- Salary statistics
- Warm lead
Warm lead
32 400 - 36 200 kr / month
Women earn 91% of what men do.
Industriell tillverkning
Salary progression Warm lead
What does a hot-dip galvanizer do? – Tasks and work environment
A hot-dip galvanizer works with surface treatment of metals through hot-dip galvanizing and coating, which involves immersing metal surfaces in molten lead or zinc to create a protective layer. Main tasks include preparing materials, monitoring the dipping process, quality control, and maintaining equipment and the work area. The work environment is often industrial and can be noisy and hot, requiring precision and safety considerations due to handling of hot metals and chemicals. Protective equipment is essential, and work is often performed in teams within larger manufacturing industries.
Salary development over time
Over the past three years, the salary for a hot-dip galvanizer has shown a steady increase. In 2022, the average salary was 31,100 SEK per month, rising to 32 800 SEK in 2023 and further to 35,200 SEK in 2024. The total increase over three years amounts to approximately 13%, which is slightly above the average wage growth in the industry. The salary increase can be attributed to higher demand for skilled surface treatment workers and general inflation adjustments. Although statistical data for this specific specialty is limited, the trend indicates an increasing value of experience and technical skills in the profession. Salary development is also influenced by labor market needs, with large pension withdrawals and industry investments contributing to rising wages.
Hot-dip galvanizer salary – complete overview
- Average salary: 35,200 SEK/month
- Lowest salary: 32,400 SEK/month
- Highest salary: 36,200 SEK/month
- Hourly wage (average): 212 SEK/hour
- Gender differences: Women earn 91% of what men do (men: 35 700 SEK, women: 32,400 SEK)
- Regional differences: The highest wages are found within the regional sector
Education and qualifications
To work as a hot-dip galvanizer, a high school education in industry, technology, or similar fields is typically required, often supplemented with internal company training or specialized courses in surface treatment. Practical experience and a good understanding of work environment and safety issues are crucial, as the work involves handling molten metals and chemicals. Some employers prefer candidates with certifications or completed training for hot work.
- High school education: Industrial technology program, 3 years
- Company-specific courses: Focused on surface treatment and hot work
- Practical training: Usually 6–12 months within an industrial environment
- Certifications: Hot work, safety training
- Prerequisites: Basic mathematics and physics, good physical condition
The profession of a hot-dip galvanizer is one of the few industrial trades where craftsmanship and modern technology meet daily. It requires both dexterity and technical insight to ensure high quality in every treated detail – a combination that makes the role unique within Swedish industry.
Common benefits and compensations
Employment as a hot-dip galvanizer often offers benefits such as overtime pay for shift work, wellness contributions, work clothing, and sometimes bonus or loyalty programs. Occupational pensions, insurances, and opportunities for further training are common, especially at larger industrial companies. Employers place great emphasis on safety and often provide additional training in work environment and protection measures.
Challenges and competition
The labor market for hot-dip galvanizers is characterized by low competition but also a limited number of positions, as the profession is specialized and often linked to larger industrial companies. A challenge is the limited educational pathways, with much of the knowledge acquired through practical experience on the job. Technological development and automation may impact the need for manual labor, but craftsmanship remains critical for quality. Gender pay gaps and representation are noticeable and can affect the attractiveness of the industry. Safety requirements and work environment risks demand continuous attention and knowledge updates.
Tips for those interested in becoming a hot-dip galvanizer
To succeed as a hot-dip galvanizer, it’s good to combine precision with technical interest and a willingness to learn new skills. Being responsible and safety-conscious helps manage the risks in the work environment, while teamwork and patience are important qualities for thriving in teams and repetitive tasks. Practical skills facilitate learning work processes and make it easier to quickly adapt to the role. Showing initiative and being open to further training increases chances of employment and salary development. Flexibility and problem-solving skills are also valuable when unexpected situations arise in production.
Key facts about hot-dip galvanizers
- Salary range: 32,400–36,200 SEK/month
- Education level: High school, industrial technology program
- Work environment: Industrial, often noisy and hot
- Demand: 1,437 job openings within the profession of machine operators, surface treatment
- Gender pay gap: Women earn 91% of men's salary
Career paths and future prospects
After three to five years as a hot-dip galvanizer, there are opportunities to advance to supervisory roles, process management, or technical positions within surface treatment. Those wishing to broaden their skills can specialize further in other types of surface treatment or train as production managers. Forecasts from the Employment Service indicate that there is no precise assessment of future prospects for hot-dip galvanizers, but within the group of machine operators in surface treatment, demand remains, with a total of 1,437 job openings. The industry is influenced by technological developments, but the need for experienced skilled personnel is expected to remain stable due to retirements and industry investments.
