Fincantieri, world leader in cruise ship construction, and Mapei, leader in chemical products for the construction sector, with a business line of shipbuilding industry products, signed a strategic cooperation agreement in the field of research and innovation, the shipbuilder said in a press release.
This partnership will help Fincantieri optimize installation times, reduce the weight of certain materials, improve acoustic insulation by using specific products, develop and extend the use of adhesives products in some shipbuilding applications. Moreover, Mapei aims to carry out projects, leading to exploitable solutions in its operational field.
The cross-joint research issues will mainly concern the development of innovative products in a wide range, including adhesives, underfloor structures, surface materials (technical and finishing), grouts, supporting wall panels, detergents for the cleaning of furnished areas, materials and protection systems for furnished areas, thermal, acoustic and mechanical insulation.
In the start-up phase, the activities will concern a number of materials and resins for innovative and high quality finishes, for waterproofing of wet areas, as well as textiles having high sound absorption characteristics.
Furthermore, the agreement will encourage joint and collaborative training activities, with the aim of improving the innovative capacity in terms of product and process.
Giuseppe Bono, CEO of Fincantieri, stated: “The cooperation with Mapei, worldwide leader in its market segment, is wholly consistent with our strategy of increasing the final added value of the product we provide. For this reason, we need partners sharing our same commitment to innovation, helping us to develop new ideas and projects in specific fields”. Bono concluded: “Fincantieri confirms to be a big lab: along with the design, executive and organizational skills, we nurture the spirit of research, needed to meet the demands of our clients, always asking for a high level of excellence”.
Giorgio Squinzi, Managing Director of Mapei S.p.A. and CEO of Mapei Group, declaired: “The agreement signed with Fincantieri represents an important starting point for R&D activities of Mapei. With this collaboration, the sharing of information and know-how will be crucial to make Mapei a major actor in the marine industrial market. Our production already includes a line dedicated to this sector but, thanks to this cooperation we can improve it and increase our offer of high performing products specifically formulated to meet the different needs of ship-building industry”.
Fincantieri is a leading shipbuilding group dedicated to the construction of cruise ships and large ferries. The Company also specializes in building a wide range of ship types, including frigates, corvettes, patrol vessels and submarines, offshore and mega yachts. Fincantieri has built 70 cruise ships since 1990 (of which 47 from 2002) and other 14 ships are currently being designed or built in the Group's yards. In January 2013 Fincantieri acquired STX OSV (today VARD).
Source: PortNews