CZECH wastewater management firm ACO Marine has joined Switzerland?s Sika Group to interface between onboard drainage scuppers and channels and a vessel's deck coverings, the companies have announced.
The tie-up, announced in Hamburg, Germany, during the SMM 2018 Trade Fair, extends the cooperation agreement Sika Group signed with ACO Marine's parent company, ACO Group, more than three years ago.
Sika, a market-leading resin flooring company, and ACO, a leader in the development and manufacture of hygienic drainage systems, initially joined forces to develop evidence-based guidance on flooring-drainage connections for factory and processing facility operators.
The research proved invaluable in establishing a new way to design floor-drainage connections for land-based applications and this is now extended to develop the same for maritime application.
Said ACO Marine manager Lukas Kaisler: 'Choosing the right type of flooring and drainage systems with respect to operating conditions and site traffic has always been a challenge for ship operators. We can now take the findings from the initial research forward to develop new interface solutions for shipboard use.'
The connection between scuppers and channels and a ship's flooring is a critical point since it is possible to have connection breakdown - due to dynamic and/or thermal loading - which can result in water ingress, corrosion of deck structures or floor delamination, he said.
Water seeping in to the flooring from the gutters can also create the perfect breeding ground for bacteria, a major concern for passenger ship operators, in particular, he said.
Said Sika Service development manager Tony Jenkins: 'The findings from the initial study will now be developed specifically for maritime applications, which will allow Sika and ACO Marine to develop guidelines and solutions to optimise drainage onboard ship.'
Said ACO Marine managing director Mark Beavis: 'The drainage-floor connections in current maritime use often require costly repairs or replacement. To avoid downtime, flooring should be carefully selected for the different parts of ship - machinery spaces, galleys, laundries, cabins, swimming pools, etc.'
Established more than 15 years ago, ACO Marine is a leading supplier of commercial, naval, offshore and leisure marine sectors with a sales and service network world-wide. .
Sika was founded 100 years ago, and has developed into a successful global company with a leading position in the development and production of systems and products for flooring, bonding, sealing, damping, reinforcing and protecting a number of industrial sectors.
The tie-up, announced in Hamburg, Germany, during the SMM 2018 Trade Fair, extends the cooperation agreement Sika Group signed with ACO Marine's parent company, ACO Group, more than three years ago.
Sika, a market-leading resin flooring company, and ACO, a leader in the development and manufacture of hygienic drainage systems, initially joined forces to develop evidence-based guidance on flooring-drainage connections for factory and processing facility operators.
The research proved invaluable in establishing a new way to design floor-drainage connections for land-based applications and this is now extended to develop the same for maritime application.
Said ACO Marine manager Lukas Kaisler: 'Choosing the right type of flooring and drainage systems with respect to operating conditions and site traffic has always been a challenge for ship operators. We can now take the findings from the initial research forward to develop new interface solutions for shipboard use.'
The connection between scuppers and channels and a ship's flooring is a critical point since it is possible to have connection breakdown - due to dynamic and/or thermal loading - which can result in water ingress, corrosion of deck structures or floor delamination, he said.
Water seeping in to the flooring from the gutters can also create the perfect breeding ground for bacteria, a major concern for passenger ship operators, in particular, he said.
Said Sika Service development manager Tony Jenkins: 'The findings from the initial study will now be developed specifically for maritime applications, which will allow Sika and ACO Marine to develop guidelines and solutions to optimise drainage onboard ship.'
Said ACO Marine managing director Mark Beavis: 'The drainage-floor connections in current maritime use often require costly repairs or replacement. To avoid downtime, flooring should be carefully selected for the different parts of ship - machinery spaces, galleys, laundries, cabins, swimming pools, etc.'
Established more than 15 years ago, ACO Marine is a leading supplier of commercial, naval, offshore and leisure marine sectors with a sales and service network world-wide. .
Sika was founded 100 years ago, and has developed into a successful global company with a leading position in the development and production of systems and products for flooring, bonding, sealing, damping, reinforcing and protecting a number of industrial sectors.