Image in orange tones, with red railroad cars on railroad track. Featured title POLYUREA.
Publication date
24/7/2023
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Polyurea increases the service life of railway wagons

With the full expansion of the rail network in Brazil, wagons gain prominence in the country's economy. With recent tenders from the Federal Government, the sector is expected to gain more attention and investment in the coming months, 

But one point stands out: the transport of grain, coal and fertilizers, for example, reduces the useful life of the wagons' sheet metal, due to corrosion, erosion and the impact that the loads demand. To give you an idea, a wagon can last only five years. 

Polyurea is a high-performance coating that easily adheres to many different types of substrates, increasing the durability of surfaces. 

Advantages of polyurea coating on wagons:

Reduces carry back (residual dead weight after unloading material) by up to 75%.

High chemical resistance for the transportation of coal and sulphur.

Increased wagon life: customer cases prove wagons with more than 15 years of use coated with polyurea.

It is important to note that the application of polyurea is quick and easy, requiring only two days of stopping the wagon. In addition, it is not necessary to repaint the exterior, opening up a range of possibilities for the transportation of more aggressive materials and being much more affordable than redoing the sheet metal. 

A recent FCC study compared the total costs of replacing plating versus applying polyurea coating. 

‍Exchange of100% sheet metal for 410D ferritic stainless steel.

  • Cost per wagon: R$ 86.850,00

‍Exchange of100% ASTM 242 carbon steel plate + application of polyurea

  • Cost per wagon: R$ 58.000,00. 

With the application of polyurea coating, a wagon that would last only 5 years, increases its useful life to more than 15 years. In other words, polyurea is synonymous with economy, durability and wagons making cargo transportation with efficiency and quality for much longer.

Talk to our commercial team and learn more, click here.