Corrosion protection has a major influence on the service life of a flatbed trailer. The combination of hot-dip galvanizing and subsequent painting—known as a duplex system or coating—is a very effective method for long-lasting corrosion protection. The zinc layer first forms a protective layer on the steel, preventing rust and mechanical damage. The additional paintwork (primer and 2 top coats) then forms an organic coating with a smooth and dense structure that prevents moisture and oxygen from penetrating the zinc layer. In addition, the paintwork offers great color design options. The combination of zinc layer and organic coating offers better corrosion protection than either layer alone – significantly increasing the service life of the vehicle!

Before painting, it is important to treat the surface with cleaning agents and a special epoxy primer. Cleaning is necessary to remove grease, oils, and zinc salts. We had the combination of these coating processes tested and approved by our paint manufacturer Glasurit before using it on customer vehicles: In the laboratory, sheets of metal with our 720h duplex coating were subjected to a salt spray test and a 240h climate test. The paint was scratched beforehand so that it could be determined whether any undermining or attack on the steel was taking place.

 

The result was clear: laboratory tests showed that our “hot-dip galvanizing + paint” coating can be certified to have a service life of 10-15 years without corrosion.

So: we can now guarantee our customers the highest level of corrosion protection and also offer visually appealing design options! Talk to us about duplex coating for your vehicle.