Heat, cold, humidity and other environmental factors cause oxidation and corrosion of racking and shelving systems – posing significant operation and maintenance challenges for warehouses. To ensure long-lasting protection of its products, APC Storage Solutions SA uses the most advanced treatment process on all of its racking and shelving products: cataphoresis, providing a level of resistance that is three times higher than conventional painting.
Cataphoresis is a specialised painting and treatment process based on electro-chemical technology that relies on the cathodic painting of metal surfaces.

The cathodic amino resins act as corrosion and rust inhibitors. Once applied, the pieces are immersed in a specialised electric preparation bath to provide the ultimate in metal-treatment. This specialised treatment also acts as a fire barrier for racking and shelving systems with the ignition temperature being over 200°C.

Providing more protection for longer
In addition to being three times more corrosion- and rust-resistant than conventional painting, cataphoresis also provides greater resistance to harmful elements than electrostatic painting does. “In a salt sprayed fog chamber, for example, electrostatic painting without our cataphoresis treatment can only withstand 160 hours before surface damage occurs. With cataphoresis, however, surfaces can withstand up to 550 hours,” says Fred Albrecht, Managing Director, APC Storage Solutions SA. “In layman’s terms, a car’s pedals will never rust, even at the sea, because they are treated with cataphoresis. We apply the same principal to our racking and shelving.”  In addition, the mutual attraction between the painted pieces and the electrodes immersed at the sides of the bath during the painting process causes a strong and precise coverage of the whole surface of the equipment– enabling it to reach the most inaccessible areas and provide a uniform coating.

Once treated, the storage equipment undergoes hydro soluble paint and powder coating to guarantee not only superior rust- and corrosion-resistance, but also a high quality paint job. Cataphoresis treatment comes standard with APC Storage Solutions SA’s entire range of racking and shelving systems.