Screen firm has a bright future

Jan 7 2009 by Chris Knox, The Journal

A COMPANY that manufactures anti-glare windows for ships has secured its biggest order and now hopes to increase its turnover by 20% this year despite the ongoing financial crisis.

South Shields-based Solar Solve Marine has secured an order for £96,000 to supply 324 of its patented Solasafe screens to a fleet of 12 platform supply vessels which are being built in India.

The screens are being supplied to Indian ship manufacturer Cochin Shipyard Ltd, which is building the ships to support the country’s booming offshore oil and gas industry.

The orders follow a number of lucrative orders for the firm, including the shipment of a number of screens to Dubai, where shipping companies have been installing the screens on dredgers used to help sculpt a number of artificial islands in the area, including Palm Islands and The World.

The firm is looking to increase its involvement with Far Eastern markets as a way of protecting it from the economic downturn and is also in the initial stages of developing a new range of screens to help secure its future.

Managing director Julie Lightfoot said: “We are still working on a number of orders for firms that have been working on ships for some time. Once these projects are completed we do expect our orders to slow down as some shipbuilders delay upgrading their vessels until markets improve.

“However, we are determined not to let this affect our growth and our research into new screens shows we are not prepared to stand still and let the downturn damage the business.”

The firm hopes to increase its £1.5m turnover by 20% by the end of the year, but said that may be down to a 10% increase if its market is not as good as expected.

It also plans to expand its production facilities at the Port of Tyne.