Frequently asked questions about hot-dip galvanizers
- What is the average salary for a hot-dip galvanizer?
- The average salary is 35,200 SEK per month. - What are the lowest and highest salaries?
- The lowest salary is 32,400 SEK, and the highest is 36,200 SEK per month. - What education is required?
- High school education in industry/technology and practical training with certifications. - Are there gender pay differences?
- Yes, women earn on average 91% of men's salaries. - What is the work environment like?
- Industrial environment, often noisy and hot with high safety standards. - What are the future prospects?
- No specific forecast, but demand remains stable with 1,437 job openings. - What benefits are common?
- Overtime pay, wellness benefits, work clothing, bonuses, and occupational pensions.
Salary distributed by age and sector
| Age | Base salary | Monthly salary | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 18-24 | 29300 kr | 33400 kr | |
| 25-34 | 30100 kr | 34000 kr | |
| 35-44 | 32100 kr | 36100 kr | |
| 45-54 | 32900 kr | 35900 kr | |
| 55-64 | 32700 kr | 35900 kr | |
| Snitt | 91% | 31600 kr | 35200 kr |
| Age | Base salary | Monthly salary | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 18-24 | 29300 kr | 33400 kr | |
| 25-34 | 30100 kr | 34000 kr | |
| 35-44 | 32100 kr | 36100 kr | |
| 45-54 | 32900 kr | 35900 kr | |
| 55-64 | 32700 kr | 35900 kr | |
| Snitt | 91% | 31600 kr | 35200 kr |
| Age | Base salary | Monthly salary | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 18-24 | 29300 kr | 33400 kr | |
| 25-34 | 30100 kr | 34000 kr | |
| 35-44 | 32100 kr | 36100 kr | |
| 45-54 | 32900 kr | 35900 kr | |
| 55-64 | 32700 kr | 35900 kr | |
| Snitt | 91% | 31600 kr | 35200 kr |
| Age | Base salary | Monthly salary | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 18-24 | 29700 kr | 34100 kr | |
| 25-34 | 30400 kr | 34500 kr | |
| 35-44 | 32600 kr | 36700 kr | |
| 45-54 | 33500 kr | 36500 kr | |
| 55-64 | 33100 kr | 36200 kr | |
| Snitt | 91% | 32000 kr | 35700 kr |
| Age | Base salary | Monthly salary | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 18-24 | 29700 kr | 34100 kr | |
| 25-34 | 30400 kr | 34500 kr | |
| 35-44 | 32600 kr | 36700 kr | |
| 45-54 | 33500 kr | 36500 kr | |
| 55-64 | 33100 kr | 36200 kr | |
| Snitt | 91% | 32000 kr | 35700 kr |
| Age | Base salary | Monthly salary | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 18-24 | 29700 kr | 34100 kr | |
| 25-34 | 30400 kr | 34500 kr | |
| 35-44 | 32600 kr | 36700 kr | |
| 45-54 | 33500 kr | 36500 kr | |
| 55-64 | 33100 kr | 36200 kr | |
| Snitt | 91% | 32000 kr | 35700 kr |
| Age | Base salary | Monthly salary | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Snitt | 91% | 29300 kr | 32400 kr |
| Age | Base salary | Monthly salary | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Snitt | 91% | 29300 kr | 32400 kr |
| Age | Base salary | Monthly salary | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Snitt | 91% | 29300 kr | 32400 kr |
About the data
All information displayed on this page is based on data from the Swedish Central Bureau of Statistics (SCB), the Swedish Tax Agency and the Swedish employment agency. Learn more about our data and data sources here.
All figures are gross salaries, meaning salaries before tax. The average salary, or mean salary, is calculated by adding up the total salary for all individuals within the profession and dividing it by the number of individuals. For specific job categories, we have also considered various criteria such as experience and education.
Profession Warm lead has the SSYK code 8121, which we use to match against the SCB database to obtain the latest salary statistics.
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