Metal finishing benefitting from supply chain partnerships
Project Overview
Rathbone Market is a £160million regeneration mixed-use development in Canning Town, East London, with over 650 dwellings, retail units and community facilities. The stylish apartments within the latest building have 1900 linear metres of galvanized steel balustrade. The developer's vision was for this particular building to be a landmark, physically representing the spirit of regeneration and level of cooperation between all parties involved, including Newham Borough Council, the developer, the supply chain and the local community.
The Solution
We worked as a close team with the fabricator and galvanizer from the outset of the project. The firms met to discuss design elements that would optimise the balustrade fabrication, galvanizing and powder coating finish. Optimum design of steel fabrications for galvanizing and subsequent powder coating is critical to the final success of the metal finish, both for aesthetic and functional aspects. At various stages during the fabrication, galvanising and metal finishing we visited each other's premises to review the process taking place and to ensure that all was working to plan. The initial completed assemblies were inspected by the architect at the fabricator's premises before further assemblies were made.
Powdertech coated the balustrade which covers all four sides of the building, in a shade which glows golden, a physical representation of the 'light of regeneration' in Canning Town.
Benefits
The success of the project as a whole is recognised as being largely due to the shared vision and collaboration of all parties involved. We are keen to develop similar working partnerships for future projects.
- All project stages had a successful outcome
- No time was wasted on redesigning elements or returning pieces that had not galvanized or coated successfully.
- Time efficiencies and cost savings were gained.
- Powder coating has excellent weather resistance and colour stability.
- Powdertech's rigorous pre-treatment system will help to keep the balustrade free from corrosion for up to 40-years.
- Powdertech has over 30 years’ experience in professional architectural powder coating.
