Last Updated on April 3, 2024 by PALFINGER
Europe enjoys a proud maritime heritage that dates back centuries, reflected in the fact that the continent has been a global leader in the development of maritime technologies. PALFINGER MARINE, as a proactive pioneer of the industry, has established a strong network of excellence in production, sales, and service, in Europe, that represents the foundations of its business. Join us on a tour of our hubs in the region as part of our series exploring our global presence.
Given PALFINGER MARINE’s reputation as a leading global player in the maritime and offshore industry with deep roots in Europe, it comes as no surprise that we have established a comprehensive presence across the continent. We sat down with Heinrich Schröcker, Sales Director Europe, and Guilherme Felix, Service Director Europe and Head of Global Marine After Sales, to talk about the status quo and prospects of the region.
PALFINGER MARINE’s strong network in its birthplace
“Our European operations cover pretty much all sectors of the maritime and offshore industries,” Heinrich explains. Apart from pioneering product development capacities in numerous European countries, as only recently proven by great strides in the development of a fully electric jib crane for future remote use, PALFINGER MARINE has sales and service centers at its headquarters in Austria, as well as in Germany, Norway, the Netherlands, the UK, Italy, and Spain.
A network of retail partners in Greece, Norway, Spain, Turkey, UK, and Croatia ensures that our complete solutions reach our customers. “There’s room for expansion there,” Heinrich smiles. “We have ambitious plans for the future.”
Not too long ago, for example, we signed a distribution agreement with our Greek business partner Eltrak, solidifying our position in one of the largest ship-owning nations in the world.
A market with diverse potential
“Even though many fields in our industry harbor great potential, I am particularly excited by the aquaculture segment,” Heinrich notes. “The requirements of this buoyant sector are becoming more demanding by the day. Demand is primarily driven by marine cranes for aquaculture vessels and facilities, especially in Norway. This underlines the importance of this particular market, not least in combination with the fact that it also offers potential in the oil & gas segment.” Besides, Heinrich mentions the merchant sector as a business we are keeping close tabs on. This includes, for example, the delivery of our proven lifesaving appliances to merchant vessels or deck technology for work- and tugboats.
Growth across all segments
Renowned European shipyards and cruise line operators, particularly in France, Finland, Italy, and Norway, count among PALFINGER MARINE’s longstanding customers. These are primarily supplied with PALFINGER MARINE lifeboats, tender boats, and fast rescue boats, as well as the corresponding davits, for large cruise vessels around the globe. Smaller expedition vessels, on the other hand, not only rely on our winches and marine cranes, but also on tailor-made solutions such as handling equipment.
The growing offshore wind industry has been an equally fertile hunting ground for PALFINGER MARINE in Europe. Recent achievements in this regard include major orders, such as 60 fixed boom cranes for the Moray West offshore wind farm in Scotland and 64 similar cranes as well as six jetty cranes for French offshore wind projects – to name just a few examples.
PTM600 jetty crane at the Operation & Maintenance Base for the Fécamp offshore wind farm
PALFINGER MARINE services: delivering excellence
In Europe, our strength lies in our expansive footprint and the expertise of our highly trained service personnel. The latter attend our training center in Salzburg, Austria, before servicing all PALFINGER MARINE products across diverse segments. Guilherme Felix, Service Director Europe and Head of Global Marine After Sales, underscores this point while discussing key assets.
“Our European service footprint is a source of pride for us. Europe stands as our largest service region, featuring untapped potential yet to be explored.”
Notable among our global network are our seasoned service engineers stationed in the UK, Italy, Spain, the Netherlands, Germany, and the Czech Republic. They not only share their wealth of knowledge within the group but also collaborate with colleagues from other regions, covering the product groups Boats & Davits, Marine & Wind Cranes, and Marine Handling Solutions.
PALFINGER MARINE engineers servicing a totally enclosed lifeboat at our service hub in Schiedam, the Netherlands.
Unlocking market potential in Europoe
Europe presents vast opportunities, and PALFINGER MARINE is strategically positioned as a comprehensive solution provider across various market segments. Summing up, the key highlights include:
- The aquaculture and oil & gas sectors in Norway, which offer promising prospects in terms of growth while delivering product and service excellence.
- The extensive Netherlands-based shipyard industry also provides ample opportunity to build lasting partnerships.
- PALFINGER MARINE is well-positioned to tap into the service potential for our vast installed base across the majority of the region.
- Last but not least, we cover the cruise segment out of our Mediterranean base.
We thrive on developing alongside evolving market requirements and regulations, leveraging technological advancements to provide tailored solutions. PALFINGER MARINE’s sales and service hubs continuously enhance their proficiency across our entire product range. Alongside market-specific specialization, they cater to the diverse needs of our customers. Guilherme adds:
Our commitment to operational excellence ensures swift responses to the demands of our growing installed base, fostering strong customer relationships and driving success.
Guilherme Felix, Service Director Europe and Head of Global Marine After Sales at PALFINGER MARINE
In essence, PALFINGER MARINE is geared to tap into the booming marine sector, delivering services and solutions tailored to meet evolving customer requirements.
Heinrich sums it up perfectly: “Especially in such volatile times, it is essential that we all pull in the same direction. We need to work together to provide the complete solutions that our customers demand. Here in Europe, we operate on incredibly strong foundations that we adjust accordingly as needs shift. Each of us adds value and understands the challenges we face.”
Stay tuned for our upcoming story about our product development and engineering expertise in Europe! If you want to learn more about our global presence, make sure to check out our previous Around the Globe editions about North America and Asia-Pacific!
PALFINGER MARINE is a strong brand with an equally strong presence in Europe. As our network moves closer together as part of our focus on complete solutions, we are confident that we can continue to grow in line with the market. As the market matures, we mature with it. Join us on this journey.