Marine seat manufacturers merge
Leading commercial seat manufacturer Scot Seat has merged with KPM Marine, the maker of safety-critical products for the marine industry.
Scot Seat has acquired 50 per cent of KPM Marine after buying out co-founder John Key upon his retirement. The remaining 50 per cent KPM Marine shareholding will be retained by joint managing director and designer Julian Morgan.
Scot Seat and KPM Marine first met at Seawork2008 with both companies realising there were skills and technology synergies between the two firms. They agreed to combine their resources and work together to design the Scot Seat KPM Marine S2 range of shock mitigation mechanisms starting with the S2J Jockey seat, which won the Innovation Award at Seawork2009.
A close working relationship developed, which has resulted in extensive design and capability sharing over the years.
Jonathan Young, managing director at Scot Seat, says: “We are delighted to be combining with KPM Marine; they are the perfect fit. This merger allows us to continue scaling up our capabilities and expand our product offerings. We believe we are well-positioned to become the manufacturing partner of choice for more clients.”
Morgan says: “Scot Seat’s advanced manufacturing capabilities, plus its experienced management and staff make it an ideal partner. Together we will be able to improve our speed and scalability and capture a greater proportion of the market.”
Birmingham-based KPM Marine’s range of products for the marine industry includes seating, modular vessel interiors, engine room air management systems, high-performance bilge pumps and strainers.
Established in 2000, Scot Seat designs and manufactures commercial and tactical seating in Ayrshire, Scotland, for commercial vehicles, campervans, trains, marine, military transport and emergency service appliances. The company manufactures approximately 12,000 commercial vehicle seats per year, as well as numerous customised specialist seating and mounting systems.
