Frequently Asked Questions
World class quality and excellence are components of the corporate ethos that made Philsteel a trusted name for decades.
Philsteel Holdings Corporation is behind pioneering steel manufacturing companies — Steel Corporation of the Philippines, Philmetal Products, Inc., and Premier Shelter Products, Inc.— that deliver supremely global and proudly local brands including GALVALUME® 55, COLORBOND and GALVABOND.
Since 1979, the Philsteel Group has been in the frontline of the country’s struggle towards the development and modernization of the iron and steel industry. It is the only Filipino steel company that has been recognized by international award-giving bodies for product excellence, including:
1988 – International Asia Award for Quality (Hong Kong)
1989 – International Asia Award for Quality (London)
2014 – Gold Award for Product Excellence, Quality Summit Award (New York)
On its milestone year, the Philsteel Group continues its pioneering efforts to raise the quality of roofing and building materials in the Philippines to be at par with the world’s best.
In 2018, the Philsteel Group of Companies employs over 650 employees in its main offices in Makati, manufacturing plants and regional offices all over the Philippines.
The Philsteel Group of companies is behind supremely global and proudly local brands including GALVALUME® 55, COLORBOND and GALVABOND.
In 1981, Philsteel notched a milestone in the Philippine construction industry with the introduction of GALVABOND, which offers world-class lock-forming quality, excellent coating adhesion, superior corrosion resistance, weldability and formability.
In 1999, Philsteel pioneered the introduction of roofing technologies in the Philippines using patented, cutting edge technologies, becoming a trailblazer when it introduced GALVALUME® 55, the first locally produced 55% AL/ZN coated steel sheet that provides superior roofing protection for Filipinos.
Under the helm of Philsteel Holdings Corporation, Steel Corporation of the Philippines manufactures GALVALUME® 55and GALVABOND PURE ZINC in its continuous galvanizing plant located in Balayan, Batangas.
COLORBOND was among the first pre-painted metal roofing products in the Philippines. With the breakthrough success of GALVALUME® 55, Philsteel began using 100% genuine GALVALUME® 55as substrate for all Colorbond pre-painted roof profiles in 1999.
These core products were utilized to expand into a variety of roofing profiles that the Philsteel Group of companies currently offers. COLORBOND with various roof profiles are manufactured in rollforming plants located in Bulacan; Carmona, Cavite and regional plants located nationwide.
Through its subsidiaries Philmetal and Premier Shelter, the following services are offered:
1. Structural Design Services – provides appropriate design needs of the customer in the structural analysis of metal decking design, metal roof rainfall capacity rates, and metal roof wind-up lift calculation. The Structural and Technical Design group provides professionally drawn shop drawings and detailing works.
2. Project Cost Estimate Services- Provides free and reliable project cost estimates. Staffed with professionally-trained engineers and architects who are highly specialized in roof coverings, fascia, cladding, and metal decking, the team conducts quantity take-offs from plans and actual measurements using the latest estimating software.
3. Bending Services – Offers bending services to any desired shape or specification. Equipped with bending facilities that can service any base metal material from a thickness range of 0.30 mm to 1.6 mm of 2.44m, 3.66m, and up to 6.0m length of different shapes both for light and heavy gauges.
4. Installation Services – provides expert professional services in the specialized field of metal roof, fascia, cladding, ceiling panels and metal decking installation. Installation teams are headed by a highly-trained licensed engineer or architect, depending on the installation requirements. Conducts actual measurement on-site and provides a one-year warranty on completed jobs from the date of substantial completion.
5. Slitting Services – Equipped with an automatic uncoiler and recoiler, the slitting line can slit coils with thickness ranging from 0.30mm to 2.00mm into minimum widths of up to 50mm.
6. Shearing Services – The shearing line can cut flat steel and coated steel materials with thickness ranging from 0.30mm to 2.00 mm.
The subsidiaries of the Philsteel Group of companies provide products and services to the following key markets:
1. Industrial Market
The Industrial Market is composed of industries engaged in transportation, appliance manufacturing, heating, ventilation and airconditioning (HVAC), appliance manufacturing and other industries that require galvanized steel with Lock Forming Quality, superior corrosion resistance and table-top flatness in their line of business.
2. Building Products
The Building Products Market deals directly with architects, developers, contractors and end-users in all roofing, floor decking, cladding and bended accessories requirements.
3. Dealers Market
The Dealers Market caters to hardware stores nationwide with customers that may range from architects, developers, contractors, metal fabricators or “lateros” and end-users.
Metal roofing is sustainable and better for the environment because steel is fully recyclable. It is also easier to clean and has a longer lifespan than other materials that offer the same aesthetics. As a roofing material, metal can also carry more color options than other types of roofing materials. Because it is factory-painted, it serves a longer life than manually-painted materials.
