Page 22: of Marine Technology Magazine (May 2023)

INTERVIEW SIMON PARTRIDGE, CHAIRMAN, COVELYA GROUP everything together under one umbrella so that a customer can derstanding the synergies available through the Covelya group see all the different disparate systems and products that the oth- of companies; to see the big picture and deliver a solution.

er operating companies make, all around the themes of com- “I think honesty is really key,” said Partridge, “being realistic munications, navigation, imaging and sensing,” said Partridge. about capability and about technology in the markets. True

Forcys also have some integration capabilities, enabling it transparency is a big part of that.” to pull together different bits from different companies, both Understandably, Partridge was not forthcoming on potential inside and outside of the Covelya organization. future acquisitions, but said future consolidation in the sector

Covelya’s philosophy is to acquire companies, allowing them is reasonable. “I’m quite inquisitive, but at the moment we to keep their name, brand reputation and “to a large extent” are investing hard internally. We’ve got some new technolo- their own corporate culture. Covelya does not trade, rather it is gies and products to deliver and that’s our main focus. But the backdrop of support, from ? nance to governance, risk and we’re always opportunistic. If something came along that ? t compliance, and legal support, among other things. perfectly, we would take a look; but we are not acquisitive for “Our aim is that each company is pretty autonomous,” said the sake of being acquisitive.”

Partridge. “We want them to be great on their own. We are aligning them, but I would say that’s a fairly soft approach. Future Tech

We don’t want to force them to clash together, but rather steer In times good and bad, the Partridge philosophy is to invest them to understanding the bene? ts of greater cooperation. So in Research and Development to ensure a steady stream of that’s a relatively natural approach.” new technology and capability is the offer. But it’s not simply

But Partridge admits that Covelya, as a group, is still in its about investing new technology for the sake of introducing infancy, and the individual companies are just now coming to new technology.

a reckoning on where the synergies lie. “It’s about focus and priority,” said Partridge. “I’m an en- “The important thing is to listen very carefully to people, to gineer, and I’d love to spend all of our money on clever new fundamentally understand the business,” said Partridge, in re- technology, but you have to focus it on the things that re- gards to understanding their customers business as much as un- ally add customer value. Everything we do is associated with

LEFT: Simon Partridge Transition zone transponder testing 1997 Plymouth.

BELOW: John with Rangemeter Mk.1 in loft lab at 9 Wickor Way, Emsworth, 1970.

RIGHT: Sonardyne Rangemeter Mk.2

Surveying pipeline early 70’s

All images courtesy Covelya Group 22 May/June 2023

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