Sealegs Set To Ramp Up Production

Sealegs Set To Ramp Up Production 400% After Shift Into Larger Premises

Auckland, 14 May 2007: Amphibious boat manufacturer Sealegs International is gearing up for increased production of its unique rigid inflatable amphibious craft following the move to a new, expanded facility in Albany.

Sealegs has just completed setting up its production line in the new 20,000sq ft facility - three times the size of its previous site - which will be able to increase annual production capacity by 400%.

According to CEO David McKee Wright, “Sealegs is now set to enter new overseas markets with confidence that we can better meet the delivery expectations of our customers. We have taken orders for around 50 boats already this calendar year and with the previous capacity to build only 50 boats a year we were not keeping up with worldwide demand.”

“The new plant gives us the capacity to produce as many as 200 units a year with a production rate of four times our previous plant. This is our third move since we started production back in 2004 and in that time it took us almost three years to ship our 100th boat,” he says. “In our new factory we are looking to manufacture 100 boats within the next 12 months and up to 200 boats the year after.”

The new facility, adjacent to the previous site in Bush Rd, also provides increased office (3,000sq ft) and warehousing (5,000sq ft). It also has a paved yard with the capacity to load up to 3 x 20ft shipping containers simultaneously.

“The new facility allows, for the first time, our assembly process to move to a more streamlined production-line system, increasing efficiency and workflow. And the increased warehousing capacity allows us to hold buffer stock to protect against unexpected delays of parts which can impact on production.”

Recently Sealegs, which exports over 70% of its total annual production, confirmed an order of 12 amphibious boats to the Middle East, which represents more than $800,000 in forward revenue. This took its forward orders to 50 pre-sold boats, worth around $4 million in future revenue.

Sealegs is expected to announce record earnings for the year to March 31 2007, later this month.

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