| USA. Beckson Marine marks 50 years of plastic innovations |
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| Tuesday, 14 November 2006 | |
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Company news: The safety, performance and convenience boaters experience today from production fiberglass boats filled with plastic components and accessories stem from a series of innovations in the mid-1950s. Beckson Marine played a key role in the introduction of thermoplastics to the marine industry by producing the first all-plastic bilge pump during this time. Over the past 50 years, the company has helped pave the way to the marine industry's now common use of plastics. Beckson Marine founders Frank Beckerer Sr. and Earl Sisson faced an industry with limited exposure to thermoplastics when they developed the Thirsty-Mate handheld bilge pump. Superior to the traditional galvanized sheet metal, bronze and leather pumps of the day, it had immediate response, plus the advantages of plastic's lighter weight, excellent strength and unmatched corrosion resistance. Gone were the days of leather valves shrinking and needing to be primed. That first Thirsty-Mate pump may have been the first durable, 100% thermoplastic machine to operate in the world, and its successful design is still being used today. After Beckerer Sr. and Sisson proved the quality of their plastic bilge pump, consumer demand propelled the development of other plastic Beckson products such as utility pumps, cruiser pumps, flexible hoses and a boat hook throughout the remainder of the '50s. The gradual acceptance of plastics coincided with another milestone in the marine industry - the maturation of production fiberglass boatbuilding. During the mid-1950s, carnuba wax was discovered to easily release hulls from molds, finally allowing quality fiberglass hulls to be mass produced. The development of gelcoat created finishes that didn't craze. This increased use of non-natural materials allowed manufacturers to produce high-quality boats, components and accessories that were lightweight, safe and easy to maintain. By 1960, demand for fiberglass boats allowed Whitehouse Boats to be the first to produce 10,000 a year. In the 1960s, Beckson continued the expansion of its line with the introduction of plastic clips, vents and rod storage tubes. Sisson became less involved in the company's daily operations, but remained as a product consultant. Frank (Bob) Beckerer Jr. worked at the company alongside his father and mother and became the first plant manager. As the use of plastics became more prevalent in the marine industry into the 1970s, Beckson and its product line continued to grow. Even a fire that left its facility without a roof for six months did not stop production. Beckson continued to innovate in plastic accessories as a leader in deck plate design. It introduced the first pop-out deck plate that didn't need a spanner wrench, as well as a watertight, screw-out, self-centering deck plate. Its focus remained on creating products that enhanced safety aboard. It also recognized the growing influence of women in boating, developing products that made time on the water easier for women. In 1974, the company moved to its current Bridgeport, Connecticut location. By 1979, as the company expanded into other markets, it incorporated as Beckson Marine Inc. with Bob Beckerer as president. Throughout the '70s, '80s and '90s, Beckson increased its pump lines and created a broader range of patented products including watertight hatches, opening ports, soft cowl vents, deck plates with storage bags and the Vent-o-Mate exhaust ventilator. Today the company offers more than 900 products and holds more than two dozen design patents. Since its founding, Beckson helped introduce many of today's common plastics materials to the marine industry, including rigid PVC, Korad™, Rovel™, Teflon™, Cycolac™, Hypalon™, Lexan™ and polypropylene. Beckson's success over the years results from the company's employees and its family leadership. "We are a company of boaters that develop products for boaters," explained Bob Beckerer. "If you are not active on the water, you can't design a practical boating product." |
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| Last Updated ( Tuesday, 14 November 2006 ) |
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