The two other business units, AD Chemicals and AD Coil Coating Technologies (CCT), are involved in surface treatment. AD Chemicals supplies chemicals for chemical pre-treatment prior to a coating process, mainly focused on batch-driven production processes. For a long time, this branch of surface treatment was primarily focused on metal, but Ruigendijk now also sees other substrates coming into play. ‘Plastics and glass are relatively new developments, but they are still very limited.’
The third division is AD Coil Coating Technologies. This business unit develops, manufactures and supplies chemical products for the surface treatment of metal in continuous production processes. Thanks in part to AD CCT’s chemicals, large steel manufacturers can operate 24/7 without interruption. All chemicals produced by AD are chromium(VI)-free without compromising on quality.
Through its AD Waalhaven division, AD supplies a wide range of industrial cleaning agents. Among other things, there is currently a strong focus on low-temperature cleaning and substances that are more operator-friendly for manufacturers.
Red rust and white rust
Ruigendijk: “Metal is found in many consumer products. Aluminium window frames, cars, watches, refrigerators and washing machines. With all these products, the intention is actually that the consumer does not see us. Take the washing machine as an example. The exterior consists of steel plates. To prevent red rust from forming, a layer of zinc is applied. But zinc causes white rust, which is also undesirable. Our chemicals are applied to the galvanised part, which allows us to delay the corrosion process for a very long time. And because consumers also want an attractive washing machine, the exterior is painted white. We ensure that the paint stays on the zinc. That’s where our added value lies.”
“Essentially, all metals corrode,” Ruigendijk continues. “Our chemical processes ensure that corrosion is prevented for as long as possible. We are also trying to add more properties to these chemicals. We want to ensure that paint stays in place, that adhesives do not come loose, but also that corrosion does not occur if a product is damaged, known as undercreep corrosion. With our chemicals, we can also ensure that complexly shaped parts in, for example, a car do not crack, even though the material used to make those parts is becoming thinner. Or that less oil is needed in a production process, or less water needs to be used. Ways to make the processes more sustainable and environmentally friendly.”
Business unit manager Roland van Meer is the specialist in this field at AD Chemicals. He has been working for twenty years in this division, which focuses on batch-driven surface treatment. Van Meer: “There is a lot to change, with 2030 and 2050 fast approaching. Of course, what we do is largely invisible, but behind the scenes we are already doing a huge amount in the field of metal surface techniques to make things more pleasant, safer, more sustainable and more cost-efficient for our customers. We look at the chemical management of a company. The production processes of these companies are traditionally energy-intensive. With our chemicals, we make it possible to carry out a production process at a lower temperature. This means that less energy is required.”
Impact
Van Meer: “In addition, we have also been working for several years to see how we can reduce the impact of our chemicals. One example is the metal etching process, which requires the use of fairly aggressive chemicals to clean the metal. For example, grease that needs to be removed or certain requirements that must be met for quality certification. Nine times out of ten, this cleaning is also done at high temperatures, because that is when the product works best.” Ruigendijk: “Think of it like washing dishes at home. Dishwashing liquid also works better in warm water. We develop chemicals that are less aggressive and can be used at lower temperatures. This is not only better for the environment, but also safer for the people who work with them. Safety is of vital importance in this sector and is already taken very seriously. But you always have to look at what else you can do to improve safety even further.”
From a cost perspective, it is interesting for many companies to work with AD International’s chemicals. Ruigendijk: ‘Whether you need to heat a bath with forty or fifty thousand litres of water to sixty or 25 degrees makes a huge difference. Or if you need less water because our processes make that possible. This really helps the customer to make substantial savings and produce more sustainably.’
The waste aspect is also taken into account in R&D projects. Van Meer: “Waste reduction is a component that we look at closely. If you need fewer chemicals to etch metal, a customer doesn’t have to replace the bath as often. Of course, there will always be some waste left over at the end, but we try to reduce that as much as possible. For one of our customers who specialises in galvanising and powder coating, we have managed to achieve an 80% reduction in waste streams.”
