General terms and conditions of warranty for ATS Forms products and method of storage

1. ATS Forms, hereinafter referred to as the Supplier, provides the Buyer with a warranty that the product is free from defects in material and workmanship.

2. A defect in material and workmanship shall be deemed a defect causing the product to function inconsistently with the Manufacturer's specification. The warranty covers in particular: mechanical durability of products and corrosion resistance of zinc coating, Magnelis coating, coating of elements covered with powder paint, and elements made of stainless steel. The warranty covers damages and defects caused exclusively by the manufacturer, such as: cracking of the construction, cracking of welds, peeling of the protective coating, corrosion of elements.

3. The Buyer shall be an entity which purchased the product directly from the Supplier.

4. The Supplier undertakes to remove free of charge any defects in material and workmanship revealed during the warranty period, according to the rules set out herein, by repairing or replacing the product with a defect-free one. The Supplier decides about the method of removing the defect. The Supplier does not cover the costs of replacement of the defective product and other costs related to the replacement.

5. The warranty period is 24 months from the date of sale. In justified cases, the warranty period may be extended at the Purchaser's request, after having agreed in detail with the Supplier on the conditions for storing and using the products. Prolongation of the warranty period should be confirmed in writing under pain of nullity.


Detailed warranty conditions
1. The warranty is valid under the condition that the product is used in accordance with its purpose/application, Supplier's specification (found in the Supplier's product catalogue), technical and environmental conditions.

2. Under the warranty, neither the Purchaser nor third parties shall be entitled to claim compensation from the Manufacturer for any damage resulting from failure of the Product. The sole obligation of the Manufacturer under this warranty shall be to repair or replace the Product with a defect-free product in accordance with the terms and conditions of this warranty.

3. The Manufacturer shall be liable to the Purchaser only for physical defects resulting from causes inherent in the Product sold.

4. The Manufacturer specifically reserves the following conditions for the validity of the warranty:

a. Transport.
The products should be transported by dry, covered means of transport in such a way that the load is protected against displacement, mechanical damage and the influence of weather conditions. The cargo units should be placed close to each other on the means of transport and protected against shifting. Strapping the load together should be made in such a way that damage to the elements is prevented.

b. Storage of galvanised and lacquered products Before installation, the components should be stored in dry, clean, ventilated rooms, free from chemically active vapours and gases. The products must not be allowed to get wet or damp. If the elements get wet, immediately unpack the flooded factory packaging, spread out the elements until they are dry, and place them in a dry and well-ventilated room protected from precipitation. The products must be stored on pallets, containers, or specially designed bases (they should not lie directly on concrete or earth). Storage in inappropriate conditions (humid) can lead to condensation between the surface of galvanized and lacquered elements. In case of damp zinc coated elements, so called white corrosion (white-grey spots) may occur, which does not affect the quality of the zinc coating and is not the basis for a claim. Products made from stainless/acid-resistant sheet metal or lacquered can be protected with a foil that shall be removed immediately upon delivery. If the protective foil remains on lacquered products during storage at high ambient temperatures and in direct sunlight, it may lead to chemical reactions leading to bonding of the foil with the packed elements. As a result of such reaction, the film cannot be removed without damaging the surface of the products. During storage and installation of the products, protection must be provided against contact of the coatings with lime, cement, and other alkaline building materials. Transport, storage, and installation of the products must take place in an environment appropriate to the ordered products corrosivity category based on the PN EN ISO 12944:2001 standard.

5. Protection and maintenance of zinc coated elements The most frequent cause of defects of zinc coatings is improper handling of the product during storage and assembly.
a. The products in delivery condition (i.e. in original Supplier's packaging) shall be stored in dry and well-ventilated rooms.

b. During storage, protect against rapid changes in humidity and temperature which may cause condensation.

c. If it is necessary to store the products in the open air for a short period of time, ensure moisture removal. Use a cover providing proper ventilation.

d. If galvanized elements get wet, white corrosion may occur on them which does not reduce the protective layer and does not impair the anti-corrosion properties of the coating, but it considerably decreases the appearance and aesthetics of the elements. However, with time, if the elements have not been dried, the zinc coating is completely reduced until corrosion occurs. If the galvanized elements get wet and white corrosion occurs, proceed by choosing one of the two solutions depending on the possibilities:

d1. Solution 1
· immediately unpack from the foil,
· arrange in such a way that the individual elements are not in direct contact with each other or as little as possible (by interlaying the layers with narrow galvanised steel, plastic, or aluminium profiles),
· if there are solid contaminants (earth, wet cardboard packaging, etc.), wash with pressurised water,
· dry them to prevent moisture from settling on them,
· store in a dry room. d2.
d2. Solution 2

· immediately unpack from the foil,
· arrange in such a way that the individual elements are not in direct contact with each other or as little as possible (by interlaying the layers with narrow galvanised steel, plastic, or aluminium profiles),
· if there are solid contaminants (earth, wet cardboard packaging, etc.), wash with pressurised water,
· leave in the air without covering.

