Marine Industry On Show To The World

New Zealand’s High Performing Marine Industry On Show To The World

Auckland, 24 May, 2002 -- New Zealand’s reputation for designing and producing world class boats and accessories will be boosted later this month, when a strong contingent of our marine export companies exhibit at the prestigious Sanctuary Cove International Boat Show in Queensland, Australia.

Prime Minister Helen Clark will enhance New Zealand’s profile when she visits the show.

Helen Clark will view the New Zealand pavilion and, at the adjacent marina, be shown over a new motoryacht being launched in the Australian market by the Auckland-based Salthouse Marine Group.

The new 60-foot Salthouse Sovereign motoryacht will mean Salthouse has three models in its motoryacht series available in Australia, with a fourth currently on the drawing board.

Held each year at Sanctuary Cove Resort on the Gold Coast, the show has gained a reputation as the premier marine event in the Asia-Pacific region, particularly for bigger and high value boats such as sports cruisers, motor cruisers and super yachts.

In 2001 the show attracted 43,000 visitors from all over the world including targeted guests from the US, Europe, Asia and the Pacific. There were a record 358 exhibitors with 180 boats on the water and hundreds more on land and in pavilions.

The number of New Zealand companies at the show has been increasing steadily in recent years, with many joining the New Zealand Marine Export Group (MAREX) stand. MAREX is a highly successful industry grouping established 10 years ago to promote New Zealand’s marine expertise overseas.

This year around 30 New Zealand companies will be selling and promoting their marine and boating accessories, design and technical services and their boats, which includes everything from kayaks to super motoryachts.

MAREX Executive Director Lane Finley says many of the New Zealand companies will be in the show’s unique Super Yacht Pavilion, reflecting this country’s competitive edge in designing and constructing larger vessels.

“Constantly developing technology is spurring demand for even larger yachts and the trend shows no sign of slacking,” Mr Finley says. “New Zealand has been able to draw on its racing expertise to become a world leader in this field.”

New Zealand’s marine industry is enjoying phenomenal growth, with exports rising by 25% in each of the last three years. We are now the world’s second largest producer of super sailboats and the fifth largest designer and producer of superyachts.

We are also increasingly regarded as a top location for refitting superyachts.

Mr Finley says boat shows such as Sanctuary Cove are an important key to fuelling further growth.

“That’s where the networking, sales and marketing takes place and where companies can see what their competitors are doing. Our reputation for quality and innovation is excellent – but others are trying to catch us up.”

Mr Finley says Helen Clark’s visit to Sanctuary Cove is an important gesture of support for the marine and boat building industry and, together with our second defence of the America’s Cup next year, will focus more attention on New Zealand.

The international success of New Zealand’s marine industry has been underpinned by the MAREX-led approach of co-operating to compete, according to Trade New Zealand Account Manager Nicole Tipler.

“Working together and leveraging off each other has proved to be a winning recipe,” Ms Tipler says. “Very few countries have a marine industry which has been able to do that as well as New Zealand.”

Trade New Zealand’s Trade Commissioner in Australia Sue Reid will use the Sanctuary Cove show as a chance to gain market intelligence and meet representatives of New Zealand marine companies.

She says Australia’s marine industry is being targeted for strong growth and New Zealand companies need to keep a high profile across the Tasman.

“By keeping in touch with innovations and developments in the New Zealand industry, Trade New Zealand can be proactive in helping to match opportunities in Australia with capability in New Zealand,” Ms Reid says.

Figures supplied by MAREX show that export earnings by its 166 members totalled more than $NZ270 million in 2001. Sales of boats accounted for around $NZ122 million while accessories, such as sails and rigging, engines and design and consulting services, earned another $NZ124 million. Refits of foreign vessels and goods sold to visiting vessels accounted for the rest of the foreign exchange earnings.

New Zealand exhibitors at the Sanctuary Cove Boat Show are:

MAREX STAND

D & B Publishing
www.propellermagazine.co.nz
www.pacificmotoryacht.co.nz
www.pacificyachting.co.nz

Industrial Research
www.irl.cri.nz/engineering-dynamics

Johnson Outdoors Watercraft
www.johnsonoutdoors.co.nz

Malcolm Tennant
www.tennantdesign.co.nz

Marine Tech
www.ubd-online.co.nz/mti/index

Next Yachts
www.next-yachts.com

Peter Gilbert Ltd
www.petergilbert.com

Propulsion Alternatives
www.propulsionalternatives.co.nz

Refit NZ
www.refitnz.co.nz

RMSD Ltd
www.msd.co.nz

Roger Hill Yacht Design
www.rjhill.co.nz

Sovereign Yachts NZ
www.sovereignyachtsnzltd.co.nz

Vectek Marine
www.vectek.co.nz

Warwick Yacht Design
www.wyd.co.nz

OTHER NEW ZEALAND MARINE COMPANIES EXHIBITING

Alphatron Pacific Ltd
www.alphatronmarineparts.com

Asia-Pacific Boating
www.asia-pacificboating.com

Bayleys Marine Brokers
www.oceanleaders.com

Boat Tech Ltd
www.boattech.co.nz

Genesis Marine
www.genesismarine.co.nz

Halsey Lidgard Sailmakers
www.halseylidgard.co.nz

Maxwell Winches (Australia)
www.maxwellwinches.com

Naiad Rigid Inflatables
www.naiad.co.nz

Navman (Australia)
www.navman.com

Pacific Motoryacht
www.realtrawlers.com

Performance Plastic Products Ltd
Email: performance@globe.net.nz

Salthouse Marine Group
www.salthousemarine.co.nz

TeleMedic Systems NZ
www.telemedicsystems.com

Wormald Tech NZ
www.wtnz.co.nz

Ends

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