New composite venture

Specialists set up in Thailand to offer custom and semi custom build

Composite Marine International (CMI) is a new joint venture company in the composite and marine industries. Based in Thailand and formed by a group of proven partners CMI is already part-way through the on-site build of three all-carbon IRC 46s for Rogers Yacht Design and will begin building a variety of series sail and power boats of existing brands in March.   Work is nearing completion of a new custom-built 5500m² climate-controlled factory which will further enhance already existing facilities.

CMI is led by Pom Green, who has an impressive history within the boat building industry having worked from an early age in the family business, the UK's hi-tech boat builder, Green Marine. He has vast experience and is very highly regarded throughout the boat building world.  He has been involved with all four of the Prada America's Cup Luna Rossa yachts - managing the build and modification projects for the last two, and has built everything from racing dinghies to super maxis all around the world.  As CMI's Technical Director he has personally picked his team of boat building experts from overseas to help establish CMI as a leading company within the marine construction sector.  

Cobra International Ltd is what brought the team to Thailand.  Project Development Director John Higham explains “The idea was to found a company that could offer both custom and third-party series production facilities for clients or existing yacht marques.  After extensive research two years ago we came across Cobra International Ltd, the world's largest manufacturer of quality windsurf and surf boards as well as a huge producer of composite components, from car and motorcycle parts to carbon fibre windmill blades, propellers and sporting equipment. It was the discovery of Cobra with their proven capabilities and excellent location that essentially brought us to Thailand.

"One of the many advantages of working together with Cobra International, apart from their impeccable trading history and fast growth rate, is the vast infrastructure already in place and with their economies of scale, hi-tech machinery and large workforce CMI have been able to get off the ground with amazing speed. By bringing in a team of experienced specialists from abroad, adapting some of Cobra's already skilled workforce and training the remainder we have created a skilled workforce to produce high quality boats."

CMI is located inside the vast Cobra complex (covering more than 150,000m²) on a large modern industrial estate close to the motorway and just 50km south-east of Bangkok, 15km from the major port of Laem Chabang and just 35 minutes from the new airport.  

Cobra currently employ some 4000 people including many overseas management staff and CMI have been able to draw on this workforce as well as the highly experienced team of specialist boat builders, engineers and systems managers from abroad. 

The UK composite boat builders Green Marine are consultants to CMI. Green Marine have an impressive portfolio having produced some of the world’s most beautiful and famous racing yachts - Volvo 70s Ericsson & Pirates of the Caribbean, four America’s Cup yachts for Prada,  the 94ft all-black Stealth,  the 107ft Superyacht Ulisse and super-maxi Leopard of London  to name but a few.  While Green Marine is not taking a hands-on role within CMI, the extensive technical and systems knowledge of founders Ian King and Bill Green is available for the CMI build teams to draw on. 

Higham concludes "There are many advantages to locating in Thailand, not least the availability of precise and efficient cost-effective labour, which in boat building is a very real consideration, but also the technology available together with readily accessible good quality materials.  Our partner companies, Cobra and Green Marine, are well known and trusted worldwide within the industry and our large multi-lingual staff ensures ease of communication."

http://www.composite-marine.com