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Production Strategy
In the early 1990s, Brunvoll had already defined a «Produce
in Norway» strategy as an alternative to extensive outsourcing
to low-cost countries. Defining this strategy also reflected our
commitment to an active investment and automation program.
There were several reasons for choosing this strategy:
• Counteract the skills drain
• Ensure our quality position
• Avoid the long lead times and complications in the
internal value chain that outsourcing often causes
• Awareness that outsourcing requires greater resources for
follow-up and assurance of the specified quality
• A view that reducing in-house production also reduces the
drive for innovation
• Feedback from customers that they did not want «low-cost
components» in our products
• As a family-owned company, we have an idealistic desire
to demonstrate corporate social responsibility and to work
towards an advanced manufacturing sector in Norway
What has happened in 2014?
The capacity requirements for production of new orders were
reduced from 2013 to 2014 through reduced orders on hand.
Our production capacity was therefore adjusted through
withdrawal of subcontracted personnel, enabling us to
maintain efficiency despite lower volumes.
Brunvoll’s first welding robot was installed in February,
enabling us to go from manual welding to robotic welding for
the largest welded parts for our azimuth thrusters.
The improvement in performance has been highly satisfactory
with regard to both efficiency and quality.
During the spring, new offices and facilities were completed.
This made it possible for most of the administrative and
support functions to work side by side in neighbouring
offices, very close to the manufacturing facilities, which gives
us improved production processes.
HIGHLIGHTS
2014
Production
0
200
50
250
100
300
150
350
400
2000
1500
1000
THRUSTER UNITS AND AVERAGE POWER (KW)
2000 2001
2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011
2012 2013 2014
0
50
100
150
200
250
300
350
400
orten
tretten
tolv
ellve
ti
ni
åtte
sju
seks
fem
re
tre
to
en
null
150
200
250
300
350
400
orten
tretten
tolv
ellve
ti
ni
åtte
sju
seks
fem
re
tre
to
en
null
1000
1500
2 00
orten
tretten
tolv
ellve
ti
ni
åtte
sju
seks
fem
re
tre
to
en
null
Average Power (KW)
Thrusters
24
Annual Report 2014