Dampa, the Danish marine celing system specialist, says round 150-200 tons of metal ceilings and panels will continuously be transported from Denmark to Japan for use on board the two 124,500 gross ton cruise ships AIDA Cruises has an order at Mitsubishi Heavy Industries. over the next two years and the great volume of metal ceilings are produced in Tommerup on the small island of Funen.
“We have known for a long time that the order was probably on the way. Today we got the final confirmation, says Michael Nykjær, co of Dampa. – “We have won the contract for the supply of fireproof ceilings for the two new ships of AIDA Cruises cruise ships ahead of both European and Asian competitors. It is, of course, interesting for us to expand our business horizons to working with a giant such as Mitsubishi Heavy Industries and it is exciting to be involved in the building of two ships that are so far ahead technologically and design wise,” he said in a statement.
" From the start we worked hard to follow up on this potential chance to become a part of the project. Here in Denmark and through our agent in Japan, we have worked on the two orders for nearly two years. The process has been delayed and Nnow suddenly everything is happening very fast. We start delivering our special B15 fireproof panels in May 2014. The plan is for one of the cruise ships to be ready for use in the beginning of 2015 and the other one should be finished in Q1 2016.
- "From the reports I’ve had from Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, they chose us because of our service and product and a good price. Also, it has certainly played a role that we've been willing to share our know-how in the initial round of presentations, assisting MHI and AIDA Cruises with on-site technical assistance in building mock ups and getting an international brand approval. I am pleased to note that our reputation runs ahead of us - even all the way to Japan. We have extensive experience and because our products fit together like Lego blocks, they are easy to work with for the ship builders. This helps us to stand out in bidding rounds,” says Michael Nykjær
Plug & Play
Michael Nykjær has been the ceo of Dampa since October 2012 and he has laid out a clear strategy, combining the old company's traditional virtues of quality, durability, millimeter precision and easy handling with innovation. DAMPA’s perfect fit is one of the main reasons why clients choose his particular metal panels. Precision means significant savings in installation time and can provide the client with great savings on operational costs in the long run. Product development is about developing hidden installations that do not disrupt the overall ceiling surface visually.
“Marine ceiling systems are first and foremost about safety, installation time and price but we are continuously working with product development. Right now we are working on the visual side of the installation system, LED lighting and acoustics. That way we meet the needs of clients and adapt to the market as it stands today. In all modesty, when it comes to marine ceiling systems, we are way ahead of most competitors because we work around the clients’ needs 360 degrees.”
“ Each panel is prefabricated and customized to the exact place it should be fitted. We pre-fabricate holes for fittings, sprinklers , speakers, etc. At the same time we deliver the panels in boxes sent to the specific room and deck of the ship where this specific box of panels is to be installed. Some of our competitors deliver on huge pallets and leave it to the shipbuilders to figure out the rest. Our panels and supplies are customized so the shipbuilders just have to bend down and put up the panels with four clicks. “This kind of perfect fitting can save huge amounts of time and money for a shipyard. We may not sell the cheapest panels in the market but we still end up being the supplier that offers the lowest price and the most attractive total economy.”
