Application:

Safety hand rails,  structural metalwork and safety cages. 
Product: Plascoat PPA 571
Location: North Sea Offshore Energy Platform
End Client: Major Danish Energy, Offshore and Shipping
Operations company

Both rails coated six years ago: Plascoat PPA 571 on the left hand rail, liquid paint on the right hand rail. Harsh environment

Optimising Key Assets in a Harsh  Key Points

Environment Benefits of Plascoat PPA 571

• Superior resistance to salt

Challenge:
water, impact and sand
The high cost of maintaining and operating offshore production facilities is felt no more abrasion
keenly than in the North Sea. Structures face a constant challenge from corrosion and 
abrasion. Metal becomes degraded, losing its strength and this can eventually lead to  • Thick, durable, will not chip
premature, sometimes sudden, failure. Protection of the metal is the job of metal  or flake
surface finishing.
• Flexible and will not crack
Over the years, one of the major energy, offshore and shipping operations in the North on bending
Sea has used a variety of methods for protecting its metal infrastructure. The photographs
above show parts of a safety rail, both coated at the same time in 2010. One has been
• No requirement for a
coated in liquid paint which has clearly cracked and flaked and is allowing corrosion of the
primer
metal beneath.

• Stands up to temperatures
Solution:
as low as -70C without
The other safety railing was coated in Plascoat PPA 571, a thermoplastic polyolefin powder cracking
developed by Plascoat Systems, the world leader in thermoplastic coatings.
The photograph clearly shows that this fusion bonded coating has far longer durability • Smooth glossy surface
than liquid paint in hostile environments and provides long term protection against with a low anchor for algae
corrosion. PPA 571 forms a thick durable coating with excellent abrasion resistance. It does and fungus
not chip or crack on impact, highly relevant on a rig where heavy components are being
shifted around and where storms throw items against each other. There is no chance of • ‘Good grip’ surface, ‘warm
penetration by water, gases or microbes and so degradation does not start underneath the
to touch’ - especially
surface as it so often does with liquid paint.
appropriate for safety rails
In tests, PPA 571 has been subjected to over 20,000 hours of salt spray testing with no
blistering, cracking or flaking.
 Environmental
Credentials
• Free of BPA, VOCs, and TGIC

• Free of phthalates,
isocyanates, halogens and
heavy metals

• Low burn rate and density

of smoke generation, with
very low fume toxicity

• Factory-applied, meaning
less impact on surrounding
environment

Offshore energy platform Metalwork facing abrasive conditions • Non-invasive local repairs
possible
Outcome:
• Safe for marine life
Maintenance of offshore structures throws up many challenges which are unique to the
physical environment. Cost efficiencies have never been more critical and companies are
now committed to reducing the costs of operating their existing assets. Contact Us
Using Plascoat PPA 571 means that the number of years between essential maintenance Plascoat Systems Ltd
programmes is greatly increased. This can save many millions of pounds both in reducing produces a range of
money spent on repairs, and the costs of production disruption. thermoplastic coating
powders designed for a
Should the coating become damaged there are quick and easy repair procedures that can
range of specific uses.
be carried out on the rig. Molten material from a strand or film of PPA 571 can be slowly
applied to the heated damaged area; alternatively an acrylic polyurethane coating can be
used to create a seal. Call
+44 (0) 1252 733777
Extending the life of existing assets and infrastructure makes good economic sense and
this can be achieved through long term effective protection of the metal work within that
infrastructure. Email
sales@plascoat.com

Visit
www.plascoat.com

Plascoat PPA 571: A tough, durable, ‘good grip’ finish

The information given here is, to the best of our knowledge, true and accurate.
Product and item design, pre-treatment, coating conditions, quality assurance
and conditions of product end use are among the factors that affect
performance of the coated products and are outside Plascoat® control.
Conditions under which our materials may be used are beyond our control.
The suitability for application and performance of finished goods coated with
Plascoat® material is the sole responsibility of the customer and end user.
Plascoat® expressly denies specific or implied warrantees, including warrantees
for fitness for a particular use or purpose.