Building a Safer Future: Vegard Solheim on Innovation and Leadership at Kolberg Caspary Lautom AS
In this interview, Vegard Solheim, CEO of Kolberg Caspary Lautom AS, shares his vision for the company’s future and its commitment to innovation in the maritime industry. With a legacy dating back to 1906, KCL is a leader in marine safety solutions, focused on enhancing the reliability of lifeboat systems and meeting the evolving needs of the maritime sector. Solheim discusses the company’s dedication to quality, flexibility, and sustainability, as well as the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead. Through a collaborative leadership style rooted in Norwegian values, he inspires his team to deliver exceptional solutions while positioning KCL for continued growth and success in a competitive market.
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Career Path: Can you share your background and career journey that led you to become the CEO of Kolberg Caspary Lautom AS?
About 25 years ago, I studied business administration and marketing and found myself at a crossroads after my bachelor’s degree: either continue on to get a master’s degree or gain some experience in the real world of work. I ended up with an opportunity to carry out a six-month engagement for KCL, where the task was to conduct internal and external analyses and prepare a five-year total business plan for the company to be decided by the board. I embarked on this engagement, believing it would provide me with useful experience before deciding on my further studies. The plan was presented after six months of work and was adopted. At the same time, I was offered a job as a trainee, where I was to serve as a product assistant, preparing campaigns and reporting to the company’s product department. The board wanted me not only to present the plan but to help execute it as well.
After six months as an assistant, I was offered a permanent position as marketing coordinator. I quickly discovered that the learning curve here was far steeper than at any university. In the next three to four years, a lot happened in the market, and the company’s main owner brought me along as his support for all processes, new business areas, acquisitions, and all strategic work.
In 2004, Kolberg Caspary Maskin AS merged with Lautom AS to become KCL. This merger introduced a new sector to the company, with in-house production and industrial products aimed at the offshore and marine segments, along with extensive experience in hydraulic systems. In this merger, I took on the role of sales and marketing director, where I was responsible for everything commercial in the company. During this time, we acquired and consolidated several industrial companies and streamlined KCL’s business areas according to plan, as they appear today.
In 2007, I naturally assumed the role of CEO and have run the company ever since, guided by a clear strategy and philosophy of high Norwegian quality in everything we do, with as much in-house production as possible, maintaining control over the distribution chain, and ensuring maximum flexibility.
Company Vision: What is your vision for Kolberg Caspary Lautom AS, and how are you positioning the company to achieve its strategic objectives in the market?
KCL is today one of Norway’s leading importers in several industries and markets and was established in 1906. We are a privately owned company and place quality, flexibility, and innovation first. That is the main reason we are soon to be a 120-year-old company—and this is the foundation of our vision. We have an industrial long-term view.
The vision for the marine safety sector is to make all lifeboats far more reliable and safer than they are today, with a fail-safe release system.
Core Offerings: Kolberg Caspary Lautom AS specialises in various maritime solutions. How do you ensure the quality and innovation of your products and services in this competitive industry?
We have over 50 years of experience with equipment and systems for the maritime sector. Traditionally, our production of systems is related to equipment on deck, such as drivetrains for cranes and anchor handling winches in the form of HPUs of all sizes and purposes. Today, there are major changes in the market, especially regarding electrification and the efficient use of all operating systems. This is an area we focus strongly on, and we follow the trends and needs very closely. In recent years, this has, among other things, resulted in us supplying frequency converters for the majority of all HPUs produced today. What sets KCL apart from others is that we base ourselves on tailor-made solutions, adapted to the customer’s needs—and manage the whole process, from drawing to finished operational and serviced solution.
To ensure the quality and innovation of our products and services, we only use components from world-renowned manufacturers and brands. These, combined with our own production department for critical components, ensure that we always have the best possible quality and, not least, innovation in our solutions. If we don’t have the component needed for a result, we simply create it.
Exactly this was also the case when we saw the urgent need for another solution for maritime safety for traditional lifeboats.
Lifeboat Release: So Simple Yet So Difficult
It sounds simple: lifeboat hooks should only do two things: release the lifeboat in every situation when needed and never allow an unwanted release. But factors such as high waves, dragging, on-load release situations, complicated user interfaces, and reset procedures add complexity, which is the main source of malfunctions. Unfortunately, no hook design has addressed all these issues satisfactorily so far.
