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2006 Stainless Steel Awards Rimex & Remkor Technologies Product : Crystal Clear Pigmented Powder Coated Stainless Steel Sheets
Rimex Metals SA and Remkor Technologies received a merit award in the Product category at the 2006 Stainless Steel Awards, hosted by the Southern Africa Stainless Steel Development Association (Sassda), for producing an alternative to Formica and laminated plastic in the form of coloured and textured stainless steel sheets that are far cheaper than the imported equivalent. “We aimed for a more cost-effective product that would still have the same lustre and look as stainless steel,” says Henry Oosthuizen of Rimex Metals SA. “A textured sheet of stainless steel can now be coated with a crystal pigmented coating, in many different colours, that looks exactly like stainless steel and has the same corrosion resistance,” says Nino La Monica of Remkor Technologies. Grades 430 and 304 stainless steel are used. “We believe this product will open up a new avenue in the use of stainless steel in shopfitting, signage and domestic applications,” says Oosthuizen. Rimex Metals SA is a joint venture with Rimex of the UK, which has been producing surface finishes on stainless steel and other metals for over 40 years. These include textured patterns produced by a unique cold-rolling process to create three-dimensional patterns on all types of metal, embossed patterns on stainless steel, the ColorTex range of coloured stainless steel, and etched finishes that represent state-of-the-art finishing technology, enabling standard and bespoke designs to be etched into stainless, brass and other architectural metals.
Established in 1981, Remkor Technologies is a family-owned business specialising in metal pressings and assemblies, laser cutting and powder coating. It recently acquired a R1.5-million Costa Metal MSA 2 brushing and deburring machine that can accommodate 1 350-mm-wide material with a thickness from 0.5 mm to 160 mm. The company is now able to offer surface finishes on stainless that previously had to be imported. These are the satin-finish types produced by using abrasive belts, and the brush finish achieved by using abrasive rollers, commonly referred to as Scotchbrite, named after the abrasive material manufactured by 3M. Believed to be the first of its kind in South Africa, the new machine will allow a plethora of stainless steel products to be produced that will easily match, if not surpass, international quality – at the same time being more cost effective and with a greatly reduced lead time. “This will not only improve the brushing and deburring quality in the local sector, but will also boost consumption of locally-supplied stainless steel,” says George Whittle of Sassda. Rimex Remkor Tel : (011) 783 3695 Tel : (011) 433 4985 Fax : (011) 792 2872 Fax : (011) 433 4951 |
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