Gjerdsvika: December marks a double celebration for Norwegian propulsion specialist, Stadt. The company behind the no-loss electric ship propulsion systems is celebrating its 30th anniversary as well as moving into a new center.
The 3,600 sq m maritime center is located in the harbour of Gjerdsvika on the mid-west coast of Norway, south of Aalesund.
Hallvard Slettevoll, founder and ceo of Stadt, reflects on the first 30 years of his company.
“In 1985 very few were considering use of electric ship propulsion,” he recalls, adding: “But my vision was that this could become a market.”
By 1995 there were signs that shipping was interested in this new technology. Stadt became a frontrunner in developing compact watercooled pulse with modulation drives. Since then growth has been very fast.
He sold all these products to Swiss giant ABB in 2001. As soon as the sale was out the way however, Slettevol, nestablished Stadt AS, bringing to market a fifth generation of AC drive technology.
New products will be unveiled next year, Slettevoll says, thanks to the expanded modern facilities at Stadt’s new EUR4m site.
