The surface quality of steel plates, from rolling through heat treatment, is a key pillar of QUARD and QUEND performance. It directly contributes to the expected consistency, reliability and usability.
Within this framework, we focused on the primer applied on our plates. While it is not part of the steel’s intrinsic properties, it plays an important role in surface protection against oxidation and influences fabrication operations such as thermal cutting and welding.
With this in mind, we launched a detailed analysis of our priming performance under industrial conditions.
From analysis to implementation
Over the past months, we have examined how our priming performs in real production environments. This work covered surface preparation, application parameters and priming behaviour, with a clear objective of improving consistency without altering the fundamentals of our products.
Based on this work, we have chosen a new primer solution. This solution is based on a low-zinc inorganic zinc silicate primer, selected for its robustness and its ability to deliver stable performance across a wide range of operating conditions.
Extensive validation work carried out under industrial conditions confirms a high and consistent level of surface protection. Among these validations, three-week salt spray exposure, a recognised test, illustrates this performance, with oxidation levels remaining close to 0%.
Primer performance was also confirmed under real logistics conditions, including overseas shipment, port storage and extended transit exposure. Surface condition throughout the full logistics cycle remained fully consistent with the results observed during testing.
This consistency is a key point. In industrial environments where parameters such as line speed or ambient conditions can vary, the priming maintains a stable behaviour. This results in a more predictable surface condition for our customers.
Welding and cutting validations have also been carried out under representative conditions. The results confirm that the primer does not impact processing behaviour. No significant porosity was observed and weld integrity remains unchanged. Mechanical properties, wear resistance and product specifications are strictly maintained. The intrinsic mechanical performance of QUARD and QUEND therefore remains fully unchanged.
Practical benefits and visual evolution
In practical terms, this development supports day-to-day operations. Plates benefit from improved surface protection during transport and storage, while maintaining a more consistent surface condition over time.
The priming has also been adjusted to ensure a controlled and consistent film thickness, supporting reliable application and stable downstream conditions.
This evolution is also visible. QUARD plates now feature a deeper and more refined green tone, giving a more contemporary appearance. Maintaining a green colour remains essential for easy identification in workshops, while this updated shade is designed to establish a consistent and recognisable reference on the market for abrasion-resistant plates.
QUEND 700 transitions from blue to a grey primer, reinforcing its clean and modern appearance.
The new primer choice is based on a high-performance solution from one of Europe’s leading experts in protective painting solutions for steel plates.
In parallel, the marking evolves from black to white, improving readability during handling and fabrication.
The transition will start progressively from end of June, with industrial-scale production. During this period, depending on stock availability, customers may receive plates with either the current or the new primer.
Through this development, we continue to refine every aspect of QUARD and QUEND, ensuring that our products deliver consistent performance not only in service, but throughout the entire fabrication process.
For more information, please contact your usual representative.