Page 104: of Maritime Reporter Magazine (November 2016)

Next Generation Shock Mitigation Workshop

More than 80 people attended three on developing mechanical suspension and Seat Usage in Various Transport engineering knowledge to introduce a

SEATING one-day workshops for the sub-IMO/ seats to reduce the effects of vertical Sectors,’ led to a lively panel discus- range of high performance seating and sub-80 feet professional sector in accelerations,” said Haynes. “Areas sion. In all, the day featured eight sub- decking solutions the company have

Southampton, U.K. in October. The requiring further investigation include ject matter experts and each session had launched to reduce effects of impact ‘Next Generation’ Workshops brought fore-aft, lateral and vector forces, plus two presenters. Commander RN (Rtd) and WBV in marine applications. James together an international group of ex- improving seat cushion performance Richard Finnemore gave an update on Taylor, President & CEO of SKYDEX, perts for discussion of problems and and comfort. The challenge for the the UK Ministry of Defence Whole delivered a separate presentation that potential solutions. builders of next generation high speed Body Vibration Working Group. This highlighted how its engineers are us-

Workshop lead John Haynes intro- craft is delivering platforms that bal- pairing worked very well alongside of ing polymers and geometries to create duced the agenda. A wave of cutting ance high performance with the physi- Pete Sheppard, Senior Naval Architect multiphase springs for commercial and edge innovations were to be examined cal demands on crew and passengers.” at The Royal National Lifeboat Institu- military applications.

and discussed by professionals from This was followed by Dr. Tom Gun- tion, who looked at how the RNLI is Next in this session was Dr. Tim sectors including military, search and ston of the British Standards Institute assessing WBV exposure and imple- Rees of SHOXS who highlighted how rescue, government agencies, maritime Whole Body Vibration (WBV) Panel menting improvements on small craft. the Canadian company constantly ad- police and commercial operators. Boat who said, “The marine industry is tak- SKYDEX Technologies were lead vance its product line through sea tri- builders, specialist equipment manu- ing its ? rst steps towards standard tests sponsor for the NEXT GEN event. als, lab testing, science and engineer- facturers and naval architects also at- for shock and vibration protection seat- Dave Parsons, Vice President of Prod- ing. He described the challenges that tended. Haynes opened the Shock ing, but boats are not the only sector uct Development at SKYDEX, has seat manufacturers face in the design

Mitigation Workshop with a session that risks injuring people by shaking more than 25 years of experience in the and deployment of new technologies. tilted ‘Developing a Holistic Strategy them around.” With ? ve suspension development and provision of special- From this the group were able to dis- for Shock Mitigation on Fast Boats.’ seat manufactures in the room his ses- ized seating. His presentation utilized a cuss some of the science involved in “Since the 1990s focus has mainly been sion ‘ISO Standards for Seat Testing unique combination of physiology and shock-mitigation, including recent ex-

H.O. Bostrom Celebrates 70 Years

John Bostrom has almost seen it all. ing 65 countries. It employs nearly 90 global commercial vessel market. New Up until the recent maritime market

He has been with the H.O. Bostrom seat- people serving multiple markets, with product development in the SeaPost line downturn, the Asia Paci? c market was ing company 56 of its 70 years, starting the lion’s share of its business today has bene? ted the company’s portfolio of particularly active for H.O. Bostrom, to work summers with his father at the coming from the ? re and emergency seating systems and accessories for the though it remains busy in the ? re and age of 14. “Dad said, ‘you’re coming to services market. commercial marine vessel market. emergency vehicle seating sector. Lil- work with me because I don’t want you While Bostrom readily admits the cur- Bostrom proudly maintains the “Made lian Young is a 10-year H.O. Bostrom hanging out all summer on your own.” rent market in many maritime sectors in America” stamp, with complete de- veteran, born and raised in Shanghai,

The company started in Milwaukee is down, he certainly is not out of this sign, engineering, fabrication and as- China, and she leads the sales effort in 1946 “out of a garage” as a service com- unique market niche which the compa- sembly of seating systems and compo- Asia and Oceania. She said that qual- pany, and over the years has grown and ny entered in 1990. “Every ? ve years or nents in its 60,000 sq. ft. manufacturing ity and reputation is central to success moved into increasingly larger spaces so it seems that the marine market goes space located on a 4.5 acre campus in in these markets, and in fact the “Made and moved further to the west. The year into a depression,” Bostrom said, but it Waukesha, Wis. H.O. Bostrom offers the in America” stamp carries signi? cant 1957 was the ? rst time the company always bounces back, and there are al- advantage of single sourcing their seat- in? uence. She said the company’s main moved into its own building and struc- ways opportunities to ? nd. ing requirements, and a walk through its competition comes from European seat- ture, and it was 1989 when the company spacious design and manufacturing fa- ing manufacturers, and succinctly sums moved into its current purpose-built fa- Made for Marine cility con? rms that it is indeed self-suf- up the market climate today: “Activity cility in Waukesha, Wis. The SeaPost family of pilot chairs and ? cient and “in house.” The ? rm was the is down, and the competition is brutal.”

Today H.O. Bostrom is somewhat mechanical suspension seating for com- recipient of the 2016 Governor’s Export Young is signi? cant as she embodies of an anomaly: a U.S. manufacturer mercial marine vessels serves a niche Achievement Award, which recognizes the Bostrom international business phi- exporting to the world, currently serv- in the mid-range price segment of the success in global business development. losophy: communicate well with your 104 Maritime Reporter & Engineering News • NOVEMBER 2016

MR #11 (98-105).indd 104 11/4/2016 1:48:08 PM