North America is historically a continent of opportunity. With a coastline of approximately 60,000 kilometers, it is no surprise that North America is home to a brimming marine industry that PALFINGER MARINE is proud to shape and contribute to. Louisiana, Florida, Virginia, and Washington in the US, as well as Vancouver in Canada – join us on a tour through what was once known as the “new world” as part of our new series exploring our global presence.
As a worldwide player in the maritime and offshore industry, PALFINGER MARINE naturally sees the huge North American market as one of its priorities. A market dominated by a strong cruise segment, a large demand for governmental ships, and a burgeoning offshore industry is almost predestined for contributing to our global success. We would like to invite you on a little expedition of our operations in the US and Canada.
Regional Strong Suit: Flexibility, Diversification, Experience
Our first stop is Louisiana, the home of overhead positions such as finance, Human Resources (HR), and Health, Safety, Environment and Quality (HSEQ). Our team in the Pelican State is mainly dedicated to the offshore | oil & gas segment, but their expertise also includes refurbishments for all segments and the assembly of new build lifeboats and davits for special projects. Moving on to the East Coast, the Sunshine State of Florida is home to our cruise operations and drydocks – perfect for refurbishments and high scale fiberglass repairs. A bit further north we arrive at Virginia, our hub for governmental vessels, helped out by our team in Washington and its expertise in merchant ships. Across the border in Canada, we are represented in an office in Vancouver and, in the east, by teams that work flexibly without a fixed bureau – further extending our capabilities of reach and timely mobilizations.
PALFINGER MARINE’s setup in North America is thus perfectly structured to allow our highly specialized, talented teams to focus on their respective expertise for our customers. If necessary, we are in a position to quickly shift resources to where they are needed most at any given time – an advantage that sets us apart from competitors in terms of swiftly addressing customer demands. Yet this lean structure doesn’t mean that we consider our job done. As Gary W. Joseph, PALFINGER MARINE Head of Global Marine Service Execution, puts it:
We are always looking to fill the white spots we identify. Our ambition is to realize potential when it presents itself.
Gary W. Joseph, Head of Global Marine Service Execution
A main contributor to this attitude is the fact that we retain our North American talent and their experience. While others downsize field coverage, we are committed to increasing it – passing on knowledge to the next generation. And this knowledge runs deep, not least because some of our colleagues, including Gary himself, have been gathering experience in the maritime business for decades.
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However, that doesn’t mean that North America is not a challenging market – quite the opposite. But at PALFINGER MARINE, there’s nothing we love more than rising to a challenge, true to our motto that we can #reachanything together with our customers. The segments we operate in are often impacted by external forces that lie beyond our control.
Nevertheless, our diversification ensures that we can tap into the potential of a booming segment when others experience a brief downturn by redeploying our capacities accordingly. Gary provides an example: “When the cruise segment struggles, the offshore segment usually thrives and vice-versa. We are in an excellent position to compensate for such market shifts.”
Market Prospects in North America
The potential of the North American market is huge and PALFINGER MARINE is positioning itself as a complete solution provider:
- The proposed expansion of wind energy capacities, especially on the East Coast and in the Gulf of Mexico, is a major undertaking that we are looking forward to contributing to.
- Another trend that plays into our hands is the high demand for refurbishment and field service. A percentage of customers are currently opting for product life extension rather than newbuilds, a service that PALFINGER MARINE is renowned for across the globe.
- Additionally, our expertise in the construction of and ability to supply a vast range of lifeboats makes us the choice if and when new builds are required.
Stay tuned for a special project that further highlights our impact on the North American maritime and offshore industry. A fascinating story about our cruise dry docks in Florida is already in the works.
PALFINGER MARINE is a strong brand with an equally strong presence in North America. As our network moves closer together as part of our renewed 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. Remember, together we can #reachanything.
Wanna get in touch? Check out the contact details of our team in North America.