World leaders of the industry, Novenco Marine & Offshore develops and manufactures high-quality heating, ventilation, air-conditioning and refrigeration solutions for marine and offshore applications. CEO Palle Kristensen discussed the company’s growth and future plans, in conversation with Antonia Cole.
INaccordance with the company’s growth, Novenco Marine & Offshore has recently received its largest order, CEO Palle Kristensen said: “This project has the potential to be the biggest HVAC order ever completed in the marine business outside of the USA. It will create 6 x 2 gigawatts of wind energy off the Dutch and German coast.”
Established in 1947, Novenco has more than 75 years of experience in the industry. The company is dedicated to
providing reliable HVAC&R solutions that create a healthy indoor climate, improving people’s quality of life. Each project is tailored to satisfy individual c ustomer requirements, with the majority of services being completed in-house.
Novenco has offices in three countries: Norway, Denmark and China. Additionally , the company has a network of agents represented in 20 countries, providing a local service in the majority of key ship and offshore building regions. This means that Novenco can effectively communicate
and serve clients from around the world, generating an annual revenue of €70 million.
In practice, Novenco operates according to five key values: customer focus, performance, commitment, cooperation and respect. These values combine to form a service that is efficient , reliable and delivered to a high quality. With approximately 200 talented and passionate employees, the company strives to meet even the most demanding comfort and safety requirements.
A comprehensive service
One of the main sectors Novenco works within is the offshore industry. With harsh conditions, ranging from arctic to tropical, the offshore industry requires specialised designs and equipment. In compliance with strict requirements and regulations, Novenco has delivered projects for most major players within the market.
“We tailor our products to adhere to individual specifications,” explained Mr Kristensen. “Through open communication with our clients, our engineering department are able to adapt products to fit the customer’s needs. Whether it be heat load, air flow, pressure drop, noise or system solution calculations, our skilled engineers have the knowledge to execute challenging projects.”
Similarly, the naval industry also requires specialised equipment, from standardised marine equipment to shock compliant solutions.
The fact that Novenco is ISO27001 certified, which emphasizes the importance of identifying and assessing informatio n security risks, ensures that the company can deliver solutions and products to the naval industry and similar industries.
Another sector served by the company is merchant vessels. Novenco’s dedicated merchant department has worked on over 12,000 bulk carriers, container vessels, car carriers and LPG/LNG carrier s worldwide. Following each project from design to completion, Novenco’s team strives to deliver even the most complex systems according to set deadlines.
“ As a company, we are really versatile,” continued Mr Kristensen. “We are able to adapt our solutions to fit almost any kind of vessel. From research, fishing and dredging vessels to yachts, cruise ships and more, we are able to provide equipment that optimises our clients’ operations.”
Additionally, once a project is completed, Novenco offers a comprehensive after-sales service. This includes the provision of spare parts, commissioning, operator training, inspection, maintenance and repairs. The 360-degree customer view is vital to fully satisfy the customer, not only during the project, but also in the client’s operations.
Energy-efficient systems
Novenco also serves the renewable energy sector, contributing to the global transition into using cleaner energy sources. Offshore wind substations
are usually unmanned and contain equipment that generates a lot of excess heat. Therefore, Novenco’s reliable HVAC&R systems become essential in operations.
As well as supporting the renewable energy sector, Novenco is contributing to environmental protection by incorporating energy efficiency into products. The ZerAx® axial flow fan is, on average, 90% energy-efficient, which allows customers across a broad range of industries to operate their vessels more sustainably
Furthermore, the new Novenco water flow control system also contributes to
significant energy savings. By replacing the existing 2- or 3-way valves with dynamic valves and installing a pressure transmitter, the customer can control the water systems more effectively resulting in a better energy performing HVAC system.
“We specialise in high-quality, energyefficient systems,” said Mr Kristensen. “We are leaders of the market, in terms of flexibility, effectiveness and service, that’s why we have been operating for so long. We are now taking our knowledge and moving into the future by focusing on sustainability. It is essential that we start the work now to provide a stable environment for future generations.”
Novenco’s factory in China is certified in accordance with ISO 9001:2015 for quality and ISO 14001:2015 for Environmental Management and the company has acquired relevant documentation regarding the energy efficiency of products. This focus on sustainability sets Novenco ahead of the market, as it demonstrates the company’s commitment to limiting environmental impacts.
“In terms of ESG, we are working very hard,” added Mr Kristensen. “This is an area that many people are very passionate about, especially the younge r generation. We want to take Novenco to a new level and the next generation is who will drive this change into the future. By laying the groundwork for sustainable operations, we hope to encourage young people to engage with the industry and innovate a better future.”
Continuing success
Novenco will continue to focus on energyefficient systems, upgrading ships to enhance sustainability and functionality measures across a range of industries. Due to the company’s success, Novenco is now planning to expand production facilities in China. This will improve production capacity and allow the company to serve more customers. As well as this, Novenco is going to digitalise product designs, transferring them into engineering programmes. The company will be able to manufacture
products anywhere in the world, meaning they can be manufactured in the country they will be delivered to. This will significantly reduce transport costs and emissions, as well as serving the naval sector which requires national products.
Novenco will continue using its own range of products in combination with a range of qualified third-party suppliers. The company has some key suppliers that it has worked with since the ‘90s, which it will keep doing so into the future.
“We have been with certain suppliers or a very long time,” said Mr Kristensen, in conclusion. “This gives us a confidence in the products we are supplying and gives to them a confidence in our reliability, which is important for us.
“I love collaborating with our team and meeting people from all around the world.
Together, we identify issues and provide solutions, which is really rewarding. I see a great future for Novenco. This makes me happy to go into work every day and contribute to that success.” n
