Home ]
|
Home ]
|
|
|
The LaQue Center's Kure Beach, North Carolina test sites, established
in 1935, are considered the world standard for natural marine atmospheric
exposures. In 1988, ASM International designated the Kure Beach
atmospheric test sites as a Historical Landmark for its pioneering efforts
in marine atmospheric testing.
The LaQue Center's atmospheric test sites are available for marine corrosion testing and outdoor weathering of test coupons, component hardware and full-scale operating equipment. The sites comprise several acres which are free of potential sources of industrial air contamination. They are equipped with monitoring and calibration devices to measure relative humidity, dew point, solar energy (global and UVR), wind speed and direction, time of wetness, rain-fall, and chlorides.
The LaQue Center is recognized as a world leader in the field of marine atmospheric corrosion testing and natural seawater testing. Since its founding in 1935 by the International Nickel Company (INCO), the test sites at Kure Beach have been primarily known for the development of marine atmospheric corrosion data for metals and alloys. As such, it was only natural for these test sites to become the standard for the evaluation and qualification of protective paint and coating systems for underlying, substrate materials. Additionally, testing and evaluations of non-metallic materials, prototype and production components, as well as, full-scale operating systems have provided manufacturers the performance information and data required to invoke valuable product enhancements.
Under new ownership since 1998, the LaQue Center management team is committed to building upon the institutions strong heritage by providing secure, stable and cost-effective corrosion and weathering test sites to industry and government. Our facilities, techniques and expertise--built over the past 65 years--are devoted to obtaining data that provide useful, realistic guidance in the fight against corrosion and weathering.
Also in 1998, the LaQue Center was presented the "Distinguished Company Award" by NACE International in recognition of outstanding and sustained contributions to the field of corrosion science and engineering.
The staff of the LaQue Center continue a long-standing tradition of sharing technology with the technical community. Extensive publications in all phases of testing, research and engineering provide a vehicle for the dissemination of the data generated. Active participation in technical societies such as American Society of Metals (ASM) International, American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM), and the National Association of Corrosion Engineers (NACE) also promotes active liaison between the LaQue Center's staff and their technical colleagues in industry, government and academia. However, for many test projects client confidentiality is critical; the LaQue Center has in the past and will continue into the future maintaining strict policies of client confidentiality for these projects.
We are here to help you, and we invite your participation.