Art Work Projects

 Every now and then we have a special job come through the plant that is out of the ordinary. The team is excited about running the job because it is different. They know it is a one of a kind. These special jobs are sculptures from artists working with steel. The artists know that the galvanizing process along with powder coating creates an extremely durable and aesthetically pleasing product that will last for years to come. Artwork is always challenging to work with due to the design, shape and intricacy of the sculpture. Special handling and attention to detail is required. Sometimes exceptionally smooth finishes are needed for the powder coating. Imperfections will be highlighted so great caution is used. Other times there are moving parts, for example The Wishing Tree which is a mobile sculpture, required the ability of the steel to move after being hot dip galvanized and powder coated. Another challenge is the packaging process for transportation and delivery. For the main entrance to the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, NY, Hubbells galvanized and powder coated the handrail. No chipping, damage, or repairs were acceptable. The rail was wrapped and padded at all times.

Ricky Hallam, Superintendent of the Galvanizing Plant said of these projects, “The employees get excited about running these jobs when they come through. One time there was a set of gates for the NY Mets. That was really cool. Some of the pieces are very challenging like the Muskie. We want to run it just right. We make sure we are communicating with the fabricator. We need to know where on the sculpture is it hallow so we can make sure where to drill the holes for venting. It needs to be perfect. We just had a sculpture of a bald eagle come through. The head was not hallow but it had nostrils in the birds beak so we drilled the holes there. It had metal strips as feathers so it was very intricate.” 

At Hubbells we look forward to these challenges when we get the opportunity to work on them. It is a chance for us to work with our galvanizing and powder coating process while still keeping the integrity of the artist work intact.

Here are some examples of the many works of art that have been galvanized and or powder coated at Hubbell Galvanizing and Fortress Fusion Coatings:

 

Crows, Artist: Will Salisbury

Main entrance to the Baseball Hall of Fame, Location: Cooperstown, NY

Weathervane, Artist: Will Salisbury, Location: Comfort Island, Alexandria Bay, NY

The sculpture was galvanized and powder coated.

The Eagle, Artist: Mark McDermott, hot-dipped galvanized.

Muskie, The Last One, Artist: William Salisbury, Location: Clayton, NY

The entire sculpture was galvanized as an undercoat to prevent rust. A polyester powder coating was then applied to give the base color for the Muskie. Finally, the artist touched painted the highlights. and placed the eye giving the sculpture life.

Located in a private home

Dragon Fly, Located in a Private Home

Crown 2008, Artist: Rainer Maria Wehner, Located in Griffiths Business Park

The sculpture was galvanized and powder coated

The Wishing Tree, Artist: Tash Taskale, Located in Griffiths Business Park

Sisson Family Bench, Artist unknown, Located at a private residence in Old Forge, NY

Fairview Cemetery Sign, Designer Sean Woodard, Galvanized and Powder Coated

Hubbell Galvanizing: http://whyrust.com

Fortress Fusion Powder Coating: http://whypowder.com

Jack Mulvihill Wins "Millennials in Manufacturing" Award

Each year FuzeHub and the Advanced Institute for Manufacturing showcases a Millennials in Manufacturing Award and Hubbell Galvanizing’s Assistant Production Manager, Jack Mulvihill was one of the winners in 2019!

The Millennials in Manufacturing highlights young professionals who are doing their part to strengthen New York State’s manufacturing industry. By recognizing their achievements, the hope is to encourage more people to pursue careers in manufacturing. The requirements to enter are to work for a NYS manufacturer and be an employee 39 or younger playing a vital role in the manufacturing of the company's products. The millennial demonstrates initiative in innovating new products or processes that are keep the team competitive. Entrants had to submit a 60 second video highlighting what excites the employee about manufacturing, innovation and working in New York State. Here is a link to Jack’s video:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0j11gicHdtw

In Jack’s role at Hubbells, he is involved in sales, customer service, product development, production process improvement, facilities management, purchasing and employee engagement. He works with the sales department and production to ensure that the customers’ material is delivered on schedule. He is also involved in production development, working on new product offerings that include more aesthetically pleasing coating options. He coordinates with the facilities development and maintenance management teams to prioritize capital improvement projects and purchasing company assets like new machinery or forklifts. He works with the quality control team. He is on the Safety team making sure best practices are being implemented.

