Unlike some guarantees that can be notoriously complex or may be offered in conjunction with a series of lengthy restrictions and exclusions, Confidex® was developed to be refreshingly straight forward – an approach that remains the same today. Confidex® is uniquely a direct contractual relationship between Tata Steel and the building owner, avoiding the challenge of navigating complex supply chains in the unlikely event of a claim. What’s more, Confidex® covers factory cut edges for the entirety of the guarantee period, is fully transferrable should the building ownership change and promises to provide full remedial action in the unlikely event of a coating failure.

Despite its 1992 launch date, the Confidex® Guarantee remains reflective of the modern-day building industry and is continually reviewed with advances in the building envelope market. For example, 2014 saw the guarantee being extended to include the use of clips and fix photovoltaic (PV) modules with Colorcoat HPS200 Ultra®, a feature that was also extended to Colorcoat Prisma® in 2020. 

This was in response to the rise of PVs, as the pressure to decarbonise and to focus on energy from renewable sources increased, particularly the UK with the commitment to fully decarbonise electricity generation by 2035.

Speaking about the anniversary, Lindsay Andrews Marketing Manager for Colorcoat® at Tata Steel said: “It’s fantastic to be celebrating 30 years of the Confidex® Guarantee and the associated peace of mind that we have been able to deliver to building owners across Europe and the wider building envelope market. In the last 30 years, almost 60,000 guarantees have been registered – a truly incredible amount. This anniversary marks a significant moment in the history of Confidex®, not just for our Colorcoat® team here at Tata Steel but also 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!”

While some of the early buildings registered for Confidex® included schools, leisure facilities and commercial buildings, Tata Steel is now seeing a wide variety of project types such as car showrooms, data centres, distribution and logistics facilities, churches and even football stadiums using Colorcoat HPS200 Ultra® or Colorcoat Prisma®.

Tata Steel’s Colorcoat® pre-finished steel products are renowned in the industry for their aesthetics, durability and long-lasting performance – as has been proven with the comprehensive external weathering and accelerated global corrosion testing program, and third-party accreditation, such as the BBA Agreement certificate - in addition to the comprehensive guarantee that comes with the products.