Schat-Harding expands into Asian market

Lifeboat and davit specialist Schat-Harding has taken over the Chinese Beiyang Boatbuilding Company lifeboat manufacturing range and plant as part of a strategy to expand its market share in cargo ships built in Asian yards. The lifeboat factory, at Qingdao, currently produces a range of five models and 100 boats annually.

Ove Roessland, ceo of Schat-Harding, says, “This acquisition will give us the ability to produce boats for a major segment of the conventional cargo ship market which is built in Asia and which does not want to import boats from Europe. We will strengthen the organisation with new management from Norway and put our quality standards into place, and review the range, then expect to sell about 80% of the Chinese production to Japanese and Korean ship yards producing bulk carriers, container ship and tankers. Of course, the growing demand from Chinese yards for straightforward but good quality lifeboats can also be met from our new Chinese plant.”

“Production of our range of offshore and passenger lifeboats will continue in Norway. This move into China is an expansion for the group, combining our expertise with the Chinese production capacity to satisfy a growing market,” says Roessland. Schat-Harding will supply 250 boats from China annually, in sizes from six to 38 persons.