Product durability is an integral element of the efficiency of any building envelope. Utilising durable and reliable products for your building envelope means reduced maintenance costs in the long run, as well as minimal disruption to the building occupants and operations. Many aspects of durability need to be considered when choosing the materials for your building envelope, with the durability of pre-finished steel depending on its ability to withstand different environmental conditions such as sunlight, water, and oxygen. Buildings in coastal areas, for example, are subject to even more demanding conditions, as they also have to contend with abrasive elements such as wind-blown sand and airborne salt. The more durable the pre-finished steel, the more it can withstand these elements and preserve the performance and appearance of the building envelope, while the increased product durability could reduce the need for future maintenance and upkeep.

This is why it’s important to look for a guarantee that covers these elements as an indication of the products’ durability and performance, as well as the manufacturer’s confidence in the product. A great example of this is the fact that Confidex® even covers buildings in a coastal location (defined as buildings within 1km of any coast).

Some guarantees can be complex or offered in conjunction with a series of lengthy restrictions and exclusions. Confidex® was developed to be as straight forward as possible – something we’re proud to say remains the same today. A uniquely direct relationship between Tata Steel and building owners, Confidex® avoids the challenges of navigating complex supply chains in the unlikely event of a claim. Other benefits offered with Confidex® are factory cut edges being included for the entirety of the guarantee period, it is fully transferrable should the building ownership change, and we provide full remedial action in the unlikely event of a coating failure. 

Additionally, Confidex® comes without the requirement of inspections or maintenance logs in order to maintain the validity of the guarantee - testament to the confidence we have in the products to perform as expected.

Despite being launched in 1992, the Confidex® Guarantee remains reflective of the modern-day building industry and is continually reviewed with advances in the building envelope market. Here’s what we have done to improve the guarantee since its inception: 

• In 2007, we launched Confidex Sustain® in the UK and Ireland: the world’s first Carbon Neutral building envelope guarantee, covering the cradle-to-cradle impacts of pre-finished steel cladding systems - still regularly specified today
• In 2008, with the launch of Colorcoat HPS200 Ultra®, we extended the guarantee period from up to 30 years to up to 40 years 
• In 2014, we extended the guarantee to include the use of clips and fix photovoltaic (PV) modules on roofs with Colorcoat HPS200 Ultra®
• In 2017, we extended the guarantee again, this time for Colorcoat Prisma® from up to 30 years to up to 40 years, with the launch of 3-layer Colorcoat Prisma®
• In 2020, we further extended the inclusion of clips and fix photovoltaic (PV) modules to include Colorcoat Prisma®, as well as walls, all to reflect the changing market requirements 

There are countless examples of the guarantee in action, and even some where the guarantee has expired yet the building is still achieving its functional performance. This shows why we’re so confident in our product, with almost 60,000 guarantees registered across Europe in the last 30 years– a truly incredible amount! 

Additionally, while some of the early buildings registered for Confidex® included schools, leisure facilities and commercial buildings, we are now seeing a wider variety of projects registering - such as car showrooms, data centres, distribution and logistics facilities, churches and even football stadiums - showing the versatility of our Colorcoat® branded products.

This anniversary marks a significant moment in the history of Confidex®, not just for our Colorcoat® team here at Tata Steel but also for our customers and clients. With the sustainable benefits of steel being one of the most recycled materials in the world, it will be interesting to see what the next 30 years hold, with our ongoing commitment to deliver products and services to enable sustainable construction!