HamiltonJet Expansion

 

With a very busy order book and bright future prospects, the HamiltonJet factory is extending and upgrading to increase its manufacturing capacity. Much of the capacity gains will be in the casting, fabrication and machining of HamiltonJet’s larger HM range of waterjets, particularly impellers with an entirely new impeller manufacturing facility to become fully operational this year. 

 

The addition of new stainless steel casting and CNC machining equipment will allow HamiltonJet to reduce the manufacturing times of impellers and increase the size of impellers made from a single casting.

 

A new larger capacity electric reverb furnace and additional equipment is also being commissioned to increase capacity in the company’s larger aluminium foundry, while new welding equipment will increase the capacity and quality of fabricated waterjet parts such as Transition/Intake Ducts and larger Astern Deflectors.

 

HamiltonJet has recently installed a Graco Electrostatic Paint Coating system, which allows for quick change-over between paint coats and gives superior paint application with reduced wastage.  

 

When completed, these upgrades to the HamiltonJet factory will increase manufacturing capacity by over 50%, future-proofing the company in light of growth in orders over the last year and the strong outlook for the work and patrol boat market in coming years.

 

In the past year HamiltonJet has received orders and delivered waterjets for a wide range of projects around the world. Recently a shipset of four HM811 waterjets was delivered to Gulfcraft for the 50m catamaran crewboat “SEACOR Cheetah”. This vessel has the same Incat Crowther designed hull as the passenger ferry Key West Express, which also uses quad HM811 waterjets. SEACOR Cheetah will operate at speeds of up to 42 knots with capacity for 150 passengers and 150 tonnes of deck cargo.   

 

Other crewboats to be fitted with HamiltonJet waterjets include five 54m vessels by Rigdon Marine in Texas, each with quad HM811s, and four catamaran crewboat ferries to be built in Europe for operation in Nigeria – each with twin HM461 waterjets.

 

HamiltonJet will also be supplying waterjets for two further 19m Arie Visser class rescue boats for the Dutch KNRM, new waterjets to repower the Catalina ferry in California, and further waterjets for US Navy and patrol operations. 

 

The Korean Coast Guard continues to expand its fleet of 50 Tonne and 100 Tonne patrol boats, each fitted twin HM651 and HM811 waterjets respectively. And HamiltonJet will soon be delivering the 2^nd and 3^rd shipsets of twin HM571 waterjets for IRSHAD/ADNOC pilot boats in Abu Dhabi.

 

Several other large orders have been received from the Asian region, including an order for 30 HM811 waterjets from the Indian Navy, the first shipset of which was delivered earlier this year.

 

Meanwhile, HamiltonJet’s Research & Development department has continued to develop its CFD software, and through this is reducing the time it takes to introduce improved impeller and stator designs. Using CFD the company’s R&D department is able to calculate more efficient blade profiles for impeller and stator veins. 

 

These calculations are then used to create a 3D model from which rapid prototypes are formed to be tested on HamiltonJet’s test boat and hydrodynamic test rig. Through this process HamiltonJet has been making significant and rapid improvements in its waterjet efficiency and cavitation performance.

 

On the HR side, HamiltonJet has appointed Mike Shearer as its new Global Sales & Marketing Manager. He is a New Zealander with over 20 years experience of international marketing, particularly in the fields of engineering and welding equipment. Mr Shearer replaces former Marketing Manager John Walsh, who retired in February after 40 years with the company.  

 

HamiltonJet is also actively recruiting internationally for a wide range of factory vacancies, including Production and Product Design Managers, Mechanical and Quality Assurance Engineers, Production Engineers and Charge Hands.