On-board automation Smart Automation

ON-BOARD AUTOMATION

Leading marine automation supplier Smart Automation is at the forefront of developing innovative products for its customers worldwide. Emma-Jane Batey spoke to Director Sales & Marketing, Jan Erik Skog, to find out more.

Based in the Norwegian town of Bømlo, marine automation product developer and supplier Smart Automation was founded in 1979. Initially called AS Steinco, Smart Automation has undergone a number of name changes in the last 33 years, with its product range also seeing considerable developments. But what has not changed is the company’s underlying commitment to creating and supplying technically-focused products that support the marine industry.

Director Jan Erik Skog told Industry Europe how Smart Automation has harnessed that commitment over the years. He said, “In the early days we were concentrating on products such as battery chargers for lifeboats and, as we gained a more sophisticated technical competence and fell right into step with our customers, we have continued to develop ever-more innovative products to meet the very exacting needs of the marine industry. We now offer advanced automation systems for ships worldwide.”

Smart Automation’s on-going focus on research and development is clearly evident in its evolving product range. The company invests considerable sums in its R&D department, resulting in a new generation of products to be launched in early 2013, with a number of sales and marketing events planned for late 2012.

The first new product to be launched is the SMART Power management system. With the focus on fuel saving it indicates a new and “green” direction for this type of product. The system is designed with great flexibility to meet any customer’s need for full automation of the power plant. Tight integration to the SMART Chief IAS give rise to an extensive monitoring and analysing capability for the vessel’s operation, onboard and onshore, by use of SMART Link. Investment excitement

The large-scale investment has partially been driven by the difficult economic conditions of the last few years. In order to maintain its market-leading position and be well-prepared for when the market returns to pre-recession levels, Smart Automation has ensured it is ready to hit the ground running with its new products. Mr Skog said, “We’ve used the opportunity of a relatively slow period to upgrade our products. We’ve worked hard to optimise our existing product range and to add to our range, making sure that each product is suited to various vessels, which helps us to be competitive in terms of price. We’ve always been ahead of the game technically speaking, so by being cost competitive too we know we are well positioned for the future.”

Mr Skog explained that the marine industry has been hit hard by the recession. Thankfully, Smart Automation has avoided

being too negatively impacted as its varied product range means that it is in demand by a number of clients with various types and sizes of vessels. He added, “We are usually involved with clients pretty early on as we are included in new-build discussions. This really helps to create mutually-beneficial relationships and guarantees that we provide clients with the exact automation solutions and systems for their needs.”

Ready for the new generation

Autumn 2012 marks Smart Automation’s promotional activities for its new generation of products, with the company expecting to reach a new audience with its innovative additions to the range. With expanded functionality, the high-tech automation solutions on offer will really ensure that it capitalises on its R&D investment. Mr Skog concluded, “As the industry trend for more specialised vessels looks set to continue, our increasingly high-tech automation systems for the marine industry will allow us to reach new levels of achievement. These sophisticated solutions are perfectly in tune with the changing demands of the marine industry and I’m proud to say that our teams and our products will guarantee that we will keep up with these demands.” n