Llanelli seafront - 14 years on

Llanelli seafront - 14 years on

ASF's sub-contract spin galvanising company (BE Wedge) revisited the Llanelli Millennium Park site after 14 years to take measurements on how the spin galvanising of cast iron posts had stood up to the harsh marine environment.

The general appearance is remarkably good with absolutely no signs of distress from the galvanised coating on any of the posts. The surface colour remains a rich dulled grey patina.

This is even more impressive when considering the position of some of the lower posts at the step access to the beach and their proximity to the continual sand and salt water spray.

Random coating readings were taken on the posts positioned on the towers, and on the posts backing on to the beach. The average thickness reading for the tower posts was 223 microns (with the lowest reading being 193 microns), the average for the beach posts was 208 microns (with the lowest being 183 microns).

These readings remain well above today’s required standard and, based on their corrosion rate, should give a further 40 years of service before any maintenance is required.

This is doubly impressive considering that even when the galvanised coating does begin to deteriorate, it will leave a cast iron post, a material that can be expected to last 100 years in normal use, with minimum maintenance.

These posts are also 100% recycled and 100% recyclable. Cast iron, although one of the oldest of engineering and architectural materials, remains one of the most practical, environmentally sound and in many ways modern materials there is.

ASF manufactures its castings in the UK and the products have only delivery miles on their carbon footprint. In ASF's Brighouse foundry the raw material travels 20 metres across the factory floor to be turned into finished product.

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