Fifty years ago, Baltic Yachts opened its doors in Bosund, Finland. Since it’s steadily outgrowing that site, it’s winding down operations there. Instead, a current expansion in Jakobstad has the Baltic Yachts shipyard on pace to double its size by next year. This way, too, all operations will be under the same roof.
The Jakobstad site is where projects like the Baltic 110 Custom Sloop see construction. Unfortunately, since departments and tasks like joinery, pre-mounting, and lamination all still take place in Bosund, craftspeople must venture back and forth regularly. The locations are 15½ miles (25 kilometers) from one another. Consolidating all departments in Jakobstad therefore will improve efficiencies for the 205 employees and contractors. Additionally, it will eliminate the need for finished yachts and superyachts to trek, a slow (andn expensive) journey, from Bosund to Jakobstad.
The new Baltic Yachts shipyard building will be three stories and about 82,904 square feet (7,702 square meters). It’s been under construction for several months now, alongside the existing yacht-construction and assembly shed. In fact, it eventually will connect to the existing shed, allowing projects and people to transfer between them as needed. Superyacht owners and crew coming to discuss projects will be able to visit a showroom and a meeting room on the ground floor.
Further notable, the new Baltic Yachts shipyard building will employ several sustainable-oriented features. For instance, a nearby power station running on wood-based biofuels will supply heating. The steel beams supporting the first and second floors are from 90-percent-recycled metal. Solar panels will cover the roof as well. The roof itself is bitumen, an asphalt-like material that is recyclable, plus reportedly results from manufacturing methods that produce 25-percent fewer emissions. Finally, proximity sensors will control lighting, reducing electricity use. The various disciplines contributing to construction will spread across all three floors.
Like the existing Jakobstad buildings, the new shed is jointly owned by the city and the builder. On a related note, nearby land is large enough for even more expansion, should the need continue arising.
Since construction on the new building is pretty far along, some areas could start filling with equipment toward the end of the year. Regardless, Anders Kurtén, Baltic Yachts’ CEO, calls attention to one more fact about the new facility. “To see this coming to fruition during our 50th anniversary year is a great bonus!”
Baltic Yachts balticyachts.fi
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