Thordon Bearings - Experts & Thought Leaders

Thordon Bearings Inc., a global major in water-lubricated and grease-free bearing solutions, is pleased to announce the appointment of Progreen as its exclusive distributor for Azerbaijan. The formal arrangement strengthens Thordon's strategic presence across the Caspian region and marks another important step in delivering its high-performance bearing and seal solutions to key sectors, including marine, hydro power, and industrial markets. Range of heavy industries in Azerbaijan Progreen has extensive experience in polymer coatings, pump services, and wastewater treatment Progreen, a growing engineering services company led by brothers Ravil and Akhad Saidov, has extensive experience in polymer coatings, pump services, wastewater treatment and in offering technical repairs across a range of heavy industries in Azerbaijan. "Progreen offers the blend of technical knowledge and proactive customer engagement that Thordon seeks in its distributors," said Malcolm Barratt, Regional Manager, Southern Europe and Gulf Mediterranean, Thordon Bearings. He adds, "The company’s connections with major vessel operators such as ASCO (Azerbaijan Caspian Shipping Company) and its technical service capabilities in the field position Progreen to offer strong support to Thordon’s mission of eliminating oil and grease pollution from marine and industrial operations." Hydroelectric and industrial pump sectors Progreen has transitioned from a sub-distributor role to a full distributor agreement following a successful collaboration period supported by Thordon's Ukrainian partner, Speranza. The company is already actively engaging with end users in Azerbaijan's inland and blue water shipping markets, as well as the hydroelectric and industrial pump sectors. Advantageous bearing technologies "We are proud to partner with Thordon Bearings and represent its high-quality and environmentally advantageous bearing technologies in Azerbaijan," said Ravil Saidov, Director, Progreen. He adds, "There is strong demand in our region for high-performance, durable solutions that protect assets and the environment. We look forward to working closely with Thordon to help our customers improve their operational reliability and reduce maintenance costs."

In a significant milestone for the company, Thordon Bearings has seen its RiverTough tailshaft bearing solution surpass 500 installations in the workboat sector. Primarily a retrofit solution but also increasingly specified for newbuilds, RiverTough is designed for coastal and inland waterways, where conditions are typically muddy and abrasive. Thordon shaft sleeves The key has been verified as outlasting rubber bearings by a factor of two or more in the harshest environments The solution, applied in combination with hard-coated nickel-chrome-boron (NiCrB) Thordon shaft sleeves, has been verified as outlasting rubber bearings by a factor of two or more in the harshest operating environments.  Workboat operators serving the Mississippi River, U.S.A., have reported wear rates of just 0.07–0.1 mm (0.003–0.004 inches) over 6,000–7,000 hours of annual use. Cost savings over the vessel lifecycle RiverTough’s unparalleled resilience cuts maintenance and yields significant cost savings over the vessel lifecycle, in a benefit that resonates with owners of tow- and tugboats worldwide. Uptake has been particularly strong in the U.S.A., where two strategically located warehouses – in New Orleans (LA), and Paducah (KY) – have facilitated over 400 installations to date. Ratio of rubber bearings Accounting for over 60 more, South America is another strong market for RiverTough. As well as lasting longer, RiverTough is easier to machine, install, and align than rubber bearings. Its length-to-diameter (L/D) ratio of 3:1 results in superior water flow and reduced edge loading, when compared with the 4:1 L/D ratio of rubber bearings. RiverTough tailshaft bearings “This is a notable milestone for RiverTough tailshaft bearings, and for Thordon, and part of a growing market acknowledgement that using RiverTough tailshaft bearings leads to reduced maintenance requirements, allowing owners to keep boats working longer, moving their cargo with less downtime,” said Jason Perry, Thordon’s Regional Manager, North America. He adds, “We are responding to customer needs, and that has allowed us to continue Thordonising the workboat fleet, by growing RiverTough and NiCrB Thordon shaft sleeve numbers but also by serving increasing demand for durable TG100 mechanical shaft seals, ThorPlas-Blue and SXL rudder bearings, Thordon pucker seals, and ThorPlas-Blue steering linkage bearings.”

As part of its strategy to penetrate new and emergent markets, Thordon Bearings has appointed Axioma servisas as its sales, service, and distribution lead for Lithuania.Lithuania has been one of the fastest-growing economies in the EU over the past five years. The country continues to actively develop its maritime, manufacturing, and renewable energy sectors, as part of government policy to strengthen the country’s industrial competitiveness. Technology solutions Vilnius-headquartered Axioma servisas, which has been servicing, maintaining, installing, and commissioning technology solutions for companies across the Baltic’s industrial sectors for more than two decades, is tasked with expanding Thordon’ presence across the country.Malcolm Barratt, Thordon Bearings’ Regional Manager - Southern Europe & Gulf Med, said, “We have had a market presence in Estonia and Latvia for some years, but this is the first time we have an approved distributor for Lithuania, a country on the cusp of economic and technological evolution. Axioma servisas ticks all the boxes for us. The company has established a sound reputation for engineering excellence in most of the markets we serve.” Sale, supply, and service With GDP projected to grow by 2.9% in 2025, there is enormous potential for Thordon’s products Axioma servisas officially joined Thordon’s authorised distributor network on January 1, 2025. They are responsible for the sale, supply, and servicing of Thordon’s complete product portfolio of water-lubricated and grease-free bearings and seals. With GDP projected to grow by 2.9% in 2025, there is enormous potential for Thordon’s products across all of Lithuania’s industrial sectors, which are now very much in expansive mode, explained Gintautas Gaizauskas, Director of Axioma servisas’ Commercial Department. Renewable energy sources “The Klaipėda seaport is being developed following a €65 million investment; new renewable energy sources and infrastructure projects have received funding to ensure the country is climate neutral by 2050; and government incentives have bolstered manufacturing capabilities, making Lithuania a very attractive prospect for international manufacturing.” Gaizauskas furthered that the country’s maritime sector is an area with potential for both Thordon and Axioma servisas.  Environmental sustainability “Lithuania will become a major international logistics hub capable of handling much larger vessels and a more diverse range of cargoes and commodities,” he said.  “More vessels are being built and repaired in the country and there is a significant commitment to ‘Green Shipping’ in support of energy transition. Thordon’s product line fits very well with all of the developments taking place to bolster Lithuania’s environmental sustainability.” Install, maintain, and repair The proximity of Lithuania to Thordon’s manufacturing site in Slupsk, Poland, adds another dimension For more than 20 years, Axioma servisas – the largest engineering services company in the Baltic region – has been installing, maintaining, and repairing various mechanical, electrical, and automation equipment, helping to prevent major breakdowns and downtime. The proximity of Lithuania to Thordon’s manufacturing site in Slupsk, Poland, adds another dimension to both companies, as Barratt explained.  Reduces time and costs “Since 2012, when we invested in the Slupsk facility, we have expanded the plant to facilitate the production of Thordon products, reducing the time and costs involved in getting our products to European markets." "This is a particular boon for shipowners, managers, and builders with existing and planned operations in Lithuania and the Baltic States.”