Vactan - disappointing company response to 2nd bad bottle

[Kathymel]

A couple of weeks ago I posted about a bottle of Vactan I’d bought direct from the company that was full of bits. It had been necessary to sand it down after I applied it.
 

The company was initially helpful, stated that occasionally a bottle would have too much undissolved tannic acid in it and sent me a replacement. Sadly, the second bottle looked to have the identical problem. However, this time when I got in touch with the company, they made out it was perfectly normal and nobody else had ever complained so it must be my problem. 

 

They wanted me to return both bottles in order to get the refund. Well, I’m annoyed but I’m not daft. I decided to filter it both so I could use it and also to prove I wasn’t delusional.

 

I think the photo speaks for itself.

[Kingdom Isambard Brunel]

2 minutes ago, Kathymel said:

A couple of weeks ago I posted about a bottle of Vactan I’d bought direct from the company that was full of bits. It had been necessary to sand it down after I applied it.
 

The company was initially helpful, stated that occasionally a bottle would have too much undissolved tannic acid in it and sent me a replacement. Sadly, the second bottle looked to have the identical problem. However, this time when I got in touch with the company, they made out it was perfectly normal and nobody else had ever complained so it must be my problem. 

 

They wanted me to return both bottles in order to get the refund. Well, I’m annoyed but I’m not daft. I decided to filter it both so I could use it and also to prove I wasn’t delusional.

 

I think the photo speaks for itself.

You can read the tealeaves in those filters. I have never had this problem but you have proved it. Disappointing. Have you sent that pix to Vactan?  I have always spent time shaking the bottle.

[Kathymel]

I’ve never used them before, but I shan’t buy from them again (not that I shall need any more for a while 😊). I spent some time shaking both bottles and it made no difference at all. Perhaps I should find me a fortune teller. 🤣

 

I have contacted the company but no response as yet.

Edited July 28 by Kathymel
Added a bit.

[Emma81]

Regrettably, we were unable to fully meet this customer’s expectations and demands on this occasion and for this we sincerely apologise.

[MrsM]

36 minutes ago, Emma81 said:

Regrettably, we were unable to fully meet this customer’s expectations and demands on this occasion and for this we sincerely apologise.

Welcome @Emma81. Presumably you are from the company?

[Tony Brooks]

2 minutes ago, MrsM said:

Welcome @Emma81. Presumably you are from the company?

 

and if you are, will you explain how powder that is likely to compromise the vinyl film when cured comes about. What happens to the integrity of the vinyl film if the bumps left by the powder are flatted away.

[Emma81]

Hi MrsM, yes Performance Chemicals.  

 

We are always happy to assist and offer advice. On this occasion, we sent one bottle free of charge as a gesture of goodwill, hoping to help resolve the issue. Despite our efforts, the customer remained dissatisfied, so we were glad to provide a refund upon the return of the goods. Throughout the process, we made sure to respond promptly to all of the customer's questions, including those sent over the weekend and outside of our regular working hours, to offer the best possible support.

[MtB]

25 minutes ago, Emma81 said:

Hi MrsM, yes Performance Chemicals.  

 

We are always happy to assist and offer advice. On this occasion, we sent one bottle free of charge as a gesture of goodwill, hoping to help resolve the issue. Despite our efforts, the customer remained dissatisfied, so we were glad to provide a refund upon the return of the goods. Throughout the process, we made sure to respond promptly to all of the customer's questions, including those sent over the weekend and outside of our regular working hours, to offer the best possible support.

 

Would you be kind enough to stop swerving the issue and explain what all the brown bits of debris are in the Vactan you sent to Kathymel, please? And why there are none in my own pot of Vactan? I've used Vactan on and off for years and never seen such contamination.

 

Just asserting you couldn't meet perfectly reasonable "customer expectations" (i.e. no brown bits) really doesn't cut it in my book! 

 

Many thanks if you can. 

 

 

[Arthur Marshall]

24 minutes ago, Emma81 said:

Hi MrsM, yes Performance Chemicals.  

 

We are always happy to assist and offer advice. On this occasion, we sent one bottle free of charge as a gesture of goodwill, hoping to help resolve the issue. Despite our efforts, the customer remained dissatisfied, so we were glad to provide a refund upon the return of the goods. Throughout the process, we made sure to respond promptly to all of the customer's questions, including those sent over the weekend and outside of our regular working hours, to offer the best possible support.

That's standard PR, no explanation and no apology. Bit pointless posting it, really. The company supplied two duff bottles without accepting any responsibility. If you seriously want people to continue buying the product it's worth explaining what the problem in production was, and what's being done to ensure it not recurring.

If the above is the company's official response, presumably nothing.

[blackrose]

I found the product itself disappointing rather than the company. Nothing wrong with tannic acid, but the polymer matrix that the tannic acid is dissolved in within Vactan just isn't a very good steel primer in my opinion.

Edited July 29 by blackrose

[matty40s]

36 minutes ago, Emma81 said:

Hi MrsM, yes Performance Chemicals.  

 

We are always happy to assist and offer advice. On this occasion, we sent one bottle free of charge as a gesture of goodwill, hoping to help resolve the issue. Despite our efforts, the customer remained dissatisfied, so we were glad to provide a refund upon the return of the goods. Throughout the process, we made sure to respond promptly to all of the customer's questions, including those sent over the weekend and outside of our regular working hours, to offer the best possible support.

