Finally profiles

Publication date 08 May '09

After years of experience in ship-building, earlier this year Pieter Vermeulen started a new company - ProNautec|Nautical Profiles - which mainly supplies aluminium but also steel profiles for the yacht and ship-building industry.

ProNautec is run in parallel with Vermeulen's current activities at Snijtechniek Brabant in Raamsdonksveer. In practice, there is increasing demand for ready-made profiles which can be used when joining the building packages together. Most components of a yacht or ship are produced mechanically, but profiles are often still produced by hand in the yards. A difficult, but above all costly and time-consuming job!

This was the challenge facing Pieter Vermeulen. He always wanted to work for himself, but was looking for a unique product or service for the yacht and ship-building industry which he could then bring to the market himself. After extensive market research, and finding the right contacts for the production of all profiles, in August 2008 Vermeulen contacted the Chamber of Commerce.

From that moment, ProNautec took the first steps in profile production for various customers. For some, the supply of the right files is just a simple push of a button, for others it means an extra administrative task. In general, all shipyards use the right system, but it is not always fully rolled out. It often seems like extra preparatory activities, but will rapidly bring benefits to the yards when it is clear that the extra information can save a lot of work. There is also a reduction in industrial accidents which occur by not using the right hand tool when producing the profiles. All the companies involved in the study could name some examples from the previous year.

The scale of profiles and their production is hugely diverse. ProNautec offers all possibilities. Whether it's a T-piece or tubular profile, aluminium or steel, for forming, bending and providing welding edges, or simply finishing. A wide range of possibilities. 

Vermeulen will continue to work at Snijtechniek Brabant and also further expand his activities for ProNautec. The two companies are complementary, so an even more complete and attractive range can be offered. In the coming months, a very diverse selection tasks for customers in this country and abroad will be on the agenda, offering growth potential for the future!