Innovation and Craftsmanship: Steering Akerboom Yacht Equipment Into the Future
In the realm of luxury superyachts, where tradition meets innovation, Akerboom Yacht Equipment (AYE) stands as a testament to the enduring legacy of Dutch shipbuilding. In an exclusive interview with Mervyn van der Ploeg, Managing Director of Akerboom, we delve into the intricate world of custom-built yacht equipment, exploring the company’s craftsmanship, its lengthy history and its relentless dedication to quality, innovation, and finding solutions. These elements not only define AYE’s operational philosophy but also set the course for its future trajectory in the maritime domain of hydraulic equipment.
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Commitment to Craftsmanship: The Core of AYE’s Identity
Craftsmanship is the cornerstone of AYE’s philosophy, embodying a meticulous approach to quality and detail. Akerboom Yacht Equipment creates, designs, and maintains custom-built hydraulic equipment such as boarding ladders, gangways, swimlifts, platforms, doors, hatches, cranes, and various special solutions for superyachts. With Feadship as a major client, high quality by craftsmanship is a key for long term success.
Mervyn emphasises that craftsmanship is central to AYE’s identity, ensuring that each project reflects the company’s high standards. “Our focus is on delivering superior quality and attention to detail in every aspect of our work. This commitment is evident in the precision of our products and the satisfaction of our clients.” Craftsmanship extends far beyond the confines of its production facilities. It is woven into the fabric of every interaction, every innovation, and every solution delivered by Akerboom service engineers to clients worldwide.
With its 110 employees, Akerboom continuously implements improvements in all its products in new-built projects, drawing from insights gathered from service and AYE refit locations. This continuous improvement process is guaranteed by ISO-9001 certification and ensures that Akerboom’s offerings evolve to meet the changing needs. From the selection of premium materials to the precision engineering of intricate constructions and assemblies, every aspect of the manufacturing process is infused with a passion for perfection.
Akerboom commits to craftsmanship by training its employees from the moment they start working at AYE and all employees receive their Akerboom certified yearly training at their own AYE Tech campus. Every year minimum 3 new employees start while still in school, and 100% of these students stay at the company after graduation. After many years now, 40% of all craftsmen started this way directly out of school.
Pioneering Innovation: Leading with Solutions
The success of AYE is deeply rooted in its collaborative ethos, by engaging clients as partners from the outset. This partnership approach ensures that each solution is tailored to the client’s vision, resulting in bespoke hydraulic equipment that seamlessly blends with the yacht’s design and functionality. Akerboom assigns a dedicated project manager and project design engineer to work together with the client. This collaborative approach extends across every phase of the project lifecycle, from initial consultation to final delivery and service route. By engaging clients as active participants in the design and development process, Akerboom ensures that each solution is custom-tailored to their specific requirements, preferences, and aesthetic sensibilities.
Mervyn van der Ploeg emphasises the importance of this collaborative journey: “Any feedback we receive at our service and refit locations in Barcelona (Spain) and West Palm Beach (Florida, the US) is used as inspiration for our Akerboom product innovations.” Working with the best partners, such as VSE for motion control, ensures that Akerboom can always deliver the best products.
Innovation is the compass that guides AYE’s quest for excellence, driving the company to explore new horizons and redefine the boundaries of yacht equipment design solutions. AYE’s innovative spirit is vividly illustrated in the development of the pop-up gangway and the mobile control panel—two solutions that embody the company’s response to complex challenges with elegant and effective answers.
The Pop-up Gangway: Engineering Elegance
The genesis of the pop-up gangway is a compelling narrative of necessity and ingenuity. When a superyacht client realised the absence of boarding capabilities from the aft deck, AYE was called upon to devise a solution. The result was the automatic folding pop-up gangway in the aft-deck, a marvel of engineering that combines sleek modular design with practical functionality in a small technical space. “This innovation not only resolved the initial challenge but also set a new standard for yacht boarding solutions”, notes Mervyn, showcasing AYE’s ability to turn visionary ideas into reality.
The Mobile Control Panel: Efficiency and Safety
The mobile control panel exemplifies AYE’s commitment to enhancing operational efficiency and safety on board. Born from recurrent feedback about the limitations of the current control system, this innovation allows crew members to monitor and analyse the equipment’s systems remotely, providing a new level of flexibility and insight. While prioritising safety by restricting actual control to the usual remote to prevent unintended operations, the mobile control panel underscores AYE’s focus on simple yet impactful innovations.
A Global Network: Ensuring Excellence Everywhere
AYE’s dedication to service excellence is amplified by its global presence as OEM for its hydraulic equipment. With over 80 yachts equipped and serviced worldwide by committed craftsmen, AYE’s Global Service Network extends from its Dutch roots to strategic locations in West Palm Beach, Florida, and Barcelona, Spain. This expansive network facilitates unparalleled maintenance and support for AYE’s discerning clients and ensures that the same standards of excellence are upheld globally. “We aim to provide consistent, high-quality support to our clients, wherever they are. This global reach ensures that we can offer immediate assistance and maintain the high standards of our equipment,” Mervyn says, underscoring the importance of AYE’s international presence.
Akerboom’s Foundation: Anchored in Dutch Shipbuilding Excellence
The history of AYE is a remarkable story of evolution. In 1860 the company was founded to craft wooden vessels for bulb growers. Over generations, AYE evolved, adapting to changing times and markets, including a shift to luxury motorboats and later, to specialized hydraulic equipment for superyachts since 1983. This evolution was driven by a consistent focus on craftsmanship, innovation, and responding to industry needs. “The foundation of Akerboom is deeply rooted in the rich tradition of Dutch shipbuilding, reflecting a legacy of precision, durability, and reliability”, Mervyn explains. This heritage is not just a backdrop but a driving force that shapes the company’s ethos and practices, ensuring that AYE remains synonymous with quality in the luxury superyacht industry.
The Future: A Horizon of Innovation and Excellence
Looking ahead, AYE is poised to navigate the evolving landscapes of the luxury superyacht industry with its steadfast commitment to craftsmanship, innovation, and global service. The company’s rich heritage, combined with a forward-looking perspective, positions AYE to confront future challenges and to continue leading the way in maritime excellence.
In charting the journey of Akerboom Yacht Equipment, we uncover a narrative that transcends mere manufacturing. It is a story of passion, innovation, and unwavering dedication to quality—a legacy that AYE is set to carry into the future, steering the superyacht industry toward new horizons of luxury and craftsmanship.
In Association with:
VSE is the specialist in the field of Industrial Automation & Motion. Our years of experience and specialized knowledge make us a valuable partner for end users, but also for other organizations in the industrial chain, such as system suppliers and machine builders. Together with them we work on smart and optimal integration of mechanics, electronics and software. The aim is the perfect machine with an optimal balance between efficiency and sustainability. Together we do what we are good at.
