Hall Spars appoints general manager
US-based carbon spar manufacturer Hall Spars has appointed Andre Crawford as its new general manager, effective 23 June 2025.
Crawford is an experienced engineer and production manager with close to 20 years of experience in advanced composites, manufacturing processes and team leadership. He began his career as a design engineer at Auckland-based Southern Spars. He now returns to the North Technology Group (NTG) to lead Southern Spars’ sister company, Hall Spars. North Technology Group acquired the Hall Spars business out of receivership in 2017.
“We’re excited to welcome Andre to the Hall Spars team, and back into the NTG family,” says NTG mast group president James Austin. “His engineering background, operational insight, and passion for quality align perfectly with Hall Spars’ values and our vision for the brand.”
Crawford has held senior positions in mast and rig production, and previously worked in a managerial role at the UK Ministry of Defence.
His responsibilities now include oversight of Hall Spars’ proprietary mandrel-moulding process and its aerospace-grade carbon curing autoclave. Hall Spars supplies carbon mast and rig packages for both cruising and performance use.
“One of the very first innovators in composite rigs, Hall Spars is a brand which, deservedly, has a lot of prestige attached to it,” says Crawford. “I’m excited to lead a team so committed to excellence, and to help support sailors of all kinds – from cruisers, to racers, to somewhere in between – with beautifully built, smart, practical solutions.”