What makes Jack a future leader in manufacturing is that he looks at the areas others don't. Our company is a multi-generational workforce made up of Baby boomers to Generation Z. Jack questions processes- why does the company do what they do every day? He is leading the production process improvement project that is transitioning the company's production flow management process. This will improve how production flows through the plant and involves product tracking, billing and customer relationship management. Jack runs our associates meetings with the production staff. In these meetings he communicates customer feedback and helps with employee motivation and engagement like incentive programs.  He pioneered a pilot program that involved recycling unused material and to then upcycling it by manufacturing inhouse barrels used in our production process vs. purchasing the barrels outright. This program measured cost effectiveness and environmental impact.

Jack has the ability to work with others effectively to make things happen. His job is important because he is the liaison and communicator between customers and production staff as well as management and production. It is a unique role that moves the company forward. He has a vision that sees what the company was when it began in 1925, where it is currently and where it needs to be in the future. By questioning how processes have always been done, he forces the company out of stagnation. He is a change agent for not only company processes but for the company culture as well.

Pictured: Jack Mulvihill

Hubbell Galvanizing: www.whyrust.com
Fortress Fusion Powder Coating: www.whypowder.com

Galvanized Rebar Alliance with Hubbell Galvanizing

Hubbell Galvanizing is proud to be a part of the 100 Years Strong Galvanized Rebar Alliance. This partnership represents the expertise and experience of six of North America’s leading providers of hot-dipped galvanizing services and products.

The NY State Thruway has been using Hot-Dipped Galvanized rebar as their standard since 1995 and has no plans to change, including using the product on the signature Governor Mario M. Cuomo Bridge.

Hubbell Galvanizing has been an industry leader since 1925 and has been galvanizing steel rebar for our customers for over 50 years. This galvanized reinforced steel material will continue to uphold the integrity of America’s infrastructure for the long term future. 

Check out the new website for more information: www.100yearstrong.com

For more information on Hubbell Galvanizing, Please visit: www.whyrust.com

Excellence in Hot-Dip Galvanizing Awarded to Hubbell Galvanizing

On Wednesday April 11, 2018, Mark Wiswell accepted the Most Distinguished award for Excellence in Hot-Dip Galvanizing at the American Galvanizing Association’s Excellence Awards dinner in Tucson, Arizona.
Hubbell Galvanizing was awarded this honor for our work on the Mario M. Cuomo Bridge project in Tarrytown, NY. Hubbell Galvanizing was a part of a team of six galvanizers and seven fabricators. We produced 3,650 tons of hot-dipped galvanized steel for the largest bridge project in New York State history, and one of the largest design-build projects in the United States. The bridge replaces the Tappan Zee Bridge. Hubbell Galvanizing employees should be very proud of the part they played in this project!

Pictured above is Mark Wiswell (far right) along with the other galvanizers that were members of the team galvanizing the Mario M. Cuomo Bridge project (aka the Tappan Zee Bridge). Photo credit: AGA

For more information on Hubbell Galvanizing, please go to:

www.whyrust.com

For more information on Fortress Fusion Powder Coating, please go to:

www.whypowder.com

For more information on Galvagrit, please go to:

www.whyrust.com/index.php/main/products-services/galvagrit/

Hubbell Galvanizing Goes to NYSATE 2016

Hubbell Galvanizing recently attended the 2016 NYSATE Conference in beautiful Lake Placid, NY.  There were an abundance of NYS DOT Engineers and personnel that Jack Mulvihill, Chris White, Pete Hubbell and Jake Crowell met and spoke with about the services and products that we offer at Hubbell Galvanizing.  Many of our customers and vendors also had booths alongside us at the US Olympic Hockey Rink.  Some customers also gave presentations on various topics and one such customer even touched on our slip resistant surface that we call “Galvagrit.”  Overall, it was a successful show and many contacts were made.

Pictured: Chris White and Jake Crowell ready to invite you to learn about our products

 (Photo Credit: Jack Mulvihill)

For more information on Hubbell Galvanizing, please go to:

www.whyrust.com

For more information on Fortress Fusion Powder Coating, please go to:

www.whypowder.com

For more information on Galvagrit, please go to:

www.whyrust.com/index.php/main/products-services/galvagrit/

New Chromic Tank for Hubbells

Hubbell Galvanizing replaced the old chromic tank this past week with a new one that Hermosa Corporation made for them. This new tank weighed in at ~38 thousand pounds. Nate Mastro supplied us with the following pictures of the installation.

