Depending on the application, FRP products may need a UV protection sealant; however, the sealant application does not require the amount of maintenance that coating metal would, and it is more of a precaution than a necessity. Metal surfaces need to be recoated every one to two years in marine applications. FRP’s UV sealant will protect the material for a substantially longer time.
FRP has a significantly longer service life than metal. The cost savings are astronomical. The maintenance requirements are a fraction of that of comparable metal products, saving the end user or customer a great deal of money. The installation of these products is much less expensive than metal due to the light weight properties.
Because FRP products do not corrode the way metal does, they are a much safer alternative. The risk involved with using rusty metal or metal that has corroded are extremely high. This could end up costing your company a great deal of money due to workers’ compensation claims, lost productivity, and other various cost.
In order to avoid the risk of rust and to save on maintenance costs, use FRP as an alternative to metal.
Works Cited
Albrecht, D. (2014, June 18). (B. Fossier, Interviewer)
Maritime Industry. (n.d.). Retrieved June 17, 2014, from NACA International: The Corrosion Society: http://www.nace.org/Corrosion-Central/Industries/Maritime-Industry/