WEKA MARINE
BRINGING BRILLIANT BOXCOOLERS TO THE MARINE MARKET Powered by Inside Marine
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WEKA MARINE
200 Inside marine
I PROFILE
With a diverse range of coolers and heat exchangers, Weka Marine delivers well-integrated cooling solutions for inland waterways and seagoing vessels. Amongst its innovative marine products, the copper-nickel boxcooler is the company’s flagship product. Hannah Barnett spoke to MD Cor de Kwant and Sales Manager Danny Caffa to learn more. eka Marine was established
W
Cor de Kwant. “A customer tells us the
with the ethos that technolog-
vessel they have and the sea it will sail
ical advancements could push
in, including the temperature and so on.
the marine industry forward. Though best
Then, we provide them with a solution:
known for its copper-nickel boxcooler,
we think with the customer.”
the company offers a complete portfolio of innovative cooling products used in
A family firm
different applications worldwide.
Weka Marine was established in 1957
“Boxcoolers are our core business,
to offer reliable on-demand services to
unlike other manufacturers who might
marine companies cruising the IJssel in
offer them as a side product,” said MD
the Netherlands. The factory was located
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I PROFILE
near the river, so vessels could be
But it is the copper-nickel boxcooler that
serviced quickly and effectively.
has become Weka’s flagship product. It is
In 1980, the first Weka boxcooler
crafted with 90/10 copper-nickel tubing,
was installed, commencing the start of
an alloy that was selected based on its
a new era of smart cooling solutions. The
durability, heat exchange abilities, resis-
company now has 16 employees in the
tance to saltwater corrosion and natural
Netherlands and 40 in the United States,
marine growth protection.
but it remains a family business. “My grandfather, Mr de Kwant,
Copper alloys possess an inherent resistance to biofouling, meaning the high
started Weka Marine in 1957 alongside
copper content of the tubing has a nat-
Mr Westbroek,” Mr de Kwant said. “That’s
ural anti-fouling capability and protects
why it’s called Weka. It’s a combination
against marine growth. “I always make
of both names.”
the comparison with church roofs, where the copper becomes green,” Mr de
The signature product
Kwant explained. “That’s what our
The boxcooler was introduced by Mr
boxcooler does when it’s been installed
de Kwant’s grandfather alongside three
onboard the ship. It’s underneath the
employees, most of whom have family
sea line and submerged in the water.
ties to Weka’s current workforce. Initially,
Copper-nickel creates a green layer.
the company produced steel boxcooler;
And the green layer creates the natural
a line it still maintains, with most pumping
anti-fouling capability.”
stations in the Netherlands using them for cooling.
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“It’s our unique selling point,” said Sales Director Danny Caffa: “What you see in the
market now is manufacturers trying to
who are likely to take the total cost of
protect boxcoolers with ICAF systems
ownership into account, as opposed to
or ultrasound to prevent bio-growth,
shipyards, which may be in the market
but our boxcooler does it naturally.”
for or cheaper, quick-fix solutions.
Flexibility is one of Weka’s distinctive
“Our Copper-Nickel Boxcoolers are
qualities, meaning the company does not
a little bit more expensive than what the
only produce copper-nickel coolers, but
market delivers at the moment,” Mr Caffa
also Weka’s original steel cooler and alu-
said: “but if you look at total cost of own-
minium-brass coated boxcoolers, like the
ership, we are the cheapest in the world.
other boxcooler manufacturers. “We have
A Weka Copper-Nickel boxcooler easily
a cooling system for each application in
pays off before a ship’s first docking, and
the maritime industry, which makes us
within five years, you earn back the ROI.”
stand out in the market,” Mr Caffa said. “If a ship is travelling around the Arctic, it
Marine green
doesn’t need anti-biofilm protection, but
Another significant facet of the copper-
if it goes to Brazil or Spain, then it needs it.”
nickel boxcooler is that, as opposed to
This adaptability makes Weka’s high-
an ICAF system, it is and always has been
quality products ideal for ship owners,
an environmentally friendly option. “Weka
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WEKA MARINE
I PROFILE
has been providing a green solution
95% of the boxcooler’s parts can
since the 1980s because of the copper-
also be recycled or reused. This is in accor-
nickel boxcooler,” Mr De Kwant said.
dance with the Weka Marine Environment
ICAF systems protect from marine
programme, which encourages the
growth using a copper bar that dis-
company and its partners to explore
solves in the water, depositing copper
the potential of the circular economy.
ions in the sea and accumulating signifi-
“We can give those old coolers back to
cant amounts over time. “It’s toxic,”
our suppliers, as well as use them for new
Mr de Kwant added. “That doesn’t
products,” said Mr de Kwant, “especially
happen with our copper-nickel boxcooler;
because copper and other materials are
it only creates the green layer on top. We
becoming rare. The more we recycle, the
are not dumping copper into the sea.”
easier it becomes to use parts again.”
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In recognition of these sustainable
and the company is set to launch a new
attributes, three years ago, the company
series of products based on pillow plates.
received a green award.
“These are plates with a dimple in them for cooling and heating purposes,” Mr de
A company like no other
Kwant explained. “We already supplied
The copper-nickel boxcooler is a largely
a couple of these units for heating oil in
maintenance-free solution, only requiring
cargo holds. We’re promoting pillow
pressure washing. To maintain the unique
plates, along with our new website, logo
quality of the product, Weka invented the
and company rebrand at Europort in
Weka Guard and Weka Protector, which
Rotterdam in November.”
protects boxcoolers from any adverse
At Weka, a thorough familiarity with the
reactions with other materials on the ship.
products being sold goes hand-in-hand
“The most important thing is that the installation is done correctly,” Mr de
with a robust and happy workforce. “We have a good vibe in our office; you
Kwant said. “If you follow our installation
can really feel it,” Mr de Kwant concluded.
instructions, you have no short- or long-
“It’s very important. We are a small team,
term issues. That’s why most of our
but everybody in the office can build
customers with copper-nickel boxcoolers
a cooler. And if there is overtime that
do not want anything else.”
needs doing or a customer asks for
As well as continuing to develop its
a challenging delivery deadline, then
signature product, Weka is set to enlarge
everybody in the office will join in to build
its portfolio. The R&D department responds
the cooler. We roll up our sleeves and do it
quickly to new developments in the market,
together. It can be a lot of fun.”
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