It is not the mineral oil companies that threaten vehicle charging stations, but adverse weather conditions and vandalism. This is why these shelters have to be protected against UV rays, saline air, graffiti and similar threats. EBG compleo, a producer of charging stations, designs its chargers using industrial coatings supplied by WB coatings. It is not only reliable engineering that is a decisive factor in gaining municipal and trade commissions to provide the technology, the aesthetics of the chargers must also comply with sustainable requirements.
Electromobility is well under way. Nearly all the big brand names in the automotive industry are dedicating considerable effort to producing electric vehicles and the corresponding body work. Objectives are to increase range to a minimum of 400 kilometres, shorten recharging times considerably and, a key issue, reduce the purchase and follow-up prices. In the meantime, every brand name has at least one model on offer powered by electricity. Analysts expect that, by 2030, there will be a market share of between ten and thirty per cent. And since recharging using normal household connections still takes a long time, the charger infrastructure is growing as well: by 2020, the number of vehicle charging stations in Germany is expected to increase from 9500 today (offering about 28,000 charging connectors) to around 150,000.
It is not the mineral oil companies that threaten vehicle charging stations, but adverse weather conditions and vandalism. This is why these shelters have to be protected against UV rays, saline air, graffiti and similar threats. EBG compleo, a producer of charging stations, designs its chargers using industrial coatings supplied by WB coatings. It is not only reliable engineering that is a decisive factor in gaining municipal and trade commissions to provide the technology, the aesthetics of the chargers must also comply with sustainable requirements.
Electromobility is well under way. Nearly all the big brand names in the automotive industry are dedicating considerable effort to producing electric vehicles and the corresponding body work. Objectives are to increase range to a minimum of 400 kilometres, shorten recharging times considerably and, a key issue, reduce the purchase and follow-up prices. In the meantime, every brand name has at least one model on offer powered by electricity. Analysts expect that, by 2030, there will be a market share of between ten and thirty per cent. And since recharging using normal household connections still takes a long time, the charger infrastructure is growing as well: by 2020, the number of vehicle charging stations in Germany is expected to increase from 9500 today (offering about 28,000 charging connectors) to around 150,000.
One German pioneer in the series production of charging stations for electric cars is EBG compleo. Back in 2009, this hardware manufacturer based in Lünen, central Germany, presented its first marketable products. In the meantime, approximately 9000 charging points with AC connections and around 150 stations with DC connections have left the facility. "The combination of technically high-grade machine configurations with individually finished bespoke housing designs for each customer is a key factor in our success in this field", explains Kai Schönenberg, marketing director of EBG compleo. Amongst other constructions, the noticeable housings made of fibreglass-reinforced SMC (sheet moulding compound) have been implemented in a number of pilot schemes for German and international eMobility providers, have almost achieved a monopoly in Berlin and are a recognised feature in the German post office's introduction of electric street scooters.
One German pioneer in the series production of charging stations for electric cars is EBG compleo. Back in 2009, this hardware manufacturer based in Lünen, central Germany, presented its first marketable products. In the meantime, approximately 9000 charging points with AC connections and around 150 stations with DC connections have left the facility. "The combination of technically high-grade machine configurations with individually finished bespoke housing designs for each customer is a key factor in our success in this field", explains Kai Schönenberg, marketing director of EBG compleo. Amongst other constructions, the noticeable housings made of fibreglass-reinforced SMC (sheet moulding compound) have been implemented in a number of pilot schemes for German and international eMobility providers, have almost achieved a monopoly in Berlin and are a recognised feature in the German post office's introduction of electric street scooters.
While the internal workings are manufactured in line with current standards, the housings have to meet high market requirements regarding visual appearance and resilience. In order to provide the high-grade designs demanded by the customers, the surfaces are partly film-wrapped. Beforehand, a coat of paint is applied to protect the areas without a film wrap against UV rays, precipitation, frost and saline air, where that applies – in other words, Central European weather conditions.
