Layher's new galvanising plant ensures quality and jobs

After just 10 months in construction, German scaffolding specialist Wilhelm Layher GmbH & Co, began production at its new hot-dip galvanizing plant in March.

The new facility has the double benefit, says Layher, of guaranteeing product and delivery quality and safeguarding jobs in the Güglingen-Eibensbach region.

Layher prides itself on using production methodologies which make "Just-in Time" delivery possible, even in the case of surprise or major orders. To assure this service in the future, Layher has continually invested in new production facilities at its headquarters in Eibensbach, Swabia. Within the framework of a three-point expansion plan, aluminium and wood production is being transferred to neighbouring Güglingen. Now the production of steel components can be centralised and expanded at Eibensbach, including the second, modern hot-dip galvanizing facility.

In this facility steel scaffolding systems are hot-dip-galvanized in molten zinc to protect the steel from corrosion by atmospheric exposure and air pollutants to prolong its service life and durability.

Layher has been hot-dip-galvanizing all its steel products since 1965. It is a multi-stage immersion process: first the products are intensively cleaned in various baths to remove oil and grease residues, rust and scale. This also prepares the surface; increasing the wetting power of the zinc. After a drying phase in a special oven, the steel products are immersed in the molten zinc.

The new facility is 10000 m² and the computer-controlled galvanising oven can coat 80000 t of steel products a year. The material is transported automatically through the entire galvanizing process. The plant complies with the stipulations of the German Federal Emission Control Act, which makes very high demands on protection against air, noise and waste water pollution.