Page 98: of Maritime Reporter Magazine (November 1998)

INTERIOR

SB A INTERIOR LTD

FIN-10360 MUSTIO

PHONE +358 19 3277 1

TELEFAX +358 19 3277 277

The face of shipbuilding around the globe, for better or worse, is undergoing a signifi- cant metamorphosis, forced in part by a cracked and crumbling global economy and ship prices which are mired in a trough.

Specialized tonnage makers in Europe have been teaming, merging and acquiring one another for several years in an effort to build larger corporate structures which are designed to have more inherent cost effi- ciencies, as well as a natural resiliency to individual niche pressures due to diversity of product.

The latest major player to emerge from this sort of grouping is the Aker RGI and

Aker Maritime-owned Aker Yards, the result of the merger of four shipbuilders (Aker Finnyards, Aker Brattvaag, Aker

MTW and The Langsten Group) comprising seven shipyards in three countries. The yards are as diverse as they are similar, and are able to build a wide range of spe- cialized vessels and offshore structures, as well as capable of bringing tailor-made con- cepts to reality.

The recent SMM exhibition was the first "public" showing of the group, according to

Otto Soberg, Aker Yard's president and

CEO. In actuality, the Group is still one- step shy of being complete, as Mr. S0berg conceded that the last step of the formal establishment of the merger was recently initiated. "But for all practical purposes, we are working as a group."

According to Mr. S0berg, it is in the con- text of the Group where the strength of

Aker Yards lies. He points to the ability of

Aker Yards to build a wide range of prod- ucts to the same technical excellence as a major factor in driving the yard's business for years to come. Mr. Soberg vows not to become so entrenched in any one niche, however, that the overall health of the group is compromised by a downturn in one segment (i.e. offshore).

To ensure that the Aker Yards chain is strong, focus is being given to each of the links. To this end, Mr. Soberg revealed that there is a large restructuring currently underway at Aker Finnyards, and the

Aker Finnyards was recently contracted to build a 276-ft. (84-m) seismic research vessel.

Otto Saberg, president and CEO of Aker Yards, sees the group's diversity as a major strength. "If you are good in your market niche, you can survive." group is concentrating investment on re- developing the yard's processes and facili- ties, as well as a "shake-up" on the corpo- rate side. Providing specialist solutions to the maritime market is a never-ending process of finding and developing new pro- jects, and as such, Mr. S0berg finds it diffi- cult to give an overall evaluation of future "markets." "You will find projects out there ... always," he said, adding "although it is hard to see a lot of the shipyards going bankrupt. It is a hard market."

Mr. S0berg, like so many of his colleagues, continues to call for capacity containment in Japan and Korea as the only real means to control plummeting ship prices and restore prices to "where they should be."

Circle 56 on Reader Service Card

The Yards

Nome Aker Brattvaag

Location West Coast Norway (5 companies)

Employees 400

Turnover $100 million

Name Aker Finnyards

Location Rauma, Finland

Employees 1,150

Turnover $200 million

Dock 260 x 85 m

Lifting capacity 300 tons

Dock capacity 150,000 dwt

Name Aker MTW

Location Wismar, Germany

Employees 1,450

Turnover $260 million

Dock 340 x67 m

Lifting capacity 1,000 tons

Dock capacity 300,000 dwt

Name The Langsten Group

Location W. Coast, S. Coast Norway (4 yards)

Employees 800

Turnover $190 million 100 Maritime Reporter/Engineering News mm1,:*.

CLASSY SOLUTIONS

TO MARINE

INTERIORS

JMC wall and ceiling panelling ^pm. for customized supply

J®n furniture, e.g. beds, pullman beds and sofa beds for the best in passenger and crew comfort classified B-15 doors for cabins stainless steel lining and ceiling meeting high require- ments on hygiene in galleys and pantries floating floor for accom- modation and public areas

Circle 328 on Reader Service Card