In a shipyard, heat is a production tool. Coatings that must cure, condensation that must be kept off steel, a fabrication hall that has to stay workable in January — and all of it in spaces that change from week to week. That calls for heat you can move, scale and trust. Meet the Thermobile GA-85 — one of the most popular mobile heaters in our programme.
A workhorse from 39 to 93 kW
The GA-85 is a direct propane-fired air heater from Thermobile Industries of the Netherlands, builders of professional mobile heating since 1962. With a smoothly adjustable output from 39 to 93 kW and an airflow of 2,400 m³/h, one machine covers everything from background warmth in a workshop bay to full heating power in a fabrication hall — and when the job moves, the heater moves with it: 36 kg, compact dimensions, one person and a wheel set.
Because it is direct-fired, virtually all the energy in the gas is converted into heat in the airstream. No flue, no heat loss — just heat, exactly where the work is.
Built for hard environments
The details reveal a machine designed for rough, real-world sites:
- Moisture- and dust-proof control cabinet — made for air that is neither dry nor clean, whether that is a grinding bay or a quayside in horizontal rain.
- External combustion-air intake, letting the machine draw clean air from outside the working area.
- Vertical or horizontal placement, for flexible positioning in drying and ventilation set-ups.
- Ionisation flame protection, burner relay and hose-breakage protection as standard.
- Thermostat connection and the option of a modulating control system, so the heat follows the need — and the gas consumption follows the heat.
Propane (G31) is one of the cleanest fossil fuels available: easy to source, easy to transport in cylinders to wherever the job is, and burning without soot or particles — no oily film on surfaces awaiting coating. The GA-85 uses between 2.8 and 6.7 kg per hour depending on output.
Typical applications
- Shipyard and fabrication halls — workable temperatures for crews, coatings and equipment through the cold months.
- Dry-dock and refit work in well-ventilated spaces — keeping steel dry and condensation at bay.
- Dockside stores and warehouses — protecting moisture-sensitive cargo and materials.
- Construction sites and industrial halls — fast, movable heat where it is needed this week, somewhere else the next.
- Agriculture — crop drying, livestock housing and greenhouses, where this machine has proven itself for decades.
Like all direct-fired gas heating, the GA-85 belongs in well-ventilated spaces — never in closed accommodation or below deck. That is part of honest advice, and we are always happy to help specify the right heating solution for your specific space and task, including flued (indirect) alternatives where the job demands them.
Quality you can rely on
The GA-85 is KIWA-approved and CE-marked, built in the Netherlands with the robustness Thermobile is known for. And as always with Arne Nielsen, more comes with the machine than the machine itself: over 55 years of combustion expertise serving marine and industrial customers across Denmark, the Faroe Islands and Greenland, spare parts in stock, and service when you need it.
Key figures — Thermobile GA-85
| Output | 39–93 kW (adjustable) |
| Airflow | 2,400 m³/h |
| Fuel | Propane (G31), 2.8–6.7 kg/h |
| Power supply | 230 V, 0.64 A |
| Gas connection | 3/8″, working pressure 0.4–2.0 bar |
| Dimensions (L×W×H) | 109 × 46 × 47 cm |
| Weight | 36 kg |
| Approval | KIWA, CE |
Interested? Call us on (+45) 56 21 50 50 or write to info@arnenielsen.dk — and together we will find the right heating solution for your task. The GA-85 is available with wheel set, wall brackets and all accessories.
Arne Nielsen A/S — heat that works. Since 1969.
Read more: Thermobile in the UK.
