MST wins contracts at Seawork

MST exhibited some of its most recent models at the show, with two boats in the exhibition hall and a Pakistan Navy vessel on Seawork’s floating pontoon.

The company has been involved with Seawork since its inception in 2002. MST recently moved to its new larger manufacturing facility and launched its new website in time for the show.

Philip Hilbert, marketing director, MST, says about the 2009 Seawork exhibition, ‘We were able to announce significant contracts for fellow exhibitors Volvo Penta UK and Hamilton Jet UK for 96 engines (comprising 62 x Volvo D6-370DP stern drives and 34 x Volvo D6-4351IB to drive waterjets) and for 34 x Hamilton Jet HJ274 water jets). These substantial orders show how MST’s successes are providing major benefits for marine trade suppliers at a time when areas of the marine market are suffering in the world wide economic downturn.’

‘Seawork offers a good opportunity for MST’s design and development department to visit and see other craft, see suppliers and put faces to names and maintain relationships.’

Seawork varies from year to year for the company: taking the last few years as a whole MST say they have seen a lot of interest from Europe.

Philip adds, ‘This year had more of an emphasis on domestic markets with several key government agency and professional enquiries, along with some very interesting law enforcement projects to work on. As a direct result of Seawork 09 we have three projects likely to result in contracts shortly.’

MST’s recently formed sister company SIT (Specialised Inflatable Technology) also had a successful event: managing director Chris Chadwick is positive about future years at Seawork.

‘SIT has had a very successful first year exhibiting at Seawork in 2009. We were delighted with the positive response we received, the majority of which was completely generated as a result of the three days at the show.’

The company had considerable interest in their search and rescue products with many interesting opportunities arising for the future with new relationships formed with OEM manufacturers also exhibiting at the event.

Chris continues, ‘We had interesting enquiries from some unlikely sources at the show and our eye-catching exhibition stand attracted considerable interest. They included companies involved in aviation and first responder rescue equipment. We will definitively be back for next year – having already secured the same stand position for 2010.’