's weather," says Neil Hoyland, Managing Director of BASF Coatings (Pty.) Ltd., Vanderbijlpark. BASF Coatings is also on board when it comes to providing technical support for the work. In special training programs and with the help of 3M, construction companies from all over the country received instruction in using the new 2-coat polyurethane system. The training included tips on preparing the roofs, recommendations on painting techniques, as well as advice on how to do a quality check at the end of the job. Participants were awarded a certificate upon completion of the training course. "The support offered by BASF Coatings in the form of additional training programs was a major contribution to the high quality of our new roofs," says Jean van der Merwe, Department Manager, Roofing and Merchants, Mittal Steel.
A cool idea for a hot problem
What looks good on paper doesn't always pan out in practice. That's why the new Overcoat Management System was developed. It uses additional on-site checks to guarantee that the painting will go off without a hitch. At the end of the project, the construction companies and the home owners, as well as BASF Coatings have to confirm that the roof's new overcoat is flawless. This is a huge benefit for the customers, because they don't pay until everyone is completely satisfied with the job.
"The Overcoat Management System is a new pillar in our range of services," says Neil Hoyland. It's a service that customers appreciate. "The overcoating is going much more smoothly than we had imagined," says van der Merwe. "BASF Coatings' great commitment both with the new product and the Overcoat Management System has been a major contribution to the success of our project." Do we sound too bold when we say that we can't wait to meet the next challenge - at the North Pole, perhaps?
BASF : A major international player in coatings
BASF Coatings AG belongs to the global Coatings Division of the BASF Group. In 2004 the Coatings Division achieved world sales of 2.0 billion euros. The Coatings Division develops, produces and markets a high-quality range of innovative automotive OEM coatings, automotive refinishes and industrial coatings as well as decorative paints, and also the processes needed to apply them. In this business, eco-efficient water-based, powder and high-solids coatings as well as radiation-curable systems play a special part. In Brazil, the company has been successful in the decorative paints market for years and holds the leading position. BASF has a major, global presence in the Coatings sector, with significant market positions in Europe, North America, South America and the Asia/Pacific region, for example with affiliates in Australia, China, India, Japan, and the Philippines.
