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March 2011 www.marinelink.com 43 effort to expand globally, and on face value the move has paid off: in 2003 the company worked on 4,000 vessels, a number which has steadily risen, culminating last year when it worked on 10,000, ac- cording to Friedberg. Since 2000, the expansion of Goltens has included the opening of facilities in Bahrain, Abu Dhabi, Shanghai, India, Fujairah, Korea, Vietnam, Japan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, U.K. Greece and the Philippines. As of 2009, its network includes more than 1,400 people globally, serving 4,000 customers and 30,000 projects, including 2,000 reconditioned piston rings; 400 reconditioned crankshafts and 4,500 reconditioned connecting rods. While the growth has been impressive, Friedberg maintains that there is still room for further expan- sion. In making the decision to open a new shop, he said that after considering resources, the company surveys its customer base to determine ideal locales. Currently, Brazil, South Africa, Australia, Istanbul and Algeciras top the list. “An investment of $1m at start-up will take you far,” Friedberg said, “but bigger facilities, such as in China, may take several million.” A major new investment for the company is an es- timated $15m targeted for a new facility in Dubai Maritime City (DMC), a 20,000 sq. m. plot with 40 percent of it built on with workshop and office space. Friedberg said the plan is to move into the new site in one year, and he sees it as an excellent opportunity to significantly upgrade the company’s offering in Dubai. A potential sticking point to the Dubai expansion – for Goltens and other maritime companies in the region — has been the delays DMC has encountered in building up its core ten- ants in the wake of the global financial storm. “It is a bumpy road right now because we are the first ones, and we kind of feel like guinea pigs,” admit- ted Jürg Bartlome, Managing Director, Goltens. “But we think this is an important move,” giving Goltens the opportunity to expand and layout the shop exactly the way it wants. EXPANDED OFFERING Goltens, much like other maritime companies, was stalled with the recent world economy as shipowners delayed repairs and vessels fell out of service. “Owners today are trying to prolong repairs and dockings, though at the end of the day, rep- utable owners realize that you simply have to do it,” said Friedberg. While Goltens’ core business still lies as a diesel engine specialist, it too has seen the need to broaden its offering, both within and outside of the maritime niche. Dubbed “Coordinated Clean Technology Up- grades,” Goltens launched a new business line which offers consultation and advice as to the se- lection of ‘clean technologies’, starting with Bal- last Water Systems, onboard ships, and will then work with to the owner to buy and install the sys- tem. The new business is currently run out of its Rotterdam office, and to date is working toward the procurement and installation of three BWT sys- tems. The plan is to build the business and slowly roll it out into key areas in the future. “Owners today are trying to prolong repairs and dockings, though at the end of the day, reputable owners realize that you simply have to do it,” Paul F. Friedberg, President, Goltens Worldwide Services (Photo: Gr eg T rauthwein) While Goltens continues to expand, President Paul F. Friedberg maintains: “We are specialists in diesel engines.” (Photo: Gr eg T rauthwein)
