Cortec Corporation donated funds for the reconstruction of Vukovar water tower that was almost destroyed in the 90’s during the Croatian War of Independence. The water tower is the most famous symbol of the city’s suffering during the Battle of Vukovar, but also a symbol of victory and new life. It was one of the most frequent targets of artillery but never collapsed. For preservation of the tower, Cortec donated its world renowned MCI technology that revolutionized the way of extending service life of concrete structures. The technology aims to prevent corrosion of reinforced concrete structures of the water tower as part of the memorial monument project.
640 shell holes will remain untouched as a symbol of a destruction of the city and its resistance.
Corroded surfaces of the water tower have been unprotected and rusting for 23 years since the war ended. After having removed mechanically loose rust and scale, Cortec’s CorrVerter MCI was applied by brush directly to metal surfaces. This environmentally-friendly, fast-drying, water-based primer converts rust into a hydrophobic passive layer. The coating offers a convenient, low-labor option when performing repairs on heavily corroded rebar and other metal surfaces. It penetrates and eliminates rust and protects bare metal against further rusting. CorrVerter works by combining a unique formulation of chelating agents with a high solids waterborne latex that has extremely low water vapor permeability. The coating is recommended for application to rusty or poorly prepared steel surfaces where further corrosion protection is required and where good surface preparation is difficult to achieve.
CorrVerter converts rust quickly and can be applied under varying weather conditions.
Advantages:
- Offers engineers, owners, contractors, DOT’s, and other government agencies a convenient, low-labor option when performing repairs on heavily corroded rebar and other metal surfaces.
- Coated rebar has equal or better bond strength to concrete
- Can be top-coated with water or solvent-based topcoats (tannic and phosphoric acid converters can only be top-coated with solvent-based topcoats)
- Better protection against re-rusting than tannic or phosphoric acid-based converters
- Works in HCl, H2S, SO2, and CO2 vapor environments
- Water based and non-flammable, non-combustible
After rust and scale have been mechanically removed, CorrVerter MCI was applied to heavily corroded metal surfaces of the water tower. They have been unprotected and rusting for over 20 years since the war ended.
Patented MCI technology protects reinforcing metal in concrete from corrosion. It rehabilitates existing concrete structures and extends the life span of new structures.
The water tower will not be restored to its original function, but instead will become a memorial to the suffering and pain lived through by the City of Vukovar.
Croatian-American entrepreneur - Boris Miksic, CEO of Cortec Corporation participated in numerous projects during his long term career but notes that restoration of Vukovar’s tower has a special significance: “This is a very emotional moment as Vukovar is in the heart of every Croatian citizen. We are proud to donate this technology which will preserve Vukovar’s monument for all generations to come. This symbol of one of the most destructive wars in modern history is warning that it must never happen again.”