Cathelco
Cathelco – serving the shipping industry worldwide
Chesterfield| has been home to Cathelco Ltd for over 50 years, during which time the company has expanded to become a world leading designer and manufacturer of equipment for ships.
The company’s new, purpose built factory in the A61 corridor |reflects a nautical theme with its wave-like roof and a ship’s propeller at the entrance.
Cathelco moved into the factory in May 2009 and has continued to grow to the point where it employs almost 100 people. Over 95% of output is destined for customers in shipyards ranging from Europe and the Far East to South America and Australasia.
The company now has a portfolio of products which are marketed worldwide to the operators of commercial vessels, cruise ships and the offshore oil industry. In addition, Cathelco systems are used by the surface craft and submarines of more than 40 navies.
Cathelco was founded in Chesterfield because of the area’s strong connections with metals industries and the proximity to Sheffield as a centre for metallurgical research. It also had the advantage of a local workforce with the essential engineering skills.
The company built its reputation in the manufacture of marine pipework anti-fouling systems and now has a record of over 20,000 installations on ships of every type. The systems prevent blockages in seawater engine cooling systems caused by barnacles and mussels.
Cathelco has also developed a range of impressed current cathodic protection systems (ICCP) to protect steel and aluminium hulls against corrosion. Specialised ICCP systems have been developed to protect waterjets on high speed ferries and bow/stern thruster tunnels on conventional craft.
Recently, Cathelco acquired Seafresh Desalinators, a company which has designed and manufactured reverse osmosis desalinators for more than 30 years. The desalinators are used to turn seawater into drinking water and have been successfully installed on commercial vessels, naval craft and luxury yachts.
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