Philipp Roth

Scheffer Cranes GmbH

SMART Galvanizing Factories: The Key to Industry Sustainability

Galvanizers can strive for increased capacity or efficiency when considering plant layout design and computer automation. This presentation will review the fundamentals of SMART galvanizing factories, plant layout design regarding intelligent storage in jigging/un-jigging, and how automation is practically used today to develop "recipes" and obtain repeatable performance from operators.

Kevin Irving

Abiding Group / International Zinc Association

Overhead Crane Operations and Lessons Learned

This presentation will cover key aspects of ensuring safe and reliable operation, along with lessons learned over the years.

In-Person Plant Tour Preview: AZZ Metal Coatings, AZZ Surface Technologies, and Race Rock

Come learn about what to expect on Wednesday’s plant tours of AZZ's Crowley Campus and Race Rock.

At Crowley we will see galvanizing operations at AZZ Metal Coatings and powder coating operations at AZZ Surface Technologies. At Race Rock (next door), we will see manufacturing operations with advanced angle line and thermal cutter. Lunch will be provided.

Liuba Shaplyko

Sirio Impianti Industriali

Automatic Spinning Plant for Small Parts & Smart Manufacturing

Automation in spinning operations can be implemented from the loading to the unloading phase. However, there is still some production flexibility available when using this type of equipment technology to achieve highest quality along with higher productivity. Pretreatment, heating, and procedures for addressing one-off or special material handling requirements using semi-automation (bigger items, threaded rods, rebars) will be discussed.

Sergio Tarazona

ANI Metal

SCADA Monitoring Systems to Enhance Operational Efficiency

SCADA monitoring systems are designed to enhance operational efficiency in galvanizing facilities. The system consists of several modules to address concerns with monitoring and managing different aspects of the facility. Administrative dashboards, equipment modules, equipment maintenance modules, and bath maintenance modules can be utilized to enhance longevity of material handling equipment and visualize overall facility performance.

Bennett Lacey

HUB Industrial Supply

Modern Safety Equipment in Material Handling

Hot-dip galvanizing relies heavily on efficient and safe material handling practices, and cutting-edge safety equipment is available to best protect workers and maintain operational integrity. This presentation will explore and demonstrate advancements in Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) in our industry. By adopting and integrating these modern safety solutions, the hot-dip galvanizing industry can significantly mitigate risks, improve worker well-being, and enhance the overall efficiency.

Trash Talk: Minimization Mastery (Collaborative Game)

Convert your waste streams to profit and a cleaner future! Attendees will break into small groups led by AGA's Environmental Subcommittee members to design an galvanizing plant to assist an imaginary billionaire investor with minimizing waste streams and increasing resource longevity. The winning plant will receive a prize! Information gathered will help the Environmental Subcommittee develop research needs statements and practical resources, such as spreadsheets or infographics, to support knowledge sharing and ongoing HDG process improvement. This is a great opportunity to meet and learn from other operations personnel in the industry.

Maulik Patel

Radadia Engineering INDIA

Optimizing the Pre-Process Bay & Material Handling in Hot-Dip Galvanizing: Past Lessons, Present Innovations & Future Roadmap

There are many experiences and historical perspectives regarding traditional pre-process bay layouts, handling method dynamics, common inefficiencies in material flow, worker ergonomics, and material handling dimensions. This presentation will focus on current best practices to produce quantifiable outcomes: a look toward efficiency and footprint management, improved batch handling, integration of semi and full automation, and safety-focused innovations for operators. Additionally, a future outlook and vision for Industry 4.0 integration (smart sensors, data logging, and AI-assisted movement logic) will be discussed.

TBD

TBD

Rigging Maintenance

Chain, wire, fixtures, and other lifting equipment play a critical role in the safe and efficient operation of hot-dip galvanizing plants. This presentation will explore the importance of robust rigging maintenance programs in galvanizing plants to prevent accidents, minimize downtime, and optimize operational efficiency.

Adam Ryan

International Zinc Association (IZA)

Stormwater Runoff from Zinc- Coated Construction Materials Very Unlikely to Affect Aquatic Life in Sensitive Washington State Waters

In the Pacific Northwest, zinc runoff is seen as a persistent environmental concern. The concern stems from wanting to protect bodies of water that are considered sensitive due to their ecosystems (e.g. salmonoids) or are considered impaired and do not meet water quality standards set by the US Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) or state regulatory authorities. To address these concerns in the past, AGA developed a variety of publications explaining individual HDG structures are not likely to result in water impairments due to zinc. Despite this information, engineers continue to express hesitancy when specifying exposed HDG steel near sensitive waters, citing a lack of detailed, project-specific case studies in Washington State. In response to this feedback, the AGA and the International Zinc Association (IZA) conducted four desktop analyses to evaluate potential zinc runoff impacts from HDG steel in specific applications. This presentation will summarize the findings of this study and future efforts to avoid restrictions on specifying HDG.

An update on other environmental and sustainability initiatives of IZA will also be presented.

John Roy

Race Rock

AGA Environmental Health & Safety Committee: Workplace Safety Metrics

Workplace safety is a priority in the general hot-dip galvanizing (HDG) industry, and having precise, facility-specific data is key to driving meaningful improvements. To gain a better understanding of safety trends, the AGA's Health & Safety Committee proposed a survey targeting workplace safety metrics specific to HDG facilities. Unlike broader industry data (e.g., NAICS code 332812), members were asked to report only incidents that occurred within HDG facilities using their OSHA 300 logs, excluding data from other areas such as duplex lines, plating lines, and fabrication. The insights gained from they survey will be presented, which are currently being used to refine the focus of AGA's Health & Safety subcommittee for future initiatives.

Panel Discussion: Barcode Tagging and Warehouse Tracking Systems

Featuring Paul Parks of P2 Systems, Brian Schlatterbeck of Infosight, and Steve Gutkoski of V&S

Come hear different perspectives from several industry experts on material handling using barcode tags and warehouse tracking systems. This panel will be Q&A format with some guidance questions to aid the discussion. Bring your questions!

Brandon Jones

AGA

AGA's Technical Resources on Material Handling

This presentation will review the latest AGA guidance documents on material handling and how to access them.

Alana Fossa

AGA

AGA Research Updates & New 5-year Strategic Plans

Come learn about the AGA's latest research activities and upcoming efforts to support the new strategic plans of AGA.