2014 ushers in a landmark year for ALEXSEAL® Yacht Coatings, as the brand celebrates our tenth anniversary since entering into the yacht coatings market. The success story behind this introduction is truly unique due to the timing of the global economic downturn and the challenges the luxury yacht market has endured. Alexseal’s success is not only in its unique formulations designed specifically for the marine environment. The success has been due to the support of the people behind the brand ensuring that the highest quality products are provided with the best technical support available. This support and dedication created the “Decade of Innovation” – ten years of products designed to apply easier, perform better and provide consistency from year to year with the best technical and customer support in the industry.
In 2004, After several years of research and development by the most experienced chemists in the industrial market, and successful field trials with several of the world’s most pioneering yacht builders, ALEXSEAL was brought to market first in Australia and the United States. Then quickly word spread of Alexseal’s superior results, and demand in Europe led to widespread distribution just one year later.
By 2005, applications of Alexseal were occurring on four continents. Distribution continued to expand in the United States and the Netherlands. In 2006 and 2007 many yachts were applying Alexseal Premium Topcoat including the largest dark blue private yacht in the world. This 133-meter blue hull continues to be protected by Alexseal Yacht Coatings today. The period from 2008 until 2012 was memorable not only due to the continued growth in awareness of the Alexseal brand during the global recession, but also to the many major milestones that were accomplished every year. During this time many significant full fairing systems were provided to yachts in Abu Dhabi, The Netherlands and Germany including the largest metallic project to ever be delivered from the Netherlands and the largest refit project ever launched from Germany.
With a commitment to every customer’s success, and more marine urethane experience in every ALEXSEAL product than in any other brand, it was no surprise for Alexseal to become the second largest supplier in the global yacht coatings market by 2008. The formula for this winning business model follows the philosophy of Alexseal’s parent company Mankiewicz Gebr. & Co: Use the absolute best raw materials. Apply the strictest of quality control. Employ the most sophisticated and precise manufacturing processes. Provide consistently uniform and reliable products. And finally, support our customers with the most experienced and informed team members who are committed to every customer’s success.
While some may still consider ALEXSEAL a relatively new name to the market, the developers of ALEXSEAL were the visionaries who decades ago first brought aliphatic polyester polyurethanes from the aerospace industry to the marine market. They created the trade of urethane application. After all, Mankiewicz has been producing the highest quality coatings for over 100 years and every ALEXSEAL product benefits from this experience and dedication to quality. Its no wonder Mankiewicz has received Daimler’s highest supplier rating (VDA 6.1) something no other paint manufacturer has achieved. It was not surprising that in 2009, barely five years into ALEXSEAL’s roll-out, the 5,000th vessel was painted with Alexseal Premium Topcoat.
Demand became so brisk, that in 2010 Mankiewicz moved its U.S. operations from St. Louis, Missouri to Charleston, South Carolina. Mankiewicz invested in building a new factory to support all of their US markets with a state-of-the art lab, production, technical training and warehouse facility. This investment has not stopped and will continue to grow to meet increasing demand.
Today, ten years later, we are proud to say that the largest privately owned yacht in the world and some of the smallest canoes ever built have one thing in common – they are all painted with Alexseal Yacht Coatings. Stay tuned for the next 10 years as we set off on our second “Decade of Innovation”.
