Page 59: of Marine News Magazine (August 2015)

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Willard: ple to safety.” 1,500 Boats Built & Counting “Our manufacturing team’s experience is key to our record

Calfornia-based Willard Marine, led by CEO Ulrich of producing the highest-quality military vessels on time,”

Gottschling, builds aluminum, ? berglass and rigid in? at- she said. “Dave Gutierrez, our manufacturing vice president, able boats for U.S. and overseas law-enforcement, military has been with the company for 39 years, guiding and im- and commercial customers. Founded in1957, Willard is proving our production processes. The average tenure of our the main supplier of 7-meter RIBs to the U.S. Navy. “We manufacturing employees is 22.5 years. Willard’s experienced design and build some of the safest and most rugged vessels shop foremen have each been here for over 30 years.” in the world,” Willard marketing director Karen Jacquelin “We also have a team of nine technicians with expertise in said. “By managing design and production from beginning Fiber-Reinforced Plastic, gel coat and composites--ranging to end with experienced production teams, we guarantee from minor gel-coat repairs to major hull-and-deck develop- our vessels will be the ultimate in quality, consistency, safe- ment,” Jacquelin said. Most of them have more than 25 years ty and performance.” Willard’s facilities in Anaheim, CA of experience in FRP. “These technicians are also trained in and Virginia Beach, VA house over 100,000 square feet of vacuum-infusion and vacuum-bagging, which is a process production and of? ce space. The company has delivered replicating the same weight across multiple vessels,” she said. more than 1,500 boats, of up to 60-feet in length, to the The company also designs and produces tour boats,

U.S. Navy, Coast Guard and Marine Corps, along with glass-bottom sightseeing boats and shore boats. And says foreign agencies, oil-and-gas companies, and search-and- Jacquelin, a fair portion of Willard’s backlog involves repair rescue organizations. of Willard boats. Spares can be shipped around the world “Our experienced designers and manufacturers develop on short notice, drawing from a large on hand inventory. specialized boats that often exceed regulatory standards The ? nal piece of the puzzle involves Willard’s custom- and our customers’ expectations,” Jacquelin said. Lami- ized, crew-familiarization courses in operation, mainte- nation, welding, assembly and rigging are done in-house, nance and repair of the company’s boats. “With a basic and the company’s boats are built to meet USCG, ABYC one-day, introductory course in the U.S. or an extensive and ISO standards. In 2014, Willard acquired rights to ten-day course abroad, we’ll collaborate with you to design the designs of Crystaliner and SeaArk Marine commercial the most effective and cost-ef? cient program possible,” vessels. That savvy move expanded Willard’s design offer- Jacquelin said. That, in a nutshell, it is the Willard way.

ings on aluminum boats for law enforcement, ? re? ghters and spill response, along with ? berglass vessels for ocean Customers’ Needs Must be Met search-and-rescue. What do these companies have in common? They’ll do

Given its throughput volume, Willard has to be skilled almost anything to satisfy and keep their clients. And, they at workload management for multi-boat contracts. “Reg- are collectively careful not to become over-extended be- ular planning and scheduling allow us to work on many cause late deliveries might hurt their customers and impact vessels simultaneously, while avoiding production delays, future work. “We build our boats right so our government costly rush-charges and overtime production,” Jacquelin customers come back year after year,” Willard’s Karen said. “Ef? cient manning and workload controls have been Jacquelin said. According Robert Sampey, Steve Berthold signi? cant to the success of our business for decades.” and Athena Maris, the domestic shipbuilding game is very

Over time, Willard has developed more than 20 types of competitive. American builders are vying for lucrative con- craft for the U.S. military and foreign governments, used tracts for military and offshore oil vessels. What’s the bot- in special ops, training exercises, harbor and port security, tom line? For a boat builder to grow, it’s important to listen and inland water patrols. “From our 6’6” 490 RIB to our to customers and not take them for granted. And, these 60’ SAR Fire Boat, our lines feature the best in safety and MN100 winners practice what they preach.

performance to meet the needs of any search-and-rescue team,” Jacquelin said. “We offer special, on-board options

Susan Buchanan is a New Orleans-based business writer, and extensive electronic and power packages.” specializing in energy, maritime matters, agriculture, the

Willard is the only U.S. manufacturer of Safety of Life environment and construction. She holds a master’s degree at Sea fast-rescue boats, tested by the U.S. Coast Guard from Cornell University in agricultural economics and an and certi? ed to meet the highest safety standards, she said. undergraduate degree from the University of Pennsylvania. “Customers count on our SOLAS rescue boats to get peo- 59 www.marinelink.com MN