Results to make a noise about

Halyard announces significant export growth

Halyard Marine Ltd, UK specialists in the reduction of noise and vibration on board boats, has announced its year end figures, revealing a 34 per cent increase in exports from July 2008 to June 2009, and a subsequent overall increase in profit.  This is set against a year which has seen an overall decrease in new boat sales worldwide.

The company, which designs and manufactures bespoke silencer systems for superyachts, leisure, sail, powerboats and commercial vessels, says that its export drive started in July 2007 with the appointment of two Senior Project Sales Managers.  Their role was to increase Halyard’s sales to overseas leisure and commercial boat builders, many of whom are based in Holland, Spain and Turkey.

James Grazebrook, Managing Director says, “Halyard has always had a very strong home market, designing, manufacturing and supplying bespoke systems for the UK’s leisure, superyacht and commercial vessel builders.  We are unique as a company in this sector because we have a strong team of experienced designers, offering solutions to boat manufacturers.  All our manufacturing is carried out in-house, enabling us to create one-off or production systems to the highest standards.”

Since this re-structuring of the sales organisation, Halyard has achieved significant project wins for boats from 18m to 80m.  Initially targeting leisure boats and superyachts, much of the recent business has come from the commercial, workboat and military vessel manufacturers, which have been less affected by the worldwide economic difficulties.  Grazebrook continues, “Halyard has an extremely strong reputation as a company that understands the impact of a noise on a boat’s crew, and this is especially the case on a commercial or workboat, where crew fatigue is exacerbated from noise and vibration.  Our design teams work closely with the vessel’s designers, manufacturers and other partners, such as the engine suppliers, to develop, design, produce and supply at the right time in the build programme.  We also offer a consultancy service to help boat designers and manufacturers produce quieter boats.”

Recent commercial work includes sucessful projects for Damen, De Haas Maassluis, Oma, Baltic Workboats and the RNLI. Halyard plans to continue this significant export growth, capitalising on the low pound, specifically working in Spain, northern Europe, Scandinavia and Turkey.

Halyard was founded in 1980 and has four sites along the south coast in Salisbury, Ferndown, Hillsea and Horndean. It is the only company in the world able to manufacture an entire exhaust solution from “turbo to transom” in-house, and with 70 employees based across the four sites, service and support starts from the initial designs through to assistance during manufacture and installation, right through to final sea trials. Throughout any project the company’s integrated 3D CAD technology enables fast and accurate document and design exchange and delivery, anywhere in the world, to ensure the project is fully documented and recorded.