SAILING HIGH

With the pandemic bringing the cruise industry to complete standstill, the revenue of the global leading cruise companies dropped substantially, some by up to 91%.

Of course, this sent a ripple effect through the cruise sector’s supply chain.

But, it’s not all doom and gloom. A report from the Cruise Line Industry Association (CLIA) indicates demand for cruising remains strong, with an increase in those saying they plan to cruise again.

This is reflected in the outlook of leading marine outfitting business, MJM Marine Ltd. The company foresees growth in the coming years and the introduction of revolutionary new products for its customers.

The Preferred Partner

Established in 1983, MJM initially provided joinery services for the construction sector and refurbishment services to the Irish Sea Ferry Corridor. Throughout the years, the business incorporated a specialist joinery division enabling MJM to branch into the hotel and leisure industries.

MJM are a leading global outfitting company in the cruise industry and the preferred partner for many of the world`s cruise brands.

“What has helped secure our position in the industry is our ability to truly understand our customer’s brand,” explained CEO Gary Annett, “ultimately, the experience on board is what we build for our customers, and we play a role in delivering this to the highest standard”.

When speaking with Business Enquirer, Gary also highlighted MJM’s agility is critical to its success.

“We have the ability to complete large projects in 16 weeks, from concept through to handover to the cruise line and ultimately passengers enjoying their vacation. We manage the challenges that come with global supply chains and logistics to take the stress away for our customers. MJM is now synonymous with reliability and flexibility,” said Gary.

Navigating Recovery

Ahead of the global industry-wide shut down, MJM had a healthy order book, with seven major projects on the precipice of Installation.

“We took this time to consolidate the business and manage the logistics of our material & products in different parts of

Established In

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the world, and advance our training and digital programmes, ensuring that we were in a strong position for when the industry inevitably restarted and began to recover,” explained Gary.

Unfortunately, during this period MJM saw a reduction in staff numbers. Now, the business is stepping into a period of growth.

“Last year we grew our team by over 50 staff in Newry, the focus for 2023 is certainly further growth,” shared Gary.

However, like most industries, MJM has found there is a labour shortage.

“Late 2019, MJM launched Navigate, its early careers programme. MJM’s

Navigate Programme supports the Company’s student recruitment activities. It is an umbrella programme which encompasses our engagement with Schools and Universities specifically covering opportunities for Work experience, Placements, Apprentices and Graduates. The scheme equips people with the skills, knowledge, qualifications, and experience to succeed in their chosen field, whether that’s in Quantity Surveying, Project Management, or Design, for example,” said Gary.

“Being based on a relatively small island, it’s important that we can train upcoming colleagues and also empower them to be able to adapt,” he continued.

Forming part of MJM’s growth strategy