Materials & coatings at Airholder: why our roof rack is designed for year-round outdoor use

When choosing a roof rack , people often look first at load capacity, accessories, and appearance. In practice, however, one thing above all determines its lifespan: the choice of material and surface protection . A roof rack lives outdoors – rain, UV radiation, winter road salt, sand, dirt, car washes, temperature fluctuations, and constant vibrations are all part of its daily life.

And that's precisely the case with many of our customers: many mount the roof rack on buses/vans that are parked outdoors year-round , used year-round , and not garaged . That's why we develop Airholder so that the system not only "looks good when new," but also remains reliable in the long term.

Aluminium profiles: EN AW-6063 T66 + anodised with maximum protective effect

The Airholder system is based on aluminum profiles made of EN AW-6063 T66 . This material is ideal for precise, extruded profiles and, in the T66 version, offers stable mechanical properties for continuous use.

To ensure the profiles are protected in everyday use over the long term, we anodize them – providing maximum protection for vehicle applications. Anodizing isn't simply "paint on top": it forms a protective layer that bonds firmly to the aluminum. This offers crucial advantages:

• very good resistance to weathering and UV radiation

• High everyday usability in case of friction, tension straps, accessory mounting and sand

• Long-term stable appearance and surface

• reliable base for permanent outdoor use

Power and connecting parts: Stainless steel EN 1.4301 (2B) + powder coating

Where high forces are exerted at specific points and screw connections are subjected to continuous stress, a different material concept is required. Components such as:

Accessories such as brackets (holders/consoles) , holders , adapters and other fastening elements

side walls

Wind deflector

We manufacture from stainless steel EN 1.4301 (surface finish 2B) . This corresponds to the classic application range of "304/V2A": high corrosion resistance, robust threads and reliable stability even under continuous vibrations.

In addition, these stainless steel parts are powder-coated to:

• to further protect the surface (especially in contact and edge areas),

• to increase everyday durability (dirt, salt, car wash),

• and to ensure a uniform, high-quality appearance throughout the entire system.