News

Canadian company Thordon Bearings has notched up another success story for a customer in the demanding offshore sector, with a bearing and seal installation in “perfect condition” after over three years of operation.

The TG Observers Reading Room at Hamilton’s Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum recently underwent an extensive makeover thanks to the contributions of Burlington based Thomson-Gordon Group, parent company of Thordon Bearings Inc. Contributions were made when the museum was first constructed as well as when plans to renovate the meeting space were made.

The Superdome in New Orleans, Louisiana improved their pump efficiency by using SXL bearings after they installed variable frequency drives (VFD) on their cooling water pumps. The abrupt start and stop was tough on the pumps which led to the Superdome’s decision to opt for the variable frequency drives. The slow start and lack of consistent shaft speed with the VFDs led to increased periods of dry running causing the strain and eventual failure of the existing pump bearings.

Thordon Bearings has successfully completed the commissioning of a set of water-lubricated SXL propeller shaft bearings to what is widely considered the world’s largest all-carbon sports fisher. Four SXL bearings were retrofitted to the 39.5m (129ft) maxi sportfish yacht Lanakai in April after it was discovered that the original rubber cutlass bearings were causing a “high pitched squeal” when the shafts where turning at low RPM.

Thordon Bearings’ founder and polymer materials pioneer George A. (Sandy) Thomson has been awarded the global transportation sector’s most distinguished accolade, the Elmer A. Sperry Award 2019 for “Advancing the Art of Transportation”. “I am deeply honoured and humbled to win this award, which I accept on behalf of everybody at Thordon Bearings,” said Sandy.

Canadian-based Thordon Bearings, the global leader in environmentally safe propeller shaft bearings and seal systems, has appointed Michael Haraldsson to the role of Marine Business Development Manager. A native of Sweden, Haraldsson has more than 25 years of strategic sales experience across a myriad of maritime sectors, having held senior sales positions with well-known original equipment manufacturers and service providers, including Consilium, De Nora, Jowa, and Harris Pye.