Depending on the site location, additional measures to deter vandalism are an essential feature. "While it often happens in Ireland that louts attack our charging stations very aggressively and often with baseball bats or similar weapons, in Berlin, it is graffiti that is an above average problem", explains Schöneberg. Over the years, EBG compleo has compiled empirical values and applies this research to equipping the charging stations in the most appropriate way. It may not be possible to deter physical aggression but the manufacturer does use a special anti-graffiti paint finish on more than half its products. This is applied to the housing surfaces that are not film wrapped. The customer can choose between two possible effects: either the graffiti sprays do not even stay on the surface or they can easily be removed subsequently with special cleaning agents.
Where it is a matter of colour reliability, high-grade design of charging stations or their protection against the weather and pseudo-artistic attacks, EBG compleo has opted right from the start for paints by WB coatings. "We are highly satisfied that our products have been in use for such a long time with this market leader in a nationally and internationally crucial sector of the economy. We see the constantly shifting market needs as a challenge that we are pleased to take up every time by providing appropriately modified formulas", explains Dirk Mollenhauer, Managing Director of WB coatings.
In concrete terms, every charging station from EBG compleo comes with a two-pack smooth paint finish of PUR A, which can be flexibly adapted to the required surface finish and degree of gloss. After the housing surfaces have been thoroughly ground and treated with filler, the paint is applied manually. "Only in this way can we fulfil the high market standards expected of us in terms of tactile characteristics and appearance", Schöneberg continues. Thanks to fast curing, the application is touch-dry after 15 minutes; if oven-cured at 40 °C, it is completely ready for use after 25 minutes or ready for the application of the final coating using PUR anti-graffiti protective lacquer. After that, they are delivered to conurbations and rural settings, to the coast or the mountains, to meet the growing demand for ubiquitous facilities for recharging electric vehicles.
While the internal workings are manufactured in line with current standards, the housings have to meet high market requirements regarding visual appearance and resilience. In order to provide the high-grade designs demanded by the customers, the surfaces are partly film-wrapped. Beforehand, a coat of paint is applied to protect the areas without a film wrap against UV rays, precipitation, frost and saline air, where that applies – in other words, Central European weather conditions.
Depending on the site location, additional measures to deter vandalism are an essential feature. "While it often happens in Ireland that louts attack our charging stations very aggressively and often with baseball bats or similar weapons, in Berlin, it is graffiti that is an above average problem", explains Schöneberg. Over the years, EBG compleo has compiled empirical values and applies this research to equipping the charging stations in the most appropriate way. It may not be possible to deter physical aggression but the manufacturer does use a special anti-graffiti paint finish on more than half its products. This is applied to the housing surfaces that are not film wrapped. The customer can choose between two possible effects: either the graffiti sprays do not even stay on the surface or they can easily be removed subsequently with special cleaning agents.
Where it is a matter of colour reliability, high-grade design of charging stations or their protection against the weather and pseudo-artistic attacks, EBG compleo has opted right from the start for paints by WB coatings. "We are highly satisfied that our products have been in use for such a long time with this market leader in a nationally and internationally crucial sector of the economy. We see the constantly shifting market needs as a challenge that we are pleased to take up every time by providing appropriately modified formulas", explains Dirk Mollenhauer, Managing Director of WB coatings.
In concrete terms, every charging station from EBG compleo comes with a two-pack smooth paint finish of PUR A, which can be flexibly adapted to the required surface finish and degree of gloss. After the housing surfaces have been thoroughly ground and treated with filler, the paint is applied manually. "Only in this way can we fulfil the high market standards expected of us in terms of tactile characteristics and appearance", Schöneberg continues. Thanks to fast curing, the application is touch-dry after 15 minutes; if oven-cured at 40 °C, it is completely ready for use after 25 minutes or ready for the application of the final coating using PUR anti-graffiti protective lacquer. After that, they are delivered to conurbations and rural settings, to the coast or the mountains, to meet the growing demand for ubiquitous facilities for recharging electric vehicles.