Hempel’s HEMPADUR AvantGuard® range of products won the 2014 European Frost & Sullivan Award for New Product Innovation

COPENHAGEN, 3-3-2015 — /EuropaWire/ — Hempel’s HEMPADUR AvantGuard® range of products have won the 2014 European Frost & Sullivan Award for New Product Innovation. To be presented on 14 May in London, the award recognises the products’ ability to provide superior anti-corrosive protection for iron and steel structures in tough environments.

Hempel’s HEMPADUR AvantGuard® activated zinc primers include patented AvantGuard® technology to provide better anti-corrosion protection than zinc epoxies without AvantGuard®. The coatings are developed to protect industrial structures and equipment in C4 and C5 corrosive conditions, where saltwater and high humidity corrode unprotected steel. They can be used in a range industries and applications, from offshore oil & gas platforms to power plants and wind turbines.

The award recognises the products’ ability to offer reduced corrosion, improved performance in extreme temperatures and superior mechanical strength.

As Frost & Sullivan Senior Research Analyst Soundarya Shankar explained, “The AvantGuard® technology uses hollow glass spheres and a proprietary activator to activate more zinc and enhance the anti-corrosive properties of the coating.”

Shankar praised Hempel’s customer and technical service as a unique value-add for customers. “Apart from designing an enhanced product portfolio, Hempel delivers a seamless customer service experience,” he says. “Acknowledging the need for different types of protective coatings in different regions of Europe due to varied climatic conditions, the company customises its solutions to suit specific customer needs. Designing a global solution and tailoring it to suit customer requirements is Hempel’s USP.”

Pernille Lind Olsen Group Product Director, Protective Marketing, at Hempel, comments: “We are very pleased to have received this award. We spent many years developing AvantGuard® and we believe the technology is the biggest step forward in anti-corrosive coatings since zinc coatings were first introduced during the 1960s. As well as delivering stronger anti-corrosive performance, AvantGuard® coatings can be applied with standard application techniques. They show high tolerance to excessive dry film thicknesses and different application conditions, which helps customers improve application productivity.”

The increased protection and durability of HEMPADUR AvantGuard® coatings have been proven in extensive Hempel tests, including salt spray tests (ISO 12944 part 6), cyclic corrosion tests (ISO 20340 – NORSOK M-501 revision 6) and thermal cycling resistance tests (NACE cracking test and Hempel’s welding test).

The HEMPADUR AvantGuard® series was released worldwide on 23 September 2014. Currently it comprises three zinc primers (HEMPADUR AvantGuard® 550, HEMPADUR AvantGuard® 750 and HEMPADUR AvantGuard® 770). Hempel is developing more AvantGuard® technology-enabled products, including products that can be applied on components off site and then transported for on-site installation.

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