In Focus: Installers the heroes of Actisense’s success, says CEO

Actisense says it has spent the last 26 years trying to solve some of the most complex and challenging issues around the installation of onboard electronics. This year, its team was awarded Manufacturer of the Year at the annual NMEA Product Awards in Orlando, Florida, an accolade the company’s picked up for the second year running. The awards are voted for by the NMEA membership, which includes the dealers and installers who use these products regularly.

“In the story of Actisense, the technicians and installers are the heroes of our tale,” says CEO Phil Whitehurst. “When we started making Actisense products, we set out to be the installer’s product of choice. For a quarter century, we’ve relied on their specialist knowledge and acted on specific feedback about the core challenges faced by installers in the field. Using that information, our engineers have created products that don’t just do the job, but do it in a way that saves on time, saves on cost and, most crucially, are considered the most reliable and robust in the harsh marine environment. To win the NMEA award, voted for by them, is amazing feedback from them, and tells us we’re on the right track.”

According to Whitehurst, Actisense (based in Poole, UK) has followed a formula to create, test, and improve products over the years. The process includes in-depth market research, rapid prototyping, a trusted BETA test program, and an ongoing feedback loop direct from customers. Some of its products are on their fifth or sixth iteration, each with improvements, bug fixes, and new features as requested by the market. A critical step in the process is the training and support provision from the company, which uses online and in person training events to further test the validity of its product features, and plot a course for future improvements.

“A really good example of how installers have guided our innovation is the release of Actisense-i, a suite of simple but incredibly effective diagnostic tools, which we include with our Wi-Fi gateway products. We were asked if it was possible to use the web server on our products to identify any immediate issues with things like battery voltage on the network, as well as ‘network health checker’ to identify any issues with other devices on the network.

“Because we have hardware and software engineers on the team, we were able to accommodate this request, and that feature has really boosted the sales of our Wi-Fi gateway. This wasn’t something we had planned in the original product roadmap, but a wonderful and smart suggestion from our customers,” says Whitehurst (pictured).

Actisense has made training a core tenet of its service to the market. As an NMEA specialist, it shares this knowledge in various formats, including training courses, e-books (over 8,000 downloaded) and a YouTube video channel. Actisense says the knowledge is shared at different levels, so that those not yet technically proficient are able to begin their learning journey, while still offering highly technically complex training to those already au fait with the technology. In 2024 it will offer specialist NMEA training courses in Europe.

Whitehurst says that remote vessel and system monitoring has been significant over the past five years in terms of interest and innovation.

“Where previously, system data had to be analysed onboard, we’ve seen great companies like Vanemar, who give that power to users when shoreside. We worked with them to provide wireless connectivity to their impressive system, which offers a large number of monitoring options for boaters,” he says. “Also, think about what is possible using this technology going forward. Rather than being reactive, technicians can start to form predictive maintenance models around live data being transmitted from the vessel. Being able to fix issues before they become more problematic is a huge potential cost saver in the long run.”

In May this year, Actisense restructured its senior leadership team, ostensibly to guide the next phase of its growth strategy. It says it is targeting growth in several new potential markets, including transportation and agritech, as its team grows in headcount.

Coming to the market next year, Whitehurst says while Actisense’s NMEA 0183 multiplexers are already found on thousands of vessels globally, “We’re delighted to be bringing NMEA 2000 conversion to our PRO-NDC-1 range, which will be the world’s first Type Approved multiplexer offering NMEA 0183, NMEA 2000 and fast data streaming over ethernet.” He concludes: “Early feedback from customers is already calling this a game changer.”