The use of polymeric repair and protection technology offers a real boon for maintenance engineers, says Chloe Hirst.

For over 16 years, the composite wrap system, Belzona SuperWrap II, has been applied throughout multiple industries to restore the strength of holed, weakened and corroded assets. Now, the R&D Department at Belzona Limited has honed the capabilities of this technology so that, with the new epoxy resin, Belzona 1984, this technology is now optimised to be applied in aqueous environments.

Surface-tolerant composite repair system optimised for underwater maintenance

One of the key individuals behind the development of the new surface-tolerant composite repair system, Ian Wade, Technical Services Manager at Belzona Limited, explained more: “The Belzona SuperWrap II compliant system already features three resins designed for different application and service temperatures. Belzona 1984 is the latest development in this system, engineered specifically with surface tolerance in mind. This resin can be applied directly to damp, wet and underwater surfaces without the need for abrasive blasting.”

Ian continued: “Once cured, Belzona 1984 resists temperatures of up to 50°C (122°F) and can be applied in temperatures ranging from 5°C to 40°C (41°F to 104°F). The Belzona SuperWrap II system can be applied as a composite wrap, pad, plate or patch, depending on the application requirements.”

Full compliance with ISO and ASME standards

The Belzona 1984 system has undergone rigorous testing and is fully approved for compliance with ISO 24817 and ASME PCC-2 standards. These tests utilised samples which were applied and cured underwater in artificial seawater, representing the worst-case and most aggressive environments. Compliance with these standards demonstrates how Belzona SuperWrap II is optimised for use in a variety of challenging environments, making it a welcome addition to many a maintenance engineer’s repertoire of repair solutions.

Rigorous training programme ensures excellent standard of application

In order to apply Belzona SuperWrap II to ISO/ASME standards, applicators are required to complete a rigorous training programme at one of Belzona’s 16 training centres located worldwide. By thoroughly equipping applicators with the skills and expertise to successfully apply the composite wrap system, this ensures that an excellent standard of application is maintained.

To uphold this standard, every two years, Belzona’s Corporate Belzona SuperWrap II Trainer Committee conduct a mandatory audit of all Belzona SuperWrap II trainers, facilities as well as internal staff. Upon successful completion of the audit, Belzona SuperWrap II accreditations are then renewed. Again, this process is designed to ensure a consistently safe and successful application of the composite wrap system.

Bypass carbon- and cost-intensive replacement process

As industries continue to ratchet up their carbon mitigation measures in line with the net-zero by 2050 pathway, the use of polymeric repair and protection technology offers a real boon for maintenance engineers. The process of replacing damaged assets incurs a hefty carbon footprint, not to mention considerable financial expenditure. With polymeric technology, engineers can successfully bypass the carbon- and cost-intensive process of replacement, and instead rehabilitate their assets and protect them against future damage. Now, this can be achieved even in the most challenging application environments thanks to the surface-tolerant epoxy resin, Belzona 1984.

About Belzona: 

• Established in 1952, Belzona has pioneered innovative polymer technology that has revolutionised industrial repair and maintenance procedures. 

• Belzona is a leading company in the design and manufacture of polymer repair composites and industrial protective coatings for the repair, protection and improvement of machinery, equipment, buildings and structures. 

• At Harrogate, the full Belzona product range is manufactured to stringent quality and environmental control guidelines complying with the requirements of ISO 9001:2015 and ISO 14001:2015. 

• Belzona has over 159 Distributors in more than 120 countries ensuring not only the availability of Belzona materials, but also specification support, project management, application and supervision services. Distributorships and their teams are supported by Belzona Corporate offices in Europe, North America and Asia. 

Chloe Hirst is the Senior Copywriter at Belzona Limited and is based in Harrogate, England. She gained a Bachelor’s Degree (with Hons.) in Media and Communications (specialising in Journalism) at Goldsmiths College, University of London. Chloe regularly writes case studies and thought leadership content featuring a variety of different industries, with a special focus on the renewables sector. In both 2023 and 2024, she won the Best Manufacturing Content Creation Specialist (UK) Award as part of Acquisition International’s Influential Businesswoman Awards. 

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