In this article:
- The level of Argentine agricultural machinery
- The trend we observed: incorporation of zinc flake in agricultural machinery
- Coating solutions for agricultural machinery
Agroactiva is the most important event in Argentina's agricultural industry. The place where machinery manufacturers, strategic suppliers, and the trends shaping the sector all come together.
This year, a Chousa team was present. And what we saw confirmed something we have been observing in the market: the Argentine agricultural industry is undergoing a professionalization process that also extends to anticorrosion coatings for agricultural machinery.This year, a Chousa team was present. And what we saw confirmed something we have been observing in the market: the Argentine agricultural industry is undergoing a professionalization process that also extends to anticorrosion coatings for agricultural machinery.
Argentine Agricultural Machinery: A World Reference
Walking through Agroactiva is understanding why Argentina is one of the global references in agricultural machinery manufacturing. State-of-the-art seeders, fertilizer spreaders, sprayers, and harvesters — designed and manufactured in the country, with presence in markets across Europe, Latin America, and Africa.
It is no coincidence. It is decades of technical development, accumulated expertise, and a supply chain that matches that level of demand.
Representatives from Brazil, China, and Europe were present at the event — not as sellers, but as observers. They came to see up close what is being developed here.
Zinc Flake in Agricultural Machinery: The Trend We Observed at Agroactiva
The most significant trend we observed was clear.
Industry leaders — manufacturers of seeders, fertilizer spreaders, and sprayers — are beginning to incorporate zinc flake for specific high-strength parts, complementing the electrolytic zinc plating they already use.
It is not a full migration. It is a gradual shift that reflects a higher technical demand in the specification of anticorrosion coatings for agricultural machinery.
"Zinc flake does not replace electrolytic zinc plating. It complements it on high-strength parts."
What is driving this change?
Today's agricultural machinery operates under increasingly demanding conditions — humidity, fertilizers, agrochemicals, constant vibration, and export to markets with more aggressive environments than the local one. In this context, standard electrolytic zinc plating begins to show its limitations on high-strength parts such as grade 10.9 and 12.9 bolts:
- Risk of hydrogen embrittlement
- Lower resistance in environments with high agrochemical exposure
- Thickness variability on complex geometries.
Laurentcoat® zinc flake — with up to 1,000 hours of corrosion resistance in salt spray tests and a non-electrolytic process — offers a concrete response to these limitations without replacing electrolytic zinc plating, but complementing it where it matters most: on high-strength parts that cannot fail in the field.
| TREARMENT | RESISTANCE (hrs NSS) | HYDROGEN EMBRITTLEMENT |
| Electrolytic zinc plating | 96 hrs | Risk |
| Zinc flake Laurentcoat® | Up to 1,000 hrs | No risk |
| Zinc-Nickel | 500-720 hrs | Reduced risk |
Anticorrosion Coatings for Agricultural Machinery:
Chousa has over 70 years of experience developing surface treatment solutions for Argentine industry, and agriculture is one of its longest-standing sectors.
Our anticorrosion coating proposal for agricultural machinery includes:
Laurentcoat® — non-electrolytic zinc flake with up to 1,000 hours of corrosion resistance. No hydrogen embrittlement, with controlled thickness between 5 and 12 microns that does not alter tolerances or threads on high-strength parts. Certified under ASTM F1136 and ISO 10683.
Precote® and Nylok® — anti-loosening systems for fasteners exposed to continuous vibration. Applied directly to the fastener during manufacturing, they maintain clamping torque under field conditions.
Electrolytic zinc plating and Zinc-Nickel — electrolytic treatments for standard parts and medium-resistance components in agricultural machinery.
Agroactiva confirmed that agriculture is professionalizing. And zinc flake is part of that professionalization.
Do you manufacture agricultural machinery and want to evaluate the right anticorrosion treatment for your parts?
You can contact us at info@chousa.com.ar and connect with our technical team.