Modular marine furniture – safer by design Norac

MODULAR MARINE FURNITURE - SAFER BY DESIGN

Norac is a global leader in the design and supply of interior accommodation systems for cruise ships, ferries and offshore installations. Philip Yorke spoke to Geir Lindstol, the company’s marketing director, about its increasing range of dedicated, turnkey services and its unique modular systems.

Norac is a privately owned company that was founded in Norway in the early 1970s and has grown steadily to become one of the world’s premier suppliers of marine interior products and systems. The company has been pioneering complete turnkey solutions for cruise ships, commercial vessels and offshore installations for over 30 years. Headquartered in Norway, Norac designs and manufactures high quality, fire-rated safety walls, ceiling systems, doors and prefabricated wet units. In addition, the company produces floors, windows and marine furniture, making it a one-stop shop for high quality, affordable marine interior systems.

Between them, the Norac group of companies has over 50 years’ experience in the marine interiors manufacturing industry. The company also keeps 100 per cent of all its design and manufacturing functions in-house and well contained within its five state-of-the-art production facilities. It is therefore able to offer a unique and comprehensive range of products and turnkey services to its customers. Today there are very few vessels afloat that do not benefit from Norac interiors and systems. Currently the company employs more than 350 people at its two main production sites and in 2011 recorded sales of over €12 million.

Simple, safe and cost-effective modular systems

Norac is one of the very few companies that can offer complete interior systems for ships and offshore applications. The company’s products have been successfully installed on board more than 5000 vessels throughout the world during the last 30 years. Furthermore, in recent years the product range has been developed and extended as a result of acquisitions. These in turn, have added to the company’s range of marine products and services. This has enabled the Norac Group of today to offer an unrivalled range of products and services for its shipping and offshore customers.

There is virtually no aspect of interior design and manufacturing processes that is not catered for by the Norac Group, which specialises in the manufacture of marine interior products such as wall systems, ceiling systems, doors, wet units, windows and marine furniture.

Mr Lundstol said, “We offer complete solutions for our customers, who include some of the biggest names in the business. We are unique in our approach and product offering, and over the years have developed a complete modular package that is both cost-effective and simple to assemble and install. Just like a Lego puzzle, our components, profiles and panels can be interlocked in a safe and simple manner. Apart from offering complete turnkey solu-

tions, which by the way offers our clients considerable cost benefits, we also sell a lot of wet units and other products which are prefabricated and can be easily assembled and installed on-site.

“We differ from our competitors in a number of ways, not just because we can provide every aspect of interior deign and manufacture in-house, but also because we offer a proven system of high quality modular profiles – unlike many other more complex products on the market and we use only the best quality raw materials.”

Mr Lundstol added, “Some of our competitors manufacture their profiles and panels in China, but they don’t deliver the same quality products as we do and in addition, we have all the relevant quality certifications to meet the highest standards of safety and functionality. Today we operate two major manufacturing sites, one here in Norway which represents around one third of our output, and another in Lithuania which is responsible for about two-thirds of our manufacturing output. Much of our new business is gained through the recommendation of our existing customers which include the well known Mayer Shipyard in Norway for vessels, and Conoco Philips for offshore installations. In fact, we are currently working closely with Conoco Philips as a first tier supplier on a major project currently underway in Singapore.”

Leading the way in fully fitted wet units

One of the most important service areas on board a ship or on board offshore installations are the wet units, where operatives can relax and wash away the toils of the working day. Whether it is for offshore living quarters or even for buildings onshore, Norac’s priority is quality finish and a practical design that meets the most stringent safety and quality standards. According to Norac, a bathroom must not only be durable and offer minimal maintenance, but should also be a room where the user feels comfortable and refreshed after a hard day’s work.

With its many years of experience and specialised competences, Norac is reputed to offer the best, fully fitted wet units on the market. These are of a proven and unique modular design, making them ideal for marine accommodations both on and offshore. As with all other Norac products, Norac’s wet rooms are fabricated from only the finest materials. “Whether being a ship owner, a shipyard or an end-user, our wet units are manufactured with a great deal of consideration to ensure the maximum quality and reliability of our products, as well as providing our customer’s employees with optimal well-being and comfort” commented Mr Lundstol. n