Cortec® Corporation is now certified to use CE marking on six Migrating Corrosion Inhibitor (MCI®) products for the protection and repair of concrete structures: MCI® CorrVerter®, MCI®-2018, MCI®-2019, MCI®-2021, MCI® Architectural Coating, and MCI® Wall Defense.
The marking certifies that Cortec® meets the 2+ certification system requirements for assessing and verifying the constancy of these products under the EN 1504 standard and allows the products to be sold freely across the European Union.
To qualify for CE certification, Cortec® sent the six MCI® products for extensive testing at an independent lab in Spain. The lab cast custom concrete slabs used to test the properties of the products and understand how they react under a wide variety of circumstances. Representatives of the independent lab also traveled to Cortec® headquarters in the USA to verify onsite compliance with CE production methods and documentation systems.
Cortec's ISO 9001 Quality Management System meant Cortec® was already well-prepared to transition to CE standards. Now, in addition to ISO 9001, Cortec® is implementing European QA testing specs for its six CE certified MCI® products and has purchased state-of-the-art equipment for that purpose. Through careful testing and documentation, Cortec® will work to deliver a consistent and reliable product to the customer.
Cortec's six CE certified MCI® products fall under the EN 1504 categories for either "Reinforcement Corrosion Protection" or "Surface Protection Systems for Concrete." Under the first category, MCI®-CorrVerter® is a water-based primer that can be applied to exposed rusty steel reinforcement to passivate the rust and protect the rebar from further rusting. The other five products are protection systems for application to concrete surfaces.
MCI®-2018 and MCI®-2019 are both water-repellants containing time-proven MCI® with varying levels of silane (100% and 40%, respectively). They have been tested according to U.S. Bureau of Reclamation M-82 Protocol and were found to significantly reduce corrosion and cracking at a high level of chloride exposure. Another water-repellant surface treatment is MCI®-2021, a concrete sealer that combines a blend of reactive silicates, surface-active agents, and Migratory Corrosion Inhibitors to seal and protect concrete without affecting the concrete's breathability.
MCI® Architectural Coating can be applied to all reinforced, precast, pre-stressed, post-tensioned, or marine concrete structures to protect against carbonation, water penetration, and corrosion. It comes as a clear coat or can be tinted to color match a project.
MCI® Wall Defense is a clear, silicone elastomer-based anti-graffiti coating that can be applied to exterior concrete, masonry, and metal surfaces. If the coating is tagged with graffiti, it can simply be rinsed off with cold water without requiring full coating reapplication.
Cortec® has gone to great lengths to make the CE certification of these MCI® products a reality. With CE certification now in place, the products are now ready to be sold and used across Europe to extend the service life of reinforced concrete structures, or protect them from defacement.