For over 75 years, we’ve been doing what’s right by conserving resources to create a better world. We make a positive impact on all sorts of industries and in all sorts of ways by focusing on Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) goals.
Valmont Industries believes that companies that monitor and measure their practices with an eye toward the environment will become better companies and stronger competitors. We have an obligation to be good stewards of our resources. Part of being green is making products last. Valmont's coatings applications provide superior corrosion resistance; protecting products from the elements and making them last longer. Hot Dip Galvanizing, Powder Coating, and E-Coating also offer additional environmental benefits.
Zinc is essential for life and is one of the highest recycled metals in the world. Hot-Dip Galvanizing, utilizing zinc, is one of the most effective corrosion solutions for protecting our nations’ critical infrastructure. Our “closed loop” process allows us to recycle nearly all of our by-products into consumable materials. The galvanizing process emits virtually zero “VOC’s” (volatile organic compounds) and has a very small carbon footprint per square foot of steel coated.
Galvanizing contains no petroleum based solvents or materials that harm the environment, and after a durable life, galvanized steel is 100% recyclable.
Additional information regarding the sustainability of Hot-Dip Galvanizing is provided by the American Galvanizers Association.
Electro-deposition coating (e-coating) uses no solvents; therefore, there are virtually no VOC’s released through the application process. In an e-coat system, paint resins are suspended in a chemical bath composing of mostly water. This means there is no overspray and almost no waste. Even as the parts are rinsed, the excess resins are reclaimed and recycled into the electro-coat bath, providing customers a reliable, sustainable corrosion protection option.
Powder coating provides corrosion protection to extend the useful life of parts while providing a more environmentally friendly coating solution compared to liquid paint. It contains no solvents and releases virtually no VOC’s in to the atmosphere. Powder coating is a clean process: exhaust air from the coating booth is returned to the plant, so much less oven air is exhausted to the outside. Furthermore, the powder overspray in the powder booths is collected and reused.
The hot-dip galvanizing process requires surface preparation for the zinc to properly adhere to steel. VALPREP is a Valmont innovation to the preparation process that addresses a variety of environmental concerns with common acids. Our proprietary process is an environmental and work-place friendly solution that eliminates waste and increases productivity.
Valmont has taken the conservation of resources in the hot-dip galvanizing process a step further by reducing our zinc usage by 1 million pounds (453,592 kg) annually with GalvTrac®. This digitally transformative, proprietary system calculates precise kettle immersion times based on historical data to optimize process times and zinc usage. As an extension to our existing computerized tracking system, GalvTrac is easily accessible through a non-downloadable, cloud-based software.