Vestdavit Opens US Office
Rolf Andreas Wigand (Photo: Vestdavit)
Magnus Oding (Photo: Vestdavit)
Facing “sustained positive trend in North American business levels” Bergen-based supplier of davits and other boat launching equipment Vestdavit said it is opening an office in Seattle.
According to the company, direct representation will help it build on its existing strong regional reputation. Its davits are already widely used by the U.S. Navy, the U.S. Coast Guard, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), and in the offshore oil industry among others.
“The opening of the U.S. office is an important milestone in our strategic plan, where we aim to position Vestdavit as the industry innovator in advanced boat-handling systems,” said Rolf Andreas Wigand, Managing Director of Vestdavit.
The U.S. subsidiary will provide sales and marketing, as well as after sales support in the U.S. It will also allow Vestdavit to expand its horizons in the U.S., Wigand said, to take in other segments where the company has a strong track record in davit deliveries, including offshore support and service vessels, expedition cruise ships, and special purpose vessels.
“During more than two decades of collaboration with our U.S. agent, Scan Pacific Northwest, we have achieved a significant success in the U.S. We are now in an excellent position to grow our business further.”
The Seattle office will be managed by Magnus Oding, who for many years held the position of Marketing Manager at SPNW, working closely with customers throughout the U.S. Oding will initially head a three-strong key account management and customer support team, alongside colleague Alex Mazick, who also joins Vestdavit from SPNW as Spare Parts Coordinator. In the first instance, the team will be completed by a service technician, responsible for on-site customer support, annual and five year inspections, and on-board training.
Wigand said Vestdavit intends to expand its after sales support in the U.S. and increase its locally-based service team over time to make OEM servicing more available and affordable, reducing the need to send service technicians from overseas. He added that while the company would continue to manufacture its products in Norway and Central Europe, Vestdavit is also prepared to produce parts in the U.S. “if this makes sense from a business perspective, or if required by government.”
