Cockwells, the renowned British superyacht tender manufacturer, has announced a major infrastructure project that will see its sheds at the Mylor Creek Boatyard replaced by a purpose built, low environmental impact headquarters. The development of the site, which has been made possible by a European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) grant, has begun in earnest with the demolition of its outdated sheds and is expected to be completed in August 2019. The ERDF focuses its investments on several key areas including innovation & research, the digital agenda, support small & medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and the low-carbon economy.

“We’ve got the grant in order to help us build the new custom facilities, so we are demolishing our entire workshop at the boat yard at the moment in order to build a custom facility with integral office block, design studios and workshops, it will be entirely solar powered, have under floor heating and be a BREEAM standard building,’ explains Dave Cockwell, managing director and founder of Cockwells.

The new high-tech 1,058sqm workspace should enable Cockwells to increase the number of vessels it delivers annually, attract more highly skilled craftspeople, increase the size of the workforce, attract more private investment, access new markets globally and enhance Cornwall’s maritime sector.

“It is a major project and it was a major application process, we had to convince the ERDF that the investment was worth it, that the business needed the facility, which was quite difficult, and that the investment would enable the business to grow, which we have done already,” continues Cockwell. “Over the last 12-months we have more than doubled in size and we have exceeded our projections in terms of employment and finance.”

Cockwell explains that the businesses order book is stronger that it has ever been with 10 projects due for delivery in 2018, including three superyacht projects. Traditionally, Cockwells has delivered three to four projects a year. However, Cockwell is eager to point out that the growth of the business is not solely focussed on developing the new build arm of the company and that refit and after sales is becoming an increasingly important facet of the Cockwells offering.

“Our superyacht work goes beyond new build, at the moment we have three superyacht tenders in refit, we are doing a lot more tender refit at the moment, not just on our own tenders, and these facilities will make it much easier,” says Cockwell. “We’ve also hired a new after sales service manager, Tristan Rowe, and he is developing the after sales part of the business. We see after sales as being a core part of our business model and we are extremely enthusiastic about it.”

“After sales is one of the key aspects that attracted me to Cockwells. It is clearly Dave’s passion to make sure that any vessel leaving the yard with a Cockwells brand on it is well looked after for the duration of its life,” comments Tristan Rowe, Cockwells’ newly instated after sales service manager. “I have been impressed by every one of the Cockwells boats I have been on, so it is a real pleasure to be part of the team that will help owners get the most out of their vessels.”

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