Your partner, from A to Zinc
Born in Milan, northern Italy, we have been designing, building, installing and renovating hot dip galvanizing plants since 1976 and, having a past as galvanizers, we are well aware of the needs, specific features and criticality of galvanizing and, more generally, of the metallurgic processes.
We have been the first company worldwide able to propose an all-round offer, from handling and logistics to pretreatment, chemicals and heating systems and from software to services, satisfying thousands of requirements.
That's why we are a galvanizer's single partner and reference for any galvanizing solution.
Our founder Ermes Moroni always inspired and fueled the instinct for innovation and the in-depth analysis of what we do and our sometimes-pioneer choices have also helped to improve the way of “being a galvanizer” in Italy and in the world.
We cooperate with you at every step of the way, covering all operational necessities: from consultancy to engineering, from manufacturing to installation, start up, technical assistance and technological training for those who will operate the line.
As well as turnkey solutions, strictly tailor made and state-of-the-art, we offer an additional wide range of services aiming to ensure the equipment its best performance in terms of productivity and economical management.
Mission statement
"Stick our blue logo on any hot dip galvanizing plant, strengthening our placement and reliability worldwide."
"Deliver the best integrated, innovative, and sustainable solutions for the hot dip galvanizing market, continuously improving our processes for the customers satisfaction."
Commitment to customers
Work ethics
Sustainability and inclusion
Dare innovation
Reliability
Improvement obsession
Risk-based thinking
Team spirit
Milestones
1976, Constitution
Ermes Moroni establishes the company in Bresso, a small town in the surrounding of Milan, by putting to good use the experience already gained in hot-dip galvanizing.
1979, First sold project
From a flat in Bresso, near Milan, with the support of his wife Vilma, Ermes sells the first full plant, increasingly more complete and with solutions that revolutionized the traditional hot-dip galvanizing process.
1980, Opening of the international market
An order is placed by a company abroad, the first one of a long series for the international market. In the meantime, GIMECO grows up both in terms of staff and structure.
1985, Business in India
The positive growth trend is confirmed and we expand our business also in India.
1989, First quick kettle extraction system
We design the first quick kettle extraction system kettle-out™, a solution that confirms the innovative drive of GIMECO
1992, A pivotal year
We move our headquarters from Bresso to Trezzano Rosa, also in the hinterland of Milan, in a owned building. Knowledge and skills grow hand-in-hand with turnovers and the desire to keep on experimenting: we present the first automatic rack handling system.
1996, First automated hot-dip galvanizing line for pipes
Another technological record by GIMECO. We design and implement our first automated hot-dip galvanizing line for pipes.
1997, Managerial set-up
A new generation joins the company: Ermes’ daughter, Eleonora, learns the trade and supports the internal organisation, which increasingly turns towards a structure that becomes more solid and with a managerial set-up.
2001, Even more innovation
We attain to two important technological achievements with the construction of a suspended spin galvanising plant and the design of the first automated overhead transportation system.
2004, Chemicals
To provide an increasingly complete service and to have actual control over quality and safety, we implement the supply service of process chemicals.
2005, A further expansion
GIMECO expands further. We acquire the building next to ours and rearrange departments to improve efficiency and operability.
2008, Becoming a group
The idea of becoming a group makes headway at GIMECO. Indeed, we start the year with the takeover of CO.T.IMP.I., a company designing automated hot-dip galvanizing plants for pipes. In the meantime, the acid regeneration system is tested and starts working.
2009, Innovation in furnace technology
Our ability to innovate continues and it is confirmed by two new advanced solutions: we designed the first high velocity dual-chamber™ furnace and powers on the first high efficiency full electric furnace.
2013, Zinc holding vessels
GIMECO consolidates its service structure for galvanizers with the supply of liquid zinc transportable holding vessels.
2014, The Group expands
We strengthen our group with the key takeovers of ZINCO Service, a specialised company in Brescia, Italy, that patented an advanced and precise kettle diagnostic method (KID™, presented at INTERGALVA 2006), its Canadian sister company Zinco Technologies and Recyclean Systems, a Swedish company developing chemical solutions and equipment for industrial processing.
2015, New software solutions
To complete the package for the efficient management of hot-dip galvanizing plants, we launch two in-house designed proprietary software suites: HerMES™, providing the full plant control and traceability of products and Zephyr™, an energy consumption management software.
