Nearly everything. Our express shipping program, returned goods policy and limited lifetime warranty are just the beginning. Our extensive lineup of more than 800 marine products are made in the USA and meet ISO 9001:2015 and ABYC H-40 requirements – and we have salt spray and bow eye tensile test data to prove their quality. Customer-specific product labels are just the icing on the cake.
Our 25,000-square-foot manufacturing facility in Fort Wayne, Indiana is staffed by skilled and experienced employees who make more than 800 different high-quality bow and stern eyes, as well as other marine products. Our employees are trained to use a broad array of equipment, including:
At EPCO Marine, we use historical, long-range forecasts to plan for material needs, and our reliable vendor base works hard to ensure we’re always supplied with needed material. We’re not dependent on international suppliers, so we’re never “waiting for the boat to come in.”
Our skilled and experienced employees have been making bow and stern eyes right here in Fort Wayne, Indiana since 1980. And, we’re the only US manufacturer around – nobody knows bow eyes better than EPCO Marine.
In addition to bow and stern eyes, we manufacture a number of stock products, including mooring eyes, lifting assemblies, specialty U-bolts, pontoon test couplers and hatch cover pulls. If you can’t find what you need, reach out to us about creating a custom product to fit your needs.
We use both roll and cut threading processes to create our bow and stern eye threads:
At EPCO Marine, we use both 304 and 316 stainless steel to manufacture our bow and stern eyes, as well as our plates and hardware.
At EPCO, we offer three surface finish options for all bow and stern eyes, as well as other marine products:
We’re happy to provide permanent company logo markings on many of our stainless steel products, including bow and stern eyes, bow eye accessories and hatch cover pulls. There’s a one-time logo set-up charge, and prices for individual logo markings are based on the size of the logo, the location of the marking and the quantity required. Our normal lead time for one-time orders for established products is 6 working days. Blanket orders are shipped per confirmed schedule.
Of course! We look forward to making custom bow and stern eyes from existing diameter bar stock to meet our customers’ unique needs. Simply contact us to create a prototype or custom product, and we can talk shop.
Yes, we have a custom parts policy. Our policy is as follows:
As part of our ISO 9001:2015 Registered Quality System, we only purchase stainless steel material accompanied by material certificates with laboratory analyses.
Additionally, all our bow and stern eyes are engraved with E304 or E316 on the interior surface of the curved portion of the product to designate the stainless steel grade of that product. The bow and stern eye plates have the same engraving on the bottom side of the plate. Our 316 stainless steel nuts are engraved with 316 on one side, and our 304 stainless steel nuts are either engraved with 304 or are not engraved at all.
Finally, upon request, all our products are delivered in sealed packages with customer-specific product labels that indicate the stainless steel grade.
Absolutely. All our products and components meet or exceed ABYC H-40 requirements.
Please contact us for product information and specifications.
That would depend on the quantity ordered and whether or not the components were in stock at EPCO. Most products can be shipped within 1-5 working days after the order is received at EPCO. A firm ship date will be confirmed when the order is placed.
It is recommended that a blanket order for the new item be placed with estimated ship dates to insure product availability. The ship dates can be adjusted to meet customer requirements.
The normal lead requested by EPCO is 5 working days. However same day shipments are possible in most instances when the order is received before noon. EPCO does offer the EPCO Express Shipping Program for many of its products to provide service in those instances when for whatever reason the bow/stern eyes must be shipped the day the order is received.
There is no extra charge. It is recommended that a follow-up order be placed to help avoid production interruptions while parts are in transit or Murphy’s Law goes into effect.
EPCO can automatically provide, upon customer request, e-mail notification with the tracker number of UPS shipments.
There are none. It is suggested that the quantity ordered be based on timely manufacturing needs and to maximize inventory turn and minimize cash requirements.
EPCO has two standard packages as well as packaging to specific customer requirements. Every bow/stern eye order is packed to the individual customer order as part of the manufacturing process.
The most commonly requested package is a clear sealed pack that contains the base bow/stern eye with the top nuts installed and completely run to the top of the threads. The required plates and nuts are sealed in the same package. A customer-specific product label that has the customer name, PO #, customer part number and bar code, complete product description, EPCO part number and invoice number, the name of the EPCO employee who packed the order and the date the order was packed can be affixed to each package upon customer request.
The second package involves that the bow/stern eye be assembled to a greater degree than just installing the top nuts. This type of package is done to a specific customer request and has an additional cost.
Bulk packaging is available in these instances when the integrity of the product’s surface finish may not be a factor. Related components are also bulk packed.
EPCO is an ISO 9001:2015 Registered Quality System company.
See EPCO Limited Lifetime Warranty.
A written request must be submitted to EPCO to return any product purchased from EPCO. A determination will be made by EPCO. A Returned Goods Authorization will provided for the products that are to be returned. The RGA will state the terms and conditions covering the return of the goods.
There is no restocking charge for the return of standard products that EPCO determines are in salable condition. A written request must be submitted to EPCO to return any product purchased from EPCO. A Returned Goods Authorization will be provided for the products that are to be returned freight prepaid. The RGA will state the terms and conditions covering the return of the goods. Returned products that qualify for no restocking charge will either have a credit memo or EPCO check issued (customer choice) for 100% of the price originally paid for the returned products.
EPCO does provide the coverage upon written request.
See the Salt Spray Test Data for information on corrosion resistance performance of the natural finish and electro-polished 304 and 316 material used by EPCO.
Our 304 stainless steel appears to have a higher tensile strength, according to pull test data; but our 316 stainless steel has a higher nickel content and may exhibit better corrosion resistance properties, per our salt spray test data.
See the Bow Eye Tensile Test Data for information on Tensile Strength, Edge Pull, and Side Pull performance of the 304 and 316 material used by EPCO.
Our 304 stainless steel appears to have a higher tensile strength, according to pull test data; but our 316 stainless steel has a higher nickel content and may exhibit better corrosion resistance properties, per our salt spray test data.
