ZAM is steel coated with a ternary alloy of zinc, aluminium and magnesium. That third element is what sets it apart: magnesium stabilises the corrosion products that form on the surface, producing a dense, tightly bonded film instead of the loose white rust you get on plain galvanised steel.
The result is a mounting structure that holds up far longer in the conditions that destroy ordinary galvanised steel — coastal salt, high humidity, industrial atmospheres and agricultural sheds.
Against standard hot dip galvanised steel, ZAM coated sections typically deliver two to six times the corrosion resistance for the same coating mass, and manufacturers quote service lives extending to 30 years in the right specification.
For a solar plant expected to run for 25 years or more, that difference decides whether the structure outlives the modules bolted to it — or has to be repaired halfway through.
Relative figures are indicative. Actual performance depends on coating mass, site environment and installation detail — ask us for the specification that applies to your location.
Every structure gets cut, drilled and trimmed on site, and each of those operations exposes bare steel. On hot dip galvanised sections those edges are a weak point that has to be touched up by hand — and often isn’t.
ZAM behaves differently. The alloy adjacent to the exposed edge dissolves into the moisture film on the bare metal, migrates across the cut and forms a dense protective layer over it. The damage effectively closes itself over.
| Coating type | Zn–Al–Mg ternary alloy (zinc, aluminium, magnesium) |
|---|---|
| Typical steel grades | S550GD+ZMA (550 MPa yield) · S750HLD+ZMA (750 MPa yield) |
| Corrosion resistance | Approximately 2–6× that of hot dip galvanised steel at equivalent coating mass |
| Indicative service life | Up to 30 years, depending on coating mass and site environment |
| Cut-edge protection | Self-healing — no manual touch-up required at cuts and drilled holes |
| Best suited to | Coastal, high-humidity, industrial and agricultural sites; ground-mount and rooftop |
| Indian supply | JSW Magsure — India’s first indigenous Zn–Mg–Al coated steel |
| Configurations | Same standard and custom layouts as our galvanised range, tilt 5°–25° |
Salt-laden air attacks galvanised steel quickly. ZAM holds its coating far longer within a few kilometres of the coast.
Sulphur and chemical fallout around plants and refineries strip zinc coatings. The magnesium-stabilised film resists it.
Ammonia and persistent humidity make farm roofs one of the harshest environments a structure can sit in.
ZAM sections are roll-formed and fabricated to the same standard and custom configurations as our galvanised range — single, double and three-row rooftop structures, plus ground-mount layouts designed around a site survey.
Tell us your location, roof type and wind zone and we will come back with the coating specification, structure design and foundation detail suited to it.
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Zn–Al–Mg coated steel with self-healing cut edges, for coastal and aggressive environments.