Graco strengthens its marine capabilities

It’s “all hands on deck” at Graco as the company further strengthens its position as a major global supplier of marine maintenance services. Louis de Hillerin, Manager Marine Division, explains more.

What is Graco’s ambition in the marine sector?

Over the next five years, Graco wants to become a major player for on-board maintenance of ATEX classified ships. We aim to have a product for every application area such as sandblasting, anti-corrosive paint spraying, fluid transfer, cleaning, and lubrication. We will also be targeting cruise ships for every application linked with on-board fluid transfer, cleaning and sanitary applications. By 2030 we aim to be the market leader for all classes of non-ATEX ships, for on-board sandblasting, anti-corrosive paint applications, fluid transfer, cleaning, and lubrication.

What Graco products will you be selling for these marine applications?

For deck maintenance applications we offer our EcoQuip ATEX-approved low-pressure blaster, our Merkur or President ATEX-approved pneumatic or electrical airless sprayers, and our King paint sprayers. For deck and scrubber cleaning we offer our Hydra-Clean ATEX-approved medium- and high-pressure pneumatic cleaners.

For ballast and bilged maintenance and cleaning applications our EcoQuip ATEX-approved low-pressure blaster and our Hydra-Clean ATEX-approved medium- and high-pressure pneumatic cleaners are perfect. For bilge and ballast fluid transfers we offer a range of Husky ATEX-approved or non-ATEX double-diaphragm pumps from ¼-inch to 3 inches which can transfer any kind of fluid in a hazardous area. Manual or automatic grease applications will be served by our two lubrication solutions for oil and grease: the LD series and Fireball series.

For sanitation we have a comprehensive range of electrical units called SaniSpray. They can spray disinfectants on small, medium and large surfaces and are therefore perfect for disinfecting public areas on-board vessels; particularly important during these COVID-19 days. Our technology is fully safe and our SaniSpray equipment is very easy to use.

What are Graco’s strengths in the marine sector?

Firstly, our products are high quality and are dedicated for marine on-board applications. Second, we are a truly worldwide company with a large network of dedicated and competent marine distributors. This has important consequences. It allows us to give demos of our equipment virtually anywhere in the world upon request. No matter where a vessel needs a unit or spare part, we have a distributor who can deliver. And it enables us to provide after-sales support of these products worldwide.

How can Graco technology decrease the cost of on-board maintenance?

Our technology enables maintenance to take place during sailing. This avoids long stopovers at a shipyard which immediately cuts costs significantly. In addition, our technology makes this maintenance easier, simpler and less expensive than conventional maintenance processes.

How can Graco increase the safety of on-board maintenance operations?

By making our products simple to operate by any operator on-board the vessel with maximum efficiency. All our equipment is safety approved and has been tested and approved to comply to the specific conditions of use on-board. Moreover, all Graco units come with easy-to-understand guides so that non-English speaking seafarers can easily use the units.

For more information on any aspect of Graco’s products and services for the marine industry, contact Louis de Hillerin at louis.de.hillerin@graco.com who will be delighted to answer your questions.