We are lucky if they last one season, commented Bill Hamilton, Maintenance Supervisor for the Tennessee Department of Transportation.   Mr. Hamilton was referring to the painted salt spreader stands that travel with the units used to distribute salt on roadways during inclement winter weather.   The corrosive nature of salt, exposure to moisture and road debris, combined with outdoor storage of the stands caused rapid deterioration from the inside out.  Hinge points seizing up, peeling paint and rust were constant problems.  The resulting maintenance issues and replacement costs were excessive and a solution was needed.

Viking Cives Midwest in Oran, MO, manufacturer of the stands, contacted their local galvanizer with a request to run samples.  Since the stands were previously painted, the galvanizer provided input that was critical to modifying designs for proper galvanizing.   Some components are outsourced to fabricators in other areas of the country.  Utilizing the galvanizer's network of plants ensured Viking Cives received consistent service and a quality finished product throughout the country.  During the process Viking Cives also took the opportunity to redesign some components, such as the stand legs, to make them less likely to seize up due to wear in the field.  The wire mesh panels that are utilized for breaking up salt clumps during loading are also now galvanized.

Consisting primarily of steel tubing, the stands are used to support salt spreaders when they are not in use.   The spreader is permanently mounted to the stand.   When needed for use, the stand legs fold under allowing the spreader to be loaded into the bed of a dump truck.  During use, the spreader stand is exposed to large amounts of moisture, salt and road debris.  The galvanized coating will allow the spreader to endure the wet/dry cycles and the cathodic protection of the galvanized surfaces will minimize damage from chips suffered from road debris.   Since the tubing is galvanized inside and out, previous corrosion issues inside the tubing will be avoided, extending the life cycle of the stand. 

The result of the collaborations and testing is a fully galvanized spreader stand with galvanized spreader components that will provide a much longer service life than previously painted models.   The Tennessee Department of Transportation purchased 200 new units this year.   With the anticipated longer service life, Viking Cives is leading the way in making galvanized spreader stands and components a new standard in the snow removal industry.