Advertorial Content. Written by Ben Gillies - A&I Coatings
New generation product technology in infrastructure is greatly reducing maintenance costs and the carbon footprint associated with maintenance and refurbishment of infrastructure, particularly in corrosive environments.
“Estimates are that corrosion may have cost Australia up to $32 billion per annum, that is more than $1,500 for every person in Australia each year.” (Dr Reza Javaherdashti – Curtin University)
One such project where new generation materials have been employed is the Pine Oaks Wetlands Boardwalk in Ocala, Florida.
This project is a prime example of innovative Australian manufacturing providing robust infrastructure solutions for projects all over the world
The substantial boardwalk structure built across these wetlands is constructed using Wagners composite fibre pultrusion, manufactured in Toowoomba and is painted with A&I’s Vitreflon 700HB fluoropolymer coating, manufactured in Moss Vale, New South Wales.
Composite fibre technology was the ideal solution for this significant project as it does not rust, rot, or corrode which provides substantial maintenance savings when compared to traditional building materials. When combined with A&I’s Vitreflon fluoropolymer coating, Wagners composite fibre structures have an expected lifespan in excess if 100 years.
Fluoropolymer paints take durability of substrates to the next level by displaying unsurpassed UV stability and being a more effective barrier to moisture and corrosion initiator penetration. When painting a steel bridge as an example, the use of a fluoropolymer paint can increase the time between recoats by 2 to 3 times when compared to traditional polyurethane or polysioxane coatings.
A&I has perfected the art of formulating and manufacturing fluoropolymer paint and now exports its paints to The United States, United Kingdom, Indonesia, Vietnam, New Zealand, Canada and China. Fluoropolymer paints are used in many scenarios with key applications including facades, bridges, offshore structures, stadiums and virtually any application where ongoing maintenance is risky and expensive.
