above Budapest’s new CET cultural center on the banks of the Danube River offers residents cultural, retail and leisure activities. The steel, aluminum and glass structure incorporates Tremco sealants and illbruck tapes where glass joins metal and in other locations throughout the complex.

Frank C. Sullivan founded Republic Powdered Metals in 1947. Its single product line was Alumanation, an asphaltic aluminum roof coating to protect metal roofs from corrosion while reflecting the sun’s heat. It is still produced by RPM’s Tremco business unit today.

Since that time, the company’s sales have increased to $3.4 billion and its products number in the thousands. But nearly all of those products share the mission of the first: to protect a customer’s assets from the ravages of nature and man.

RPM coatings guard against corrosion on structures ranging from huge bridges, industrial plants, workboats and barges (Carboline) to patio furniture and motor vehicles (Rust-Oleum). The company’s sealants and roofing products prohibit air and water infiltration in institutions, offices, multi-family housing units and parking garages (Tremco, illbruck), on single family homes (DAP, Tremco Barrier Solutions, illbruck), on roads and bridges (Universal Sealants) and in water and wastewater treatment facilities (Vandex, Tremco). RPM helps prevent the spread of fire in commercial structures, chemical plants and offshore oil platforms (Carboline, Tremco, AD Fire Protection, Nullifire). Serving a wide variety of niche markets, RPM products also protect commercial and institutional floors (Stonhard, Flowcrete, illbruck), concrete (Euco) and wood (Wolman, Varathane, Rust-Oleum).

Architect’s rendering shows the $290 million Inner Belt Bridge now under construction in Cleveland and scheduled to open in fall 2013. Structural steel for the bridge will arrive at the construction site already protected with Carbozinc coatings from Carboline. More than 4,000 feet long, the structure will carry Interstate 90 traffic over the Cuyahoga River valley.
Photo credit: HNTB Ohio, Inc.

left DAP 3.0 Advanced Sealants are formulated with Kwik Dry Technology, allowing them to be exposed to water after just three hours, without washing out. DAP was first-to-market with this game-changing technology, which provides time-saving benefits for both professionals and do-it-yourselfers, when contrasted to the 24-36 hours of curing time required by conventional caulks.

right Nullifire’s comprehensive range of market-leading fire stopping products provides passive fire protection to construction joints, gaps and service wall penetrations. Nullifire FF177, a fire rated polyurethane foam includes an ergonomic cap system for ease of use and has strong adhesion properties on nearly all building materials.

right Blackfriar Decking Stain is a hard-wearing matte finish that stains, protects and waterproofs timber decking throughout the UK market. The translucent stain allows the beauty of the wood’s natural grain to show through while providing water repellency, along with resistance to scuffs, mold and ultraviolet rays.

left VANDEX IC is a water-based ready-to-use silane/siloxane microemulsion cream that provides a barrier against upwardly moving moisture. Installed with a simple application gun in pre-drilled holes in a mortar course, the active ingredients spread to form an effective hydrophobic barrier against rising damp in brick, natural stone and sandstone walls above a mortar foundation.

left The Bow, a 58-story office and retail complex in Calgary, Canada, utilizes AD Firefilm III, a thin-film intumescent decorative coating from AD Fire Protection. The coating, which gives structural steel a painted appearance while providing up to three hours of fire resistance, complements extensive architectural use of exposed structural steel members inside the building. The structure, scheduled to open in the first quarter of 2012, has a number of sustainability features, including a design that harnesses and maximizes Calgary’s climatic conditions, such as seasonal sun paths, rainfall, winds, humidity and temperature variations.

above right Universal Sealants (UK) Ltd. (USL) has a dominant market share in the UK for expansion joints and waterproofing on bridge decks. USL offers a turn-key bridge deck system to civil engineers by providing both products and installation services.

left New from Zinsser is BONDZ Maximum Adhesion Primer, which is specifically formulated to bond any topcoat to difficult-to-paint surfaces such as fiberglass, tile, glazed brick, aluminum, laminate and galvanized steel. BONDZ has a fast-drying formula that dries to the touch in 30 minutes and can be lightly sanded and topcoated in as little as two hours.

right Rust-Oleum automotive care products have more than tripled their market share in just two years. They include paints to enhance auto surfaces with long-lasting color; primers to prevent rust and ensure a smooth, even topcoat; and solvents and removers. New in fiscal 2011 was Rock Guard clear coat for bumpers and wheels, brake caliper paint and clear high-heat paint.