Galva Hub Metal Coating has announced that it has received 825 tonnes of zinc at its facility in Metal Park located with Khalifa Economic Zones Abu Dhabi (Kezad), thus paving the way for the commissioning of the largest hot-dip galvanising kettle in the UAE.

Commissioning is expected to continue through August, with production slots available from September, it stated.

The facility would allow large steel structures to be galvanised locally, reducing transport and handling requirements for fabricators operating within the industrial hub.

Metal Park, established in Abu Dhabi, operates a 5-million-sq-ft industrial hub in Kezad focused on metals-related manufacturing, processing, logistics and support services. 

Operated by Galva Hub at Metal Park's production facility, it will have the capacity to galvanise up to 150,000 tonnes of steel annually and hold 610 tonnes of molten zinc at about 450°C, the companies said.

The 16.2-m-long kettle is designed to process large steel structures, including beams, columns, transmission and lighting poles, bridges, telecommunications towers and port infrastructure.

The facility's double-dipping capability will allow structures of up to 5.5m to be galvanised, reducing the need to cut large structures into sections or send them outside Abu Dhabi for processing.

The galvanising process involves cleaning and fluxing steel before immersing it in molten zinc, followed by cooling and inspection in accordance with ISO 1461 and ASTM A123 standards.

The initial meltdown is expected to take several days to bring the zinc to operating temperature, after which the kettle will operate continuously, the companies said.

Galva Hub said the plant uses lead-free zinc, zinc recycling, fume treatment and heat recovery systems that can reduce fuel consumption by up to 30%.

Metal Park Chief Executive Vahid Fouladkar said the facility would allow large steel structures to be galvanised locally, reducing transport and handling requirements for fabricators operating within the industrial hub.

Galva Hub Chief Executive Shadi Nemeh said the facility combines more than two decades of galvanising experience with a larger kettle designed to process bigger and more complex steel structures in fewer dips.