a.b.e.® has announced that it has entered into an exclusive agreement with VIP (Voelkel Industrie Produkte) in Germany for the sale and distribution of the company’s respected range of protective coatings and joint fillers in Southern Africa.
a.b.e.® is part of the Chryso Southern Africa Group.
Noel Abendroth, a.b.e.® Polyurea Performance Coatings Division Manager, (who has extensive experience in the application of Polyurea technologies), says VIP coatings – produced in Munich, Germany – have been internationally hailed as a “new revolution in coating technology” and have set new benchmarks in terms of durability, protection, ease of application, and turnaround times
“VIP’s innovative, two-part polymers cure in seconds to form a seamless, rubber-like skin that is highly resistant to impact, punctures, corrosion, chemical attack, and abrasion. VIP High Performance coating systems have been successfully used in a diverse range of structures overseas, and ideally complement the existing range of a.b.e.® concrete repair systems,” Abendroth states.
He says VIP protective membranes are free of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and solvents, and represent a “dramatic advance” over polyurethane and epoxy technology. a.b.e.® Construction Chemicals will initially launch three VIP Polyurea products: VIP Quick Spray Supreme for extreme conditions such as chemical environments; VIP Quick Spray Industrial, for more general application, as well as VIP Quick Spray Eco, an economical hybrid version. Plans for the future include launching a new VIP cold spray-applied low pressure waterproofing system, and a VIP coating system specifically developed for industrial and commercial flooring in Southern Africa.
“VIP Quick Spray is applied to concrete, metal, foam or other surfaces by mobile VIP-approved applicators, using state-of-the-art application equipment. Within seconds, it builds a rubber-like elastic skin that will not only resist punctures but also has excellent resistance to heat distortion and sagging through maintaining its flexibility and shape. It is also not affected by moisture and fluctuations of temperature and has high elongation and superior tensile strength. This means there is little or no downtime during repairs or while applying the coatings – even outdoors under adverse weather conditions. As VIP High Performance coatings contain no VOCs and are solvent-free, they are ideal for applications in the chemical as well as food and beverage industries.
“The VIP systems are generally designed to perform for around 25 years, depending on the nature of the project, which substantially cuts the costs of repairs and maintenance,” Abendroth explains.
Some of the advantages of the new systems include:
- Extremely fast reaction and curing times (5 to 90 seconds);
- Exceptional adhesion to correctly prepared concrete, steel, aluminium, plastics, fibreglass, wood and foam;
- Seamless and jointless flexible coatings;
- Can transgress multiple substrates in one application;
- Can be applied to any thickness in a single application;
- Maintains flexibility and crack-bridging properties at temperatures of between minus 20 degrees Celsius to plus 120 degrees Celsius;
- Very good sound insulation;
- Resistance to ultra-violet radiation, saltwater, and aggressive atmospheric conditions; and
- Ability to cover large areas at a rapid rate.
Abendroth says the basic colour range to be stocked by a.b.e.® will be cream, sky blue, sand, grey and black. Custom-made colours are available on request. Pack sizes ranging from 200, 60 and 20kgs will be stocked, enabling a.b.e.® to immediately provide the product for most projects.
VIP High Performance coatings are suitable for water and waste water infrastructure, petrochemical industries, roof coatings, industrial concrete flooring such as car parks and airports, bridges, roads and tunnel, power utilities, truck linings, mining, civil infrastructure, and marine applications. It is also ideal for the containment of hazardous substances.
“a.b.e.® has appointed a strong team of applicators who specialise in polyurea applications to serve our market nationally. We will offer a complete VIP High Performance package, encompassing technical sales support and specification services, product installation via VIP-approved applicators, and client approval,” Abendroth adds. “All applicators added to our list would have to be trained and meet the stringent requirements set down by VIP in Germany.”
VIP systems are supplied with extensive third party testing and certifications conforming to DIN EN ISO and ASTM standards. Abendroth is a certified NACE CIP1 Coatings Inspector.