Over 700 conference delegates and 300 other participants from 60 countries made Intergalva 2018 the most extensive gathering ever held for the batch hot dip galvanizing industry. The conference and exhibition were held in Berlin from 17-22 June and demonstrated the continued importance of the sector in protecting steel structures and components worldwide.
The conference highlighted innovative and sustainable solutions in the galvanizing process and new applications in corrosion protection for bridges, façade systems, concrete reinforcement, solar energy and other uses.
The creative use of galvanizing in architecture and construction was rewarded during the Global Galvanizing Awards that are an integral part of Intergalva. Pictured below, left to right, are the successful architects – Rueben Molendijk (Cepezed, Netherlands); Oliver Sachse and Katja Pfeiffer (Pfeiffer-Sachse Architekten, Germany); Caroline Nagel (COBE Architects); Aaron Poupard (ARM Architects, Australia) and Matthew Wells (Techniker, UK, representing the judges). The awards were organised by EGGA and sponsored by the International Zinc Association.
Advances in process technology and efficiency were also explored in a series of 12 workshops throughout the event.
The exhibition was the largest held for suppliers of plant, equipment and services to the industry – with 65 exhibiting companies.
EGGA President, Martin Kopf, opened the conference telling delegates that “It is fitting that, on its 25th anniversary, this international galvanizing conference is the biggest event since the first conference held in Copenhagen in 1950. Thanks to all our sponsors and supporters for helping deliver the biggest Intergalva ever”.
Nearly half of all delegates chose to visit galvanizing plants across Germany as part of their Intergalva experience.
The Intergalva 2018 dinner was held in the impressive setting of the Berlin Konzerthaus and was proudly sponsored by the galvanizing companies within the Board of the Industrieverband Feuerverzinken (Zinkpower, Seppeler, The Coatinc Company, Feuerverzinkerei Meyer, Otto Lehmann, Verzinkerei Dortmund).
Intergalva 2018 was organised by the European General Galvanizers Association and hosted by the Industrieverband Feuerverzinken. Paul Niederstein, speaker of the Board of the Industrieverband Feuerverzinken paid tribute in his closing remarks to the excellent collaboration between the industry’s worldwide associations, observing that “Our close cooperation is not only of fundamental importance to us as galvanizers – but is even more important in the face of separatism, protectionism, trade wars and general tendencies towards closed doors across the world. We are very wise to ignore these trends and stay united as an industry.
The conference papers from Intergalva 2018 are currently being edited and will be published as the Edited Proceedings of the 25th International Galvanizing Conference. Intergalva 2021 will be held in Italy in June 2021.
Intergalva 2018 was organised by European General Galvanizers Association (EGGA) and hosted by Industrieverbrand Feuerverzinken e.V. The conference covered technical, commercial and environmental topics for the general (batch) hot dip galvanizing industry.
