Page 95 - Romania 100

RENÉ BERKVENS
CEO DAMEN GROUP, THE NETHERLANDS
The presence in Romania of the Dutch group Damen Shipyards, bearing the name of its owner, Mr. Kommer Damen, is not aleatory, as nor it is the choice of the city of Galaţi and the local shipyard. Drawing on a rich tradition, Galaţi Shipyard is the successor of “G. Fernic et comp” shipyard established 125 years ago.
In 1999, the Dutch group became the major shareholder of the Galati shipyard, which has developed into a highly efficient production shipyard with a considerable output. The acquisition made by Damen was not made
by chance, as cooperation between Damen Shipyards Group and Galaţi Shipyard started soon after 1990. Damen sensed immediately the success of such acquisition and carried it out when given the opportunity – ‘veni, vidi, vici’ – as in the Latin phrase, said René H. Berkvens, CEO Damen Group, The Netherlands.
During approximately 20 years, a tale about business, cooperation and connection with the community, local authorities and the city grew at Galaţi, in a “strategic” anonymity, far from the media.
We are currently talking about a shipyard that has developed within Damen Group and has become a centre of excellence in special purpose and defence & security vessels. We should
also say that the Dutch did not bring their own workforce, but kept the Romanian talented and skilled resources meaningful employed, that adapted easily to the Western market economy management’s requirements. Nowadays, Damen Shipyards Galaţi is the Group’s largest production shipyard in terms of facilities and the quality of workforce.
Continuing its acquisition policy, in July 2018 Damen Group took over the operational control of the largest Romanian and European shipyard – Mangalia Shipyard, therefore the company currently owns the largest shipbuilding capacities in Romania. We are now on the long road to streamlining and leveraging the production. Consistent with its organizational philosophy,
Damen Group is looking ahead with optimism, knowing it can develop at Mangalia its second multi-purpose centre of excellence in shipbuilding and maintenance of offshore and cruise vessels. According to Rino Brugge, Managing Director of Damen Shipyards Galaţi, ‘we must create several vocational training programs for the optimal training of our employees of Mangalia, thus making the building of these new vessel types possible’.
Moreover, Damen wants to keep the highly qualified and experienced workforce held
by Mangalia shipyard, also guaranteeing its extension and development. The Group aims to keep up the incontestable success of Damen
Patrol Ship “HNLMS Groningen” in service with the Royal Netherlands Navy
95