Steelpaint GmbH has completed a milestone contract in which its advanced polyurethane-based
corrosion protection system has been applied to a footbridge at Roding Valley London Underground
Station.
The success of the project reflects increased marker interest in long-life, easy-to-apply moisture-
cured coatings as rail contractors look to reduce unscheduled maintenance and through-life costs.
The bridge was closed for refurbishment from early May until August.
Transport for London (TfL) contractor M Group Rail & Aviation selected Steelpaint’s three-layer
moisture-curing polyurethane system as the preferred solution for protecting the steelwork due to
its reliability, longevity, and ease of application.
The three-part coating system, applied by Peterborough-based Specialist Painting Group (SPG),
comprised the Stelcatec-L-PR anti-corrosive primer; Stelcatec-L-NT intermediate coating, known for
its strong adhesion and mechanical resilience properties; and Stelcatec-L-TC, a UV-resistant topcoat
that maintains gloss and colour stability under exposure to sunlight and weathering. It was applied
to a total Dry Film Thickness (DFT) of about 300µm.
SPG was one of the first companies in the UK to adopt the technology. Director Ben Fallows
commented: “It allows contractors to continue working in conditions where conventional coatings
would be out of spec. TfL was looking for ways to strengthen durability and reduce lifecycle costs
and project times, and the Steelpaint technology was the perfect solution.”
Perry Poppelaars, a director at Recoat UK, Steelpaint’s UK sales and distribution agent, furthered:
“The coating system we have supplied provides the highest level of corrosion protection. As
infrastructure owners, like TfL, continue to look at ways of reducing maintenance costs and
downtime, more durable protective coating systems have a critical role to play.”
The polyurethane-based system has attracted widespread attention across the UK since its approval
by Network Rail. The Steelpaint system was formally certified in January 2025 after laboratory
testing and a test application to “gingered” steel in real-world ambient conditions.