The new line of Heat-Flex CUI-mitigation coatings from Sherwin-Williams Protective & Marine (Cleveland, Ohio, USA) earned a prestigious Vaaler Award from Chemical Processing for its ability to mitigate the dangerous condition of corrosion under insulation (CUI).
The Vaaler Awards, which have been awarded biennially for over 50 years, honor products and services with dramatic improvements for chemical plant operations. They are named for John C. Vaaler (1899-1963), who became Chemical Processing’s editor-in-chief in 1946 and served as editorial board chairman starting in 1961.
Based on a variety of tests, Heat-Flex ACE (advanced CUI epoxy) performs the best at CUI mitigation among currently available coating formulations. According to the manufacturer, the ultra-high-solids epoxy novolac features a functional chemical enhancement for CUI mitigation. In addition, Heat-Flex 650, Heat-Flex 750, and Heat-Flex 1200 Plus feature a high concentration of micaceous iron oxide pigment for improved performance.
“CUI is a lurking danger in any petrochemical plant that could potentially lead to catastrophic events,” says Neil Wilds, global product director. “In the interest of safety, we’re constantly looking for new ways to address the problem and have developed surprisingly effective options with the new range of Heat-Flex CUI-mitigation coatings. To be awarded for these efforts is an honor, as well as a testament to our product development and research teams, which continue to seek new and better ways to combat CUI.”
An independent panel of judges drawn from the chemical industry chose the winners based on the significance of their contributions to chemical plant operations, as well as their uniqueness and breadth of application.
Source: Sherwin-Williams Protective & Marine, protective.sherwin-williams.com.