Corus Building Systems of the UK has introduced a factory-installed protective coating for KaIzip profile sheets as a new weapon in the fight against graffiti on aluminium facades.

The coating system has been approved by Anti-Graffiti, an accredited RAL test institute, and is currently available in a choice of colours: grey aluminium (RAL 9007), white aluminium (RAL 9006) and metallic gold, according to Joachim Wolke of Corus Building Systems.

Corus Building Systems develops and manufactures aluminium roof and facade systems. The central core of its activity is the production, sales and marketing of Kalzip standing seam. More than 65 million sq m of this roof and facade system have now been installed worldwide, he says.

"The removal of graffiti is a costly procedure and, depending on the background material, rarely succeeds in eradicating every single trace, even when specialist cleaning agents are used," Wolfe points out. "This is particularly frustrating when facades are constructed from high-quality, long-life materials, which would otherwise provide both an attractive and economically-efficient building solution.

"Corus Building Systems' factory-installed, multi-layer anti-graffiti system has a low-adhesion surface - similar to PTFE - making it much easier to remove the graffiti from the aluminium cladding and, most importantly, leaving no residues behind," he explains. "Cleaning must only be carried out using the approved cleaning agents.

"The dissolved paint can be completely removed using a soft cloth and the procedure is completed by rinsing the facade with clear water. After 24 hours, the original appearance of the facade surface is restored. Even after multiple applications, the shine and colour of the surface are not affected.

"This new surface coating from Corus Building Systems guarantees a durable finish for the latest aluminium facades. It ensures that the effect of the original architectural facade is permanently retained and that the appearance of the building continues to reflect the image of its users. Reduced cleaning costs lead to significantly lower maintenance costs and this, in turn, improves the profitability of the building, he says.