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FEATURE
RAILSTAFF JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2022
GALVANIZERS ASSOCIATION
WILL DELIVER FOR H A PROCESS OF PROTECTING STEEL, IN USE FOR CENTURIES, IS ESSENTIAL TO THE PROVISION OF MODERN RAILWAY INFRASTRUCTURE. GALVANIZERS ASSOCIATION TELL US MORE.
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illed as a faster and more reliable rail network that will deliver opportunity for millions, the expectations surrounding HS2 are high. As a core pillar of the national levelling up agenda, network expansion on this scale promises significant investment in local economies during construction phases and will enable regions to grow and prosper, post completion. HS2 also offers a major opportunity to showcase new materials and those newer construction methods which meet the requirements of an emerging circular economy. Yet, while offering up a vision of the new, it relies on materials that have proven themselves over decades, which are often the unseen partners in largescale infrastructure projects. Materials like galvanized steel.
CORROSION PROTECTION In the coming years, from Euston to Curzon Street, and then eventually on to Crewe, the UK galvanizing industry will support this vital renewal of UK public transport by delivering corrosion protection for hundreds of thousands of bolts, screws, trusses, beams, and structural and sundry components. Iqbal Johal, Marketing Manager at Galvanizers Association (GA) is clear on the role that the UK galvanizing industry has in delivering HS2 and says that GA’s members are prepared to play their part. “For decades the galvanizing industry has made a significant contribution to thousands of miles of our rail network,” says Iqbal. “A hot dip galvanized coating remains the most cost-effective and sustainable way to secure the longevity and performance of many elements of the rail network including OLE, gantries and signalling, in addition to protecting thousands of miles of safety fencing, signage, plus significant contributions to stations and rolling stock. Galvanized steel really is ubiquitous, and there is nothing to suggest that its longevity and performance can be gained any other way.”
EXPERT ADVICE Over 95% of all steel galvanized in the UK and Ireland is processed by members of the GA, whilst the Association itself fields a technical team of chemists, engineers, and metallurgists who advise on specification, standards, and legislation. The Association is also known throughout the wider construction sector for providing Continuous Professional Development seminars and numerous onsite inspections. RAILSTAFF.CO.UK | @RAIL_STAFF | FACEBOOK.COM/RAILSTAFF
Find out more about GA’s services at www.galvanizing.org.uk/tech-advice Download GA’s new Circular Economy guide at www.galvanizing.org.uk/ circular-economy-guide
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