Intergalva 2024 Bruges

If you were one of the 691 participants and exhibition staff from 56 countries who attended Intergalva 2024 in Bruges from June 10-14, EGGA and Zinkinfo Benelux hope you had a great time, learned new things and expanded your personal network in the international galvanizing community.

The conference program demonstrated the value of galvanizing steel for the circular economy's goals of achieving net zero. The industry's own efforts to decarbonize and improve efficiency also took center stage.

The inherent sustainability, recyclability and potential for reuse of hot-dip galvanized steel within the circular economy was at the forefront of the conference program - this was perfectly highlighted by Marjan Poortinga, Senior Advisor Circular Economy, Rijkswaterstaat - Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management, The Netherlands, who explained the commitment of the Dutch authorities to ensure the reuse and galvanization of highway guardrails.

Keynote speakers, including Rene Branders (president of the Belgian trade association VBO-FEB); Michel Vermaerke (president advisory board Impact Finance Belgium) and Olivier Vassart (World Steel) set the tone with excellent perspectives on policy and financial frameworks for decarbonization strategies for the industry. The leading suppliers of furnaces and other process technologies reported extensively on the progress of the galvanizing industry's decarbonization challenge. These and other topics were also explored in small master classes in addition to the plenary sessions.

The remarkable uses of galvanizing in architecture and engineering applications were recognized in the 2024 Global Galvanizing Awards, which were presented in conjunction with the conference at the Intergalva 2024 Conference Dinner at nearby Lauretum, sponsored by Ani Metal and Atunkimya.

Participants thoroughly enjoyed the welcome party, sponsored by Rezinal, held in a real party atmosphere around the Pilling Bar in the Intergalva 2024 exhibition space, created by Belgian group Domino.

The Intergalva Fair was once again the focal point of the event, hosting all the pre-event catering and networking. 41 exhibiting companies invested in some very innovative and informative displays of equipment, process technology and materials - combined with the usual conviviality and hospitality at the booths and around the traditional "W Pilling Bar.

A big Intergalva thank you goes out to the members of Zinkinfo Benelux who opened the doors of the galvanizing plants at the end of the week to allow more than 300 delegates to visit the plants. The organization of the visits and the explanations given were much appreciated.

Next appointment: Intergalva 2027 in Spain!