Tests and Experience
Ritecoat® has been tested extensively and has successfully passed the following areas:
General / mechanical
Abrasion and scratch resistance
Humidity / weathering
Salt spray resistance
Acid resistance
Resistance to bases / alkalis
Solvent resistance
Resistance to other liquids
Its performance has also been proven in the field with case studies from around the world...
Case Studies
Queen Bee Sculpture
Eureka Building, Melbourne, Australia
In 2006, Richard Stringer, a Melbourne artist, was commissioned by the tower’s architect Nonda Katsalidis to create Queen Bee, the major art component for the tower.
The sculpture hangs 30 metres from ground level and consists of twelve small bees and a single larger bee. The smaller bees are about the size of a small 2-door car, while the larger bee is the size of a mini van.
Each bee is made up of anodised aluminium plates, approximately 100mm x 100mm in size and pop-riveted to a fibreglass shell. There were problems during their construction in the factory however: each plate had silicone where the panels overlapped, and had been inadvertently smeared over the entire sculptures as the artist tried to clean it up. There was a solution to hand though: the Ritecoat System™. Once the surface was specially renovated, the Ritecoat protection was applied. With the protection phase complete, the bees were craned to the Eureka Tower.
Ritecoat® protected the surface from tarnishing and corroding. It also enhanced the colour of the aluminium and reduced the required maintenance on cleaning. This was particularly important because frequent access to the bees for maintenance would be problematic.
Toshiba Osaka Building
Osaka, Japan
Some 2,000m² of external anodised aluminium panels were renovated and protected with the Ritecoat System™.
As a result of three-year comparative trial applications with a competitive resin coating, Ritecoat® was the most superior and therefore specified for this project.
Thanks to the System, the panels now look like new for longer without the need for frequent maintenance.
Retail Unit
Breda, Netherlands
This project involved Ritecoat® System renovation and protection of over 1,170m² of light and dark grey powder coated doors, frames and cladding.
The results are truly stunning. For the owner of the building, it means a more attractive building for tenants and visitors without the cost of expensive replacement, and easier maintenance in the future.
Of the four buildings owned by TMC Vastgoedbeheer on the same boulevard, this 14-year old building was the oldest. The powder coating was totally discoloured and looked very aged. Regular washing was no longer sufficient to maintain a satisfactory appearance.
In collaboration with Segeren Cleaning over a period of 22 days, the Ritec’s team of experts used the Ritecoat System™ to carry out a deep clean to remove all contamination built up over the years. The next stage was the use of Ritecoat® to protect the powder coated surface for a long-lasting ‘as-new’ appearance. Ritecoat® also protects the surface from further build-up, making future cleaning significantly easier.