Tall Ships Race Brings Big Reward For Galvanizers

A galvanizing company is proving success can be plain sailing after securing a role in a major dock renovation project.

Glasgow-based Scottish Galvanizers, part of Wedge Group Galvanizing, was called upon to provide its hot dip galvanizing treatment to 100 tonnes of steelwork used to build 60 pontoons and two access bridges that have been installed in Greenock in preparation for the prestigious Tall Ships sailing race, which is set to visit the town early in July.

Morayshire firm Varis Engineering transformed the steel into a series of frames used to create the pontoons at James Watt Dock.

It is thought around 80 vessels taking part in this year’s event will arrive there on the 8th and 9th of July after completing the first leg of the race, which starts in Waterford, Ireland, and also takes in Shetland and Stavanger in Norway, before finishing at the Swedish port of Halmstad.

"When the race last docked in Greenock in 1999, it attracted around 800,000 tourists to the area," Paul Tait, Commercial Manager for Scottish Galvanizers, revealed. "Hopefully this year's event will bring in similar crowds, and we're proud to have played a part in the preparations and the construction of the new pontoons."

Calum MacDougall, Sales Director for Varis Engineering, said: "We've worked with the team at Scottish Galvanizers on a number of projects, including a very similar job recently where we created pontoons that will bring a passenger ferry service back to Govan for the first time in more than 50 years. We know they will provide us with a hugely professional service and swift turnaround, and this project was no exception."

The Tall Ships race is an annual event that looks to bring together some of the most promising young sailing talent in Europe. Participating ships are manned by a mostly cadet or trainee crew, of which at least half must be aged between 15 and 25.

Wedge Group Galvanizing is the largest hot dip galvanizing organisation in the UK with a history dating back over 150 years. With 14 plants strategically placed across the country, they offer a truly national galvanizing service.

For further information please contact Wedge Group Galvanizing on Tel: 01902 630311 or visit www.wedge-galv.co.uk