Revolutionary manufacturing process advances boat industry

Brief Description:
In keeping with Kyoto Protocol to reduce Greenhouse gases responsible for climate change by 2010, one of Australia’s largest fibreglass boat manufacturers The Haines Group has modified its manufacturing process to reduce styrene emissions, while improving product consistency and output at the same time.

Full Story:

In a world first, the Queensland based company has used the never before seen Resin Injection Vacuum Assisted Low Emission (RIVALE™) technology to produce a new class of fibreglass boat, designed to ‘rival’ the current ‘tinnie’ market.   The result of a $1.2m investment by the Haines Group coupled with Federal Government funding, the unique RIVALE™ closed moulding technique consists of filling a rigid, closed mould cavity by injecting a resin through several points.

The Haines Group Managing Director (Sales and Marketing) Greg Haines said RIVALE™ produced near zero emissions, reduced the amount of waste fibreglass and resin, as well as reducing the need for consumables.

“Because the emissions are well below world minimum standards, we can manufacture in Australia and keep jobs here unlike many companies in the USA and Europe who have moved their operations to third world countries due to no emission controls and cheap labour,” Greg Haines said.

The Haines Group’s RIVALE™ technology replaces traditional open moulding techniques, which are more expensive, more laborious and less environmentally sound.  After two years of research and development, The Haines Group have created a robust and virtually unsinkable 4.85m dinghy using RIVALE™ technology.  The first of its kind, the fibreglass dinghy weighs 320kgs, can carry five passengers and can be ‘customised’ with numerous alternative configurations.

Greg Haines said RIVALE™ technology utilised the same traditional fibreglass and gel coat materials, but it was brought together through a process which made boats produced using the technology better than anything else on the market.

“The process has unlimited potential, however this dinghy is designed for the tinnie market. It is the next generation of the Aussie icon, in that it is more affordable, quieter, smoother riding and tougher,” he said.  By changing its manufacturing process to RIVALE™ technology, The Haines Group has substantially improved their manufacturing efficiency; increasing production for less expenditure.

Greg Haines anticipates his company will produce hundreds of the dinghy’s each year, and will increase production in response to demand.  While the 4.85 metre dinghy is the first vessel to be produced using the technology, all fibreglass boats manufactured by The Haines Group will eventually use RIVALE™ technology.