In the dynamic maritime industry, precision and reliability are key. Even the smallest improvements in the production process can make a significant impact.
Assembling a leisure boat is a demanding process. Stiffeners attached to the hull — like bulkheads, floors, frames or beams — are made of strong, lightweight fiberglass. These components and the adhesives that bond them must meet the highest standards of quality, safety and durability to withstand daily use on the high seas.
Time is money
The traditional method our customer was using (hand lay-up) is a manual process using a polyester bonding paste and polyester resin as adhesives. Both of these require additional time to apply and cure.
That meant that it was taking two full days to attach the stiffeners to the hull, extending their lead times and affecting the overall efficiency of production. Plus, the materials used were not very environmentally friendly, containing high levels of volatile organic compounds (VOC).
Finding a solution together to optimise boat production
When we heard this from our customer, we knew there must be a better way — and we were committed to finding it. We started by organizing a workshop with the customer’s design team and our own technical experts.
Together, we identified an adhesive solution that improved both performance and production speed. The customer decided to implement this across their assembly lines, a transition that involved reevaluating existing processes, retraining staff, and fine-tuning workflows to accommodate the unique properties of the new adhesive.
Water-tight results: Reducing boat assembly time by 75%
Our innovative alternative has reduced assembly time by 75%. Application now takes just two hours, instead of two days.
Faster processing and curing times have brought newfound agility to their assembly lines. Boats now move from one stage to the next with greater speed for significantly reduced lead times.
In addition, the new adhesive offers improved structural integrity of the assembled components, adding to overall durability and quality.
While the customer incurred costs to adapt their production processes, the long-term benefits easily outweigh initial costs. Reduced lead times mean less inventory and storage, which has translated into significant cost savings.
“Combining our knowledge of the latest advanced materials with our customers' industry expertise is how we find innovative new solutions for their needs,” explained Geoffrey Barbier, Commercial & Prinicipal Manager for Composites & Adhesive Solutions at IMCD. “This is a shining example of what's possible.”