Bayliner Boats - Campion Boats Launches First Test with Ashland Inc.

Hi gang, Rick Ostler here from North American Waterway bringing you Bayliner Boats along with news and views from the boating industry. Two high-performance pleasure craft from Campion Boats, showcasing a new use for Ashland’s ENVIREZ® bio-based resin technology, were recently tested on open water.

ENVIREZ resin, a major component of the boats’ construction, is from Ashland Composite Polymers, a business group of Ashland Performance Materials, a division of Ashland Inc.

The two boats, Campion’s Chase1 550 and 600, were made using ENVIREZ L 86300 T-25 bio-based resin in their hulls, liners and decks.

The resin, which is undergoing a final evaluation for this use, is designed to provide high elongation and toughness properties that deliver the impact and crack-resistant attributes desired by the marine industry. In addition to using ENVIREZ resin, Campion Boats also used Ashland’s LE series white gelcoat (WG-LE-2644) and the MP-series gelcoat for colors.

“We are very excited to see ENVIREZ resin being used in these beautifully designed speed boats,” said Jud Smith, vice president, Ashland Performance Materials, and general manager, Ashland Composite Polymers. “It’s extremely rewarding to see the efforts from Ashland’s research and development and the leadership at Campion Boats coming together to successfully field test this new ENVIREZ resin formulation.”

“First off, Campion was absolutely delighted to have been asked and ultimately chosen by Ashland to assist them with their research and development of this very exciting new technology. Campion is always on the lookout for the best possible products available for constructing our high quality boats. As we see it, partnering with the Ashland team to develop the two test boats, the Chase 550 and Chase 600 models, has truly helped both Ashland and Campion to fully understand the characteristics and application processes of this new bio-resin,” said Brock Elliott, general manager, Campion Boats.

“Most importantly, we saw this as a ‘real world’ situation to prove the science behind the bio-resin and to give it an endorsement beyond the ‘lab’ tests. We strongly feel Campion can and has helped Ashland with moving this bio-resin product and project forward,” added Elliott.

The first ENVIREZ resin, ENVIREZ 1807, is formulated with soybean oil and corn-derived ethanol. That product was introduced to the market in 2003, when John Deere Corporation began using the resin in side-body panels for their farm equipment. New formulations by Ashland have expanded the uses for ENVIREZ resins, allowing their use in many applications.

Ashland Composite Polymers, a business group of Ashland Performance Materials, is a leader in supplying products, processes and technologies to the global marketplace for composites and gelcoats.

Ashland Performance Materials, a division of Ashland Inc., is a worldwide manufacturer and supplier of specialty chemicals and customized services to the building and construction, packaging and converting, transportation, marine and metal casting industries. It is a technology leader in metal casting consumables and design services unsaturated polyester and vinyl ester resins and gelcoats; and high-performance adhesives and specialty resins.

Ashland Inc., a diversified, global chemical company, provides quality products, services and solutions to customers in more than 100 countries. A FORTUNE 500 company, it operates through four divisions: Ashland Performance Materials, Ashland Distribution, Valvoline and Ashland Water Technologies.

To learn more about Ashland, visit www.ashland.com.

Boating Industry - Campion Boats Launches First Test with Ashland Inc. Renewabl