Kiwi design and technology on show at METS

by Kate Gordon-Smith on 19 Nov 2013
This week’s Marine Equipment Trade Show (METS) in Amsterdam features a range of New Zealand-designed and manufactured marine products, ranging from a new high-tech fibre used for sail-making to inflatable spinnaker retrieval systems and a weight-saving, carbon fibre torsional headstay.

Fifteen members of the New Zealand Marine Export Group – C-Quip, C-Tech, Doyle Sails New Zealand, Events Clothing, Fastmount, Fusion Marine Entertainment, Magnus Marine, Manson Anchors, McKay marine electronics, MedAire, Pacific Aerials, Southern Spars, Stainless Downunder, Superyacht Interiors and TruDesign – are exhibiting at METS, which runs from 19 to 21 November.

'METS is the world’s biggest marine trade show and offers the ideal opportunity for New Zealand’s specialist marine component suppliers to showcase their products and services to over 19,000 show visitors from the world’s boat building and refit sectors,' says Peter Busfield, executive director of the New Zealand Marine Industry Association (NZ Marine) which incorporates the export-focussed group.

'The joint NZ Marine presence at METS helps promote the incredible level of innovation for which New Zealand marine equipment and component designers and manufacturers are known, ,' Busfield says. 'With METS located in Amsterdam, it’s a great location for personnel from the European boat building and refit yards to check out the latest innovations from Kiwi companies.'

'We are also delighted to see that Doyle Sails New Zealand and Fastmount were nominated for this year’s DAME Design Awards, a highly-respected design competition for new marine equipment and accessories.'

METS is the final of three major international marine expos which feature the joint displays of NZ Marine member companies this year; the other two events being September’s Monaco Yacht Show and October’s Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show.

Among the products being featured by NZ Marine member companies are:
- A brand-new and unique ultra-molecular weight polyethelene (UHMWPE) fibre from Doyle Sails New Zealand, called Stratis ICE sail fibre. Lighter, more durable and stronger than any other sail fibre available, the new ICE fibre is 100 per cent developed in New Zealand and has been nominated for a prestigious DAME design award which will be announced on the opening day of the METS expo. Manufactured in New Zealand, the Stratis membrane technology range is distributed throughout the world by the 80 Doyle sail-making facilities.

- The multi award-winning range of panel mounting systems from Fastmount, among them the DAME design award-nominated MC-05 maxi metal clip-set, Fastmount’s first metal panel mounting system. The Fastmount team will also be talking to expo visitors about their very low profile clip-set, the VL-03, which won the furnishing and interior parts innovation award at the US International Boatbuilders Exhibition and Conference (IBEX) in September.

- Inflatable spinnaker retrieval systems for 10 to 20-metre yachts, called C-T Snuff-Air and flexible, furling sail battens for superyachts from carbon fibre component specialists C-Tech.

- Three products from Southern Spars expected to attract attention are their new EC6 Torque torsional headstay which utilises their patented bundled carbon fibre rods, the iLock mainsail headboard car system available in both racing and superyacht configurations and the coastal furling boom, which brings superyacht componentry to the production yacht market.

- Global yacht medical support company MedAire features their crew training programmes. These are developed by medical experts who understand remote medical care – as well as stringent maritime regulations – and deliver hands-on, comprehensive medical instruction, specifically tailored to the maritime environment.

- The iconic Line 7 Marine brand takes centre stage for well-known marine clothing and superyacht uniform specialists Events Clothing. Having secured the global design and manufacturing rights for Line 7 Marine in July this year, Event Clothing is actively looking for new stockists and distributors for the clothing range around the world.

Exhibiting side-by-side in the ‘New Zealand Pavilion’ in Hall 2 of the METS expo are: C-Tech (02.232), Events Clothing (02.127), Fastmount (02.226), Fusion Marine Entertainment (02.113), MedAire (02.131), Pacific Aerials (02.230), and TruDesign (02.224). Superyacht Interiors (02.228) joins the NZ Marine group through the ‘incubator’ programme which helps growing New Zealand exporters attend the key international marine expos with a cost-effective presence. Creating a second ‘New Zealand Pavilion’ presence in the Superyacht Pavilion are: C-Quip (10.404) McKay (10.408), Magnus Marine (10.413) and Stainless Downunder/Kiwi Closures (10.411), and exhibiting in their own right are: Doyle Sailmakers (10.715), Manson Anchors (02.106) and Southern Spars (01.106).

The NZ Marine Export Group is the export sector of the New Zealand Marine Industry Association (NZ Marine) and represents over 50 organisations which export products and services to clients around the world. See www.nzmarine.com for more information or find us on Facebook http://www.facebook.com/NewZealandMarineIndustryAssociation.