KEZAD galvanising facility moves closer to commissioning

Arabian Post Staff -Dubai

Galva Hub Metal Coating is moving towards commissioning one of the UAE’s biggest hot-dip galvanising facilities after receiving 825 tonnes of zinc at its plant within Metal Park in Khalifa Economic Zones Abu Dhabi.
The zinc delivery represents a key step before the large galvanising kettle can enter commercial operation. The metal will be melted inside the facility’s main processing bath, allowing Galva Hub to begin full-scale hot-dip galvanising of structural steel and other fabricated products. Operational testing of the plant has already been completed, with preparations under way for the zinc melting process.

The facility forms part of Metal Park’s expanding industrial ecosystem at KEZAD and was developed following a partnership between Metal Park and Galva Hub. Plans announced for the project envisaged a galvanising bath measuring about 16.2 metres long, 2.7 metres wide and three metres deep, with a volume of roughly 131 cubic metres. More than 6,000 square metres has been allocated for galvanising operations.

Its scale is designed to allow unusually large fabricated steel structures to be galvanised with fewer handling stages. That could be particularly important for infrastructure, energy, utilities, construction and heavy engineering projects where structural components frequently exceed the dimensions accommodated by conventional galvanising facilities.

Hot-dip galvanising involves immersing fabricated steel in molten zinc, typically maintained at around 450 degrees Celsius. The metallurgical reaction produces a bonded zinc coating that protects the underlying steel against corrosion. Depending on the environment and coating thickness, galvanised structures can remain protected for decades, reducing repainting, maintenance and replacement requirements over their operating life.

Galva Hub had earlier targeted the start of commercial orders after installing the large kettle at Metal Park. Preparations have since progressed through equipment installation, testing and the procurement of the substantial zinc inventory required to charge the bath. The company disclosed that testing had been successfully finalised before preparations began for melting nearly 900 tonnes of zinc.

Commissioning would add another specialised processing capability to Metal Park, a 450,000-square-metre metals ecosystem in KEZAD. The development was formally launched in January with an investment of about AED430 million and combines production, storage, logistics and business services intended to support downstream metal manufacturers without requiring each operator to construct all its infrastructure independently. Its production hub, storage hub and business centre are operational, supporting companies working across the metals value chain.

Metal Park has been expanding that model through agreements covering steel supply, processing, inspection, digital cutting and industrial support services. It has positioned the site as a shared manufacturing platform where companies can use infrastructure according to production requirements rather than committing substantial capital to standalone facilities.

The adjoining storage operation adds another element to that strategy. Metal Park’s storage hub, developed at a cost of AED110 million, is planned to provide total capacity of about 350,000 tonnes when all phases are complete. Its first phase extends across roughly 93,000 square metres and incorporates 26 overhead cranes, 55 loading bays and high-capacity handling systems. The location provides connections to Khalifa Port, the Etihad Rail network and major road corridors linking Abu Dhabi with other emirates and GCC markets.

For Galva Hub, operating inside that network could shorten the movement of fabricated products between storage, processing and onward transport. Large structures could arrive through the logistics system, undergo galvanising at the production hub and then move directly towards construction sites, ports or regional customers.

Demand for corrosion-resistant steel remains closely linked to investment in infrastructure, transmission systems, renewable energy, transport networks, industrial plants and oil and gas facilities. Abu Dhabi’s expansion of downstream manufacturing has consequently increased interest in specialised processes that can be carried out domestically rather than requiring fabricated structures to be shipped elsewhere for treatment.

The large kettle also broadens the dimensions of steelwork that can be handled locally. Galva Hub describes its focus as protecting structural metals through hot-dip galvanising, which provides mechanical resilience as well as corrosion protection across surfaces, edges and cavities.