Thordon Experts

Sandy’s focus on innovation and developing export markets has been the key to Thordon’s success. In 1990, he bought the Russian deep-sea salvage tug, Rudokop, and converted it to a “floating showcase” of Thordon marine bearing and seal products, then captained this ship visiting more than 200 ports in Europe.

With Sandy at the helm, Thordon has become a global leader in seawater lubricated propeller shaft bearings and seals as well as offering a complete range of non-metallic sleeve bearing solutions for marine, clean power generation, pump, offshore, and other industrial markets. The Thomson-Gordon Group has evolved with several industrial and aviation companies over the past 30 years. Sandy is also actively involved in Marsh Brothers Aviation, a non-metallic bearing and seal manufactured for aircraft landing gear, besides being the Innovator at Thordon Bearings Inc.

In 2019, Sandy won the prestigious Elmer A. Sperry award for advancing the art of transportation in recognition of leading the innovation for water-lubricated propulsion shaft bearings for marine transport through the application of polymeric compounds.

Critical Documents

Sandy - In the News

Jeffrey has had extensive roles during his many years at Thordon which gives him a deep understanding of the complexities and needs of the marine industry. He started at Thordon as the Engineering Manager before becoming a Product Development Manager in 2001. In 2005 his job became even more hands on as the Global Service & Support Manager where he helped shipowners around the world with the installation of Thordon’s products.

Since 2013, Jeffrey has been a Business Development Manager for the Marine market where he brings his wealth of knowledge and experience to the Thordon sales team.

Jeffrey In the News

Before joining the Thordon team Keith was a Sales Engineer at the Swagelok Company where he sold valves and fittings to the refining, power, and analytical equipment industries. He later became Product Manager – Polymers, a position he held for 23 years, at Greene, Tweed & Company where he was responsible for the development of PEEK Polymers. Among his first successes were polymers for valves, poppets, and bearings for the compressor industry. Those successes led to the development of carbon fiber and graphite bearing grades for the pump industry. Keith also developed a method of bonding polymers to metal for use in tilt pad bearings and a polymer labyrinth seal design for turbo compressors.

Since joining Thordon Bearings in 2007, Keith has been a Territory Manager, a Business Development Manager and he was recently appointed Strategic Accounts Manager. Keith has been vital to Thordon’s growth in the pump and industrial markets. He has traveled the world training OEM pump engineers how to design non-metallic pump bearings and it is thanks to Keith’s hard work that Thordon’s bearings and currently used by most of the major OEMs.

Born on the bluffs of the Mississippi, USA, Jim Bright’s attraction to river life started at an early age. In his 20s he found himself working as a deck hand for Exxon which gave him the opportunity to become a tankerman and acquired his Class A ticket. He enjoyed life onboard a towboat and was drawn to the mechanical side of the vessel and he quickly learned that the engine room was where he most wanted to be. Jim enrolled in the engineering program at the River Academy in Helena, Arkansas. Upon graduation he got a job as Third Engineer, eventually working his way up to Chief. During this time, he also logged wheelhouse time while running a fleet on the Tennessee River. His experience both onboard and in operations gave him the background to join Marine Industries in 1992 where he had his first experience with Thordon Bearings.

Jim designed a self aligning bearing (SAB) using Thordon’s ThorPlas-Blue material to allow operation without requiring lubrication. Introduced in 2009, several thousand have been sold and have greatly improved steering cylinder life by reducing the binding of a traditional sleeve bushing. The split design of the sphere allows it to be replaced, if needed, with nothing but hand tools.

In 2007, Jim worked with Thordon engineering and manufacturing teams to make the tailshaft bearing more user friendly. This would become what is now the RiverTough bearing for abrasive water on boats and cutter head dredgers.

Jim was also the lead on the field team that developed procedures to install and service the TG100 seal. He has hosted numerous seminars and training sessions for both end users and distributors to teach them the sales and service skills they need for these mechanical seals.

Jim was hired by Thordon in 2017 where he has been a Sales Manager primarily focused on the US Inland Waterways and the Gulf of Mexico where he brings his wealth of knowledge and experience to the Thordon sales team.

Jim In the News

If you would like Jim to present a webinar on the Workboat industry in the United States to your organization or university, please get in touch with us.