Galvalume is a 55% aluminum, 43.5 aluminum, 1.5% silicon coated sheet steel developed by Bethlehem Steel and sold commercially under the trademark GALVALUME, starting in June 1972. Bethlehem Steel later licensed other major steel companies to produce and sell the product using its patents and technology.
In the Philippines, Philsteel Holdings Corporation, through its subsidiary Steel Corporation of the Philippines, holds the trademarked copyright for the brand name GALVALUME® 55.
Philsteel became a trailblazer when it introduced GALVALUME® 55, the first 55% aluminum and zinc alloy coated steel sheet that provides superior roofing protection for Filipinos. GALVALUME® 55 roofing sheet conforms to the requirements of the Philippine National Standard for Roofing (PNS 67: 2014) for 55% AL/ZN alloy-coated steel sheet, offering peace of mind against the onslaught of extreme heat and heavy rainfall. Steel Corporation of the Philippines prints the actual Total Coated Thickness on the sheet allowing the consumer to know exactly the thickness of the roofing sheet they are buying. Unlike GI sheets with only zinc coating, GALVALUME® 55 coating is composed of 55% Aluminum, 43.5% Zinc and 1.5% Silicon. This composition provides superior roofing protection including:
Superior rust protection – Galvalume® 55 roofing sheet provides 3 to 6x longer protection against rust compared to ordinary GI giving the customer a longer service life for his roof.
High heat reflectivity – Galvalume® 55 roofing sheet has superior reflectance of the sun’s heat, allowing a cooler environment inside the house, greatly reducing the cost of electricity.
Retains original silvery finish for a longer period – GALVALUME® 55roofing sheet retains its shine and silvery finish making your roof look new for a longer period of time.
Ideal for modern day steel roof designs which are strong, yet lightweight, GALVALUME sheet roofs won’t crack and peel when subjected to the sun and weather unlike conventional nonmetallic roof systems.
GALVALUME sheet is an ideal material for roofing because of its extraordinary outdoor corrosion resistance that results in longer product usage. The product can readily be rollformed into a variety of profiles, as well as formed and stamped into tile and shingle facsimiles. It is also factor- painted to impart color and extend durability.
In the Philippines, Philsteel Holdings Corporation, through its subsidiary Steel Corporation of the Philippines, holds the trademarked copyright for the brand name GALVALUME® 55.
GALVALUME sheet has been successfully used in roofing applications for more than 40 years; it has been evaluated in outdoor R&D tests for well over 50 years worldwide. Based on these tests, in which corrosion weight losses were measured and compared with galvanized sheets, GALVALUME sheet is projected to outlast galvanized sheet (with an equivalent coating thickness) in various atmospheres by up to nine times. Likewise, recent inspections of 8-degree low slope GALVALUME roofs up to 35 years old in the eastern U.S. confirm the R&D results. These roofs are in excellent condition and are projected to last 50 to 60 years before requiring major maintenance.
In the Philippines, Philsteel Holdings Corporation, through its subsidiary Steel Corporation of the Philippines, holds the trademarked copyright for the brand name GALVALUME® 55.
GALVALUME offers good heat and sunlight reflectivity because of its bright, white reflective surface as a result of the presence of 55% aluminum in its coating. During summer months, it makes buildings cooler by efficiently reflecting away sunlight and reducing the amount of heat transmitted into the building. R&D testing in temperate countries also shows that the use of GALVALUME makes buildings warmer in the winter by reflecting inside heat from the underside of the roof back into the building.
Tests have also shown that only half as much heat from solar radiation is transmitted into a building fitted with a GALVALUME roof compared to a galvanized roof, and almost one-third less heat compared to a terra-cotta roof. This level of thermal reflectivity means that a GALVALUME roof can reduce cooling costs during hot weather and heating costs during cold weather, giving energy savings to the end-user.
In the Philippines, Philsteel Holdings Corporation, through its subsidiary Steel Corporation of the Philippines, holds the trademarked copyright for the brand name GALVALUME® 55.
By far, fiberglass roll insulation is the most commonly used insulation for GALVALUME steel roofs on nonresidential buildings. It can be used in any of the available thicknesses to give the required insulation value. One of the main benefits of retrofitted GALVALUME roofs installed over leaking nonmetallic flat roofs is the ability to add insulation under the new GALVALUME roof and realize significant energy savings from reduced heating and cooling requirements. In such instances, fiberglass roll insulation can either be placed on top of the old nonmetallic roof or under the new retrofit roof.
Wet insulation, which may be rain soaked at the site or wet from condensation or a leak in the roof, should not be in contact with GALVALUME roof panels. Insulation should be dry when installed and kept dry after installation. Fiberglass insulation retains water and can cause rapid inside-out corrosion on GALVALUME sheet panels. Also, spray-on insulation is sometimes used inside buildings under roofs and on siding. This insulation may contain fire retardant chemicals that can be corrosive to GALVALUME sheet. Manufacturers should be consulted about such fire retardant additives if spray-on insulation is used.
