Expanded manufacturing and service footprint enhances FMD’s worldwide customer support network

BELOIT, Wis.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

Fairbanks Morse Defense, a portfolio company of Arcline Investment Management, has acquired Vestdavit, a leading supplier of davits and advanced handling systems based in Bergen, Norway. The acquisition strengthens FMD’s position as a global provider of mission-critical maritime equipment and enhances its ability to deliver fully integrated product and service capabilities to naval and commercial operators worldwide.

Images of Vestdavit’s solutions are available here.

Fairbanks Morse Defense purchased all equity of Vestdavit from its four owners for an undisclosed amount.

“Fairbanks Morse Defense and Vestdavit share a longstanding commitment to providing mission-critical equipment for navies that are protecting the freedom of the seas,” said Steve Pykett, CEO of Fairbanks Morse Defense. “Vestdavit’s advanced handling technologies complement our existing portfolio while broadening our OEM and service capabilities. In turn, Vestdavit will benefit from our worldwide support infrastructure, ensuring customers receive the highest standard of service wherever they operate.”

Vestdavit brings more than four decades of expertise and a track record of over 2,200 davit systems delivered to naval and offshore operators. The company pioneered dual-point lifting systems, automated boat-handling technologies, and advanced launch and recovery systems (LARS) for unmanned surface and sub-surface vessels. These innovations are critical for the U.S. Navy’s planned Large Unmanned Surface Vessels (LUSVs) and the Large Unmanned Undersea Vessels (UUVs).

Mutual customers include the U.S. Navy, UK Royal Navy, and the Canadian Coast Guard. Through Vestdavit, Fairbanks Morse Defense will also expand its presence among NATO fleets such as the French Navy, the Italian Navy, the German Navy, the Royal Netherlands and Belgian Navies, the Finnish Navy, and the Norwegian Navy.

Fairbanks Morse Defense will also add Vestdavit’s manufacturing facility in Poland and service centers in the Netherlands and Seattle, Washington, to its operational network. Vestdavit customers will gain access to FMD’s full portfolio of engines, motors, valves, ventilation systems, water purification and treatment systems, and other OEM technologies.

“Companies evolve over time, and having seen tremendous growth in recent years, we believe the time is right for Vestdavit to become part of a larger system that will strengthen our future development,” said Rolf Andreas Wigand, CEO of Vestdavit. “As part of Fairbanks Morse Defense, we are well-positioned to expand geographically within the global naval segment, strengthen our aftersales capabilities, and access the resources we need to pursue long-term growth.”

Vestdavit’s offering now joins that of Welin Lambie, the UK-based davit manufacturer acquired by Fairbanks Morse Defense in 2023. Together, the two companies will provide customers with a comprehensive range of davit solutions.

This transaction follows Fairbanks Morse Defense’s acquisition of the Rolls-Royce Naval Propulsors business earlier this year, which restored the Bird-Johnson brand to propellers manufactured in Pascagoula, Mississippi, and added waterjets produced in Walpole, Massachusetts.

About Fairbanks Morse Defense (FMD)

Fairbanks Morse Defense (FMD) builds, maintains, and services the most trusted naval power and propulsion systems on the planet. For nearly a century, Fairbanks Morse Defense has been a principal supplier of a growing array of leading marine technologies, OEM parts, and turnkey services to the U.S. Navy, U.S. Coast Guard, Military Sealift Command, and Canadian Coast Guard. FMD stands ready to rapidly support the systems that power military fleets without compromising safety or quality. In times of peace and war, the experienced engineers, sailors, and technicians of FMD demonstrate our commitment to supporting the mission and vision of critical global naval operations wherever and whenever needed. FMD is a portfolio company of Arcline Investment Management.

To learn more, visit www.FairbanksMorseDefense.com.

About Vestdavit

Vestdavit is a market-leading Norwegian supplier of advanced boat-handling systems, with a track record of more than 2,200 davit deliveries mainly to navies and coastguards worldwide, as well as the offshore energy sector, over the past 40 years. Its robust systems with advanced features have well-proven reliability, safety, and efficiency in real-life operations. Vestdavit has also developed innovative solutions, such as Mission Bay, using new technology to shape the future of boat handling.

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Source: Fairbanks Morse Defense