Damen Marine components to make its winch range available on the open market

It’s no secret that Damen Marine Components (DMC) designs and manufactures high-quality marine winches for a wide range of applications. However up until now mariners will have only encountered them on board Damen-built or maintained vessels, as they were previously sold exclusively within the Damen group. That is now to change with DMC making its winches generally available to third-party shipyards and equipment suppliers for the first time.

Damen Marine Components has been producing winches on a commercial scale since 2010, however for many years prior to that date Damen Maaskant Shipyards Stellendam had been maintaining and building highly-regarded winches for its fishing vessel clientele. Eight years ago, the decision was made to put that valuable knowledge and expertise to good use across the group. Damen recognised that winches are often a vital component on board workboats and producing them in-house would not only leverage an existing skills base but would also reduce reliance on suppliers and ensure the continuous improvement and adaptation of the designs.

Damen workboat ‘Beagle’

Damen Winch Technology was formed in 2015, bringing on board additional engineers and creating a dedicated unit with R&D, design & engineering, production and after-sales support all under one roof. This consolidation and expansion also enabled the benefits of Damen’s expertise in standardisation to be exploited the full, allowing maximum advantage to be taken of series production and proven designs to deliver better quality and lower costs. Production in high volumes also supports a policy of continuous innovation.

Coming to market

Today, DMC offers the maritime industry a full range of high quality, low maintenance escort, towing, anchor and tugger winches, and capstans. Damen’s many years of experience as a leading builder and maintainer of vessels of all types can be seen in the design and build of all its winches. Not only are they capable and reliable, they are also simple to install and align, and service and spares are available at short notice on a worldwide basis.

Additional features based on Damen’s shipbuilding knowledge include the application of extended factory acceptance testing to remove the need for post-installation commissioning, the assembly of winches on single skids for easy mounting, and the application of duplex paint systems for maximum durability.

“Our doors are now open for enquiries from anyone looking for the best in maritime winches for all applications,” said Steef Staal, managing director of Damen Marine Components. “We may be a new entrant into the general market, but we offer a wealth of experience and expertise, and our winches can already be found on vessels all over the world, delivering first-class performance and value for money.”