Celebrating a century on board

This year will be a special one for both Alfa Laval and marine customers because it marks our 100^th anniversary in the marine industry. As solutions like Alfa Laval PureBallast and PureSOx make headlines, we remember how everything began with a single separator.

The marine separator that started it all

In 1917, the U.S. Navy turned to Alfa Laval with a challenge. Water emulsions in lube oil were causing difficulties for naval vessels driven by steam turbines. Could an Alfa Laval centrifugal separator provide a solution?

Gustaf de Laval’s separation technology had made huge strides since its introduction for dairy use in the 1870s. Disc stacks had increased separator capacity, and work with oil separation was already underway. But the U.S. Navy’s request for a reliable emulsion breaker would influence both separator development and maritime history.

Developing with customers

Alfa Laval’s new marine separator was a pioneering answer to the U.S. Navy’s challenge. In following years, it would lead to the development of self-cleaning separators and residual fuel use. Over 2000 patents later, Alfa Laval is still finding solutions for an industry in constant development.

Even more importantly, the separator paved the way for a century of cooperation between Alfa Laval and marine customers. The marine industry has grown to touch nearly every aspect of global commerce and our daily lives, and its challenges have grown to match. By working closely together, Alfa Laval and customers are solving them.

A year to celebrate

The year 2017 will be filled with anniversary activities and new developments, and it all begins on the anniversary website. Here you can explore marine history and Alfa Laval’s role in it. Films and other materials will be added regularly, and the website will keep you posted of anniversary events in your area.

Dive into our past and future together at www.alfalaval.com/marinehistory2