(All Photo Credit Goes To: Nate Mastro)

For more information on Hubbell Galvanizing, please go to:

www.whyrust.com

For more information on Fortress Fusion Powder Coating, please go to:

www.whypowder.com

For more information on Hermosa Corporation, please go to:

www.hermosacorp.com

Galvanizing Highlight from 2015: The Weathervane and Interview with Artist and Sculptor Will Salisbury

Written by: Ali Semeraro

As we begin our journey through the infancy of 2016 we must not forget the great things that happened in 2015. One of which was our project with accomplished artist and sculptor Will Salisbury of Upstate NY, completed in the summer of 2015.

You may be more familiar with his Three Crows sculpture, usually located about a half-mile south of I-81, but now we would like to introduce you to the Weathervane (See photos and photo credits below).

Commissioned by a property owner and Fox network employee, the bear sits atop its perch on a 100-year-old tower located on Comfort Island, surrounded by the natural beauty of the St. Lawrence River in Alexandria Bay New York. The tower is approximately 80 feet in height, see the instillation process here Bear Instillation Video.

Bronze is Salisbury’s medium of choice but due to high demand and the malleability of steel, it has been the ideal material for many of his recent projects, including the weathervane. He states that working with steel is almost like working with clay. “It is very easy to work with.”

In order to preserve all his hard work, Salisbury stated that he chose galvanizing as well as powder coating as the method of corrosion protection because together the duplex coating system is the “perfect marriage” to preserve the sculpture in the surrounding environment. He used the word “permanence” when I asked him about the coating. For some added protection he also uses clear enamel coatings over the details he paints (using automotive paint) after the piece has been powder coated.

Salisbury is very happy with his experience working with Hubbell Galvanizing and Fortress Fusion Coatings. We have been able to help him meet his needs and the needs of his clients. Galvanizing is ideal for projects with larger carvings and details.

I went on to ask him what he does differently to a sculpture knowing it is going to be galvanized after construction. “I have to vent the sculpture. This has to be a discussion with the client beforehand and becomes part of the original drafted design.” Said Salisbury.  

His next project is to be a set of fish skeletons to be installed on the side of an architect’s home, which he says will be galvanized with us as well! We will certainly look forward to this project!

For more information on these and other projects please come back to the blog and please check out Will’s webpage at willsalisbury.com

Skimming the ash away from the bear as it comes out of the galvanizing tank

(Photo credit: Hubbell Galvanizing)

The bear coming out of the galvanizing tank

(Photo credit: Hubbell Galvanizing)

The bear after being powder coated with Will Salisbury the artist standing next to his sculpture

(Photo credit: Will Salisbury)

The bear is almost ready to be installed on the tower

(Photo credit: Will Salisbury)

The bear from his perch in the wind where he will stay for many years

(Photo credit: Will Salisbury)

For more information on the artist, Will Salisbury, please got to: willsalisbury.com

 For more information on galvanizing please go to: Hubbell Galvanizing (www.whyrust.com)

For more information on powder coating please go to: Fortress Fusion Coating Inc. (www.whypowder.com)

Planting the Seed of Galvanizing

By: Diane Mulvihill

April 3, 2015

Frank Gerace, marketing extraordinaire at Hubbell Galvanizing, is a force to be reckoned with.

Gerace helps Hubbell Galvanizing, and the entire galvanizing industry, by using his expertise in market development of galvanized products to encourage more customers to galvanize their steel projects as well as using powder coating and metalizing, which are all options offered through our company. A lot of Gerace’s time spent marketing is actually through education classes he presents on behalf of the American Galvanizers Association (AGA) called ‘Galvanize It!’ seminars.

Using his knowledge of galvanizing, Gerace leads the ‘Galvanize It!’ seminars that educate engineers, architects, students, manufacturers and many other people that want to learn about what galvanizing is and what it does. He has presented more seminars than any other member of the AGA, and his total number of presentations is still climbing.

Over the last weekend of March, Gerace drove to Kingston, Ontario to present to 80-85 students from Queen’s University. This presentation was out of the ordinary for him because he had the pleasure of presenting with another galvanizer, Godfroy St. Pierre, from Corbec, which is a galvanizing company based in Quebec, Canada. Gerace had asked him to present with him on account of the fact that St. Pierre is bilingual and a powerful presenter.

