Integrated protection for steel 

The energy crisis has hit the world hard, and steel companies have noticed. Costs flew up and although energy prices have fallen again, no one dares to predict when the next crisis will occur. KS Service Center says it can provide security to a large extent when it comes to strip and sheet steel for construction and industry. As ArcelorMittal's preferred supplier, the Moerdijk-based company can supply many steel grades and dimensions that are protected with a zinc-aluminum-magnesium coating: Magnelis®. These no longer have to go into a costly and energy-guzzling post-galvanizing bath but are already excellently protected against corrosion. Production in Europe is accompanied by fast delivery times. Moreover, a guarantee of as much as 25 years can be given on the durable steel.

KS Service Center processes and supplies sendzimir galvanized and zinc-aluminum-magnesium strip steel and sheet to size in a variety of thicknesses and grades. The steel comes from the mills of ArcelorMittal, Europe's largest steel producer. "We have an excellent relationship with ArcelorMittal, which allows us to supply all types of steel for our customers anyway," says Corné Rottier, General Manager of KS Service Center. "In addition, because of the short lines of communication with the producer, we can have an order in house for our customers in as little as four to five weeks. That's much faster than if you order a batch of strip steel in Vietnam in June, for example. Then you can expect your delivery in September/October, if it doesn't get stuck somewhere along the way. This is especially disastrous for your project if the specifications are different. For us, a September delivery means that we don't need the specifications until the end of July. Our customers then have a lot more time for engineering. It offers a lot more certainty and we know that this is very much appreciated."

Around 2007, ArcelorMittal launched zinc-magnesium steel on the market under the name Magnelis®. It is steel coated with zinc to which 3.5% aluminum and 3% magnesium have been added. This composition provides a stable and durable protective coating with high corrosion resistance. Says Rottier, "Since Magnelis® has been on the market, we have been firm believers in it. The excellent physical properties make the material extremely suitable for sustainable hall construction and, more recently, also for the exploding market for solar panels. These are mostly on roofs or on mounting systems with ramp poles in the ground. Or what about solar parks in deserts? All extreme conditions that are not conducive to the lifespan of structures. Magnelis® has been subjected to a lifetime test on the Veluwe and the Brest Institute has also subjected structures to Atlantic conditions. This showed that the zinc-magnesium-aluminum combination performs significantly better than galvanized-steel alternatives. We can therefore also issue a guarantee of 25 years. That is already longer than the service life of most solar panels. The steel framing industry is increasingly using Magnelis® because of these major advantages."

An important advantage is also the durability of the material. "And I'm not talking about the durability just mentioned in the sense of lifespan, but in the sense of environmental impact of production," Rottier states. "If you buy a roll of hot-rolled material and then you're going to hot-dip galvanize it, that not only costs extra time and money, but also a lot more energy. Magnelis® is already protected in the production process."

ArcelorMittal has already progressed to the point where it can supply ZM800 with 65 µm coating per side on steel thicknesses from 0.5 to 6 mm and in steel grades from low to very high. This makes the steel suitable for various applications, says Rottier: "We can supply strip and sheet steel for a broad target group in the fields of structures, construction and solar when it comes to applications with a long service life and challenging conditions."