Peter Danielsen, PPG marine account manager, Protective and Marine Coatings (PMC) Denmark, introduces us to our industry-leading fouling release coating PPG SIGMAGLIDE® 1290. He tells us why it’s one of the most sustainable choices on the market and how customers are benefiting from its advanced technology. Time to meet both the man and the product that is currently making waves in the marine world.
Introducing PPG Sigmaglide 1290
Sigmaglide 1290 is our premium hull coating solution that uses breakthrough surface regeneration technology to maintain constant surface smoothness and eliminate slime. The unique 100% pure silicone binder system enables ships to reach optimum speed while
reducing power demand and
minimizing CO2 emissions.
The increased silicone density means that slime organisms are less likely to settle. This significantly extends the coating’s effectiveness. It is particularly beneficial for slow-steaming vessels that still require a high level of
fouling protection (like tankers, bulkers, and container ships).
Product Benefits Proved by Testing
Third-party test institutes have proved the benefits of
Sigmaglide 1290 fouling release.
Dutch research institute, Endures B.V. (a TNO company), performed a
“self-cleaning dynamic simulation test” and found that the silicone binder ensures the coating gets back to its clean state at low speeds while a traditional fouling release collects slime.
Other world-leading third-party institutes also proved that it
reduces power by up to 20% and achieves a speed loss performance of 1.0-1.5%, contributing to CO
2 savings of up to 35%, a critical benefit that helps ships to comply with the demanding industry decarbonization regulations.
Another green differentiator is that, unlike most antifouling coatings,
Sigmaglide 1290 contains
no biocides.
The product is priced higher than traditional antifouling solutions, but if you compare the cost over 10 years, customers will save money on both fuel and re-applications.
Swapping Globe-trotting For Home-working
Peter is responsible for PMC sales to our Danish and Lithuanian customers. His customer base includes many large companies but primarily consists of smaller, local customers who use the dry docks of small shipyards.
He joined us 15 years ago as technical service representative when his role required him to be away from home for two to four weeks at a time while he traveled all over the world.
“Then they asked me if I wanted to work from home and promote sales in Denmark. I had a young child, so I said ‘yes, why not?’”
Building Good Customer Relationships Takes Years
Peter says he feels lucky in his career because when he started as a technical service representative, he already knew the product, applications, and shipyards. When he started in sales, the customers already knew him. He considers this essential, as customer relationships are key.
It's always important (and fun) to pay the customer a visit, have a nice talk together over a cup of coffee, to see what's going on – to be in the field.
But good customer relationships take work. “If you don't have a relationship with them, you won’t sell anything. They must trust you.”
Peter believes in
going above and beyond for his customers, paying frequent visits and taking phone calls on the weekends “so they know that they can always rely on Peter”. He remembers getting a call on Christmas morning from a customer who required an urgent paint specification.
“Could I help them? Yes, of course. But that's the way it is. You do something special for the customer, and that will be paid back to you later.”
Finding a Hobby in Capturing Family Moments
In between customer visits, urgent paint specs, and delighting customers with our industry-leading products, Peter spends time with his kids, Emil (9) and Louise (11). As they’re now a bit older, he’s even hoping to get back to playing golf in his spare time.
In the meantime, though, he’s a keen photographer and loves capturing landscapes and taking special moon shots from the beach using his telescopic lens and tripod. He also recently enjoyed using his new underwater camera on his family vacation on Gran Canarias.