Innovative collaboration: VDL Klima approves SÄKATONIT Extra AR-F as OEM coating for box coolers, reinforcing SÄKAPHEN’s global footprint

After years of field-proven performance, SÄKAPHEN’s coating solution receives OEM validation from VDL Klima, backed by a game-changing surface pre-treatment developed by CP Phenolics.

In the maritime sector, there is increasing demand for sustainable, energy-efficient corrosion protection. VDL Klima, a leading manufacturer of heat exchangers for various industries, including the shipping one, has officially approved SÄKATONIT Extra AR-Ffrom SÄKAPHENas one of its coating solutions of choice following extensive testing. This milestone not only underscores the performance of this lining in the field but also highlights a collaborative innovation to address the marine industry’s evolving technical and environmental requirements, involving SÄKAPHEN, VDL Klima, and also CP Phenolics, a market leader in the application of heat-cured phenolic coatings.

Box coolers: a growing industry meeting sustainability requirements

VDL Klima (Eindhoven, Netherlands), in particular, is a leading manufacturer of box coolers, a specific type of heat exchanger developed as a water cooling system for vessels of any kind, from yachts and ferries to icebreakers and cargo freighters. Boasting excellent resistance to marine environments, using seawater as a coolant, and requiring limited energy to operate, it can be considered an environmentally friendly engineering choice, helping reduce a ship’s carbon footprint.

However, as explained by Christoph Fischer-Zernin, the Commercial Director of SÄKAPHEN (Gladbeck, Germany), “Since box coolers are made of various grades of alloys, ranging from aluminium-brass (CuZn20Al) to copper-nickel (Cu-Ni), and are installed in carbon steel sea chests, there is considerable potential for galvanic (due to the dissimilar metallurgy) and seawater corrosion. That is why it is vital to apply a coating not only in the sea chest but also on the surface of the box cooler. Such a protective product should be resistant to the harsh operational conditions of the marine environment, which go well beyond contact with seawater or brackish water, but also able to withstand the mechanical stress caused by the flow of water in-between the cooler tubes as well as vibrations and air bubbles, potentially causing cavitation.” Finally, the ideal paint product has to withstand the permanent electrical stress caused by the Impressed Current Anti-Fouling (ICAF) system, which impresses an electrical current into a copper anode to reduce fouling and marine growth on the box cooler. Fouling itself, of course, is another factor potentially jeopardising a box cooler’s performance.

“SÄKAPHEN is a family-owned business with over 70 years of experience in corrosion protection products and processes,” Fischer-Zernin adds. “Over the last few years, we have noted an increasing interest in the cleaning and re-coating of box coolers as a sustainable way to lengthen these systems’ service life, which is usually 15 years.”

Proven protection, now OEM-certified

SÄKAPHEN’s solutions for the maritime industry encompass different linings with excellent resistance to aggressive marine environments, including one, SÄKATONIT Extra AR-F, which is suitable for flooding applications. “It is a 2-pack, cold-cured, epoxy hybrid lining whose unique blend of resin and a hardener, also combined with specialised application methods, ensures a smooth hydrophobic finish offering outstanding protection against abrasion and reducing caking, fouling, and incrustation, as well as superior electro-chemical insulation. When coating box coolers, it limits the adhesion of marine growth, including barnacles, and provides safe and reliable operation and, above all, protection against galvanic corrosion. It is not negatively affected by the use of Marine Growth Prevention Systems (MGPS), such as Impressed Current Anti-Fouling (ICAF) systems,” illustrates Fischer-Zernin. “That is why, originally developed for on-site applications in shipyards around the world, SÄKATONIT Extra AR-F has built a solid reputation over nearly a decade as a highly reliable solution for protecting box coolers against galvanic corrosion and against general marine corrosion in aggressive seawater environments.”

SÄKATONIT Extra AR-F contains no biocidal filler, making it a greener, more environmentally friendly option for shipping operations. The coating withstands the harsh marine environment in both warm and cold waters. Therefore, the use of box coolers combined with cleaning and re-coating with SÄKATONIT Extra AR-F enables companies to extend the service life of their assets, thus further improving sustainability and operating in line with the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals and ESG standards.

Until now, this product has been primarily applied during maintenance cycles in dry docks, supported by SÄKAPHEN’s global network of qualified service providers. However, as original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) increasingly seek coating systems with lower carbon footprints, reduced VOC emissions, lower solvent use, and no need for high-temperature polymerization, VDL Klima began a thorough evaluation of SÄKATONIT Extra AR-F as a forward-looking OEM solution. The outcome: full approval and adoption of this coating system for the production of new box coolers.

“Together with SÄKAPHEN, we set the standard for future-proof solutions: the perfect blend of performance, sustainability, and cost efficiency,” stated Wim Jenniskens, the Managing Director of VDL Klima.

Next-generation surface preparation

A key enabler in the OEM integration of SÄKATONIT Extra AR-F was an innovative surface preparation technology developed by coating applicator CP Phenolics (Moordrecht, Netherlands). “Traditionally, proper coating adhesion requires abrasive blasting, which is an energy-intensive and logistically complex process,” illustrates Gerwin Smaal, the company’s owner. “Our new method, however, eliminates the need for abrasive blasting without compromising surface profile or coating performance. This development has proven essential in integrating SÄKAPHEN’s coating into VDL Klima’s manufacturing process, enabling greater throughput while aligning with sustainability goals. This is exactly the kind of innovation-driven partnership we value.”

Innovation through partnership

The collaboration between VDL Klima, CP Phenolics, and SÄKAPHEN exemplifies how forward-thinking companies can work together to address industry challenges with practical and implementable solutions. “VDL Klima has always been known for embracing innovation,” says Fischer-Zernin from SÄKAPHEN. “Its openness to adopting a proven field solution like SÄKATONIT Extra AR-F at the OEM level reflects a broader trend toward smarter, more efficient manufacturing practices in the maritime sector.”

The Commercial Director of SÄKAPHEN concludes with satisfaction: “With the addition of OEM certification by VDL Klima, SÄKATONIT Extra AR-F is now positioned not only as a trusted re-coating solution but also as a factory-applied system, delivering the same level of corrosion protection from day one. For ship owners, this translates into longer service intervals, reduced lifecycle costs, and improved sustainability across fleets.”

SÄKAPHEN’s established track record, paired with CP Phenolics’ surface treatment innovation and VDL Klima’s proactive approach, truly demonstrates how collaborative engineering can meet the marine industry’s technical and environmental imperatives without compromise.

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