Galvanizing is a corrosion protection process for steel structures, where in simple
terms the steel is metallurgically bonded with molten Zinc, providing excellent
protection.
All living organisms need Zinc. It is an essential and natural element.
Galvanized steel is used in everyday life and is all around us, in transport, agriculture,
construction and power transmission.
A typical galvanized coating would be 85 microns thick. With Zinc corrosion rates
in most European countries being often less than 1 micron a year, then a galvanized
coating may provide decades of maintenance free life.
The combination of steel structures and galvanized coatings together with a positive
environmental theme are many. Perhaps the most striking is the Eden project. This
is a showcase for global bio-diversity; it is the largest plant enclosure in the
world, built with a galvanized steel frame for the lightest and most ecological
solution.