KCL’s NOA-Hook: Everything is Different
Thomas Fabian, Chief Safety Officer at RCCL, describes the new KCL NOA hook features:
“While conventional lifeboat release systems have load forces applied to moving parts, the KCL NOA design connects the master link directly to the keel. This eliminates an unwanted release due to mechanical failure. There are no weak parts such as fragile locks, cams, or springs—the hook itself consists only of two very strong parts.”
Lifeboat Drills Made Easy
“The lifeboat crews are always changing, and complicated instructions are quickly forgotten. The KCL NOA system is extremely easy to operate, and the whole user instruction manual consists of fewer than 50 words. This minimises operational errors while drilling and allows safe operation in an emergency,” explains Thomas Fabian.
KCL NOA’s New Release Technology, Inspired by the Airline Industry
“Redundancy has been one of the core design elements,” according to Ragnar Jørgensen, the inventor of the KCL NOA hook system. “The KCL NOA-hook system features an electro-hydraulic release system, which is only pressurised when in use. In case of a power failure, there are two additional safety layers: manual hydraulic and fully manual release.”
Full Steam Ahead for KCL
“To start with, there has been a lot of resistance from the established lifeboat vendors, protecting their existing revenue streams and looking at innovation as a threat rather than an opportunity,” explains KCL’s CEO Vegard Solheim. “But in the long term, the need for a safer solution can’t be stopped—in the end, it is the customer who makes the decision.”
Industry Trends: What are the major trends and challenges in the maritime equipment industry right now, and how is Kolberg Caspary Lautom AS adapting to these changes?
For our part of the market, which concerns marine equipment on deck, electrification and power utilisation are the most important changes. Here, we are at the forefront and offer solutions for everything we deliver. When it comes to safety and lifeboats, the trend is that more and more people are waking up to the fact that something has to happen. Carrying out lifeboat exercises can pose direct and unnecessary dangers, and lives are lost. Undoubtedly, many near-disasters occur. One can only imagine the margins of error and the unnecessary danger that arise in a real emergency. In all humility, I believe we will be a trendsetter in the years to come. I think KCL NOA lifeboat hook systems are going to be the norm.
Industry Trends: What are the major trends and challenges in the maritime equipment industry right now, and how is Kolberg Caspary Lautom AS adapting to these changes?
For our part of the market, which concerns marine equipment on deck, electrification and power utilisation are the most important changes. Here, we are at the forefront and offer solutions for everything we deliver. When it comes to safety and lifeboats, the trend is that more and more people are waking up to the fact that something has to happen. Carrying out lifeboat exercises can pose direct and unnecessary dangers, and lives are lost. Undoubtedly, many near-disasters occur. One can only imagine the margins of error and the unnecessary danger that arise in a real emergency. In all humility, I believe we will be a trendsetter in the years to come. I think KCL NOA lifeboat hook systems are going to be the norm.
Technological Advancements: How is Kolberg Caspary Lautom AS incorporating new technologies into its products and services? Can you provide examples of recent innovations or upgrades?
Technological advances and upgrades are essential to success, even in a relatively conservative market and industry. It is one thing to adopt technology that is here to stay, but a greater challenge is to create innovation by combining old and new technology. I believe we have achieved this, especially with our electro-hydraulic safety solution for lifeboat hooks. Here, we have integrated existing technology from the aircraft industry into the control system and layers of safety, while simultaneously adding our own groundbreaking technology and design to the hook itself.
Sustainability Efforts: Sustainability is becoming increasingly important. What initiatives has Kolberg Caspary Lautom AS undertaken to enhance its environmental performance and contribute to sustainable practices?
KCL, like all businesses, has an impact on its surroundings and the environment. Our goal is to minimise this impact as much as possible. With a robust management system, such as ISO 14001, we ensure more profitable and efficient operations while keeping energy consumption and environmental impact to a minimum.
Society is increasingly concerned with preserving the environment, and our customers demand that we take a proactive stance on this issue and work systematically to reduce our environmental burden. KCL has recognized this and has implemented several measures and investments to achieve these goals, which also strengthen our position in the markets we operate in, setting us apart from our competitors. With ISO 14001 certification, we enhance ties with existing customers and can attract new ones.
In both existing and new buildings, we utilise 100% heat pump operation, which draws heat from 19 wells in the ground. This provides extreme efficiency in heating during the winter and cooling during the summer. A large portion of the roof of our facility is covered by solar panels. In an average year, the system can supply 208.4 MWh to the public grid, in addition to what we consume. These investments for everyone’s future mean that KCL has reduced its own environmental footprint by at least 70%. During an average Scandinavian summer half-year, KCL is a net exporter of energy. We have one of the country’s most energy-efficient and environmentally friendly buildings, coupled with optimal green operations.
