In early February 2017, ZINQ received general building supervisory approval from the German Institute for Civil Engineering (DIBt) for the zinc coating repair system ZINQ® Fix.

This is a strip, consisting of an 80 µm zinc laminate on a 25 µm thin adhesive, which can be easily applied to galvanised parts for the repair or local reinforcement of zinc coatings.

The initial approval of a repair system for zinc coatings includes applications of ZINQ® Fix to components that have been hot-dip galvanised in batches according to DIN EN ISO 1461, thin-layer hot-dip galvanised in batches according to AbZ Z-30.11.-60 (microZINQ®), coil-coated galvanised according to DIN EN 10346 and metallised according to DIN EN ISO 2063. The application area of ZINQ® Fix has been defined for environments up to corrosivity category C3, which covers the entire federal territory with only a few exceptions.

Thanks to its ease of use and the ability to cut ZINQ® Fix to size, it is a versatile tool for quick and effective repairs. Furthermore, it applies a uniform zinc layer of a defined thickness unlike standard procedures, such as zinc dust paint, where the paint must be applied manually, which inevitably leads to variations in the applied zinc layer thickness. Through the uniform, gas-tight zinc layer and the conductive adhesive, the system thus offers high local corrosion protection plus cathodic protection of steel surfaces. Numerous tests – both in the laboratory and in outdoor weathering at several locations under the supervision of the Federal Institute for Materials Research and Testing have confirmed the durability of the zinc patch. Furthermore, ZINQ® Fix is characterised by natural weathering behaviour, meaning that the zinc patch visually adapts to its substrate over time, thereby avoiding negative effects, such as the conspicuous splotches of colour that are repeatedly seen when using zinc dust paint on galvanised components.

With the approval of ZINQ® Fix, the technology service provider and licensor in the piece galvanising industry, ZINQ Technologie®, is once again proving its role as an innovation driver in hot-dip galvanising.