West System

Active

Country: United States (US)
Founded: 1969
HQ: Bay City, Michigan, United States
Parent: Part of PRO-SET Formulated Resin Systems portfolio (as of 2025)

Indexes

Resin Crafting Woodworking

Overview

West System is a manufacturer of marine-grade epoxy resins and hardeners, known for use in boat building, repair, composites, and restoration. Founded in 1969 by the Gougeon brothers, it pioneered epoxy applications in marine bonding and coating, serving high-end boatbuilding, board-sports, and composite industries worldwide. The brand's two-part epoxy systems are developed for structural durability in demanding applications.³⁴⁶⁷

History

Brothers Meade, Joel, and Jan Gougeon founded Gougeon Brothers, Inc. in 1969 in Bay City, Michigan, starting with sailboat and iceboat construction before developing WEST SYSTEM epoxy for marine use. The company grew from a boat shop experimenting with epoxies in the late 1960s into a global supplier of epoxy products. As of 2025, it operates within the PRO-SET Formulated Resin Systems portfolio while maintaining its headquarters and manufacturing in Bay City.³⁴⁷

Product Lines

Product Line	Positioning	Price Range
105 Epoxy Resin System	Marine-grade base resin	$50 - $300
207 Special Clear Hardener	Clear finish hardener	$40 - $150
422 Barrier Coat Additive	Moisture barrier additive	$30 - $100
Epoxy Fillers and Additives	Thickeners for filleting and fairing	$20 - $80
PRO-SET Epoxy (distributed)	Advanced composite epoxy	$100 - $500

Manufacturing

Products are developed, formulated, and manufactured at the company's plant in Bay City, Michigan, by in-house chemists and epoxy users. Manufacturing complies with ISO9001:2015 standards. The facility supports brands including WEST SYSTEM, PRO-SET, Entropy Resins, and PRO-VAC USA.⁴⁶

Notable Products

105 Resin / 205 Fast Hardener - Standard two-part system for general bonding and coating in boatbuilding.
105 Resin / 206 Slow Hardener - Slower cure system for large-area applications and hot climates.
G/Flex 650 Toughened Epoxy - Flexible adhesive for bonding dissimilar materials and repairs.
Six10 Adhesive - Thickened, cartridge-dispensed epoxy for structural bonding.
407 Low-Density Filler - Lightweight filler for creating fairing compounds.

Reputation

West System epoxies are regarded by boatbuilders and composites professionals as a reliable standard for marine-grade quality and ease of use since 1969. Enthusiasts value the proprietary formulations for consistent performance in demanding structural applications. Some users note higher costs compared to generic epoxies, though the marine-specific engineering justifies it for critical repairs.³⁵⁶

Sources (8)