Cutting and drilling edges which have formed during installation should be carefully deburred, degreased, and impurities (dust, oil, grease, corrosion marks) should be removed. Repairs should be made by painting with zinc-rich zinc paste or a technically equivalent material. The thickness of the paint coat shall be at least 30 μm greater than the required local thickness of the zinc coating.
Magnelis coated steel has the ability to regenerate itself. The appearance of red corrosion on cold cut edges is natural and will disappear within a few months after the red corrosion has occurred. Magnelis coated components must not be subjected to heat treatment such as drilling, grinding, cutting with an angle grinder or saw. Corrosion on edges and openings of Magnelis coated steel components is not a cause for complaint.

6. Protection and maintenance of lacquered components
The most common cause of defects of paint coatings is a mechanical damage (scratching, chipping) and cleaning with chemicals. Therefore, the rules described below must be observed:
1. Do not allow scratches or bruises to the paintwork during installation.
2. Use masking tapes (e.g. painters' tape) when cutting the elements to size (if necessary).
3. Cleaning and maintenance should be carried out at least twice a year.
4. For cleaning, use delicate fabrics that do not scratch the surface and clean water with a proven detergent.
5. Do not wash the coating with a steam jet.
6. If agents other than water are used for cleaning, check the effect of the agents used before cleaning the surface. If undesirable effects occur, the tested product should not be used.
7. Do not use strongly acidic or strongly alkaline cleaning agents (including those containing detergents).
8. Do not use salt or chemical substances for de-icing in the vicinity of lacquered parts.

The warranty does not include:
1. Mechanical damage and resulting defects, in particular damage to protective coatings (zinc coatings, Magnelis, paint coatings, stainless steel)
2. Damage resulting from installation and use of products in conditions or in a manner contrary to Supplier's specifications (exceeding permissible loads, weather-related damage, etc.)
3. Damage due to improper storage occurring on the products (discoloration, stains, white corrosion)
4. Damage caused by the use of salt and chemicals for de-icing in the vicinity of galvanised or lacquered parts.
5. Damage caused by design changes or improper use of the products.
6. Damage caused by the user's fault or ignorance.
7. Damage caused during transport with the use of means of transport external to the Supplier.
8. Failure to comply with the obligation to carry out periodical maintenance checks if such checks are required.
9. Damage resulting from fortuitous events (fire, flooding, damage caused by terrorist acts and acts of war, etc.)
10. The occurrence of payment arrears for the Product exceeding 30 days from the due date of the invoice.

The warranty does not cover normal operational maintenance, such as cleaning and servicing. Realization of warranty
1. Defects revealed during the warranty period shall be removed free of charge by ATS, as soon as possible after the complaint is made.
2. Defects or damages of the product disclosed during the warranty period shall be reported to the Supplier immediately, no later, however, than 7 days from the date of their disclosure; if reported at a later date, the warranty shall become void.
3. Only complete, verifiable products without mechanical damage resulting from external factors are subject to the warranty procedure.
4.T he basis for accepting a claim for processing is fulfilment of the following conditions together: Written via e-mail to biuro@atsforms.pl/en complaint notification containing:
· specification of the name of the goods, part number, date of purchase, number of delivery note, or purchase invoice;
· detailed description of the damage to the products and the surroundings of the event with additional information on the origin of the product defects, photos of the defective product, and the environment in which it is stored and installed.
5. After accepting the warranty claims, the manufacturer decides on the method of their implementation.
6. The manufacturer reserves the right to conduct a site inspection at the place of installation of the claimed product.
7. The supplier reserves the right to cancel the warranty procedure in case the Purchaser is or has been in arrears with payments for overdue invoices for more than 14 days.
8. The detailed rights of the Purchaser and the Manufacturer's obligations under the warranty are set forth in the Civil Code.