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Marine Electronics: Call the Cavalry |
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Archives -
2007 Archive
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Written by B. Tyril
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Monday, 21 May 2007 |
Going from scratch to taking over a sizable share of the domestic marine electronics market in no time, MP Teknik secured some good contracts to see demand soar among ships and boats in home ports as well as in Greenland.
When they were appointed dealers for an industry giant’s world-leading brand of radar systems and other advanced equipment, the young members of the MP Teknik team already had a plan in place: provide sea vessels in the Faroes and beyond with the best service available and the best equipment there is for navigation, communication, safety, fish finding and more.
This wasn’t their original plan, however; that one had more to do with selling and servicing consumer electronics than anything else. Said MP Teknik managing director Malvinus í Gong: “We were doing consumer electronics with confidence but not much beyond… At whichever point we’d take on a commitment in marine electronics, I wanted to make sure it was going be one hundred percent.”
Trained as an electronics engineer, and with a special interest in marine technology, Mr í Gong would set high standards for himself and his team. At that early stage — some three years ago — they were only two self-employed partners: Mr í Gong himself, and his brother Petur í Gong, who, with a background in finance, is still the company’s finance manager.
“We started out in consumer electronics, selling and repairing TV sets and the like. Before we knew, we found ourselves taking orders from some of the leaders in that market; so in order to grow the business to meet this demand, we had to find more key personnel to join us.” That’s roughly how MP Teknik managed and financed its rapid growth: finding people with the right skills and commitment to become partners and members of the team. “It didn’t take long before we realized that we had what it takes to enter the marine electronics market,” Mr í Gong added. “So we started working in that direction.”
The company, now 9 strong, continued to evolve and before long had an unbeatable line-up that could provide top quality service backed by its high-level expertise in marine electronics. As it turned out, there was a vacuum in the market, limiting, for instance, the range of radar systems available and serviced — until the MP team came along, that is.
Now the word is out that change is in the air.
Beyond electronics: Becoming an authorized dealer for Northrop Grumman Sperry Marine, with access to a worldwide service infrastructure, MP Teknik were linked up to a global network of electronic engineering firms, covering virtually every port at which ships call.
Meanwhile, joining forces with Greenland electronics engineer Sören Andreasen, the company has set up a partly owned subsidiary in Nuuk.
“There is a very high demand in Greenland,” Mr Sörensen said.
“People are frustrated with the current situation and they really deserve an alternative offer.”
MP Teknik has already established itself as a highly respected player in the marketplace, with marine electronics representing the bulk of the business but with a footing in consumer electronics as well, plus a growing range of products intended for making life at sea easier and safer. Representing the likes of Sperry Marine, Scanmar — and a number of other world-class brands, such as Japan Marina Co. (JMC) for the smaller boats segment — the company today offers a complete package of services and goods for the maritime sector.
“We take care of domestic and foreign ships calling at any Faroe or Greenland harbor,” Mr í Gong said. “Whenever our client vessels need servicing while away, all they need to do is contact us and everything will be taken care of at their nearest port.”
The MP Teknik team is proud to solve any technical issues, he said — even the difficult ones — without sending the client abroad. “Our strength lies in our ability to solve any problems that may have occurred in the electronics installations, and to offer alternative solutions where appropriate.”
Beyond electronics, MP Teknik is gaining foothold as a general supplier of marine equipment, from underwater cameras for the aquaculture industry to complete module based bridge systems including command console, furniture and everything.
On the non-electronic side, based on breakthrough chemical technology, one of the interesting products offered is a clean-agent fire protection system designed to quench any fire more effectively than is possible with conventional powder or water based systems; what’s more, it’s environmentally friendly and not dangerous — it doesn’t even come in high-pressure containers.
Link to pdf presentation...
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