Maritimo Product Partner Profile – Volvo Penta. Strong partnerships drive success, growth, and innovation.
Since inception, Maritimo’s culture has been one of forming and fostering long term relationships across every aspect of the business, whether it be with owners, present or future, or those within or outside the organisation. It’s’ no surprise then to see many long-term successful relationships with other like-minded brands, working together for mutually successful outcomes. These outcomes ultimately result in a superior product offering and a positive customer experience before, during and beyond vessel ownership.
Maritimo prefers to think of all that would traditionally be known in a manufacturing operation as ‘suppliers’ to that of ‘product partners’, committed to working together to meet and exceed all stakeholder expectations, with ultimately the end customer as the focal point and beneficiary.
Once such product partner almost needs no introduction. Volvo Penta has been providing engine solutions to power Maritimo vessels since 2010, with the enduring D12. The business relationship was actually formed many years prior to that.
Gavin Rooney, the Head of Power and Marine Industrial Solutions at Volvo Penta Oceania, has been at the company for over 18 years and seen a lot of the marine industry in his time. A recent conversation with him both raised and focussed in on some of the key synergies between the two brands of Maritimo and Volvo Penta, the current solutions being delivered, and what the future may bring.
“Volvo Penta likes to partner with key Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEM) that have similar core values to us around innovation, technology and safety for their clients. Maritimo definitely has that same alignment with Volvo Penta in those values,” Rooney said.
“That’s the key. There’s no point selling products to OEMs, whether it’s in the Marine or Industrial sectors, if they don’t have the same values. When it comes down to supporting customers, if they don’t have same values that drive them, you don’t get the return on investment, and importantly you don’t get the partnership engagement. So, we really do look for partners that; one – meet our core values, and two – strive to be better. Maritimo embodies this philosophy perfectly,” he added.
“Volvo Penta is number one for market share in the recreational boating industry, with 55% of the total horsepower supplied between 10 and 1,000 horsepower. So, if you have the right core values, the right strategic initiatives, the right products, and partners like Maritimo, then the lion share of customers will want their product powered by the strongest stakeholder in that platform sector.”
“Today, we provide further strength into the production lines of partners like Maritimo, by offering a total solution, not just a pair of engines to power their boats. Solutions such as Electronic Vessel Control functionality, enabling the famous ‘Glass Cockpit’ integration for control of all the elements in a powertrain solution and navigation data.
And then connected with our dealer network, our logistics spare parts supply, and our warranty conditions, you get an excellent ‘end-to-end’ product – a true benchmark for the industry.”
“Looking forward there are still many challenges to overcome, as batteries and fuel cells have their own unique issues, and only form part of the solution to reducing CO2 emissions. Since the D12 was launched there’s been a 15 percent CO2 saving across Volvo Penta product just from improved internal combustion engine development. Maritimo is probably one of the most efficient hulls for shaft drive produced anywhere in the world, so it’s been quite satisfying seeing the outcomes that the two brands have achieved together.”
