The 3rd International Galvanising Conference discussed the potential of zinc usage across industries

International Zinc Association (IZA), a leading industry association dedicated exclusively to the interests of zinc, in association with Hindustan Zinc Limited organized the 3rd International Galvanizing Conference here in national capital . The conference, inaugurated by the Shri Dharmendra Pradhan - Hon'ble Union Minister of Steel, Petroleum & natural Gas, Government of India (GoI) and Shri Faggan Singh Kulaste - Hon'ble Minister of Steel (State), Government of India (GoI), is one of India's largest galvanizing conference. Over 250 Indian and International delegates including ministry officials, opinion leaders, zinc producers, galvanizers, end users of galvanized products, industry executives from Railways, highway authorities, architects and design consultants came together to deliberate on the issue of corrosion and discuss how to build sustainable infrastructure for the country. The conference highlighted the global emerging trends in corrosion free infrastructure, like galvanised steel and ZTS, for sustainable development.

Also launched at the occasion was a study on Corrosion Performance of Galvanized Sheet Steel, started in 2013 where steel samples were exposed across five significant locations to cover all the geographies and weather & pollution condition of India, in collaboration with National Physical Laboratory (NPL), New Delhi. The extent of corrosion was measured by assessing the weight loss of metal due to corrosion. The study evaluated Galvanized and 55% Al-Zn coated steel produced by several of India's leading steel companies. The study aimed to arrive at recommendations to the current Indian Codes & Standards to allow improved service life of exterior roofing and cladding and to extend the life of buildings and outdoor appliances to world class levels. This would significantly enhance our understanding of the India's corrosion map & help future specifiers & policy makers to design our structures taking into account the corrosion aspect.

Addressing the meet, the steel minister assured the industry of full support from the government and deliberated on how zinc will play an important role towards building infrastructure for the nation. 'Our country is witnessing large-scale infrastructure expansion owing to many efforts including The Smart Cities Mission. This calls for the need to adopt durable and proven corrosion protection methods, like structure galvanisation. I would like to congratulate the entire team of International Zinc Association and Hindustan Zinc for their advocacy for better national practices to help support India's efforts towards sustainable evolution and GDP growth."

'Fundamentals of zinc are quite good, looking at the deficit of zinc supply. Infrastructure projects, fertilizer and railways will be key drivers of demand for zinc in India", said Dr. Andrew Green, Executive Director, International Zinc Association (IZA) addressing the audience.

Speaking on the occasion, Sunil Duggal, CEO, Hindustan Zinc and Vice Chairman, IZA says, 'India loses around 3-4 per cent of GDP annually on account of corrosion losses. Western countries, which are far ahead of us in terms of Infrastructure, have mandated the use of galvanized steel structures in bridges, highways, public utility, airports, metro stations, railways stations and are thus able to preserve long-lasting and robust structures. As we ready ourselves for the rapid urbanization and infrastructure boom, it is imperative to galvanize these structures and industries that will not only ensure a long-life but also the safety and security of the public using these structures daily."

On the first day, the delegates were seen discussing India's infrastructure landscape and how galvanised steel can play a major role in accelerating the growth especially in the Smart City Initiative. The second day of the programme will have a dedicated session on importance of galvanizing in automobiles, with speakers from auto companies, auto experts and Indian steel producers supplying to the automobile companies presenting their perspective.

Some key names at the conference included, The conference also saw participation from Hindustan Zinc Ltd, JSW Steel, Essar Steel, Tata Steel, Mahindra & Mahindra, Honda, Government bodies like Indian Railways, CPWD, DMRC, PGCIL, CRRI & companies like APL Apollo, Surya Roshni, RR Ispat, International Lead-Zinc Development Association and IIT Delhi, Mumbai. Zinc Consumption: Key Statistics

• Zinc is a $40 Billion per year market and is the fourth-most used metal worldwide, behind iron, aluminium, and copper
• The per capita consumption of zinc in India is far behind at 0.6 kg to the world average of 2kg
• Galvanized sheet penetration in India @8% wrt total steel production. v/s 19% in USA & Europe 18%. In India, The Galvanized Steel Production is 7% of total Steel Production (8 million ton wrt 104 mt) whereas this fig for Japan: 11%, USA: 19%, EU : 18%, Korea : 16% etc
• Global consumption breakup as follows (Source: Wood Mackenzie Long Term Outlook, Q1 2019)
  • Construction: 50%
  • Infrastructure: 16%
  • Consumer Products: 6%
  • Industrial Machinery: 7%
  • Transportation: 21%
  • Indian Consumption Breakup:
    • Construction & Infrastructure: 77%
    • Transport: 13%
    • Consumer & Industrial Products: 10%