This successful long-term test underlines AkzoNobel’s continued leadership in coatings innovation and its commitment to improving the safety and sustainability of essential infrastructure worldwide.
Resicoat powder coating of paints and coatings supplier AkzoNobel
has achieved a major industry milestone, successfully completing a 25-year real-world test that confirms its long-term performance in protecting potable water infrastructure from corrosion.
The landmark study – one of the first of its kind – validates the effectiveness of the Resicoat R-series epoxy powder coating in safeguarding valves and fittings used in drinking water networks. Conducted in Bad Bentheim (Germany), the test was overseen by a consortium of more than ten organisations, including the GSK (Quality Association for Heavy-Duty Corrosion Protection of Valves and Fittings with Powder Coating e.V.) and the Wasserbeschaffungsverband Obergrafschaft Bad Bentheim (Water Supply Association of Upper County Bad Bentheim and Surrounding Areas), with independent verification by MPA Hannover.
Over the course of the study, epoxy-coated valves and fittings were installed in a live drinking water pipeline and buried two metres underground – the global standard depth for water mains. After 25 years, the pipeline was excavated and inspected. The results revealed no leaks, and the flow of water remained unobstructed. Most notably, the Resicoat coating exhibited no signs of delamination or cracking, and there were no visible signs of corrosion, confirming the coating’s ability to maintain the pipeline’s structural integrity over decades.
“In doing so, these solutions make water supply systems more reliable, and help reduce maintenance costs. Epoxy powder coatings are more dependable than ‘traditional’ paint or enamel coatings and consequently help minimize water wastage due to leaks and floods. Ultimately, this ensures a reliable, sustainable source of clean drinking water for millions of people around the world,” has stated Yidong Meng, Global Functional Segment Manager at AkzoNobel Powder Coatings.
Corrosion remains one of the leading causes of failure in water distribution networks, compromising the safety and reliability of essential infrastructure. Preventative measures, such as anti-corrosion coatings, are critical to avoiding issues such as leaks, bursts, flooding, and water contamination. Indeed, the Resicoat R-series is a high-performance thermosetting epoxy powder coating designed specifically for the protection of cast iron and steel components in water and gas distribution systems. Applied in a single layer to preheated surfaces using either fluidised bed or electrostatic spray techniques, it delivers robust and lasting corrosion protection.
“This comprehensive study provides the market with important, independent, and irrefutable proof of the value of epoxy powder coatings in safeguarding the integrity of potable water supplies. It will give even greater confidence to water suppliers that one of the most challenging of all challenging issues to their pipes and associated infrastructure has a credible, long-term solution,” has concluded Lars Walther, General Manager of GSK.