Boliden is launching MagiGal® - a new range of alloys used for galvanising steel sheet. To date, Boliden has produced around 5,000 tonnes of this alloy.
MagiGal® is a Zinc-Magnesium-Aluminium (ZnMgAl) alloy that can significantly reduce the cost of galvanising and simultaneously improve the galvanised steel sheet's competitive edge as a raw material. The enhanced corrosion resistance of the alloy means the thickness of the zinc layer can be decreased by more than 50 per cent on steel sheet galvanised using MagiGal®.
The ZnMgAl process was originally developed by Nippon Steel about 25 years ago, and today most major galvanised steel sheet producers in Europe are performing full-scale industrial test runs using ZnMgAl galvanising. MagiGal®'s greatest distinguishing feature is that it is a ready-made alloy that can be directly fed into the existing continuous galvanising lines without changing the pre-treatment section or requiring any major investments in the installations.
Boliden actively works with the development of added value alloys for the galvanising industry. In 2007, the company launched the zinc-nickel alloy ZiNiGal® which has been very well received by Boliden customers. Boliden has produced about 90,000 tonnes of ZiNiGal® since its launch.
For further information, please contact:
Patrick Ammerlaan, Metals Director Business Area Smelters
Tel: +46 8 610 15 29, +46 70 268 85 49
Marcela Sylvander, Director Group Communications, Boliden AB
Tel: +46 8 610 15 59
Boliden is a leading European metals company whose core competence is in the fields of exploration, mining, smelting and recycling. Boliden's main metals are zinc and copper. Other important metals extracted and refined include lead, gold and silver. The operations are conducted in two Business Areas: Mines and Smelters. The number of employees is approximately 4 400 and the turnover amounts to approximately SEK 28 billion annually. Its shares are listed on NASDAQ OMX Stockholm, segment Large Cap and on the Toronto Stock Exchange in Canada.