06-11-2009
Betafence SA General Manager, Michael James, says there is a strong switch to green products and technologies which is driven by a need for less maintenance, less material, reliability, cost effectiveness and a strong need for products to blend in with their environment.
“It implores on our researchers and engineers a need for continuous innovation and ongoing adaptation to new market forces. Demand for specific features in products differs from customer to customer.”
Key to Betafence SA’s ability to manufacture and supply of “green” fences and PVC coated product-sizes not seen in South Africa before, is the company’s Italian-made imported coating machine that enables it to supply and export locally PVC-coated products, rather than relying on imported PVC-coated products to serve the local market.
This, says Michael, ensures that Betafence SA will remain in the forefront of the green technology revolution in the future. PVC in particular, has many unique advantages over Polyester that makes it the first choice in coating he adds.
“The advantages lie mainly in the preparation of PVC prior to coating and the quality of the adhesion of the coating to the product. Polyester coating requires that a labour intensive preparation of the products is implemented prior to coating and as this is a chemical process, it is difficult to control. PVC coating on the other hand, is a physical process which requires very little preparation other than cleaning the product which makes it easier to control and ultimately more cost-effective.” Michael concludes that PVC falls in the fast growing, so-called Advanced Materials category.
“Betafence has developed a superior PVC coating which is UV resistant and retains its gloss over long periods of time. Due to our higher coating thickness and its thermoplastic properties, PVC coated products are better suited to Africa’s aggressive environments. The thicker coating ensures diminished leaching of the steel through advanced corrosion resistance. This guarantees a longer product lifespan which results in a lower carbon footprint and environmental impact over time. The unique PVC composition also contains no lead, no cadium, no CR8 and no toxic plasticizers. Not only is it a clean material compared to the traditional chemical-based steel treatments, but the technology itself is a clean process in the way that heat is used to generate power,” he says.
Some interesting PVC facts:
• PVC is durable: resistant to weathering, rotting, chemical corrosion, shock and abrasion. Therefore it is the preferred choice for many long-life and outdoor products. Medium and long-term applications account for 85% of PVC production in building and construction sector
• Cost-effective: PVC is a popular material due to its physical and technical properties which provide excellent cost-performance advantages.
• Price competitiveness is enhanced by properties such as the coating durability, lifespan and low maintenance
• PVC products require comparatively less energy and resource use during production, as well as in conversion to finished products.
• Thermoplastic properties of PVC means it is straightforward to separate from other plastics and can therefore be easily recycled into new applications.
• Safe: PVC is a non-toxic inert polymer
• PVC is a socially valuable resource that has been used for more than half a century. It is the world’s most thoroughly researched and tested plastic and meets all international standards for safety and health for both products and applications for which it is used.