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Lilaas sets the controls for Asia

by admin

Terje Akerholt

Marine and offshore controls specialist Lilaas AS has reached its first direct service and distribution agreements in Asia, as part of its strategic plan to support increasing demand for its levers and joysticks.

The company, which develops and manufactures all its products in the heart of Norway’s marine electronics industry, in Horten, has come to a service partnership and agency agreement with Z-Power Automation, Singapore, and a separate distribution deal with Shanghai EJH Group, Shanghai.

Terje Akerholt, head of Lilaas Sales and Marketing, Maritime Division, says that the Z-Power Automation deal will provide critical support for the company’s products in the region, given the expected increasing complexity of hardware and software.

“We continue to invest heavily in design and development, safety and manufacturing capability in-house, ” he says, “and this has been rewarded by current sales of around 9, 000 control levers a year for maritime and offshore use. To sustain that level of business, we are rolling out a complementary back-up network. Establishing a service station within the port area in Singapore means we can offer local support across the range of the products we supply and build up stock to enhance delivery timings, for example.”

The new distribution agreement with Shanghai EJH Group came after the Chinese organisation made an initial approach to Lilaas in 2011. It brings Lilaas into partnership with a well-known distributor of state of the art technological services and products for industrial users in China. With activities extending across a wide range of sectors, EJH Group focuses on the delivery of high-end instruments, including testing meters, automation components, electromechanical components, pneumatic elements, electronic components and electrical equipment.

“Shanghai EJH Group is always looking for suppliers of quality products to diversify its portfolio, ” says Kevin Zheng, EJH Group Sales Director. “This deal is in keeping with our search for superior overseas products aligned with our ‘Better Technology, Better Service’ strategy.”

Lilaas marine controls are already well established in China, where they are certified for purchase, with initial type approval from Det Norske Veritas.

“The agreement with Shanghai EJH Group is most welcome due to the sharp increase in orders placed for and enquiries made about our equipment from China, ” adds Mr Akerholt. “As well as bringing us sales representation, Lilaas will offer technical support training.”

He says the two agreements represent “just the start” of a five year Lilaas plan to raise its global profile. “End-users may not always be fully aware of the vital contribution Lilaas has made to control consoles, ” he says. “Our customers are often global systems makers including some of the biggest players and well-known names in the market.”

In attracting a number of new clients over the last 12 months, notably in Japan, Lilaas has been encouraged by its ability to supply its control units to Asia at competitive prices, Mr Akerholt says.

For further information, viewers can contact: Terje Akerholt, Lilaas AS, T: +47 33 03 18 50,   M: +47 95 99 12 20, email: terje.akerholt@lilaas.no

About Lilaas

Lilaas AS was established as Lilaas Finnekaniske AS in 1961 by Jan Lilaas. The company has over 50 years of experience in the manufacture of precision mechanics for both shipbuilding and offshore customers. The company’s products range from simple, one-axis control levers in different sizes, hand wheels and rudder controls to azimuthing control units and multi-axis joysticks.   www.lilaas.no

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