taxes. I have personally negotiated with
the authorities in order to find a solution
to the problem.”
”The new law is clear for the employees on temporary assignments, but
the old tax audits are creating problems in
the Turku area. A solution to the problem
must be found in order for the employees
on temporary assignments to continue
working. The alternative is to begin using
1.500 foreigners as rental labour which
means familiarising them with, for example, occupational health and safety. That
takes time and money.”
”I do not consider foreignicity as
a negative concept. After all, from the
Finnish perspective I am partly foreign
myself. At present, internationalisation
and acclimatisation to multiculturalism
is a particular challenge to Finnish and
French shipbuilding. The maritime industries in Finland and France should become
partners. Many possibilities arise with the
unification, which is an internal challenge
for Aker Yards. It is a question of will, as
matters move slowly in big businesses.
They move in accordance with strategies
and broad lines of direction.
The 14 work groups, which were
founded for the integration process and
which consist of both French and Finnish
people, have done the most travelling.
INCREASING THE CAPACITY
OF POST-PANAMA RATE
Aker Yards’ new cruise ship and car
ferry business area emerged from a strong
strategic base. In the new business area,
the long traditions of Finnish and French
shipbuilding are unified. The integration
process was named as 1+1=3, in order
to demonstrate the advantages of the
unification. These advantages include a
broader product selection, unique designing, and strong synergy.
Since the beginning of January, there
has been plenty of interaction between
Saint Nazaire and Turku. The French have
been familiarized with Finnish cuisine and
drinking culture. In turn, Finns have been
eager to learn the language and culture
of their partner.
One common factor in the cooperation has been that Aker Yards’ post-panama
shipyards are located in both Saint Nazaire
and Turku. These shipyards can be used to
build ships that are so big they would not
fit through the Panama Channel.
Aker Yards, Saint Nazaire.
Photo: Aker Yards
THE COOPERATION OF
FINLAND AND FRANCE BRINGS IN
ADDED VALUE
In forming Aker Yard’s new Cruise & Ferries
business area, the Finnish and French parties have evaluated, among other things,
synergy possibilities and explored the
best procedures for both countries, while
preparing proposals for the management
to approve.
Aker Yards’ need for increasing the
building capacity of post-panama sized
ships is in the background of the unification of the Finnish and French shipbuilding
companies. In the Saint Nazaire shipyards,
extremely large ships can be built. The
new unit profits from the unique designing, created when the long traditions of
French and Finnish cruise shipbuilding are
unified. It has provided passengers with,
for example, SS France, Queen Mary 2,
Voyager, and Freedom ships.
The recourses of Aker Yards are utilised in a way that exceeds geographical
boundaries. The cooperation between
French and Finnish people began even
before the integration: parts of a cruise
ship ordered from a Finnish shipyard were
built in Saint Nazaire where free capacity
could be found.
The three modern Finnish shipyards
are among the largest ones in Europe.
Altogether, the land area in Turku consists
of 144 hectares. The world’s largest cruise
ships are developed in Turku at present.
The measures of the building dock are
365 x 80 meters, and the crane weight
600 tons.
The building dock in Saint Nazaire’s
108 hectare area is 885 meters long and
65 meters wide, and the crane weighs the
massive amount of 750 tons.
In Helsinki, the building dock is 280,5
meters long and 34 meters wide. The shipyard specialises in building car-passenger
ferries. Icebreakers may also be included
in the product selection of Aker Yards’
shipyard in Helsinki. The order book of
the Helsinki shipyard includes five ships,
so the future of the shipyard is no longer
in danger.
The shipyard in Rauma specialises in
car-passenger ferries, in addition to small
cruise ships, multipurpose icebrakers, and
navy craft. The building dock’s measures
are 260 x 85 meters.
In Lorient’s yard, the ships built are
30 - 140 meters long.
In France, the number of personnel
amounts to some 3.200 people. ■
seatec 2007
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