Interpon Redox powder coatings from AkzoNobel (Amsterdam, The Netherlands) continue to assist HAGS (Aneby, Sweden), one of Europe’s foremost manufacturers of outdoor playground equipment, in protecting its products from corrosion—especially in difficult coastal environments with a high salt content in the air.
HAGS, which recently celebrated a 25-year partnership with Interpon, was one of the pioneers in switching from a solvent-based paint system to an Interpon powder coating that was more sustainable. The change also supported its sustainability strategies.
HAGS first started using the powder coating in 1998, when it was looking for a more sustainable solution to protect its products against corrosion and general wear and tear. The switch coincided with a move to a new manufacturing facility in Egham, United Kingdom, which the Interpon team supported with practical advice, training, and support. Since then, AkzoNobel has helped HAGS to seamlessly integrate its powder coating processes into three more sites—including Aneby in 2013 and Sosnowiec, Poland in 2019.
Mark Grace, marketing director of HAGS, says he particularly values the expertise of the Interpon team through process audits for its “Approved Applicator” registration. “It gives our customers peace of mind that our installed products will last for many years with minimal maintenance required to the powder coated finish, as well as being based on a sound environmentally friendly solution,” he says. “And because Interpon is a globally available powder coating system, we have been able to develop a standardize finishing system across all our European factories.”
Among the first to use Interpon’s Redox Duplex system—a two-layer system with a zinc-rich Interpon Redox PZ epoxy primer and topcoat—HAGS now offers its customers the Redox Triplex three-layer system. This provides enhanced corrosion protection in environments up to the highest corrosivity category of C5.
Most recently, HAGS introduced an optional Interpon AM topcoat, which can reduce microbial growth such as bacteria and mold by up to 99.9%. These powder coatings have proven popular for those procuring its outdoor fitness products used in public places, since they tend to attract a high number of users from all age groups.
Source: AkzoNobel, www.akzonobel.com.