Corrosion, Paint and Technology
For many, paint might seem like an aesthetic element of a vehicle – like the icing on a cake, or a necktie for an outfit; adding style to the overall picture, but not much else. We in the industrial coatings industry know better. For us, paint is one of the few elements – like proper oiling and regular maintenance – that can actually protect and therefore extend the life of your vehicle several times over.
And as we sit here at our headquarters in Shakopee, Minnesota, in early January, this point couldn’t be more apparent.
We’ve known about the corrosive effects of road salts and melting agents since the early 1950s, when their widespread use began showing strong effects on automobiles throughout the US. By the 1970s these effects reached their damaging peak, for soon the introduction important paint technologies would begin reducing the corrosion and rust.
Today, our vehicles last longer than ever, with a big thanks going to paint technology – often the last design detail, but the first line of defense from the elements. As you head out this weekend take a quick look around you. As the temperatures drop and the salt adds up, keep in mind that your vehicle is protected by just a few millimeters that most assume is just for looks.