The students they were presenting to were juniors studying in the Civil Engineering Department and had never been exposed to what galvanizing was; Gerace feels that this was a positive because he and St. Pierre were able to “plant the seed early” about how galvanizing is a great option for engineers who are concerned with corrosion protection. The two of them presented on the core principles of hot dip galvanizing as well as how galvanizing is helpful when it comes to sustainable development.

“Overall, I think that the presentations went well. The two presenter technique worked well…I think the change of voice kept the program interesting. We both had different stories to tell and I think this was well received,” Gerace stated regarding how he thought the presentation was received as a whole. He said that he always enjoys presenting with other galvanizers, and co-presenting in this circumstance with St. Pierre was great, especially since he is Canadian and he could accommodate the French speaking students who were there for the lecture.

Gerace is a powerhouse of a presenter for the AGA because of his history as well as his knowledge. He gives presentations like the one in this article to hundreds of people per year, and he certainly is amazing at it. His knowledge of galvanizing, his honesty, and the aura he creates when presenting is catching when you listen to him speak about the process…it makes you want to learn more and to really listen to what he has to say.

If you’re interested in having Frank Gerace give a GalvanizeIt! presentation to your firm, company or class, contact him at geracefp@whyrust.com or call 315-796-2221 today.

For more information about Hubbell Galvanizing, please go to:

www.whyrust.com

For more information on the American Galvanizers Association(AGA), please go to:

www.galvanizeit.org

For more information about Corbec, Inc., please go to:

www.corbec.net

From the Past, Brought Back to Life: A Project by Hubbell Galvanizing and Fortress Fusion Coatings

Written by: John DelMonte

Edited By: Diane Mulvihill

Introduction By: Ali Semeraro

A customer of ours, Bill Gaetano of Gaetano Construction, approached us with a suit of armor approximately a month ago. His story of how he and his son discovered the armor and the process by which it was brought back to brilliant life is as follows as told by project leader John DelMonte, Hubbell Employee.

The complete suit of armor was found in the basement of a house Bill and his son recently purchased. It was a replica, but it was obvious that there was great effort taken to make it as original and authentic looking as possible. As you will see in the photos, particularly the gloves, small sections of metal were hammered out and attached to each other, forming the protective layer for each finger. Our customer was unsure what, if anything, we could do for him to remove the oxide/rust that had formed, some being so aggressive it started to create a distinct pattern in the metal surface.

Traditional methods of rust removal are media (sand) blasting, which would leave the metal with a very pitted look, and take away from the old school hammered look, which is not what he was looking to achieve. Another method would be a strong acid, which would destroy the leather strapping and possibly the brass rivets and brass detail of some of the pieces.

DelMonte, called in our chemical supplier, from DuBois Chemical and discussed what process methods they could offer. The final decision was to try out a new green rust/oxide remover that they had never tried before.

One day was put aside, when our shop was quiet (a day when most of our employees were off) for DuBois Chemical employee, Tom O’Connor and DelMonte to get to work trying to salvage the suit of armor. They set up a small tub of the new green rust/oxide remover product, taking into account the proper concentration level, and also added a small stream of air into the tub to keep the chemical solution in suspension and aid in agitation. They started with the small segmented elbow guards first, keeping them in solution for 30 minutes before examining the results. The results were surprising and promising...the rust was all but removed, with no signs of the chemical solution having and effect on the base metal...as they were partially concerned about metal pitting.

DelMonte and O’Connor added more armor pieces to the tub of solution and kept track of the time, as 30 minutes was their baseline. As suspected, the solution did a great job in removing the rust oxide. They did find that on the hard-formed rust they needed to aid in the removal by hand scrubbing the rust, carefully, without scratching the base metal. This was time consuming, but proved to be effective.

As the day progressed, items were removed and other items were added to the solution, all resulting in a 95%+ removal of rust oxide, without hurting the base metal, brass accents/rivets and leather strapping. Once they were confident each item was finished in the solution it was rinsed with fresh water, then a rust preventative chemical was sprayed on, to seal the pores of the metal and in doing so, gave the metal a skin of protection against further moisture/rust oxide from coming back.

Gaetano was very surprised and pleased with the results, especially seeing that the metal was kept in its original hammered state, with all brass hardware and leather strapping in place. DelMonte and O’Connor suggested that he apply a lite coat of gun oil to the metal surfaces to retard any moisture from settling into the metal again.

This was a great way to experiment on material that we would not often see in our shop, and certainly an interesting and different project DelMonte decided to take on.