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FeedsHome: Issue 1 2010 › Making waves
Making waves
29/01/2010 | Channel: Manufacturing, Shipping
Viknes continues to maintain its leading market position as it prepares to unveil the new 1080 sunbridge in february
Founded in 1988, Viknes is Norway’s leading manufacturer of pleasure boats, providing a range of models for customers in not only the home market, but also in Sweden, Denmark and Croatia. The company also designs and produces a range of fishing boats to North Sea businesses and sea taxis that are used in Greenland. All design and production is conducted in-house and then finalised at Viknes’ own lamination departments and assembly centres, and the company can deliver over 240 boats a year.
Over the past five years, Viknes has produced three new vessels – one of which is the company’s largest boat to date, the 1080. The concept behind this vessel is simply ‘more of everything’, and its design places a strong focus upon the freedom, space and comfort of those on board. As with the company’s previous models, the 1080 benefits from a large aft-deck with an additional outdoor steering wheel fitted as standard. This is the first of Viknes’ luxury boats to possess a lowered bulkwark surrounding the saloon, which allows the passengers to get from aft to stern with ease. It also possesses three large cabins and a lounge area that sits seven people.
Viknes is currently launching a modified version of the 1080, called the 1080 Sunbridge, which will be on the market by February of this year. Christer Midthun, marketing director of Viknes elaborates on this new model: “This will be the second boat of this type that we have developed now – the first being our 1030 Sunbridge, which we have had for one year now. The difference between the two versions is in the name – with the Sunbridge models possessing an open rooftop deck from which the pilot can also steer the vessel.”
The decision to adapt the 1080 in this manner stemmed from the success that Viknes garnered after modifying the 1030 in this way. Christer explains: “The 1030 is our most popular model and we have built more than 500 of that type for customers throughout the region. In 2009 we introduced the 1030 Sunbridge, and that too turned out to be a great success. It therefore made sense to us that customers wanting to purchase the 1080 model could benefit from the same features too.”
The company is always developing new vessels, meaning that research and development plays an important role in Viknes’ success. Christer highlights: “We are constantly designing new models at a rate of about one per year. Our R&D team consists key personnel from our different sub departments. Each one of us has a long history of experience in boat building and this is essential because we need to be able to meet the demands of our customers, whilst being able to answer any complex technical questions.”
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In addition to the expertise of its staff, another key strength of Viknes is flexibility as a business. Christer reveals how the company’s diverse product range provides an added advantage: “Whilst the other markets we serve outside of luxury boats is somewhat of a niche, it does help to expand the influence of our products. When customers see that our working boats or fishing boats are well equipped for all areas of the North Sea, they understand that we are a reliable and experienced designer – which really helps to improve our reputation.”
In addition to its constant introduction of new products to the market, Viknes has also invested in internal facilities over the past two years. Christer discusses some of the key developments here: “In 2008 we built a new factory that greatly improved our flexibility. Whilst it helped improve production, it also doubled up as a storage centre for customers who needed somewhere to keep their boats during the winter months. Throughout Norway’s long winter period we are also able to service these boats for our customers, ensuring that they are 100 per cent seaworthy upon retrieval.”
Despite the company’s ongoing successes, Christer does concede that there has been some negative impact as a result of the recession: “The market for pleasure boats has certainly been severely affected and autumn 2009 was the most difficult period that we have ever experienced as a business. However, the year ended well and we are already seeing a rise in demand once again – so the situation is definitely improving.”
This positive prediction suggests that the next few years for Viknes will be one of continued success, and Christer concludes by outlining the company’s future ambitions: “Five years from now I expect that we will remain the leading company in our field in Norway, and perhaps even challenging our competitors for the number one position in Scandinavia. We will also continue to design and produce new vessels both for the pleasure and commercial markets and we will look to expand into other European markets, such as Germany, for instance, where we will be attending a key conference in the coming weeks.”
Viknes Båt og Service AS
Employees: 70
Products: Pleasure boats, fishingboats & custom made working boats
Over the past five years, Viknes has produced three new vessels – one of which is the company’s largest boat to date, the 1080. The concept behind this vessel is simply ‘more of everything’, and its design places a strong focus upon the freedom, space and comfort of those on board. As with the company’s previous models, the 1080 benefits from a large aft-deck with an additional outdoor steering wheel fitted as standard. This is the first of Viknes’ luxury boats to possess a lowered bulkwark surrounding the saloon, which allows the passengers to get from aft to stern with ease. It also possesses three large cabins and a lounge area that sits seven people.
Viknes is currently launching a modified version of the 1080, called the 1080 Sunbridge, which will be on the market by February of this year. Christer Midthun, marketing director of Viknes elaborates on this new model: “This will be the second boat of this type that we have developed now – the first being our 1030 Sunbridge, which we have had for one year now. The difference between the two versions is in the name – with the Sunbridge models possessing an open rooftop deck from which the pilot can also steer the vessel.”
The decision to adapt the 1080 in this manner stemmed from the success that Viknes garnered after modifying the 1030 in this way. Christer explains: “The 1030 is our most popular model and we have built more than 500 of that type for customers throughout the region. In 2009 we introduced the 1030 Sunbridge, and that too turned out to be a great success. It therefore made sense to us that customers wanting to purchase the 1080 model could benefit from the same features too.”
The company is always developing new vessels, meaning that research and development plays an important role in Viknes’ success. Christer highlights: “We are constantly designing new models at a rate of about one per year. Our R&D team consists key personnel from our different sub departments. Each one of us has a long history of experience in boat building and this is essential because we need to be able to meet the demands of our customers, whilst being able to answer any complex technical questions.”
')";>In addition to the expertise of its staff, another key strength of Viknes is flexibility as a business. Christer reveals how the company’s diverse product range provides an added advantage: “Whilst the other markets we serve outside of luxury boats is somewhat of a niche, it does help to expand the influence of our products. When customers see that our working boats or fishing boats are well equipped for all areas of the North Sea, they understand that we are a reliable and experienced designer – which really helps to improve our reputation.”
In addition to its constant introduction of new products to the market, Viknes has also invested in internal facilities over the past two years. Christer discusses some of the key developments here: “In 2008 we built a new factory that greatly improved our flexibility. Whilst it helped improve production, it also doubled up as a storage centre for customers who needed somewhere to keep their boats during the winter months. Throughout Norway’s long winter period we are also able to service these boats for our customers, ensuring that they are 100 per cent seaworthy upon retrieval.”
Despite the company’s ongoing successes, Christer does concede that there has been some negative impact as a result of the recession: “The market for pleasure boats has certainly been severely affected and autumn 2009 was the most difficult period that we have ever experienced as a business. However, the year ended well and we are already seeing a rise in demand once again – so the situation is definitely improving.”
This positive prediction suggests that the next few years for Viknes will be one of continued success, and Christer concludes by outlining the company’s future ambitions: “Five years from now I expect that we will remain the leading company in our field in Norway, and perhaps even challenging our competitors for the number one position in Scandinavia. We will also continue to design and produce new vessels both for the pleasure and commercial markets and we will look to expand into other European markets, such as Germany, for instance, where we will be attending a key conference in the coming weeks.”
Viknes Båt og Service AS
Employees: 70
Products: Pleasure boats, fishingboats & custom made working boats
