In line with marine sector trends globally, South Shields based Solar Solve is pleased to announce that its business over the last 2 months has reached pre-Covid 19 levels. With potential and confirmed orders for the future continuing to look very strong, Solar Solve’s board are confident that next year will be as good as or even better than 2019, which was the company’s best year to date.
Whilst most of Solar Solve’s business comes from the marine industry, one of the biggest orders dispatched in October was destined for 18 windows in the Air Traffic Control Tower at Carriel Sur International Airport. It is located in Talcahuano, Greater Concepción and is one of the largest airports in Chile, serving many domestic airlines and receiving international traffic from Santiago when that airport closes due to weather.
The consignment of 18 Type Approved SOLASAFE roller sunscreens, when in use by the ATC personnel, will create a safer, more comfortable working environment and protect them from the sun’s glare, heat and ultra violet light.
John Lightfoot, MBE, Solar Solve’s chairman commented, “With Chile, we are now up to Lucky Seven, having previously supplied our roller sunscreens to Air Traffic Control Towers at six of the country’s other airports over a number of years. It proves that if you treat your customers with respect and appreciation, giving them the best products and service, they will return, for as long as you keep getting everything right.”
Orders for marine vessels vary in size and global locations. Orders have been for 1 screen for a Cypriot based luxury motor yacht and 1 for the operator’s cab of a new crane being built in the USA, 2 SOLASAFE for a Shetlands Island Council vessel, 7 SOLASAFE for TRENT FISHER, an Offshore Tug/Supply Ship, who ordered another 7 screens for other windows because they were so effective. Bigger orders have included, 28 SOLAROLA for a newbuild in Singapore, 13 SOLASAFE screens with gold film to Kazakhstan and 37 SOLASAFE to one of Her Majesty’s New Zealand Ships currently in service there, plus 81 (9 shipsets of 9) for a series of vessels being built in the UAE.
Naturally the Far East is the world’s biggest shipbuilding location by a long way and that is where Solar Solve’s biggest export market is, Korea, Japan, Singapore and China, with the Middle East being a significant second biggest market. It has prolific shipbuilding and ship repair facilities and outputs and consequently Solar Solve benefits as one of the main suppliers of marine, Type Approved roller blinds and sunscreens to businesses in the area.
South Korea and the Netherlands continue to be in first and second place in our Top Ten countries, with France a close third, which implies that UK Independence from the EU, whilst scary on occasions, has not dented Solar Solve’s relationship with its loyal customers who are located there.
