Viking expands boat manufacturing with new Norway facility
Viking Life-Saving Equipment has expanded its boat manufacturing capabilities with a new 3,400 sqm facility in Arendal, Norway. The site is designed for the production of high-end freefall boats for the offshore sector and specialised boats for defence applications.
The Danish company, which supplies lifeboats and fast rescue boats for commercial shipping, offshore and defence sectors, already operates manufacturing facilities in Denmark, Norway, Bulgaria, Greece, China and Thailand.
Odd Ivar Støle, senior director of manufacturing at Viking Norway and Greece, says: “Our new facility allows us to drive our innovation agenda and expand our product portfolio even further. From a strategic shoreside location, we will have all the capabilities we need for developing and engineering the boats as well as thoroughly testing them at sea.”
Viking employs 175 people at its main Arendal site and a total of 320 across six additional locations in Norway. Støle anticipates that the new factory will further establish Arendal as the company’s centre of excellence for lifeboats and davits.
“With the new facilities, we will improve efficiency and the working environment for our employees,” he says. “The building is also energy efficient due to the use of energy wells in the ground, which will reduce energy consumption by up to 70 per cent compared with the previous factory. We are very happy to be able to utilise this excellent building.”
Viking Life-Saving Equipment is a global provider of maritime, offshore and fire safety solutions. It manufactures, markets and services safety and firefighting equipment for passenger and cargo ships, offshore installations, offshore wind turbines, fishing vessels, navies, helicopter services, fire departments and leisure yachts.
Its products are used on many of the world’s largest cruise liners and cargo ships, as well as offshore platforms. The company also supports shipowners and offshore operators by managing service tasks and ensuring regulatory compliance.
Founded in 1960, Viking is a privately held corporation. It has acquired Norsafe, a Norwegian company whose lifeboats have been in use since 1904, and Drew Marine’s FSR division, one of the world’s largest providers of marine fire service.
