Qlayers has appointed Ocean Roots as its commercial partner in Panama

Qlayers has appointed Ocean Roots as its commercial partner in Panama, extending the reach of its robotic coating technology into one of the world’s busiest maritime corridors.

The partnership gives asset owners, shipyards and coating contractors across the region direct access to the Qlayers 10QX robot, along with local support from a team that knows the market. Ocean Roots brings established expertise in the maritime and industrial sectors, and will work with customers to assess where robotic application can improve coating quality, strengthen site safety and shorten project timelines.

Why Panama

Few places concentrate maritime and industrial assets the way Panama does. The canal handles a significant share of global trade, supported by port terminals, dry docks, bunkering operations and storage facilities on both coasts. Every one of those assets depends on protective coatings to hold back corrosion, and every coating campaign competes with pressure to keep the asset in service.

That combination makes the region a natural fit for automated application. Conventional methods rely on scaffolding, rope access, and manual spraying or rolling across the full surface. The 10QX robot works as a magnetic crawler on the asset itself, covering main areas while the crew handle detail works. The result is less time spent at height, more consistent layer thickness across the asset surfaces, and shorter project durations than manual application alone.

What the 10QX brings

The 10QX applies coating at speeds of up to 600 m²/h, making it suited to large surfaces such as storage tanks, vessel hulls and other industrial assets. Its patented spray shielding system limits overspray, which reduces material waste and makes sure the coatings transferred to the target surface rather tahn in the surrounding environment.

The system also records data automatically as it works. Layer thickness, paint temperature, pump pressure, environmental conditions, and coverage area are captured throughout the process, giving project managers a continuous record across the entire coating surface. This complements conventional inspection, providing traceable evidence that specifications were met and supporting compliance reporting at project close.

Safety is a central part of the case. Reducing the hours crews spend working at height removes one of the most persistent risk factors in industrial coating work, while also cutting the cost and complexity of access equipment.

Support on the ground

Robotic coating works best when it is matched carefully to the asset, the coating specification and the project plan. That is where a local partner matters. Ocean Roots will act as the first point of contact for organizations in Panama exploring the technology.

For Qlayers, the appointment continues a pattern of building regional partnerships rather than serving markets remotely. Coating projects are practical, time-sensitive undertakings, and proximity to the customer makes a measurable difference to how well they run.

Get in touch

Organizations operating in Panama can contact the Ocean Roots team directly through their contact page to discuss how robotic coating could apply to their assets in the region.