boatingbusiness.com
MAY 2020
Washington Post 6 | Person Behind the Face 6 | Marketing 7 | Business Matters 12 | British Marine 18 | People 27 | Profile 29
WINDBOATS ENTERS ADMINISTRATION
NEWS
Ship designer dies New, larger premises Virtual boat show pages 1-13 Windboats Marine Limited, based in North Walsham, Norfolk, has entered administration, in part due to the impact of Brexit and ultimately the Covid-19 pandemic. Administrators Mark Upton and David Scrivener of Ensors Chartered Accountants are actively looking for a buyer for the business that took out a secured term loan facility of £250,000 with Ray Maritime Facilities Ltd in February 2020. “Unfortunately the Covid-19 pandemic and the disruption caused by that, together with a downturn in orders and cash flow difficulties has meant that Windboats Marine Limited has had to enter administration,” said joint administrator Mark Upton. “The company has a well-respected name in the market and builds a fantastic British product with a highly skilled workforce and we are hopeful that we will be able to find a buyer for the business.” The company was established in 1920 and initially built small wooden yachts and larger powerboats. For around 50 years, Windboats ran a hire fleet until the company decided to concentrate on building pleasure and commercial craft.
8 Hardy Marine was acquired by Windboats in 2013
The business diversified into building aluminium boats in 1957 and soon after started using ferro cement construction under the trade name Seacrete. In 1983 GRP production began at Windboats and an association with Oyster Marine was formed resulting in the building of nearly 300 Oyster yachts. In 2013, Windboats acquired Hardy Marine, expanding the range to encompass models from 32 - 62ft and in 2014, a new partnership began with Gunfleet Marine, with Windboats building, marketing and selling the range under licence. In 2018, the company's Wroxham yard was merged into larger premises at North Walsham where the Hardy motorboats are built. The company had previously announced plans to introduce a hybrid option for its Hardy range and the launch of a new model, the Hardy 52DS. The company has been privately owned by the James family for 46 years. The vast majority of the 60 staff are currently furloughed under the government's job retention scheme.
OCEAN FOOTPRINT GOES ABOVE AND BEYOND Ocean Footprint has been awarded a contract to supply millions of face masks to the NHS to help protect health workers from the coronavirus. The company has previously supplied face masks to Italian doctors and has now been awarded the NHS contract from the UK government. “We’ve been supplying masks to many Italian healthcare workers through our current supplier network,” Ocean Footprint MD, Peter Harrison, explained. Our supplier has the capacity to produce more than 80,000 masks a day and we’re building more machinery in order to increase capacity still further.” He added: “It’s a significant contract for Ocean Footprint. The company was set up by myself and naval architect Guy
INLAND WATERWAYS
Flexible holiday demand New floating dry docks New paints pages 15-21
ECO AWARENESS
Whitehouse of Whitehouse Yacht Design and we’ve both worked day and night to set up the entity to supply the marine industry.” QUICK TURNAROUND And he said the company, that usually supplies stainless steel railings to boat builders across the UK is used to finding quick solutions to difficult solutions. “We’ve worked day and night to adjust our ability to supply the increase in demand with this contract,” said Peter. The company has already donated thousands of masks to health workers and Peter says it’s a really good feeling to be able to use their skills to help out. The masks will be delivered to the UK in batches over the next few weeks.
Electrical power target 100,000th electric drive New solar controllers pages 22-26