SUPPORTING A SUSTAINABLE FUTURE: ON THE WAY TO NET ZERO

Environment: Setting new standards

ZINKPOWER contributes to greater ecological sustainability in many ways: Our hot-dip galvanizing service ensures robust, durable and maintenance-free steel products which remain fit for operation and use for many years or even decades.

Our aspiration goes beyond the usual - this is how we set new standards.

Durable, recyclable and on the way to net zero carbon emissions: Hot-dip galvanizing enables ZINKPOWER to actively contribute to the industry's ecological sustainability.

Materials

Thanks to its optimum corrosion protection, the service life of steel structures can be extended to more than 50 years - and usually without the need for maintenance. This sustainable approach makes it possible to create durable and robust structures that will continue to meet the requirements of environmental protection and resource efficiency in the future. This sustainable approach means that durable and robust buildings can be created that will continue to fulfil the requirements of environmental protection and resource efficiency in the future.

Circular economy at ZINKPOWER

ZINKPOWER relies on a comprehensive circular economy to minimise waste and to ensure the efficient use of resources. Every step in the hot-dip galvanizing process is designed to reuse valuable materials and reduce the ecological footprint - from pre-treatment of the steel to zinc recycling. At the heart of this sustainable cycle is our hot-dip galvanizing process.

Processes in detail

1 ZINKPOWER Plant
Customers deliver steel and metal parts themselves or use our transport and collection services. In some cases our haulage companies also use environmentally-friendly e-trucks to ensure efficient and sustainable transport.
2 Pre-treatment
Before the steel can be hot-dip galvanized, rust, grease, oil and foreign impurities have to be removed to achieve optimum results. This pre-treatment involves several important steps for ensuring that the steel surface is clean and free of impurities.
3 Pre-treatment recycling
3.1 Acid treatment plant

In one of our US plants, a recycling facility which uses oxalic acid to recover hydrochloric acid from iron pickles is being run as a pilot project. The resulting filter cake can be safely disposed of, while the recycled hydrochloric acid is returned to the pickle bath.

3.2 Wet scrubber

The wet scrubber cleans the air from the enclosed pre-treatment. The recovered acid is fed back into the pre-treatment process.

3.3 Dust collection system

Dust collection systems in the galvanizing plants capture and clean dust particles from our enclosed zinc kettles. The fine dust obtained is passed on to disposal companies for further processing.

3.4 Flux treatment system

Iron is removed from the flux in flux treatment systems developed in-house. This step reduces the number of transports of hazardous goods and our dependence on suppliers. This also improves the quality of the surface of the galvanized goods.
4 Zinc bath
Following preparation in the flux bath, steel is dipped into molten zinc at around 450 °C. This forms a resistant zinc-iron layer which protects the steel effectively from corrosion and ensures its longevity.
5 Ashes
Zinc ash is produced as a by-product of the reaction between molten zinc and the steel surface. This zinc ash is regularly skimmed off the zinc bath and collected. In the recycling plant, we extract our SUZI® zinc from the ash, which we reuse in the galvanizing process.
The fine ash is used by companies to produce zinc oxide, which is then used in pharmaceuticals, tyre production, as a paint pigment and in the semiconductor industry.
6 Dross
We recycle dross externally. It is then used as a secondary raw material for zinc oxide production.
7 Hot-dip galvanized steel
Hot-dip galvanized steel is corrosion-resistant and durable – these are ideal requirements for use in a range of demanding environments.
8 Basis for further climate protection measures
Hot-dip galvanized steel is a key enabler for numerous infrastructure and climate protection projects. This is because it plays a key role in the realisation and sustainability of these projects thanks to its superior corrosion resistance and durability.

Energy and emissions

As part of our sustainability strategy, we aim to continuously reduce our emissions and minimize our environmental impact over the long term. To this end, we are focusing on reducing our greenhouse gas emissions, increasing our use of renewable energy sources, and developing resource-efficient processes.

One example of this is the transformation of our facilities at the ZINKPOWER Sinabelkirchen GmbH site in Styria. Since 2023, Austria’s largest galvanizing kettle has been powered by electricity there. The gas heating previously used has been replaced by electricity from renewable energy sources. As a result, we were able to reduce the site’s CO₂ emissions by 1,549 metric tons in fiscal year 2023/2024 compared to the previous year.

We have been using green electricity at our sites since 2012, thereby making an important contribution to reducing our energy-related emissions.

We also rely on innovative circular economy solutions when it comes to resource use. With our SUZI® zinc process, we recover zinc from zinc ash and reintroduce it into the galvanizing process. To do this, the zinc ash is processed, the raw zinc it contains is recovered, and then reused.

At our locations in Europe and around the world, we are constantly working to use materials more efficiently, conserve resources, and further develop sustainable technologies. In this way, we combine innovation with responsibility—for our customers, our environment, and a sustainable future.