Pioneer Stories: The small island in the north of Europe that’s a hotbed for sustainable innovation
From chromate-free primers to advanced corrosion testing, many of Beckers’ most significant breakthroughs can be traced to Bohus-Malmön.
Off the west coast of Sweden lies the beautiful island of Bohus-Malmön. It is here that the Research Institute of Sweden (RISE) has their testbeds for atmospheric corrosion testing.
The test beds Kvarnvik and Kattesand were established in 1968, and Beckers has run testing at these sites for half a century. Indeed, the oldest profile at the site – an epoxy primer and a waterborne topcoat on Aluminium – has been there for 49 years and is still going strong.
Over the years, countless discoveries made at Bohus-Malmön have helped create and refine generations of products. Insights from continuous testing in the island’s extraordinary natural conditions yields crucial evidence needed to bring innovations to market.
For example, we learned through controlled weathering that it is possible to replace both chromated pretreatment and primer, and how different substrates work in a corrosive environment, as well as the impact of various film thicknesses.
Some of the learnings surprised us. Had it not been for the unique testing conditions offered on Bohus-Malmön we would never have discovered that polyester primer is more resilient than epoxy primer, even though accelerated testing with salt spray had suggested otherwise.
A natural laboratory
Bohus-Malmön provides a rich and varied mix of coastal and inland test environments. We use the island’s two separate test beds at Kattesant (inland) and Kvarnvik (marine) to run a wide range of tests, which crucially allows for direct comparison of products and processes.
Generally, we see a difference of about two years in corrosion between the sites, with deterioration at Kvarnik more aggressive due to its marine location.
‘Corrosion testing under field conditions is important to be able to obtain real and relevant data on material life and degradation in different type of environments,’ the Research Institue of Sweden states on its website, adding that:
‘For atmospheric corrosion, this can be done by exposing test panels or industrial products in real environments and then evaluating the corrosion using standardised methods.’
The combination of salt from the sea, and high humidity on the panels caused by comparatively lower temperatures than other sites in Europe, also contributes to the uniqueness of the island as a research centre.
Source: https://www.ri.se/en/what-we-do/test-demo/atmospheric-corrosion-testing
Enriching customer experiences
For several years now, we have been taking customers on visits to Bohus-Malmön. These field trips give them a chance to see firsthand how products perform under extreme weathering conditions, and the potential benefits of new or alternative paint systems.
By educating an entire project team through direct experience of viewing the exposure panels with different substrates and paint systems, we demonstrate real value for our customers and their stakeholders.
Such demonstrations allow us to measure the performance of our products against legacy systems and less sustainable alternatives out there. For our customers, it helps them make informed choices and find the right system for specific environments.
Pioneering positive impact
We try to show good and bad examples because both give valuable insights from which we can learn and find inspiration. We test a lot, especially when developing new paints.
This was especially relevant in the move from chromated to chrome-free systems. We have a similar situation today as we seek to gain industry buy-in for our next generation bio paints, where again Bohus-Malmön is the ideal testbed.
Yes, and we also get to hang out with our customers and colleagues in an incredible location. For us, it’s an environment where we can look to the future, hatch plans, reflect and exchange ideas over a bowl of the freshly caught prawns and crayfish.