In daily operations, everything is subject to strict recycling procedures. We reuse all packaging, cardboard, plastic, and wood. We recycle cardboard that cannot be reused by producing stuffing for all our outgoing shipments.
KCL has optimised its energy management and implemented measures to be as energy-efficient as possible. We recycle to the highest extent feasible and process emissions and waste as optimally as possible for our operations. Our environmental goal is to ensure that our total environmental footprint does not significantly increase with increased activity but rather remains at a similar or lower level. This is achieved by following the already established procedures in ISO 14001—Environment, Energy, and Waste Management.
The control function at the operational level involves departmental protection rounds that focus on environmental issues.
The control function at the verification level measures total annual energy consumption against value creation, weighted against the previous year.
Customer Solutions: How does Kolberg Caspary Lautom AS address the evolving needs of its customers? Can you highlight any recent projects or solutions that showcase your commitment to customer satisfaction?
Customer satisfaction is at the heart of all our business. We measure customer satisfaction continuously. For each project, we receive feedback on defined critical information that is always evaluated and measured.
Our flexibility and tailor-made customer solutions are among our main competitive advantages, often setting us apart from most others. This means that the customer only needs to describe their requirements, provide the measurements for the desired solution, and specify the scope and utility—and we create the solution. Our competent staff and production infrastructure, including our large local warehouse, enable us to meet our customers’ needs faster and better than others, allowing us to create more efficient and rational solutions quickly.
This philosophy also applied when developing the KCL NOA lifeboat hook. We recorded existing solutions and, by chance, the inventor himself took a private cruise and observed the weaknesses in the current systems. We spoke to the crew and gathered their general dissatisfaction and insecurity regarding these systems. We asked ourselves, “Is it possible to do this better and safer?” Consequently, we designed and engineered what we call a “game changer” in lifeboat hooks. We initiated an early dialogue with Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines (RCCL), and they found this innovation so groundbreaking and interesting that we had the opportunity to re-hook their first ship earlier this year.
The market reception has been fantastic, and we have begun to penetrate not only the cruise market but also the gas tank market, which requires safer and more efficient hook systems—not just for lifeboats, but also for FRC/MOB boats.
All these projects, and this entire business area, are the result of listening to our customers and developing tailored solutions.
Competitive Edge: What differentiates Kolberg Caspary Lautom AS from its competitors in the maritime sector, and how do you maintain a competitive advantage?
Our total market offering is what differentiates us from most others. We stock all components in our own building, have our own in-house production of all critical components with top quality, and maintain a distribution network of the highest class with maximum flexibility. With a highly competent staff that has continuity over a long period, combined with this infrastructure, we can effectively address and be at the forefront of our customers’ needs in the maritime sector.
To further secure these competitive advantages, we must remain loyal to our strategy and culture and continue to build our capabilities stone by stone.
Future Directions: What are your key strategic priorities for Kolberg Caspary Lautom AS over the next few years, and how do you plan to achieve these goals?
For the maritime sector, our strategic priority is focused on further market penetration of our lifeboat hook systems. We are concentrating on all passenger ships that have lifeboats, MOB boats, and FRC boats. This market is large and overdue for a much-needed better solution—something KCL now offers. Our strategy moving forward is to direct our efforts towards equipping cruise and passenger fleets worldwide with our game-changing KCL NOA lifeboat hook, ensuring that all passengers and crew have the safety they deserve at all times.
We are in the business of saving lives.
Leadership Philosophy: How do you approach leadership and team management at Kolberg Caspary Lautom AS? What do you believe are the most important qualities for effective leadership in your industry?
We are a Norwegian company, and this naturally influences our management culture and leadership philosophy. In our region of the world, local democracy has been part of our history for as long as we can remember. Therefore, we have a flat structure, where the culture and tradition dictate that everyone should be heard before important decisions are made. With us, nobody sits in their ivory tower. We help each other, support one another, and do what we must to succeed. This is a leader’s most important task: to inspire and make good things happen. Our experience is that the very best employees are those who, after good performance, get the opportunity to develop and take the next step within our organisation. It is very inspiring for all employees to feel seen and to know that as a leader, you always look within your own organisation to fill future positions. This is crucial for our business idea—in order to offer quality, flexibility, and competence in everything we do, we must build continuity and expertise over time with everyone.
My leadership is based on simple principles:
- Listen more than you talk.
- Give freedom under responsibility.
- Never close the office door.
- Encourage employees to enter the office not with a problem but with a proposal for a solution.
Culture eats systems for breakfast.