Goodwill is nothing if there is a fault with your product, as there clearly is with this batch.

I have used Vactan for almost 20 years....(although no longer use it) both on my own boat but also on a professional basis, and have never seen this deposit in your product.

 

[Russ T]

10 minutes ago, Arthur Marshall said:

That's standard PR, no explanation and no apology. Bit pointless posting it, really. The company supplied two duff bottles without accepting any responsibility. If you seriously want people to continue buying the product it's worth explaining what the problem in production was, and what's being done to ensure it not recurring.

If the above is the company's official response, presumably nothing.

Quote

 for this we sincerely apologise.

 

[Tony Brooks]

It would not surprise me in the least if Performance Chemicals outsourced the blending and packaging to specialist companies, or even if they just buy it in by the drum full from the same suppliers as Kurust and possibly others do. If so, then they probably have no idea what has gone wrong. I seem to recall that the instructions say protect from frost, so it is possible that a bulk drum may have been frosted at some stage.

 

I also think that it's a very poor show that there is no detailed response for what looks like a very substandard product. It is as good as saying, it may be faulty but hard luck, that is what you get. How long would it have taken to candle part of their stock to ensure the replacement bottle did not have such sediment in the bottom.

Edited July 29 by Tony Brooks

[MtB]

2 minutes ago, Russ T said:

 

 

1 hour ago, Emma81 said:

Regrettably, we were unable to fully meet this customer’s expectations and demands on this occasion and for this we sincerely apologise.

 

 

This is not an apology for the brown bits in the Vactan. It reads to me like a passive-aggressive non-apology which seeks to blame the customer for having unrealistically high expectations and demands. 

 

 

 

2 minutes ago, Tony Brooks said:

It would not surprise me in the least if Performance Chemicals outsourced the blending and packaging so specialist companies, or even if they just buy it in by the drum full from the same suppliers as Kurust and possibly others do.

 

OR....

 

They have outsourced social media communications and Emma has no idea what the problem is (and no way of finding out), but it's her job to intervene and say something in social media threads about Vactan shortcomings.

[Russ T]

8 minutes ago, MtB said:

This is not an apology for the brown bits in the Vactan. It reads to me like a passive-aggressive non-apology which seeks to blame the customer for having unrealistically high expectations and demands. 

Oh right. My mistake. Sorry everyone.

[Tony Brooks]

What Matty is saying as a boat painter/refinisher should ring alarm bells with Vactan because if they get "the trade" advising against their product it is likely to damage their business.

[MtB]

1 minute ago, Russ T said:

Oh right. My mistake. Sorry everyone.

 

Don't do it again!!  😂

 

 

 

[Kingdom Isambard Brunel]

6 minutes ago, MtB said:

 

 

 

This is not an apology for the brown bits in the Vactan. It reads to me like a passive-aggressive non-apology which seeks to blame the customer for having unrealistically high expectations and demands. 

 

 

 

 

OR....

 

They have outsourced social media communications and Emma has no idea what the problem is (and no way of finding out), but it's her job to intervene and say something in social media threads about Vactan shortcomings.

Quite possibly correct.  Its a shame that the makers of what has been proven to be a good and popular product are willing to discourage their customers by acting in this negative manner. I wonder if they consider the marine market to not be worth putting a positive attitude out on this forum? I use Fertan as well as Vactan, the two are only similar but have different end results. My main rust killer is still phosphoric acid which has never let me down.

[Russ T]

33 minutes ago, MtB said:

 

Don't do it again!!  😂

 

 

 

Well if the product is made in 1000 litre batches, and it retails for £19.20 a litre thats.....erm....thats...erm. Nope, can't do the maths. Its a lot though.

[beerbeerbeerbeerbeer]

2 minutes ago, Russ T said:

Well if the product is made in 1000 litre batches, and it retails for £19.20 a litre thats.....erm....thats...erm. Nope, can't do the maths. Its a lot though.

but probably costs 2p a litre to make…nope I can’t do the maths either…

[Russ T]

1 minute ago, beerbeerbeerbeerbeer said:

but probably costs 2p a litre to make…nope I can’t do the maths either…

Much like beer beer beer then

[Russ T]

On 29/07/2025 at 17:35, MtB said:

They have outsourced social media communications and Emma has no idea what the problem is (and no way of finding out), but it's her job to intervene and say something in social media threads about Vactan shortcomings.

Alas, I fear you may be correct. I was hoping Emma may return with an answer today, but it appears not to be the case.

[Jon57]

5 minutes ago, Russ T said:

Alas, I fear you may be correct. I was hoping Emma may return with an answer today, but it appears not to be the case.

She's probably come down with a brown rash. Better than egg on her face. 🍳😁

[Russ T]

5 minutes ago, Jon57 said:

She's probably come down with a brown rash. Better than egg on her face. 🍳😁

I was vactanated against the brown rash at the same time as measles when I was at school.

[Tony Brooks]

12 minutes ago, Russ T said:

Alas, I fear you may be correct. I was hoping Emma may return with an answer today, but it appears not to be the case.

 

I think Emma could well be an AI bot, regurgitation the standard line from her trainers, who are almost certainly not the Vactan people who just bought her in.