Global coatings manufacturer Hempel (Kongens Lyngby, Denmark) announced the North American launch of its Hempatop Direct 460 epoxy coating to protect against railcar corrosion.
Developed to provide superior protection against corrosion, the one-coat, direct-to-metal (DTM) application resists railcar color and gloss-fading challenges, while delivering customers decreased maintenance costs and increased productivity rates, according to the company.
“We are proud to provide a new solution that provides significant corrosion resistance and protects railcars against weathering,” says Tracey Wilson, the company’s North America senior product and portfolio manager and global rail product manager. “We have developed Hempatop Direct 460 specifically for our customers in the rail industry, where we saw the need for this high-performing direct-to-metal coating.”
The manufacturer notes that about 1.6 million railcar assets travel across North America every year. That high railcar traffic, bundled with rising corrosion rates, currently costs the rail industry billions of dollars per year, according to the company’s estimate.
The new coating supersedes Hempel’s workhorse DTM epoxy, Hempadur Mastic 45883, and is described as ideal for interior use on box cars and exterior use on all railcar types.
The new one-coat solution is easy to apply, according to the manufacturer, which says its resilient high-gloss finish lasts longer. The coating provides excellent UV [ultraviolet] resistance, enhanced gloss and color retention, and chalks to the original color, unlike many traditional epoxies.
Dry to the touch in just three hours, the coating is available to the U.S. market now.
Source: Hempel, www.hempel.com.