ArcelorMittal Europe – Flat Products is pleased to announce the launch of an improved Optigal® specifically developed for metal roof tiles.
Optigal® is a Zinc-Aluminium-Magnesium metallic protective coating for pre-painted steel. It provides an outstanding corrosion resistance while enabling a more efficient use of zinc resources.
Optigal® layers lead to a much slower corrosion rate on cut edges and scratches. All tests show that Optigal® has a performance that is at least twice better than regular hot dip galvanised.
Optigal® has been supplied from several ArcelorMittal production sites for more than a decade. Combined with Granite® organic coatings for outdoor and Estetic® organic coatings for indoor, it has proven its performance over time, delivering high customer satisfaction.
Optigal® has been supplied from several ArcelorMittal production sites for more than a decade.
To address the needs for a coating suitable for complex and deep roof tiles shapes, we mobilised our technical and R&D forces to develop an even more flexible Optigal®.
The coating now allows the complex forming process needed to give this unique distinctive appearance for metal roofing tiles, which are very popular in the demanding climates of Northern and Central Europe.
Following an intensive programme of internal production campaigns, laboratory testing, and industrial trials conducted with selected pilot customers, ArcelorMittal Europe – Flat Products is pleased to announce that Optigal® is now available from its Świętochłowice plant, across the complete range of roof tile coating systems, including Granite® Ultramat, Granite® Quartz, Granite® HDS Mat Grained, Granite® HDX and Granite® Storm.
The team in Świętochłowice mastered the new process in just 3 months
Building on this success, by the end of 2026 the entire pre-painted steel production at the Świętochłowice plant will be manufactured on an Optigal® substrate.
The microscopic examination of the finished product revealed no cracks in the paint coating.
In just three months, we’ve fully mastered and refined how we achieve the enhanced ductility of the new Optigal®. This unique process can now be implemented on other lines across the ArcelorMittal Group.
Tomasz Dudys
ArcelorMittal Poland Quality & Product Office – Flat Products Product Development
This development has been achieved in close collaboration with our customers: our 20-year expertise in pre-painted steel products for roofing applications in Central & Eastern Europe allowed us to define a robust and fast development process from lab conception through to final validation with customers.
From left to right
Pauline Ethgen
Product Development Engineer – Global R&D ArcelorMittal.
Valérie CARLIER
PhD – Organic Coated Program Leader
CRMGroup, Advanced Coatings & Construction Solutions
The testing protocol for Optigal® included all possible production steps on our standard lines, and a thorough validation in our laboratory – all in close collaboration with ArcelorMittal R&D.
The material has successfully passed all mechanical performance tests, including bending, scratch resistance, impact resistance, and MEK solvent resistance. Last but not least, our microscopic examination of the finished product revealed no cracks in the paint coating.
Iwona Bogucka – Quality Director
Pruszyński Sp. z o.o
ArcelorMittal has tested Optigal® in various natural environments (C3 rural, C5 maritime) before selling it four outside applications. The tests achieved include Salt Spray test ISO 9227, ISO12944-6, ISO 6270 and outdoor exposure EN13523-19. In all this tests, Optigal® has shown an excellent behavior, better in all cases than Zinc and Zinc Aluminium substrates.
Optigal® has been tested by the Institut Français de la Corrosion in Brest.
Optigal® has been approved by European certification bodies. It has been submitted to a battery of tests, which allows it to be used in the different European markets.
