New tents are quick to erect, offer insulated, soundproof environment for soldiers, disaster relief workers
Gaco Western, a designer and producer of elastomeric coatings and polyurethane spray foam for the construction and waterproofing industries, has introduced the GacoShelter, an emergency shelter designed for use in natural disasters, the military and other situations where insulated, durable shelters need to be erected quickly.
Gaco Western, which is headquartered in the state of Washington, operates its manufacturing plant in Waukesha.
The company has worked with the U.S. military and NASA for years, developing sealants and insulation material. It developed the GacoShelter after working with the U.S. Army to insulate tents in Iraq and Afghanistan. The tents that Gaco Western insulated there were able to greatly increase climate control and reduce noise.
“While the current foam application is working, we’ve developed a more technically advanced system that is the only one of its kind to meet all domestic codes; it’s a turnkey solution for any emergency shelter situation or disaster area,” said Peter Davis, president of Gaco Western.
The GacoShelter structure meets all U.S. codes for energy, fire safety, electrical, structural, wind load and snow load. It can be erected in 90 minutes, and because its foam insulation saves so much on heating and cooling costs, the structures typically pay for themselves in 75 days.
In 2009, Gaco Western introduced the GacoSafeTent, designed to replace the U.S. military’s general purpose medium size tent, which did not offer any insulation or noise reduction. The GacoShelter is the next generation of the GacoSafeTent.
“We’ve learned from our experience working with the military just how powerful this new structure is,” Davis said. “It can literally be set up quickly in any environment, from combat zones to disaster areas – anywhere a pickup truck can go.”
