Page 54: of Maritime Reporter Magazine (August 2021)

TECH FEATURE SEALS & BEARINGS

Pro? le:

Anna

Galoni

CEO,

Thordon

Bearings

Watch the interview with Anna Galoni @ bit.ly/3x7tsrx

Photo Courtesy Thordon Bearings hile new to the CEO seat, Anna Galoni is “Thordon has a very strong reputation with ship owners, and long-tenured at Thordon Bearings, having they return to Thordon for oil- and grease-free products” again worked in the company for more than 15 and again. Galoni takes the top spot at an interesting time in years, joining the Burlington, Ontario-com- business history, with the lingering impact of COVID-19 and

Wpany in 2007 after graduating from Queens all of the challenges that entails, as well as the marine indus-

University with a Masters’ Degree in Epidemiology. The new try’s push for ‘green’ solutions.

leader of this family-owned company, Galoni shares her in- Thordon’s polymer bearing technologies have achieved sights on the business and technology. worldwide renown as grease- and maintenance-free, environ-

Thordon Bearings is a, global business which designs and mentally safe alternatives to traditional bearings.

manufactures a range of non-polluting, oil and grease-free “My vision is to obviously grow the company; entering new bearing systems, seals and other shaft line products for the markets, like aviation, forestry, mining, as well as growing global marine, clean power, pump and industrial markets with our existing markets,” said Galoni. “But to do that, we have to more than 75 distributors in 90 countries. But the tech and make sure that we have the right people to do it. We are a very the international reach are only part of the story, as Thordon complex business. We are very technical business.”

Bearings is a Thomson-Gordon Group company, a business Directly ahead she sees growing opportunities in the shal- founded in 1911 by Major George J. Thomson. low-draft, workboat markets, as well as “a huge potential” in

Recently the company named Galoni as its fourth-genera- expanding its reference list of navies using Thordon solutions.

tion leader, her appointment following the retirement of Terry Thordon’s penchant for investing in the latest tech will

McGowan, who stepped down after almost 14 years in the manifest itself again shortly, with the introduction of The Blue

CEO role. Galoni shared with Maritime Reporter TV her in- Water Seal, a complement to the company’s COMPAC Open sights on the future pace and direction of the company. Seawater Lubricated Propeller Shaft System. While details are scant at the moment, Galoni said to stay tuned for more.

It is Easy being Green “The main feature (of the Blue Water Seal) is its the safe re- “We are the pioneer in inventing the water lubricated bear- turn to port feature,” said Galoni, noting that the seal should ings in polymer,” said Galoni. “My father, Sandy Thompson, be on the market “in the next month or two.” had a vision” to design and manufacture a bearing that does not need oil, thus eliminating the potential for water pollution. – Greg Trauthwein 54 Maritime Reporter & Engineering News • August 2021

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