Skip to content
Hereford & Shropshire Galvanizers
Hot Dip Galvanizers
Hereford: 01432 267664 Shropshire: 01691 670757
  • About
    • Our services
    • Hereford Galvanizers
    • Shropshire Galvanizers
  • Hot dip galvanizing
    • What is it?
    • Why galvanize
    • The process
    • Help us
  • Powder coating
    • What is it?
    • Why powder coat?
    • The process
    • Shotblasting
  • Technical information
    • Glossary
    • FAQs
    • Downloads
    • Links
  • Careers
  • News
  • Contact us

The process

Inspection

Upon arrival at the galvanizing plant the steelwork is inspected to ensure its suitability for hot dip galvanizing.  Any issues identified such as missing venting holes or paint on steelwork are communicated to the customer and options to remedy are discussed.

Pickle

The steelwork is then dipped into a tank of dilute hydrochloric acid.  This ‘pickling’ process removes rust and mill scale so that all surfaces are perfectly clean ready for the galvanizing process.

Wash

After pickling, the steelwork is submerged into a tank of water to wash away the acid.

Flux

The final pre-treatment dip is 30% zinc ammonium chloride.  This process helps remove any remaining traces of oxide from the steelwork and enables the galvanizing process to occur.

Dry

Moisture and molten zinc do not mix very well so before galvanizing we store the steelwork in our dryer until it is safe to dip.

Galvanize

The steelwork is submerged into a bath of molten zinc.  The actual time the steel remains dipped is usually only 10 minutes or so.  This is just long enough for the reaction between the steel and the zinc to take place.

Post treatment

We do not call it HOT dip galvanizing for nothing.  The zinc is kept molten at 450oC and therefore the steel takes a little time to cool after dipping.  After cooling, the steelwork is inspected to ensure it is galvanized to the British Standard BS EN ISO 1461 (2009) and is then weighed and packed ready for despatch.

After galvanizing, our Shropshire plant dip the still hot steelwork into a passivation bath.  This chromate solution cools the steelwork faster and protects the zinc shine for much longer than if the steelwork was simply left to cool naturally.

In this section

  • What is it?
  • Why galvanize
  • The process
  • Help us
    • Venting & drainage
    • Distortion
    • Preparation/marking
    • Reactive steel

Quick Links

  • Terms and conditions
  • Privacy policy

Follow Us

  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • Linkedin

Hereford

Tel: 01432 267664
Fax: 01432 352735
Email: zinc@hereford.galvanizers.co.uk

Westfields Trading Estate
Hereford
HR4 9NS

Shropshire

Tel: 01691 670757
Fax: 01691 670636
Email: zinc@shropshire-galvanizers.co.uk

Units 12 & 13
Maes-y-Clawdd
Maesbury Road Industrial Estate
Oswestry
Shropshire
SY10 8NN

Copyright © 2021 Hereford & Shropshire Galvanizers · site by the naked creative