Purjehdus

New Zealand's Southern Spars has merged with Nordic Mast of Denmark in order to expand its presence on the world market.

The merger, which came into effect on July 19, brings together more than 350 staff. It also increases the group's product offering, which now boasts a comprehensive range of carbon fibre masts, booms and carbon rigging for all market sectors.

"Southern Spars is a market leader with innovative mast and carbon rigging concepts for the grand prix race, ocean racing, and performance superyacht markets," says group general manager David Glen. "We now will have the opportunity to collaborate with the team at Nordic Mast who have considerable experience and presence in the European smaller race boat, performance cruiser, and production cruiser markets."

Glen says that Southern Spars' design software, Rig Calc, can be integrated into the North Sails design software to produce an optimum rig/sail package.

"This technology will now be available and of benefit to all customers of yachts from the foiling Moth and Olympic classes through to production cruising yachts, race boats, grand prix race boats and superyachts," he says.

Nordic Mast builds carbon masts for smaller race boats, performance cruisers and cruising yachts in Europe. The company's existing premises in Rødekro, Denmark and all of its staff will be retained, and the operation will continue to be managed by Lars Netterstrøm.

"We are proud to have the opportunity to join with Southern Spars and to expand our business, ultimately bringing even better carbon masts and booms to our clients in Europe," says Netterstrøm. "The expansion into carbon rigging products will also be new for Nordic. It is very exciting for our team at Nordic Mast to become part of a truly global sparmaking and rigging group, and benefit from all the design and technological resources available within Southern Spars."
(22 July 2010)