A leading galvanizing company has provided its specialist treatment to a large sculpture as part of the 50th anniversary of Britain in Bloom.

The eye-catching Sunflower sculpture, which stands at 4.7 metres high, was designed and fabricated by the team at Ironart of Bath, who opted for galvanizing in partnership with Newport Galvanizers, part of Wedge Group Galvanizing, to ensure it was protected against weathering and rust during its time on the Bathwick Hill roundabout in Bath city centre.

Andy Thearle, Managing Director at Ironart of Bath, said: "We were really eager to have the sculpture situated on a busy roundabout in Bath during the 50th anniversary of Britain in Bloom. The Sunflower stems from a 450mm base and is attached to 1,800kg of underground ballast to ensure the weight is distributed evenly. Every single detail of the sculpture was created by the team at our factory in Larkhall, with the exception of the supporting legs which were outsourced due to size.


"We were eager to give our sculpture the best start in life and long-term protection of the Ironwork. We wanted peace of mind that even if the paintwork on the Sun Flower is neglected, the steelwork wouldn’t corrode."

All of the ironwork for the sculpture was galvanized, with the principal supports painted green, the flower in metallic, the petals green gold, and a sovereign gold for the flames which complement the overall ‘fire and flame’ effect of the piece.

Mike Small, Sales Manager at Newport Galvanizers, added: "We galvanize an array of sculptures for sites across the country but this one is particularly striking. The galvanized surface was painted over using a great combination of bronze, light gold and copper paint, which worked really well with its surroundings. I understand that it’s now available to buy from Ironart."

Wedge Group Galvanizing is the largest hot-dip galvanizing organisation in the UK with a history dating back over 150 years. With 14 plants strategically placed across the country, the firm offers a truly national galvanizing service.

For more information on Wedge Group Galvanizing, visit http://www.wedge-galv.co.uk/

To find out more information on Ironart, visit http://ironart.co.uk/