The History Of Foam Coat Materials In The Marine Industry

The foam coat materials have been used for over 60 years in the marine industry and different applications in order to lighten, stiffen and strengthen everything from hull bottoms to fly bridges. But since there are seemingly endless varieties of foam core materials on the market today, it can be very frustrating for the average boating enthusiasts or even for the experts in the marine industry to find the right foam core for a particular application. Normally in order to make a correct choice you will need to know the properties and the proper manufacturing procedures that are involved in constructing the foam coat materials that are used in the marine industry.

The first foam materials that ware specifically created for the marine industry was poly vinyl chloride or PVC and isocyanate blend. Their developer was Dr. Lindemann, who discovered the formula in Germany in the late 1930' and 1940'. It has been rumored that this early version of PVC was used in the marine industry area, more exactly in the German E-boats and even in the famous "Bismarck" battleship. But after the World War II, France got the formula as a war compensation and form France the formula was licensed out to companies all over the world that kept developing the original recipe in their own distinct ways. After many years of different formula offshoots and company consolidations two major suppliers of PVC foam remain.

The original formula of Dr. Lindemann knows nowadays a couple of modifications and it is very proficiently used in the marine industry. There have been created as well foams based on chemical components other than PVC.

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