Greg Swain joins Maritimo

by Media Services on 28 Jun 2007 Internationally acknowledged marine industry identity Greg Swain has joined the award-winning Maritimo yard to assume responsibility for quality control, warranty procedures and apprenticeship training.

He had previously been involved with Maritimo CEO Bill Barry-Cotter’s former company, Rivera Marine (now The Riviera Group).

Brisbane-born, but 'Gold Coast-bred', Swain has been involved with the industry since establishing Greg Swain Marine at Sorrento in 1977. He moved to a facility on the Brisbane Road, Labrador, in 1981 and over the next 20-years operated one of Australia’s most successful dealerships.

Greg Swain Marine was the primary Queensland distributor of International Marine’s Caribbean and Bertram range and in 1985 on his own initiative started marketing the boats to Pacific Rim nations, including Papua New Guinea and Noumea.

'I simply advertised in their local telephone directories and listed myself as the ‘export expert’', he recalled.

In 1986 Swain investigated the possibilities of the Japanese market and commenced selling Bertram models primarily to end users.

'At the time, there was virtually no recreational boating market in Japan, no dealers, no marinas and so on,' he explained. 'Eventually, we started marketing to trading houses and eventually were able to establish a dealer and service network.'

Although being well aware of Bill Barry-Cotter, it was actually Bill’s brother Kendall who brought Swain into Riviera Marine.

'I was in Japan at the same time as Kendall and he approached me with a view to doing for Riviera what I had been doing for International Marine,' Swain said.

'It proved to be a worthwhile exercise and Riviera became the premiere big boat name in Japan.'

Greg Swain Marine also looked after the Japanese market at different times for Haines Signature, Brooker, Ally Craft and Horizon Aluminium Boats.

With his previous contracts concluded, Swain in April joined Maritimo.

'The company is ramping up its production for an expanding market, so hopefully my joining the company will prove very timely,' he said.

'When I came aboard we had four apprentices; now we have eight and my ambition is 20 by Christmas.'

Maritimo’s apprenticeship scheme is gaining momentum as local schools come aboard providing work experience students aiming at evolving into apprentices. The apprenticeships available at this time include boat building, fitting and turning and engineering.

Swain has also introduced new protocols aimed at comprehensively improving Maritimo’s already strict quality control methods. He has also ensured that warranty work is being carried out by qualified tradesmen Australia-wide.

Swain said he was enjoying his new role. 'It’s great to be working with so many qualified and familiar faces from the past,' he said. 'And one can’t do any better in the boating industry than to be involved with Bill Barry-Cotter.'