Available in a wide range of Total Coated Thickness designed to suit any weather condition and the recommended thickness to withstand heavy rains and high winds with proper installation:
Dealers Market:
GALVALUME® 55 Alzinc 0.18 – Signal 1 at 30-60 KPH
GALVALUME® 55 Premium 0.22mm – Signal 2 at 61-120 KPH
GALVALUME® 55 Supreme 0.26mm – Signal 3 at 121-170 KPH
GALVALUME® 55 XQ 0.30mm – Signal 4 at 171 – 220 KPH
GALVALUME® 55 Classic 0.33mm or Zincalume at 0.38mm – can withstand supertyphoons at 221 KPH and above
Building Products
GALVALUME® 55 0.30 – 0.80 TCT in various profiles
GALVABOND Pure Zinc by Philsteel is produced in a line designed by the world’s best galvanizing engineering companies. This line produces high quality galvanized steel products. This versatile product is recommended for a wide range of applications for Building Products, the Industrial Market and the Dealers Market. GALVABOND Pure Zinc offers these superior benefits:
Table-top flatness of the finished product with the use of precision tension levelers
World-class Lock Forming Quality that enables the product to resist cracking and peeling of metal coating.
The metal coating is certified to have NO LEAD. Lead is a known carcinogenic agent.
Processed under strict quality control to assure lifetime performance, durability and flexibility.
Philsteel’s COLORBOND is a superior pre-painted GALVALUME® 55 steel strip. It is produced through a continuous color-coating process under strict quality control to ensure a complete metal to paint bond.
COLORBOND pre-painted roof profiles are factory-painted roofing materials that are made using 100% genuine GALVALUME® 55 as a substrate. Roof durability is reinforced with the dual layers of paint (finished and primer) top and bottom coats that provide additional corrosion protection and longer lasting color and shine.
Conventional cladding used wood and cement boards to provide fascia ceiling and sidings needs. Metal cladding is a better option that offers pest-free, rust-free and fire-resistant fascia, ceiling and siding. Metal cladding provides beauty and durability that lasts years of usage. Metal is also the most sensible and economical alternative to wood, concrete, gypsum and mineral fiber boards.
The companies under Philsteel Holdings — Philmetal and Premier Shelter – offer this global class metal cladding under the trademarks of Versa Clad, EZ Clad and Panel Rib.
Steeldek is a structural metal decking profile used to support concrete flooring and recommended for high-rise buildings and infrastructural bridge decking.
The advantage of using Steeldek is the significant 30% savings on concrete, rebars, time and manpower during installation. Also, cement pouring can be done without any propping support so that people and moving traffic can still continue their work underneath.
Made from Philsteel’s Galvabond Pure Zinc, Steeldek comes in several product categories:
Steeldek I- ideal for commercial, industrial, mass housing and high-rise structures
Steeldek II – Ideal for residential use
Steeldek III- Ideal for Industrial and high-rise structures
Steeldek IV – Ideal for Infrastructure and Industrial use. The only decking profile utilized for the Skyway project.
There are specific requirements for each market segment and every project. When buying a roof, it is best to first decide what specific purpose is intended.
For residential roofing, the following roof profiles are recommended:
Rib-type – a basic economical roof profile that still offers beauty. Available in SPANDEK 1220, SPANDEK 915 and DURAWIDE 915
Duo-rib – the beauty and economy of a rib profile with the strength of a dual rib— SUPER V CRIMP.
Corrugated – provides beauty, economy and strength. This comes in STANCORR 1220, STANCORR 915, ECONOCORR 1220 and ORDINARY CORR 915. The difference in each profile lies in the rib height.
Tile effect – Beauty and economy in a tile-effect look. This comes in RUSKO, TIARA, SIENA and STEEL TILE. You can select the unique tile-effect to complement the house motif you have in mind.
For commercial and industrial use, the following profiles are recommended:
Anti-leak – Also called concealed fastening roofs (CFR), the anti-leak roof profiles were developed using a breakthrough system in which the fastening of the roof is done by a clip or a bracelet with no pierce fastening screws directly holding down the roofing panel. These come in the trademarks of KLIPLOK, CRIMPLOK 407, CRIMPLOK 610 and FLEXICRIMP.
V-profile – These profiles allow roof installation at almost zero slope or flat surface. The deep ribs on these roof profiles permit flow of rainfall smoothly without having to slant the roof. These come in 100mm and 75mm rib heights and are available under the name MEGADEK 100, MEGADEK 75, and SUPER V DEK1220.