Home > Applications > Hygienic Shelving

The choice of finish depends on the environment and the way the shelving will be used.

A common concern is corrosion.  The ability to withstand rusting is often measured in terms of salt spray rating.  This is a method of accelerating normal rusting by subjecting the items to a warm spray/ mist of salt.  It is measured in hours and relates finishes to each other rather than actual corrosion rates as these vary greatly on the actual site conditions over time.

Bright Zinc Plate with a lacquer coating  provides a bright finish that is acceptable for normal storage requirements in dry areas.  It can be blackened by acidic substances such as pickles and table sauces and does tend to dull when used on handle components.  Salt spray rating 20 to 30 hours which with the lacquer is 30 to 40.  This means that it will rust in damp environments.

Chrome plating is a multi-stage process that applies heavy metals by an electrolytic process.  The finish is hard and harder wearing than bright zinc plate..  It can be washed occasionally but will rust if continually damp.  Salt spray rating 60 to 80 hours which can be extended considerably by an epoxy coating  The protection is only as good as the epoxy coating which can be cracked by temperature change and chipped by impact damage.

The chrome plating process causes environment concerns.  In the UK the plating process is tightly controlled and toxic wastes are minimised and  properly treated before disposal.  This is not always true in other parts of the world.  The final disposal of the chromed components involves heavy metals and it is for this reason that alternative finishes, such as paint and lacquers are growing in favour.

Nylon is applied by a hot dip process 250 to 300 microns thick; very much thicker than other coatings.  This ensures encapsulation over the wires and provides a tough and smooth finish.  The steel is pre treated to improve adhesion and the life of the nylon coating.  Salt spray tests were stopped after 2000 hours as no deterioration could be detected.  The nylon is inert, resistant to most chemicals and is produced by bio sustainable means.  The smooth finish covers rough edges and so prevents snagging.  This finish is good for fabric applications and for situations where regular washing or damp conditions are encountered.  The addition of the anti-bacterial agent makes this finish ideal for food storage/medical applications.

Nylon coatings are resistant to impact damage but can be cut by sharp edges.  Damage to the coating will allow water to reach the metal and cause corrosion.  The shelves pre-treatment prevents the rapid ingress of this corrosion but it is not recommended to use nylon coatings in conjunction with metal containers or sharp edges. Although this process is expensive for general cold room/ kitchen applications we have a 20 year successful track record to justify its continued use.

Grade 304 Stainless Steel is a good quality rust free grade.  It is very tough and can be used in practically any situation with the expectation of long life.  Electro-polishing is an electrolytic process that removes surface impurities and micro imperfections to provide a bright shiny surface.  Only after  electro-polishing is the stainless considered sterile.  As stainless has no applied finish it is used in clean rooms to prevent  the risk of “flakes/chips” falling in to sterile processes.  Stainless is 100% recyclable.  Its wide spread use is restricted by its cost.