Summary for galvanizing white rust Discussion
galvanizing product quality issue with shipped containers: A Sharma asked why galvanized products from three shipments to California showed visible white staining a year after delivery, even though no defects were reported on receipt, retained samples in India were fine, other customers saw no issues, and the storage area looked dry and ventilated. The only answer, from Bathgate, Scotland, UK, said the photos suggest salt water contamination during transit or at ports, with the defect likely being white rust or wet storage stain. The responder noted this is common in shipped galvanized goods and can occur even when items are wrapped in plastic, because changing climates, temperature swings, and humidity can trap moisture and worsen staining. The discussion points more toward shipping or handling exposure than a coating-thickness problem, though the exact root cause was not proven from the excerpt.
this text gets replaced with bannerText
Q. Hello, everyone!
We’re facing a puzzling issue and could use some input. We have a manufacturing unit in India and shipped three containers to a customer in California over a 5-month period (October 2023, February 2024, and April 2024). A year after receiving the first container (in October 2024), the customer contacted us, reporting that all the products from these three shipments now exhibit visible defects (see attached picture).
Notably, there were no issues reported when the containers were initially received. Here’s what we know:
1. Samples from the same galvanizing lot, retained at our manufacturing unit in India, are in perfect condition.
2. Other customers on both the East and West coasts who received products from the same galvanizing lot have not reported any problems.
3. I personally visited the customer’s storage facility, and it appears to be well-ventilated, without any obvious exposure to damp or closed conditions.
4. There are no issues with coating thickness, it is perfect.
We’re struggling to identify the root cause of this problem. Could it be related to storage, transit, or some unforeseen environmental factor? Any thoughts, experiences, or advice would be greatly appreciated!
Thank you in advance for your help!
A Sharma
– Great Falls, Virginia
January 6, 2025
A. The images suggest salt water contamination in transit or at ports between.
The white staining is often called White rust, sometimes wet storage stain. It is often bad in shipped products. Even sealing in plastic sometimes make it worse as the journey goes through different climates or temperature and humidity conditions.
Geoff Crowley, galvanizing consultant
Crithwood Ltd.
Bathgate, Scotland, UK
