Why pumps and valves corrode so fast in the Western Cape
Most of the corroded equipment that lands on our bench in Bellville tells the same story: the original factory paint was a thin decorative coat, it chipped during installation, and moisture got underneath. From there, rust spreads under the paint film where nobody can see it. By the time it is visible, the casing or valve body has often lost millimetres of wall thickness.
Coastal plants in Milnerton, Montague Gardens, Atlantis and Saldanha Bay see it worst. Chloride from sea air and wash-down water speeds up the reaction dramatically. Inland, in Paarl or Worcester, the culprit is usually the process water itself, especially where it is soft, aerated or slightly acidic.
Our corrosion coating process
- Strip & inspect. The unit is dismantled, degreased and photographed. We measure remaining wall thickness on critical areas so you know what you are working with.
- Abrasive blast. Surfaces are blasted to a near-white metal finish with a sharp anchor profile. Coatings fail at the bond line, so this is the step we never shortcut.
- Rebuild. Pitting and metal loss are filled with a solvent-free repair compound and dressed back to the original profile.
- Coat. We apply a multi-coat, high-build epoxy system, with each coat in a contrasting colour so coverage can be checked by eye.
- Test & return. Dry film thickness is checked, the unit is reassembled where required and returned with a job report.
Coat it or replace it?
A new large-bore butterfly valve or split-case pump casing can cost many times more than a proper refurbishment, and lead times on imported castings regularly run into months. A correctly specified corrosion coating typically puts the part back into service in days and often outlasts the original paint system. Where a part is genuinely beyond saving we tell you so, and we never coat over a casting that should be scrapped.
Corrosion is often only half the problem. If your medium also carries sand or solids, look at our wear & abrasion coatings. If it is chemically aggressive, see our chemical-resistant linings.
Corrosion Coating across the Western Cape
We provide corrosion coating from our Bellville workshop to clients throughout the region, including Bellville, Cape Town CBD, Parow & Goodwood, Epping Industria, Montague Gardens, Milnerton, Durbanville, Brackenfell, Stellenbosch, Paarl, Saldanha Bay, George.