2016, Introduction of robotics
We design the first automated and robot-assisted hot-dip galvanizing plant. A remarkable effort that further enhances our technological and problem-solving skills. The headquarter in Trezzano Rosa expands with a new, modern and functional building exclusively dedicated to offices.
2017, First infrared dryer
GIMECO strikes again and introduces the first infrared dryer: innovation is always driving the company.
2019, GIMECO USA
This is the time for the inception of GIMECO USA, opened in Spartanburg, South Carolina, to drive the activities around sales, services and support closer to the American customers.
2021, 45 'candles'
GIMECO comes to an important anniversary, blowing 45 candles out. In the same year, the natural attitude to quality is put to good and GIMECO receives the ISO 9001:2015 standardized quality management system certification.
2022, First manipulating device dedicate to galvanizers
During INTERGALVA 2022 in Rome, MOVER™, a smart manipulating device dedicated to galvanizers is presented as well as the Intelligent Remote Assistance suite, a remote assistance and ticketing system to enhance our support to customers. Vertical high-density plants Once more into the breach, GIMECO confirms its attitude to cutting-edge solutions by designing and commissioning so-called vertical hot-dip galvanizing plants. Fundamental principle of the design is the drastic enhancement of the density of steel profiles dipped per time with a boost to the production time-cycle. Quality
2024, Vertical high-density plants
Once more into the breach, GIMECO confirms its attitude to cutting-edge solutions by designing and commissioning so-called vertical hot-dip galvanizing plants. Fundamental principle of the design is the drastic enhancement of the density of steel profiles dipped per time with a boost to the production time-cycle.
Quality as an attitude
We decided to put our natural attitude to quality to good, always aiming at enhancing our customers’ satisfaction.
We were eventually certified as a UNI EN ISO 9001:2015 (“quality management system”) company by the Bureau Veritas (certification no. IT312824)
Global presence
During decades, along with the Company headquarters in Italy, a Group has developed worldwide with local branches, sister companies and remote teams which ensure a widespread presence in different continents.
Associations
- ASSOCIAZIONE ITALIANA ZINCATURA (AIZ)
- ASOCIACIÓN TÉCNICA ESPAÑOLA DE GALVANIZACIÓN (ATEG)
- GALVAZINC
- INDUSTRIEVERBAND FEUERVERZINKEN
- ZINKINFO BENELUX
- GALVANIZERS ASSOCIATION (GA)
- ASSOCIATION OF CZECH AND SLOVAK GALVANIZERS (ACSG)
- EUROPEAN GENERAL GALVANIZERS ASSOCIATION (EGGA)
- AMERICAN GALVANIZERS ASSOCIATION (AGA)
- JAPAN GALVANIZERS ASSOCIATION (JGA)
- HOT-DIP GALVANIZERS ASSOCIATION OF SOUTH AFRICA (HDGASA)
- INDIA LEAD ZINC DEVELOPMENT ASSOCIATION (ILZDA)
- ZINC DEVELOPMENT CENTER (ZDC)
Why hot-dip galvanizing?
Hot-dip galvanizing is the fundamental process for protecting the surfaces of metallic artifacts, especially those in steel. It originated from the intuition of the French chemist Melouin in 1740 and subsequent experiments during the 19th century, including the first patent by Sorel in 1837.
Hot-dip galvanizing involves fully immersion of a properly prepared metallic material, in a bath of molten zinc, resulting in a modification of the surface composition through the formation of an alloy between the iron in the artifact and the zinc. In this case, since zinc has a higher electronegativity than iron, it acts as a sacrificial anode in the event of electrolytic corrosion, forming a compound of oxides and carbonates that provide a safe and durable protection for the steel.
Therefore, being a genuine metallurgical process, hot-dip galvanizing stands out and prevails over any other surface treatment such as coatings or painting when it comes to ensuring the protection of the artifacts.
- Building and architecture
Beams, columns, railings, roofing sheets and grates, bridges, rebars - Energy and telecommunications industry
Wind towers, support structures for solar panels, lattice towers, communication towers, antennas - Railway industry
Rails, structures for railway signaling - Automotive industry
- Shipbuilding
- Agricultural industry
Agricultural equipment, greenhouses, fences - Electrical and electronic industry
- Petrochemical industry
Tanks, pipelines, plant structures - Urban and road furnishings
Street lighting poles, balustrades, fences, guardrails, signaling structures - Mounting hardware
Bolts, washers, screws - Piping and tubes
- Metallurgic in general