Varde decks shipbuilding industry with equipment from mainland

Thousands of ships worldwide are shipshape, thanks to Norway's leading deck equipment manufacturer, Varde. The company meets the vessel construction needs of shipyards and shipowners throughout Europe and the rest of the world.

"Good products, good quality and good advice make a good combination for us," says sales manager Odd Gjeldnes. "Because of our 30 years in the market, we can help clients decide on what products they need."

Through its industrial department NORPRO, Varde designs and makes products compliant with German standards, ship inspection foundation Det Norske Veritas (DNV) and the American Bureau of Shipping. Varde makes sure its chain stoppers, fairleads, bollards, doors and other products are priced competitively, delivered on time and always in stock.

Despite the time-sensitive nature of the shipbuilding industry, Varde assures its clients of a steady supply of its standard products and spare parts. It maintains its supply by collaborating with Shanghai Hishine Machinery on the mainland.

"During our regular discussions with Norwegian shipyards, they say they want to buy more from China," Gjeldnes says.

Apart from manufacturing, Hishine has helped Varde with distribution and warehousing since 2006. Varde visits Shanghai regularly to ensure quality together with DNV's mainland representative.

Sourcing from the mainland eases Varde's deliveries to South America and Southeast Asia. The company has a design project in Singapore.

Varde also provides custom services and equipment such as drum lifting systems, aluminium container units, dual wheel systems and storage boxes. The company aims to offer one new product every six months.

To this end, Varde is looking for more collaborations in Asia, particularly on the mainland where it plans to open its own office. "I hope to have people from Varde working in China," Gjeldnes says. "This is a must if we are to grow there."

Varde www.varde.as