Florence - Steel Strong

Shaping the nations steel industry for more than a century, Florence, South Carolina was home to one of the first mini mills in the United States. Within 60 miles of Florence County, the metals industry employs over 3,000 workers and employment has grown at around 3.6% annually over the past decade. Not to mention, its geographical location sits at the intersection of major interstates, I-95 and I-20, having strong rail access and reaching several ports within about 100 miles. This allows for quick transport of raw steel materials across the region. To commemorate this legacy, the owner of the project strategized a monument that would celebrate the rich history of the steel industry within the area as well as the strength of the steel moving into the future – a project appropriately named Steel Strong.

In downtown Florence, a palmetto tree can be seen rising tall from a pool shaped like the state of South Carolina. For any locals in the area that understand the history of South Carolina and this symbolism, the palmetto tree is the official state tree. Representing resilience, strength, and victory, the palmetto tree can be seen standing strong throughout the state. Because Florence was a city built on hard work and resilience within the steel industry, the palmetto fits into its beautifully woven story perfectly. Even in economic turmoil and industrial change, Florence’s fortified steel community has continued to stand strong as ever.

Knowing the palmetto would be sitting in a bath of water, corrosion protection became an early concern for the project members involved. Having consistent contact with water day in and day out meant the coating protection system would not be able to flake or scrape off with time. Naturally, hot-dip galvanizing stood above the rest because of its durability, corrosion performance, aesthetic appeal, and overall life-cycle costs.

Every crevice and component, all the way from the trunk to the intricate fronds were galvanized for protection. This quality and uniform coating met the customer’s needs by offering complete coverage with a beautiful finish that would fit perfectly into the project’s surroundings. To complete the vision for the palmetto tree, a duplex coating system was added per the customer’s needs. Green for the leaves and brown for the trunk gave the project an even more symbolic touch for the public to enjoy. Using a duplex system would nearly double the already impressive 100-year lifespan of galvanizing.

For the fabricators and galvanizer, the lightweight and flexible leaves that were achieved were delicate and required careful handling through the course of the project. This execution took many trials before it was exactly how the team wanted it. To up the already impressive features of this palm tree, project members wanted to ensure the leaves could move with the wind and remain structurally sound. A locking system was put into place to ensure the pieces would never come loose from the structure in the South Carolina wind. After multiple trials to get it right, the team was able to eliminate the need for visible fasteners and maintain a beautiful aesthetic appeal for the structure.

From top to bottom, this project resembles a collaboration between the fabricator, engineers, and galvanizer alongside the project owner to bring their vision to life. Maintaining strict turnaround times to meet the project deadlines, the galvanizer chosen for the project ensured each piece was accounted for and made every effort to keep the process efficient from start to finish without compromising on the quality finish that galvanizing was able to provide.

Now, Steel Strong stands as a focal point of the city’s revitalized downtown — a shining symbol of resilience, craftsmanship, and the enduring protection that will allow locals and tourists to enjoy for decades down the road.