A life for the Great World of Surfaces

Interview with Sergio Ortega Diaz Specialist in Cavitation Protection and CEO of EPS NEO SL

Spain

We usually only deal with the products that are applied somewhere - but not with the people who finish these surfaces. Sergio Ortega Diaz is one of these specialists who deals daily - worldwide - with the protection of heavy-duty surfaces: cavitation and erosion protection, this is the life of the 46-year-old Spaniard, who has been collaborating for years with MetaLine, a company specialized in the manufacturing of elastomeric surface protection solutions. Sergio commutes weekly between the major ports of this world and the hydroelectric power plants. We interviewed him online while he was at Faro Airport (Portugal).

How did you first come into contact with the issue of cavitation and erosion protection?

“I became a specialist in cavitation protection through intensive cooperation with MetaLine in Germany. After a long time with epoxy ceramics, I was fascinated by the Germans’ idea from the beginning. During a training I met the managing director and one thing led to another. Meanwhile I have my own small coating company in Huelva.

My work is different. I have specialized in a subject area that is “intangible” to many. Cavitation and erosion protection. I don’t do anything else - certainly not decorative coatings. Exclusively functional coatings for the components that are exposed to the very highest loads. Propulsion drives on ships and hydroelectric turbines. One in the harbour - the other on the mountain - can there be a more beautiful contrast? Not for me!

I was very impressed by the solvent-free nature of the MetaLine Series 700 - they have had this in their range for over 20 years and very few people know it. For me, it’s the decisive product when it comes to my customers. Nothing is more resistant to cavitations than an elastomer - nevertheless, most people still try epoxy fillers - this will probably never stop”.

Balancing his job and his family is one of the biggest challenges for him, too. Can he solve it?

“There are private appointments that take precedence over everything else - no matter how important the customer or the project - otherwise the family suffers. Christmas and my children’s birthdays are sacred and I don’t need to earn money then, I need to be there for my family.

What is your opinion about the current trends in this market?

I love my tasks and I still enjoy it. But I cannot understand how others operate in this market. There is virtually no project where the sandblaster is not delaying. Of course, it is physically demanding and also dirty work - but that’s no explanation as to why the following crews have to wait days for promised deadlines. The problem is the extremely poor wages for sandblasters and the inadequate working conditions - customers should think about this when costs have to be reduced again. Machines do not do that!

And when the sandblaster is supposedly ready, the discussion begins about the blasting roughness and the measuring devices for it.

Sergio Ortega Diaz Specialist in Cavitation Protection and CEO of EPS NEO SL

What is claimed and put into the world is hair-raising. In the end, it is not about who’s right - but a perfect job and a long-term result. It is a pity that this is no longer in the foreground. I sometimes spend more time on a day with pointless discussions about abrasive specifications than the hours I can spend working. What I am proud of are the results I achieve with my work. Lifetimes that currently no one else in cavitation protection can achieve. No matter if in Europe, South America or Asia!

Oh yes, and then there are the “colleagues” who try to optimize surfaces by “brush” or “trowel” application. If it were not so technically shameful, what is expected of the customer in terms of jagged, uneven surfaces, I could sometimes feel sorry for the medieval technologies with which some alleged “market leaders” rip off customers. No one would buy a brush-painted front door for his house, but on a turbine - where the highest hydraulic demands should be realized - suddenly design standards are accepted that no longer correspond to the state of the art. For me, the only technical option is sprayed cavitation protection with an elastomer - and the MetaLine people are simply the world leaders in this field. I know of no supplier with such core competence in synthetic wear protection.

Why did you choose to partner with MetaLine?

I have more in common with MetaLine than just the technology. The idea of absorbing destructive energy and not letting it deflect off was a milestone - but the people at MetaLine are also simply different. Specialized and unbeatably reliable - these are just those German virtues that would do us Spaniards good from time to time. No, seriouslythe market is dominated by American products and it is good to deal with people who are interested in the problem and not only in the profit you can make with it! At the beginning of my career I worked for a US company for a long time and I know what I am talking about.

What are the features of your job?

Airport, hotel, construction site and then airport again – it is not always fun but it is part of my job. There are ups and downs, but I have to live with them, just like everyone else in my profession. I keep in constant contact with my family and talk to them at home every day. That helps against the loneliness. And then there are cases where I realize projects together with MetaLine and other coaters from the manufacturer support me. This is a wonderful change because I can rely on them. Nothing is better than a good team that pulls together.

And then there are the customers - I cannot complain about customer acceptance. Even years after the project, many keep in touch and ask me for solutions that don’t concern my field at allbut they have confidence in my work and my results. And one thing is very clear - I decide which product and process I use - not the customer. I do not implement anything that goes against my experience or knowledge. Is that arrogant? I do not think so, because in the end it’s all about experience - and in cavitations there are not many who can look back on my experience. Just like the motto - too many cooks spoil the broth. What bothers me the most - technical indifference and incompetence. The people themselves are responsible for the first - but the superiors are responsible for the second. I see too muchand then come quality inspectors who live in their own theoretical world. You can feel sorry for the poor guys from classic corrosion protection.

Our shot blasting systems are made to measure. We take into account the available space, needs and objectives of our customers to structure a product that is functional and that responds to all processing requirements.

How long will you continue to do this job?

How long I will continue to do this - as long as my health allows me. I am 46 years old now and I am starting to notice that the limits are getting tighter - but I’ll give myself a few more years. My task is not yet fulfilled. We could talk for a long time, but time is pressing again and the tasks have not become less after Corona. I have to catch up on what many have left lying for 2 years… ‹ warehouse and logistics.

In the next issue you can read an interesting case study about an application of the MetaLine’s elastomeric solutions against cavitation onto a M/S Gotland vessel in a Swedish dry dock.