Aramid rigger acquired

Further expansion at the North Marine Group

Renowned spar designer and manufacturer Southern Spars has extended its presence on the US east coast with the acquisition of Newport, Rhode Island based rigging company Aramid.

Southern Spars director Mark Hauser describes the move as “strategic” to acquire an established base for its fast-growing international service business.

Hauser says Southern Spars and Aramid Rigging are a natural fit because both are established primarily but not exclusively in the high-end race boat and superyacht markets.

“We have been looking for some time to open a service centre in the US to compliment our Mediterranean facility at La Ciotat in southern France and our South Pacific base at Auckland, New Zealand.

“We think that a presence in the US is very important to our customer service commitment now and into the future. Aramid is an established name with a high-level skill base. Aramid people are also well-known in the sailing world and to many of our customers.”

Southern Spars, part of the North Marine Group, plans to expand the Aramid business to enable Southern to enhance its international service business.

Central to this strategy is Alex Wadson staying with the company and developing new business and an expanding portfolio of R & D projects, including composite rigging. He and Scott Vogel take responsibility for developing composite rigging opportunities across the entire Southern Spars’ operation.

Chuck Brown has been appointed Newport site manager to free Alex Wadson from the day-to-day management of Aramid’s cordage business, hardware lines and marine hydraulic service. Chuck will also develop the capability to step, tune, and service superyacht and performance spars in Newport.

Chuck Brown was with Team Dennis Conner from 1999 -2000 and again in 2001-2003. A member of the sailing team, he was also responsible for the management and technical supervision of the spar team.

Alex Wadson believes that merging the two operations will have benefits to Aramid customers and he is looking forward to the opportunities the deal represents. “It is a very strong move, one that can only strengthen the expanded company’s market position as the leader in spar and rigging manufacture and service.”

He says both companies are well recognised for their quality manufacture and the level of customer service.

“Aramid customers will be able to tap seamlessly into the leading-edge design and manufacturing capability of Southern Spars and Southern’s service customers will have people on the ground permanently in the US.”

Options for expanding the Aramid facility are being examined with a view to having all services in-house. For now, Hauser says, Southern will be directing a lot more of its service work through Aramid’s yard.

For more information please contact Alex Wadson by email here or by phone on +1 401 683 6966 Mobile: +1 401 241 0988